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Manfred Lehnert, who hails from Germany, joined
Auroville in 1993 and is working on a variety of research and development
projects. Manfred has a Physical Engineering Diploma from Germany topped
with decades of practical experience in the design of engine components
and other engineering projects, cryogenics (working with liquid helium),
vacuum technology, silencers for cars and motorbikes, reactors/catalysers
for cars, water heating systems, welding and soldering techniques and
anti-corrosion systems.
In Auroville, Manfred is presently working on the
following four projects:
(1) Solar sea water desalination
Today Auroville's potable water sources are becoming
increasingly polluted by industrial waste and untreated sewage, and
in the coastal zones by intrusion of sea water. Manfred's research aims
at obtaining drinking water from polluted or saline water by solar distillation.
The use of two inexhaustible sources of water and energy - the sea and
the sun - is well known, and has been applied since 150 years in, for
instance, Chile. The design is simple: a glass house covering a basin
with sea water. The sun heats up the water, which then evaporates and
condenses against the inside of the cooler glass roof, finally trickling
into a distiller catchment
As of today, three prototypes have been installed
in the Petite Ferme settlement, occupying altogether 6 sqm. The first
results are encouraging. Every square metre can give 3-5 litres distilled
water daily, which can be used for batteries and his soap production
(see below). The beach area would be ideal for installing a bigger solar
sea water desalination plant, involving an area of 100sqm, 200sqm or
even 500sqm. For example, 100 sqm could yield 150,000 litres distilled
water annually. But before building such a big plant further research
is necessary.
(2) Biodegradable soaps & cleaners
Manfred's biodegradable liquid and solid soaps and
cleaners are made from plant oils such as palm, coconut or pongam oil
and natural essences, and can replace the harmful chemical washing powders
generally available on the market. These natural soaps have the same
cleaning result, and keep our environment healthy. They contain no synthetic
detergents, bleaching powder, enzymes or other chemicals. The living
organisms existing in our waste water treatment plants will not be disturbed
by their use.
Manfred now produces natural liquid soap and a multi-purpose cleaner
for floors, toilets, wash basins, etc. These are available to the Aurovilians
through Pour Tous. Other soaps are still in development.
(3) Plant oil as a substitute for harmful diesel oil
Manfred has been experimenting with cultivation
of the Kurinjee tree, whose pods give kuringee oil, which on filtration
and viscosity reduction can directly substitute for diesel in diesel
engines. Some of these experiments have been conducted in Dual Fuel
engines run on biogas/producer gas by Dr.U.Srinivasa of SUTRA project
at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, with whom Manfred is
in regular contact. Experiments in such substitutes and blending have
been going on throughout the world since the 1940s, but are only now
finally drawing serious attention.
His project aims at promoting the production and
application of a renewable bio-degradable plant oil from the indigenous
'Pongamia pinnata' tree to replace the harmful, non-renewable fossil
diesel oil at a reasonable cost. Use of this alternative could reduce
CO2-emission (responsible for global warming) and air pollution (it
contains no sulfur and creates no particles such as soot). This plant
oil is bio-degradable, and therefore presents no danger to soil or water
through leakages during transport, storage, etc. It can also become
a substitute for chemical fertilisers when using the oil-cake as an
organic fertiliser. The sale of these oil cakes can help to reduce the
oil price.
It is a renewable source of energy which can be
used without sophisticated technical preparation, and can be locally
grown on wasteland, along roads and as fencing. It needs little financial
input, makes use of the local oil processing capacities, and finally
can generate employment for the rural population. Moreover, it could
provide an eventual solution for the expected exhaustion of mineral
oil at some point in the future.
The project would include the planting and cultivating
of the oil bearing trees in Auroville, as well as the oil processing
and distribution of the bio-fuel within the township and its environs.
Additionally, the monitoring of the concerned engines and possibly the
measuring of the exhaust gases would be undertaken.
4) Low cost light roofing components
The aim is to develop lightweight, low cost 'fibre
reinforced concrete' (FRC) roofing tiles as an alternative to asbestos
products. Manfred, who works on this with his partner Dorothee, gives
the following advantages for this material:
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There is no need for sophisticated technology,
therefore initial investment is low.
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Low energy consumption for production.
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Because of the light weight of the roofing material,
its supporting structure can be cheaper.
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Use of environmentally friendly, locally available
material.
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Small scale fabrication for local use can generate
employment for unskilled labourers.
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Climatically advantageous, because the very
thin tiles do not store the heat: therefore the rooms will cool
down fast in the evenings.
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Use of colour pigments to create greater variety
of materials (lighter shades will reflect the heat better).
The first samples, 45 x 45 cm roofing tiles, are
encouraging.
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