1

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
A number of biological species are being cultivated around the globe. These species are
required to be kept in a sterile environment as they readily react with their surrounding and
can cause danger to human if exposed .So, it becomes necessary to separate them from the
liquid in which it grows and convert them into some other form (eg. powder) so that they can
be transported.
One such biological species known as the Piriformospora Indica or popularly known as
P.Indica is being cultivated by the Amity Microbial Department.

Fig 1 Piriformospora Indica
P.Indica is a newly described cultivable endophyte that colonizes roots. Inoculation with the
fungus and application of fungal culture filtrate promotes plant growth and biomass
production. Due to its ease of culture, this fungus provides a model organism for the study of
beneficial plant-microbe interactions and a new tool for improving plant production systems
This fungus helps to improve the growth on poor soils with lower inputs of chemical
fertilizers and pesticides. It has also been found immensely useful in other areas such as:
Production of bio fertilizers, bio regulator, bio-herbicide, immunomodulator etc.
Currently, the production of fungus is restricted to very small scale. This is due to the fact
that the entire process requires manual labour. No current solution exists for their problem.
2

The current process for separating P.indica from its solution is manual in which filter
paper(whatman) is used for filtration which is very time consuming and ineffective as large
amount of fungal spores passes through the filter paper. After the fungus has been separated it
has to be mixed with talcum powder. Efforts have to be made to ensure that the mixture is
uniform. This process is also done manually.
Their entire problem is discussed in relevant section of this project. So, in order to overcome
these problems their current process has been thoroughly studied and solutions have been
provided through this project which aims at increasing their efficiency. The solution aims at
providing minimal manual intervention throughout the process starting from separation to the
end product. This will in turn help them to increase their rate of production and convert it to a
large scale production as the fungus has been deemed useful in many fields.
















3

CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW

The deserts of Jodhpur, in Rajasthan have a great density of cactus. A group of scientists
consisting of Ajit Varma, Savita Verma, Sudha, Nirmal Sahay,Britta Btehorn, and
Philipp Franken decided to study the conditions which favoured the growth of this plant.
They were surprised when they discovered that the cacti remained green throughout the year
even in the most extreme weather conditions such as scorching summers (with zero percent
moisture) and chilly winters(under sub- zero temperatures) which the other plants could not
withstand and as a result of which, they withered and died. This thus proves the fact that the
soil provides the cacti with food and nutrition necessary for its survival. Though the cacti
hardened during such extreme weather conditions but survived on its own attaining the
nutritional element from the soil. This led to an important conclusion that although the roots
of the plant may be long enough to get food and nutrition from the soil, the sandy soil
however could not hold any food or water to allow other plants to survive.
Further research on this soil performed by the afore mentioned scientists proved that there
were some nutritional elements in the form of some microbial substances. This was later
named as PIRIFORMOSPORA INDICA (p.indica).

Fig 2. Uses OF P.Indica
4

P.indica basically functions as a bio regulator, bio fertilizer and bio protectant against root
pathogens. It also helps overcome the water stress (dehydration), delays the wilting of the
leaves and also prolongs ageing and tissue lyses. This led to an increasing demand for
growing this fungi on small scale thus lab production from one cell of this P.indica to
multiple cells were done so as to increase the growth of the plants.
According to the government guidelines these biologically active substances could not be
transported from one place to the other as its reaction on human beings remain unknown.
There was a requirement for the development of a method or medium by which human
intervention that could cause contamination of the fungi could be avoided. This is where the
need for mechanical engineers came into the picture for the purpose of designing such
equipment for the removal of the fungi from its growing medium and mixing it in a powder
like substance which would make it unreactive in nature. The production of such equipment
requires the component to be completely autoclaved or sterilized such that there are no
bacteria or any other harmful interpolations interrupting the production of the biological
material.
The microbial department of our university called on for solutions from different
manufacturing units which proved to be very expensive. This task was therefore given to the
mechanical engineering department of our university. Further, this problem was forwarded to
our group for designing and developing a system for the separation and mixing of this
biologically active material with powder converting it into a medium that makes it unreactive
to humans and keeping it away from any kind of contamination.








5

CHAPTER 3
Project Design and Implementation
3.1 Approach to design



















Analyse the problems
Preliminary Design
Final Design considering the
best alternative
Result and Discussion
Future Prospect
Study of the current process
6

STEP 1: Study of the current processes
Process 1
P. indica is grown for 2 weeks at 30C under constant shaking (130 rpm) in 1 1 Erlenmeyer
flasks with 500 ml of liquid minimal medium.

Fig 3 P.Indica (>100 micron)
1. Flask contents are filtered through a normal filter paper.
2. The contents are weighed and then are mixed with Talcum powder.
3. The resulting mixture is packed in 100gm packets.
4. The above process results in a fungus which has size > 100 microns.
Another process requires the cultivation to be done in a fermenter which results in fungus
having sizes between 15-25 microns. This is more effective for crop production.
The Problem
The current process for separating P.indica from its solution is manual with the use of filter
paper and requires mixing with hand. This process is time consuming and inefficient.
Reason Most of the fungus passes through the filter paper and it requires constant stirring
as the fungus keeps on blocking the pores of the filter paper. As a result, most of the times the
filter paper gets damaged and the process has to be repeated again. The mixing of the fungus
is done by hand which results in uneven distribution of fungus throughout the mixture.


7

Process 2
Another method employed is preparation of fungus in the fermenter. The separation of the
fungus from the fermenter is even more difficult as their size is very small and most of them
pass through the filter paper. The entire process has to be done in a sterilized environment
which is difficult to maintain when the process is being done manually and in stages.
The efficiency of the current manual process is very low and requires a lot of manual effort.
The ongoing manual process requires about two persons and more than an hour to produce 4-
5 kgm of the mixture.
The Solution requires:
1) Minimum human effort or manual intervention.
2) The whole equipment used should be autoclaved.
3) The final mixture should be uniform.
4) The process should have a higher efficiency than the ongoing process.
5) It should be able to handle large production volumes.










8

3.2 Preliminary Designs
3.2.1 Design 1
The design initially thought was the one similar to the rotating skimmer in which is found in
Power Plants to remove the sludge which works on the concept of centrifugal force. The
design would consist of a drum in which will contain the liquid containing fungus. The drum
will rotate and due to the density difference the fungus would rise up to the surface from
where it could have been easily removed.
Problem: - The main consideration for this design was the density difference. On analysing
the fungus, it was found that its density is more compared to the density of the liquid used for
its culture. So the centrifugal force generated would force the fungus to the bottom creating a
problem for its separation. So, this design was scrapped.
3.2.2 Design 2
The next idea was to use a vertical drum (For eg- washing machine) with micron filters in
small section at the outer surface of the drum along the height. The drum will be powered by
a AC motor and it will be supported on bearings to take up the load. The rotation of the drum
will force the liquid out through the micron filters thus trapping the fungus inside.
Arrangement for air pressure will be made at one side of the drum so that the mesh does not
get clogged by the fungus. When all the liquid has been separated from the fungus, a small
suction pressure through a pump would be employed to move the fungus from the drum to
the mixer.
Advantage This design eliminates the use of centrifugal force for separation. Large
quantity of solution can be separated in a very small duration. Sterilization of the entire
assembly is easy and effective.
Disadvantages - The construction of the drum has to rugged to handle the pressure
generated. The support for the drum has to be rigid so that there is no imbalance of forces,
this led to an increase in cost of the material and the assembly. A large area would be
exposed to the splashing of the liquid thereby increasing the cost of production as more
material would be required to direct or stop the splashing of liquid. The method will not give
result when the amount of liquid in the drum is very less as it will not be exposed to the filters

9

3.2.3 Design 3
The problem with the last design could be eliminated by inclining the drum at an angle so
that the entire liquid mixture gets exposed to the micron filters. The rest of the design was
kept same.
Disadvantage- The process becomes time consuming as the drum has to rotate at very slow
rate. Balancing of the drum will be difficult as load on the shaft will increase. This will lead
to an increase in the cost as the extra load has to be balanced.
3.2.4 Design 4
All the problems faced in the earlier design were studied and solution was adopted for them.
The vertical axis drum is replaced by a horizontal axis drum. This drum would be having two
shafts from either sides which would further help in the rotation of the drum as well as the
mixer.

Fig 4 Design 4 (Autocad)


10

The drum would have a taper at one of its sides. This taper would lead to the collection of the
fungus at one area so that it could be easily removed from the drum. The material used for the
construction of drum is stainless steel of grade 202 keeping the cost factor in mind as
compared to other grades. The drum will have filters around its circumference. The drum
would be rotated with the help of a single phase AC motor connected through a V belt pulley
arrangement.
A double blade mixer will be made which will get its power from the drum itself with the use
of V Belt pulleys. Provision will be made to prevent splashing of the liquid.
Our design basically consists of:-
1. Drum with filters.
2. Mixer
3. Connecting pipe
4. Motor
5. Provision to prevent splashing
6. Power transmission.









11

CHAPTER 4
FINAL DESIGN
4.1 Initial requirement: Procurement of a suitable filter.
Finding a suitable filter was a primary requirement for the design. The filter has to be such
that it can:
Sterilized.
Last through repeated number of cycles.
Should not react with the fungus.
Stainless Steel Mesh
A wire mesh made of stainless steel 202 is used as a filter. The stainless steel mesh is of 10
micron size. This material has been chosen as such so that it can be easily autoclaved
(sustain temperatures of about 130 degree Celsius). This has to be done so that the mesh is
sterilized which being of primary importance.

Fig 5 Stainless Steel Mesh
The mesh has to last for a number of cycles so it is a better substitute for filter paper. Though
the cost of the mesh is high as compared to a filter paper but given advantage, it is more
economically justifiable considering large production volume that has to be handled.
Cost Rs 500 for 1m x .3 m.

12

4.2 Testing of the filter
The filter has to be tested so that it is deemed useful for our purpose
Test 1: It had to sustain high temperatures < 150 degree Celsius.
For this, the mesh was kept in a beaker containing boiling water for 10 minutes.
Result- The filer successfully passed this test.
Test 2: To check the filtration efficiency of the mesh
For this, a small bottle was required. The bottle we chose had a flat surface so that small
section could easily be punched out of it. The SS filter was pasted in the section with the help
of fevi-quick and cello-tape was used to seal any openings. The solution containing the
fungus was poured through the inlet of the bottle. A beaker was kept underneath to collect the
fluid. The bottle was rotated in a lathe machine till the entire solution was filtered. The liquid
collected in the beaker was tested under the microscope for the fungus.

Fig 6 Testing Bottle
Result The fungus was not found under the microscope indicating that the filter chosen is
appropriate for the purpose.
Test 2 was performed again to re-check the results.

13

4.3 Drum
The drum being our major apparatus was manufactured carefully. We had to choose between
stainless steel grade 306 and 202 as the material of the drum. Both were non-corrosive, and
have the capability to withstand high temperatures without failure. So keeping the cost factor
in mind as well as the easy availability of stainless steel 202, we chose 202 grade stainless
steel over 306. The foremost reason for selecting stainless steel of grade 202 was that it was
unreactive to the solution of fungus even at very high temperature of 130 degrees. Likewise,
the material of the mesh was also stainless steel for the above reasons.
The dimension of the drum is 254mm x 304.8mm. The length of the drum is 304.8mm and
the diameter of the drum 254mm. This was also made taking into consideration the volume of
the solution it will be able to contain within the drum.
Calculation:
Volume = area * height
Area = 3.14 * r^2
Radius = 127mm
Height = 304.8mm
Therefore, Volume = 14.7 litres ~ 15 litres.
The taper provided has a dimension of 25.4 mm by 76.2mm. A ball valve is fitted at the
taper. This asymmetry in the design made the flow path of the fungus and its culture medium
non-uniform thereby separating them easily. The taper also helps in the accumulation of the
fungus in the region of the ball valve so that it easily flows down into the mixer via a
connecting pipe.
First of all the dimensions were calculated as to what size was required and then accordingly
the sheet was cut. After the stainless steel sheet was cut into the desired size, further sections
were cut from the sheet for making provisions for the attachment of the stainless steel mesh.
A total of 5 sections were cut for the mesh, which four of them were of the size 76.2mm x
76.2mm and one was 76.2mm x 127mm. The side having the biggest mesh section also had
the inlet next to it, having diameter of an inch from which the solution having the fungus
would be fed inside the drum. The rest four mesh sections were arranged on the sides of this
14

biggest mesh section along with the inlet. The mesh used is also stainless steel of grade 202
as discussed in the previous chapter.
The stainless steel sheet was then rolled with the help of a roller and then both the ends of the
sheet were joined with the help of argon welding as it provides a completely leak proof joint.

Fig 7 Circular Drum
After all this, the two side faces were covered with the same sheet material. This was also
sealed with the help of argon welding.
Advantage of Argon Welding:
Argon welding is waterproof and electric arc welding is not.
Argon welding does not produce spark whereas electric arc welding does
produce tremendous amount of spark during welding process (as it will
damage the mesh).
Argon welding is highly resistant to corrosion and it is resistant to cracking
over a long period of time.
The quality of argon welding is very high as compared to electric arc welding.
Argon welding is also very strong.

Ball Bearing
Stainless Steel Filter(10 microns)
Argon welding
Inlet for the Solution
15

The mesh was also welded along the section with the help of stainless steel strips and care
was taken so that the mesh does not get damaged and there is no space for leakage.


Fig 8 127 x 76.2mm Mesh with Argon Welding




Fig 9 76.2 x 76.2mm Mesh







16



4.4 Power Transmission
Main power source of the project is a 0.5 hp, 2800 rpm A.C. motor which is powered by
external 220V supply. The power is transmitted from this motor to the circular drum and then
to the mixer through a V belt-pulley arrangement.

Fig 10 (0.5) Hp AC Motor
Power is transmitted in 2 stages:
Motor to the one end of the shaft of circular drum.
Other end of the shaft of the drum to the mixer shafts.
Components used in transmission:
Pulley (304.8mm,76.2mm,50.8mm)
V-belt (1701.8mm,1320.8mm,381.0mm)
V-belt:
V belts or wedge rope solved the slippage and alignment problem. It is now the basic belt for
power transmission. They provide the best combination of traction, speed of movement, load
of the bearings, and long service life. They are generally endless, and their general cross-
section shape is trapezoidal. The "V" shape of the belt tracks in a mating groove in the pulley,
with the result that the belt cannot slip off.
50.8mm pulley
Pulley
17

The belt also tends to wedge into the groove as the load increases the greater the load, the
greater the wedging action improving torque transmission and making the V-belt an
effective solution, needing less width and tension than flat belts.
Advantages of using v-belt:
V-belts have small center distances as compared to flat belts.
They have high reduction ratios.
Better torque transmission capability.
Less slip.
They are adjustable & can easily be assembled and disassembled.
It is simple, inexpensive and does not require axially aligned shafts.
Pulley :
A pulley is a wheel on an axle that is designed to support movement of the cable or belt along
its circumference. Pulleys are used in a variety of ways to lift loads, apply forces, and to
transmit power. A pulley is also called a drum and may have a groove between
two flanges around its circumference. The drive element of a pulley system can be
a rope, cable, belt, or chain that runs over the pulley inside the groove.

Fig11 76.2mm pulley
Belt and pulley systems:
A belt and pulley system is characterized by two or more pulleys in common to a belt. This
allows for mechanical power, torque and speed to be transmitted across axles. If the pulleys
are of differing diameters, a mechanical advantage is realized.
A belt drive is analogous to that of a chain drive, however a belt sheave may be smooth
(devoid of discrete interlocking members as would be found on a chain sprocket, spur gear,
or timing belt) so that the mechanical advantage is approximately given by the ratio of the
18

pitch diameter of the sheaves only, not fixed exactly by the ratio of teeth as with gears and
sprockets.


Fig 12 Pulley Belt System


Fig13 - Belt and Pulley System
V-Belt for connection for drum and
mixer shaft
12 inch pulley
B grade V-Belt connection
2 inch pulley for motor shaft
19


Fig14 - (381.0mm) V-belt
Stage -1 Transmission:
Motor is provided with a 50.8mm pulley on the outer end of the shaft. The drum is provided
with a 304.8mm pulley on the same side of that of motor. Both pulleys are connected with a
1701.8mm (A-grade) v-belt. The shaft of motor is running at a rpm of 2800 and the rpm of
shaft of drum is reduced to 400 with the help of 304.8mm pulley. Formula used for finding
out pulley diameters is (n1/n2=d1/d2) where n1 & n2 are rpm and d1 & d2 are diameters
of pulleys.
Stage-2 Transmission:
Stage 2 includes transmission of power from circular drum to the mixer shafts. The mixer is
provided with two shafts separated by a distance of 76.2mm .Two shafts are provided so that
there is better mixing of the talcum powder & the fungus. As the drum is rotating at 400 rpm ,
so the end of shaft opposite to that of motor is provided with a 76.2mm pulley. Both the
shafts of the mixer is also fixed with a 76.2mm pulleys. The pulley of drum and mixer .is
connected by a 1320.8mm belt and the pulleys on the mixer shafts by 381mm belt.





50.8mm Pulley
76.2mm Step Pulley
20

4.5 Bearings
Bearing is a mechanical element that permits relative motion between two parts with
minimum friction. Its main functions are:
Free rotation of shaft or axle with minimum friction.
Supports the shaft or axle and holds it in correct position.
Takes all forces that act on the shaft or axle and transmits it to the frame.

Fig 15- Bearing with Bracket
4.5.1 Ball bearing:
A ball bearing is a type of rolling-element bearing that uses balls to maintain the separation
between the bearing races.
The purpose of a ball bearing is to reduce rotational friction and
support radial and axial loads. It achieves this by using at least two races to contain the balls
and transmit the loads through the balls. In most applications, one race is stationary and the
other is attached to the rotating assembly (e.g., a hub or shaft). As one of the bearing races
rotates it causes the balls to rotate as well. Because the balls are rolling they have a much
lower coefficient of friction than if two flat surfaces were rotating on each other.
4.5.2 Self-aligning ball bearing:
Self aligning ball bearings are suitable for applications where misalignment can arise from
errors in mounting or shaft deflection. The steel balls, cage, and inner ring can rotate freely at
a certain angle, as it is stated that the bearings have self-aligning features
21


Fig 16 Deep Groove Ball Bearings
. Accordingly, misalignment of the bearing shaft due to the machining and installation of the
shaft and housing will be automatically adjusted.
Advantages of roller or ball bearings:
Have lowest friction.
Run cooler even at high speeds
Easy mounting and dismounting
The permissible operating speed is not dependent on the common criteria like heat
generation or cage stability and strength.
Misalignment problem does not occurs.









22

4.6 Mixer
A mixer was required for proper and even mixing of the fungus with the talcum powder. The
mixer designed for the purpose consists of two shafts supported on ball bearings. Blades are
welded on the shaft to serve the purpose of mixing. The blades are arranged at an angle of 45
degrees. The arrangements of blade in this manner help in uniform mixing of the fungus and
the talcum powder. The blades are made up of stainless steel.

Fig 17 Mixer CFD
The mixer has numerous advantages over other designs. It doesnt require high capacity
motors to drive the shafts and takes it power through a simple V-Belt arrangement from the
drum. The construction of the mixer is simple and does not require heavy duty material and
can be made with the help of simple manufacturing processes. The cost of manufacturing also
being very less. The force generated inside the mixture does not damage the fungus.
Mild steel was used for the construction of the mixer. Suitable material for the mixer is
stainless steel 306/316, but keeping the cost factor in mind mild steel was chosen. The mixer
has a rectangular top and a curved base. The base is slightly curved to ensure proper mixing
of fungus & talcum powder and helps in easy exit of the final mixture. The top of mixer is
provided with two openings, one is for fungus inlet & other for powder.
23


Fig 18 Internal View of Mixer

Fig 19 External View of Mixer
The opening for the fungus is of 50.8mm to which a stainless steel pipe is welded which is
used to direct the fungus from the drum to the inside of the mixer. The other opening is
rectangular type with a sliding gate. The base of the mixer is provided with a sliding outlet
Stainless Steel Connecting Pipe
Sliding gate Inlet
V-Belt Pulley Arrangement
Shaft
Blades inclined at 45 degrees
24

gate. When the mixture is properly mixed, operator will open the gate and collects the
mixture and then closes it to ensure the next stage of mixing. The inner and outer surface of
the mixer was rubber painted to avoid corrosion of the material. Power for rotation of the
shaft comes through a V-belt and pulley arrangement as explained in the transmission
section.

















25

CHAPTER 5
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
After conducting the tests on the final design our end results were as follows:-
The design of the drum was successful as the drum was able to filter the fungus from
the liquid medium. The drum is made up of stainless steel rotating at a speed of 400
rpm and no problem in its rotation or any vibration was observed. The fungus from
the drum was observed under the microscope, and was found free of any
contamination or damage to the spores.
The 10 micron mesh was perfect as a filter material as it did not corrode (as it was S.S
202) or show any signs of wear and tear when pressure was applied while rotating. All
of the fungus was trapped inside the mesh and after that it was allowed to pass to the
mixer through ball valve.

Fig 20 - Final Model
304.8mm pulley = 400 rpm
Ball - Valve
M - Seal
Mixer Shaft rpm - 400
0.5 Hp Motor
26


The ball valve was successfully installed and was able to drop the fungus i.e. fungal
spores on the opening of valve.
The mixer was also successfully mounted on the structure. The purpose of using
mixer for proper mixing of the fungus and talcum powder was achieved. Uniform
distribution of fungus in the talcum powder was found. The final product that was
required by the microbial department was obtained.



Fig 21- Side View of the Model


27

CHAPTER 6
SCOPE FOR FUTURE MODIFICATIONS
A number of changes can be made in the existing design to make it more efficient.
6.1 Air Compressor
The structure of the fungus P.Indica shown in the figure below resembles a round head. Due
to this shape it has a tendency to get trapped in the mesh while it is forced through it during
the rotation of the drum. In order to avoid the above phenomena provisions have been made
to provide a continuous jet of air.

Fig 22 Fungus Structure
For this a stainless steel pipe having holes is welded over the curved surface of the stand.
This pipe has several number of holes through which air jet is forced towards the mesh on the
stainless steel drum which prevents the fungus from getting trapped and is continuously
removed through each rotation of the drum. This rod having holes is connected to an air
compressor which helps in providing air at high pressure. An air filter of .22 micron is has to
be provided before the delivery of air into the pipe so that it gets sterilized and free from
bacteria which can come in contact with the fungus.
28


Fig. 23 Air Pressure Pipe
The holes in the pipe are covered by nozzle made up of rubber so as to increase the pressure
of the jet. The air pressure should be controlled as it could tamper the mesh material.
6.2 Use Of Rubber Padded Brackets Instead Of Welding
What we have done currently is a temporary option, i.e. the welding of the steel mesh on the
surface of the drum. To make this process more permanent and full-proof, we could have
made an arrangement that instead of welding the mesh, we could have made brackets of the
size of the mesh we need to put. Further by applying brackets, the mesh could have been
inserted into the space provided along with rubber padding so that it is air tight and leak
proof. Using this method we can continuously change the filters easily after every set of
cycles.

Fig 24 Mesh with Rubber Bracket



29

6.3 SENSORS for Inlet and Outlet ports
Sensors (for e.g.- Position sensors) can be used for the inlet and outlet ports of the drum. The
sensors would automatically open the outlet ports after the drum has completed its required
number of revolutions. Thus, it eliminates the need of opening of ports manually. As a result
the efficiency increases and the operation takes less time. This can be done by either applying
weight sensors that would sense a particular weight which would get collected on the outlet
port and then the drum would stop rotating. A position sensor would sense the desired
location for the opening of outlet ports so that the fungus can be directed to the inlet of the
mixer. And similarly at the inlet of the drum this same system can be applied.

Fig 25 - Weight Sensor Fig 26 Position Sensor
6.4 Automating The Final Drop Gates
A system in which after every cycle or after every equal intervals of time the drop gates
would automatically open and final product could be collected in the desired
container. Currently, this process is done manually.
6.5 Use of a Higher Grade of Stainless Steel
At present we are using stainless steel of grade 202. But, instead of this we could have used
stainless steel of grade 306 which is 1.25 times more expensive than that of 202. So keeping
the cost factor in mind we used 202. Further, 306 is capable of withstanding high
temperatures as compared to stainless steel 202, is much more durable and has a better
corrosion resistant property.


30

6.6 Autoclaving of The System
It is highly necessary to keep such a model free from germs and other kinds of bacteria. As
the fungus has greater affinity for other micro organisms. In order to have a sterile
environment, autoclaving equipment can be attached to the existing system. Another method
can be keeping the entire model under UV for a given period of time.



















31

CHAPTER 7
CONCLUSION
The basic aim of the project was to automate the entire process, which was to separate the
fungus from its culture medium, transfer the contents of the drum into the mixer through the
piping system and to increase their efficiency i.e. reducing the amount of fungal spores that
pass through the filter paper during the manual process of filtration and also employ a method
for proper mixing of the fungus and the talcum powder or its derivatives. Efforts were made
throughout the project to minimise the duration taken by the microbial department to separate
and produce the final product manually. Another important aspect achieved during the
making of our model was to provide an environment that was completely sterile and free
from any other kind of contaminations.
Initially we started with few designs and considerations and finally came up with the solution
that was compact, can be easily attached to the fermentor, simple design and above all it is
cost efficient.
The design initially worked upon were models that had skimmer which was basically rejected
due to the fact that the density of the fungus and the culture medium were same, hence could
not be separated by skimming action. The next design thought of was a vertical system which
was rejected on the fact that huge concentration of load was centered on one region and due
to removal of the centrifugal forces and the exposure of greater area of the mesh led to the
increase in cost of production. Further sideways splashing required greater area to be covered
which again increased the cost of our production. The next design that was taken in under
consideration was the one with an inclined axis rotation which was completely rejected on the
fact that required very slow rotation. Achieving such slow rates was very expensive. Thus the
final design considered was horizontal axis rotation system which proved to be cost efficient
and compact.
The biological substance is separated from the medium and is passed through the ball valve a
to the mixer as desired. The opening and closing of the ball valve is done manually though it
can be automized, but keeping the cost constraint in mind the method adopted was manual.
The fungi is then transferred to the mixer which basically has two inlets, one for the fungi to
enter through the pipes and other on the head of the mixer is a slide gate which opens for the
32

powder like substance to be introduced into the system. The powder and the fungi are
thoroughly mixed in the mixer and after a few minutes of mixing the final product is obtained
which is considered as a manure and is utilised in the agriculture industry to increase the
yield of crops.
At the end of this project, we are able to overcome these problems. The Amity Microbial
department was satisfied with the solution that was provided to them. Due to cost constraints,
there is a lot of scope of improvement in the project which has explained in detail in previous
sections. For example in place of welding, we can use rubber padded brackets and use of air
compressor for continuous removal of fungal spores from the mesh. Sensors can be used for
opening and closing of inlet and outlet ports and also for drop gates.
Our project was also presented at MANFEX where we received positive feedback from the
officials who visited.











33



REFERENCES
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