Start your own Manufacturing Business of Silica from Rice Husk Ash

Here is a Detailed Project Report on Silica from Rice Husk Ash, its process, market position, demands, investment opportunity and project financials. It comprises a comprehensive analysis of the industry. The report also includes plant capacity, requirement of land and building, raw material detail with supplier list, plant & machinery, flow sheet diagram, total Capital investment along with detailed calculation on rate of return, break-even analysis and profitability analysis.

Silica is used in glass industry, for manufacturing, fillers and extending, it is used as abrasive and polish, it is used as a coating in electronics optics, brick manufacturing, and rubber manufacturing.

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Silica is extracted from Rice Husk Ash, also called RHA. India produces 25 million tonnes of rice husk, per annum. And this Rice husk, when burnt as a fuel turns into Rice Husk Ash, has 60% to 80% of “Amorphous Silica.”

What is Rice Husk Ash?

Rice Husk Ash are the rice waste created from the burning of Rice Husk for fuel. They contain 50% cellulose, 15% to 20% silica, 25% to 30% lignin, and 10% to 15% moisture.

It is used as “Pozzolan” in the construction Industry, which means it is a siliceous and aluminous material.

It is used to extract Silica gel, which is used for various purposes, from creating a rubber to coating electronic appliances

How is Silica Extracted from Rice Husk Ash?

Now the method used to extract Silica gel from Rice Husk Ash, also called RHA, is called Sol-Gel Method.

Sol-Gel Method: Sol-Gel Method is a process for the synthesis of various nano structures through Wet Chemical Technique.

RHA has to go through multiple processes before turning into Silica gel.

Hydrolysis: Hydrolysis, literally means Water to break. RHA is thrown in with water by doing so, the proteins, carbs and other ingredients in the RHA react to water, thus separating them.

Polycondensation: Polycondensation, as the name suggests condenses two or more chemicals.

Gelation: Gelation basically converts the RHA into a Gel. It is a method used in cooking as well. Though Polycondensation and Gelation are pretty much the same methods.

Ageing: Now at this stage, the gel taken from the RHA is aged slowly in a supervised environment.

Drying: As the ageing process is undergoing, alongside it goes drying. The gel, which is wet since RHA reacted to the water particle in Hydrolysis. It is now time to dry it.

Densification: Onced aged and dried, it is taken to densify, which means to reduce its porosity and make it denser.

Crystallisation: Crystallisation has been taught to us in maybe 9th grade. It is a process where atoms and molecules are organised into a solid form.

And that’s how you extract silica gel from Rice Husk Ash.

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Why should we use Rice Husk Ash to extract silica gel?

There are few reasons why companies use RHA to extract Silica.

➢ Rice Husk Ash is toxic and hazardous to the environment. It contains about 80% of silica if it is burnt it will not only be hazardous but poisonous to whoever inhales it. Using it and extracting the silica saves the trouble.

➢ Rice Husk costs about ₹2 per Kilogram. It is cheap and easily available.

➢ India produces over 25 million tonnes of Rice Husk. It is easily available in India.

➢ Silica costs ₹55-77 per kilogram, while Rice Husk Ash costs ₹2 per Kilo which gets the companies more profit.

Watch Video: Silica Produced From Rice Husk Ash | Rice Husk Ash Silica Manufacture

Industrial Applications of Silica

➔ Construction Industry: Silica is the main ingredient in making tiles both used in flooring and walls. It also helps the white cement stay more durable and have longevity. Silica sand is used to make the aerated concrete.

➔ Glassware Industry: Silica is used for coating of glasses of all types, from mirror to TV screen. Even the glass used on bulbs and tube lights are made from silica.

➔ Casting Industry: Ever heard of Sand Casting? Silica Sand is used in the sanding machine. And it makes the surface smoother and softer.

➔ Abrasive Industry: Round and Abrasive Silica sand is used in a method called Sand blasting.

Read our Books Here: Rice Cultivation and Processing Industry, Manufacturing of Value Added Products from Rice Husk (Hull) and Rice Husk Ash (RHA)

Silica Industry growth and Prediction:

In 2020, Nano silica market size was priced at $3.6 Billion and predicted to reach $6.4 billion by 2030. With CAGR predicting 6.0% growth during 2020-30.

As of today, China is the biggest producer and supplier of Silica, with some estimating they produced about 6 million metric tons in 2021. China supplies 64% of global silica.

Russia is the second largest producer. It produces about 5, 80,000 metric tons of Silica per year.

Norway and Brazil are the other two leading countries in the Silica supply chain.

Ashirvad Chemicals is the biggest Silica supplier in India.

Asia Pacific, i.e Thailand, indonesia, etc, are the largest producer of RHA Silica. But India is one of the largest “Supplier” of Rice Husk Ash, globally.

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