feasibility study of a solar energy as a purifier for contaminated and salt water
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by stephen to-ongTRANSCRIPT
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Napnapan National High SchoolTigbauan, Iloilo
Feasibility study of a Solar Energy as a purifier of Contaminated
and Salt water
An Undergraduate Research Paper Presented to
Mrs. Josephine Impe
Napnapan National High School
Tigbauan, Iloilo
Stephen T. To-ong
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Acknowledgment
The researcher would like to extend his sincere thanks and
appreciation to the following people who have contributed, in one
way or another, to the realization of this study. Mrs.
Josephine Impe, research adviser, for the encouragement and
support from the conceptualization to the completion of the
study. Mr.Paul T. Tejero, for
the assistance and valuable suggestions and for the invaluable
tips to improve the quality of the research study;
To-ong and Tejero families,
the wind beneath my wings as I reach my goals in life, for the
unconditional love and prayers, for understanding, and moral
support, despite of the challenges that come along;
Most of all, to Almighty
God, for giving the researcher the courage, knowledge, guidance,
love and blessings.
Stephen T. To-ong
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Stephen T. To-ong. Feasibility study of a Solar Energy as a Purifier for a contaminated and salt water. Unpublished Research Paper. Napnapan National High School, Tigbauan, Iloilo.
Abstract
Distillation is one of many process available for water
purification, and sunlight is one of several forms of heat energy
that can be used to power that process. Sunlight has the
advantage of zero fuel cost but it requires more space and
generally more costly equipment.
To dispel a common belief, it is not necessary to boil water
to distill it. Simply elevating its temperature, short ofboiling,
will adequately increase the evaporation rate. In fact, although
vigorous boiling hastens the distillation process it also can
force unwanted residue into the distillate, defeating
purification. Furthermore, to boil water with sunlight requires
more costly apparatus than is needed to distill it a little more
slowly without boiling. Many levels of
purification can be achieved with this process, depending upon
the intended application. Sterilized water for medical uses
requires different process that that used to make drinking water.
For people concerned
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about the quality of their municipally-supplied drinking water
and unhappy with other methods of additional purification
available to them, solar distillation of tap water or brackish
groundwater can be a pleasant, energy-efficient option.
CHAPTER 1
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INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Only a very small percentage of the earth’s water is
available for human use, since most is salty ocean water that
cannot be used for drinking, washing, irrigation, or industry.
Usable water can be created from salt water in a process called
desalination, but the process is controversial which is expensive
and requires a lot of energy. Solar
evaporation purification (or solar desalination) is a process
that is often used to make contaminated or saltwater drinkable.
It uses only the sun's energy to generate clean, potable water.
Solar desalination plants have been installed in areas that are
commonly plagued with potable water shortages, but you can use
this technology to make a small solar desalination unit in your
own back yard. Unlike other filtration methods, solar
desalination does not require expensive equipment or replacement
parts, making it an easy and environmentally friendly choice for
water purification. Solar water
purification involves purifying water for drinking and household
purposes through the usage of solar energy in many different
ways. Using solar energy for water treatment has become more
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common as it is a usually low-technology solution that works to
capture the heat and energy from the sun to make water cleaner
and healthier for human use and consumption. Solar water
treatment is particularly beneficial for rural communities, as
they do not have other forms of water purification infrastructure
and more importantly, electricity to run such structures. The
most positive feature about solar water purification is that
there is no requirement of fuel. It's precisely due to the lack
of fuel that makes solar applications relatively superior than
conventional sources of energy as it does not cause pollution
(global warming, acid rain, ozone depletion) or health hazards
associated with pollution.
Statement of the problem
Specifically, it would answer the following questions:
a) Is the solar energy an effective substitute to purify
contaminated water?
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b) Can we develop a cost effective heating and surface water
reclamation system necessary to support a greenhouse production
while maintaining a zero carbon footprint?
Hypothesis
a) Solar energy is a best substitute to purify contaminated
or salt water.
b) Contaminated water or salt water which was later purified
through the solar energy is safe to drink. c) I
believe that if I design and build and solar powered water
purification system, using an evaporator stage and a condenser
stage, then the total water productivity of the system will be
increased, as compared to a typical passive solar still design.
Significance of the study
The importance of this study is to help youth:
a) understand how the process of evaporation can be used to
purify salt water for drinking; and
b) to make them practice contributing to the progress of a
group engaged in a cooperative project.
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Scope and limitation
This study limits on the study of the feasibility of the
solar energy as a purifier of a contaminated or salt water. Solar
water purification is a much safer method of water treatment,
which has no possibility of chemicals decomposing themselves
during the treatment of water, thereby producing products harmful
to health. However it should be noted, that this method and its
products is relatively less known to the general population.
The materials were
limited to the 5-gallon transparent plastic bucket, 1-gallon
glass jar, Transparent plastic sheeting, Masking tape, waterproof
glue, Saltwater or contaminated water.
The study was conducted at Napnapan National
High School, Napnapan Sur, Tigbauan, Iloilo on January 18-23,
2013.
Definition of terms
For reasons of clarity and better understanding of the
study, certain important terms were defined operationally and
conceptually:
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Contaminated water- undesirable state of the natural
environment being contaminated with harmful substances as a
consequence of human activities.
Feasibility study- is an evaluation and analysis of the
potential of the proposed project which is based on extensive
investigation and research to give full comfort to the decisions
makers.
Purifier- to clear from material defilement or imperfection
Salt water- Consisting of or living in salty water,
especially seawater. Solar
Energy- Solar energy refers primarily to the use of solar
radiation for practical ends. However, all renewable energies,
other than geothermal and tidal, derive their energy from the
sun.
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CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
More than a billion people in the world today lack access to
clean drinking water and there are more people in the world’s
hospitals today suffering from water-borne diseases than any
other ailment.
As glaciers shrink, droughts increase and salt-water
intrusion spreads, the world’s current fresh water shortage is
set to worsen. But treating water is a power-intensive and hence
expensive business. It’s also one that can only become more
costly as the price of fossil-fueled electricity in social,
political, environmental and economic terms becomes apparent. The
world needs to find ways of cleaning, desalinating and
distributing water to its citizens. And it is an area for which
the use of renewable energy seems particularly apt.
However, to talk of renewable generation as a single entity
is misleading. Wind and solar power — the most likely candidates
for water treatment in non-coastal areas — are very different
beasts. Even within the category of solar power there are myriad
technologies. And each one has distinct properties that affect
where and how it can best be deployed.
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Naturally, the prevailing weather conditions will be the
major factor. There is no point in erecting wind turbines in an
area where the wind is but an occasional occurrence. The reality
is that the areas where availability of clean water is currently
the most pressing issue, and the countries where it is most
likely to become one, are best suited to solar power.
In particular, concentrated photovoltaics (CPV) may prove to
be the likeliest candidate for water treatment. Like other solar
technologies, CPV converts the power of the sunlight into usable
energy. But the advanced design of its solar cells delivers far
higher energy yields than standard photovoltaics. CPV units also
have an optics system, which magnifies the power of the sun even
further, and a sun-tracker unit so that the cells follow the path
of the sun and are able to “harvest” a larger fraction of the
sun’s rays. The result is a
system that is incredibly efficient and capable of delivering far
greater levels of power from a single unit than other forms of
solar electricity generation. The net result is a system that has
the potential to be much more cost-effective.
The high efficiency
of CPV also makes it suitable for micro-generation. In the
developed world, micro-generation is often seen as a well-
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intentioned whimsy on the part of wealthy but committed
environmentalists. But in the developing world, where significant
proportions of the population live in off-grid rural areas or in
overcrowded, unplanned urban sprawl, micro-generation has
immediate and obvious benefits. Like micro-finance before it,
thinking small can help solve big problems. But perhaps the
biggest advantage of linking technologies like CPV to very
specific functions such as water treatment and desalination plant
is that they make perfect demonstration projects in which the
benefits of renewables can be immediately seen. In an industry
that needs to boost its profile, demonstrate effectiveness and
encourage greater investment, this is exactly the kind of venture
that developers like. It creates something of a virtuous circle
where greater investment leads to greater penetration, which in
turn leads to lower costs which encourages further deployment.
There is no one easy answer to
the world’s water problems. And certainly CPV does not provide
the complete solution. But it does tick a lot of immediate boxes,
and could play a significant role in ensuring that clean, healthy
water doesn’t become the preserve of the wealthy few. But more
than that, it opens the door to a whole host of other renewable
energy alternatives.
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Water may look clean, but it can host harmful microbes that
cause illnesses. It's easy to purify water, however, with simple
materials and solar power. Solar
water purification system is a water purification system at
household level based on solar radiation treatment and water
distillation with additional use of solar heating. It is a
combination of two water purification processes, the Solar Water
Disinfection System (SODIS)and the solar distillation process.
Since SODIS, initiated by Professor Aftim Acra, is only ideal to
disinfect small quantities of low turbidity, micro-biologically
contaminated water, a solar heated still is added to the system
to address the issue of heavily contaminated water( such as sea
water, water with high turbidity and water contaminated by heavy
metal or pathogenic microorganisms).
For the cases where low turbidity water is not available,
contaminated water will be distilled to drinking water using the solar
heated still to remove any non-volatile solid impurities such as
salts, sediment, heavy metals and microorganisms. Water from some
wells or rivulets may be visibly clear, but it may not be drinkable
since the water may still contain pathogenic microorganisms. To solve
this problem, the contaminated water would be contained in clean,
transparent bottles and are exposed to the sunlight for a certain
amount time (depending on the intensity of the sunlight) allowing the
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solar radiation to deactivate any waterborne pathogens in the
contaminated water. Solar water disinfection is an effective way to
disinfect drinking water as it is recommended by World Health
Organization. The solar water purification system uses only solar
energy and can be built using recycling materials, thus, the system is
environmentally sustainable.
Principle Water
distillation is a physical process that filter solid impurities
out of fluid based on the difference in the volatility. At a
given temperature and pressure, substances with higher volatility
(water in this case) vaporizes more readily than the
substances(solid impurities) with lower volatility. The water
vapor is then directed to a cool region which condenses the water
vapor back to liquid state, leaving all the non-volatile solid
impurities such as salts, sediment, pathogenic microorganisms and
heavy metals behind. However, the distilled water may not be
suitable for drinking since it may still contain some volatile
organic compounds. The rate of vaporization is proportional to
the vapor pressure, fluid surface area and the fluid temperature.
The principle of SODIS is based on Ultraviolet water
treatment . It uses two components of the sunlight for the water
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disinfection process :Ultraviolet radiationand infrared
radiation. UV-A radiation(wavelength 320-400 nm) interacts with
the DNA, nucleic acids and enzymes of the organic cell, destroys
the cell molecular structures which leads to cell deaths. UV-A
radiation also reacts with oxygen dissolved in the water
producing highly reactive forms of oxygen (oxygen free radicals
and Hydrogen peroxide], that can help the germicidal process.
Infrared radiation is a long-wave form of sun radiation, it can
be felt as heat, as it is responsible for raising the fluid
temperature. Studies had proven that 99.9% of microorganisms in
the water are eliminated if the water is heated to 50-60°C for
one hour. In order to disinfect contaminated water for drinking
effectively, it is recommended to expose the contaminated water
to full sunlight using clear PET bottles for 6 hours.If water
temperatures exceed 50°C, one hour of exposure is sufficient to
obtain safe drinking water.When the weather is cloudy for more
than 50% , the contaminated water need to be exposed for 2
consecutive days. The treatment efficiency can be improved by
raising the fluid temperature and exposing the contaminated water
to additional reflecting surfaces such as aluminium or corrugated
iron sheets.
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Solar Energy Collector
The idea is first developed by Cansolair Inc., converting
solar energy to house heating energy using aluminum can. Solar
energy collector is composed of columns of painted black aluminum
can, a frame to house the columns and a ventilation for the heat
transportation. Before all the cans are glued together to form a
collected column, the top and the bottom of aluminum can is
needed to be removed. When placed under the sunlight, the columns
absorb the solar radiation and heat is convected to the air
inside the columns. Due to difference in the air density , warm
air would raise to the top of the columns and cool air would be
sucked into the columns from the bottom. The warm air flow is
then collected at the top of the columns. The columns are painted
in black to enhance the radiation absorbability and the size of
the columns can be varied for different requirement. Note that
the total height of the column is not equal to the sum of exact
height of each can since aluminum cans are designed to fit on top
of each other with use of groove.
Solar Distillation System
Solar distillation system is composed of a vaporizer that
holds the water, a vapor condenser that collects and condenses
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steam and a water collector that collects distilled water. The
rate of vaporization is proportional to the fluid surface area
and the fluid temperature. The improve the performance of the
still, the vaporizer should be made as large as possible. Also,
at the bottom of the vaporizer, there are some serpentine gas
channels where warm air flow from the solar energy collector is
directed into. Due to the temperature difference between the
water and the air flow, heat is transfered into the vaporizer,
causing the water temperature to raise, thus, speed up the
vaporization process. Other methods such as using thermal
conductive materials, painting the vaporizer to black and using
some reflective surfaces to concentrate the radiation can be used
to improve the performance of the system.
Solar water disinfection system
To improve the efficiency of solar water disinfection system
, reflective surfaces can be used to intensify the solar
radiation toward the contaminated water. Another way to improve
the system performance is to increase the fluid temperature.
According to study, if water temperatures exceed 50°C, one hour
of exposure is sufficient to obtain safe drinking water. This is
when the solar energy comes in place. A portion of the thermal
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energy collected from the solar energy collector is directed to
the heat up the bottled water.
SODIS Water Bottle Disinfecter
This method, while simple, is effective enough to be used
around the world. To disinfect water with the SODIS method, pour
untreated water into a clean, clear, plastic bottle and leave it
in the sun for at least six hours. It will heat up enough to kill
all the germs in the water, making it safe to drink.
There are concerns about this method. Some plastic bottles
may leach toxic chemicals into the water. In addition, the source
water must be relatively clear for solar pasteurization to work.
Nonetheless, the SODIS method is considered safe to use and has
saved lives in many regions that do not have access to clean
water.
Solar Box Method Solar
box cookers are easy to make and can be used to cook food as well
as to purify water. You will need two cardboard boxes, one of
which fits inside the other with about an inch of space on all
sides. Paint the inside of the smaller box black. Line the larger
box with newspaper for insulation, and place the smaller box
inside. Paint the outside of a covered pot black, and fill it
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with water. Place it inside the black box, and cover the box with
plastic or clear glass. Leave the box in the sun for a few hours.
It will heat the water enough to kill any microbes.
This method can pasteurize a gallon of water in about three
hours in a sunny climate, according to SolarCooking.org. The
water must reach 150 degrees Fahrenheit and stay at that
temperature for a few minutes. This method, unlike the solar
still, doesn't remove chemical contaminants.
Design and Compare Water Purifying Methods
Design and compare three systems of water filtration. A
simple idea would be to compare bottles of water that have been
boiled, filtered through a cloth and ionized. Then test the pH
balance of the water to determine which method is most effective.
At higher grade levels, use more advanced filtration methods such
as reverse osmosis and carbon, and ultraviolet purification
systems.
Desalinization vs. Recycled Water
Using recycled water continues to be controversial in many
countries, and drought-stricken nations such as Australia have
long debated the high costs of desalinization. Conduct an
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experiment wherein waste and salt water are treated with these
methods. Test both of these samples for their "purity," meaning
the presence of micro-organisms and bacteria, acidity, coloration
and even taste. Look further into the costs of each technique and
analyze the pros and cons of both.
Cost
Using solar energy as a source of power for products is
currently high on absolute costs compared to other sources of
power, say coal or kerosene in some states. Potential users of
solar water purification systems find themselves unable to pay
the full price of the solar still as they simply can't afford the
higher up-front capital cost.
Evaluation issues
Even if the design experts of solar water purifiers are
fully experienced and possess the expertise in the topic of solar
water purification, a few of them can understand the conditions
under which these purifiers would work in a community. Only a
resident could tell if the purifiers were easy to use and what
could be done to improve it. Without such crucial inputs, the
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spread of solar water purification methods is effectively
reduced.
Make a Water Filter
Water filters are typically made with plastic bottles or
containers, sometimes with tree bark. A water filtration project
may also call for activated charcoal, napkins or paper towels,
salt, coarse and fine sand, and cotton and/or pebbles. Non-
poisonous grass can be used for a mesh. Muddy or dirty water,
once filtered and running clear, is not necessarily bacteria
free.
Filter Particle Size
Sand particle size may affect the effectiveness of a sand
water filter. Grains should not be too soft or fine, nor should
they be too large. Grains of sand used in a water filtration
system should range from small to medium sized, and the larger
particles should be separated from the smaller particles. A
science project for kids to experiment with different types of
sand is to run "dirtied" water through them to see which sediment
size makes the clearest water. Dirtied water can be made up by
adding mud, cooking oil, or some other non-toxic contaminant.
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Water Filtration and Purification
Clean water is a must for survival. Water that is free of
impurities and pollution is called potable water. Filtered water
is not bacteria-free and is still capable of making a person ill,
sometimes even fatally.
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Equipments and materials
5-gallon transparent plastic bucket
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1-gallon glass jar
Transparent plastic sheeting
Masking tape
Nontoxic, waterproof glue
Saltwater or contaminated water
B. General procedure
1)Glue the weight to the base of your glass jar. The weight
will be submerged in water, so make sure that you are using
nontoxic, waterproof glue that is strong enough to hold both
the weight and the glass jar. If possible, find a cylindrical
weight that fits the base of your glass jar;
2) Place the glass jar (with weight attached) inside your 5-
gallon bucket. The jar should be centered on the floor of the
bucket, a few inches below the rim and should allow room for
the bucket to fill with water;
3)Fill the space around the jar with contaminated water or
saltwater. Make sure you are not putting any water inside the
glass jar; rather, between the outside of the jar and the walls
of the bucket. Imagine a moat around your jar. The weight
should hold the jar in place;
4)Cover the top opening of the bucket with transparent
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plastic sheeting. Make sure your piece of sheeting is large
enough to fully cover the bucket's opening without leaving any
spaces through which water vapor could escape;
5)Secure the sheeting by looping masking tape around the
rims of the bucket. The sheeting should be tight, with only a
slight bit of give;
6)Place the weight in the middle of the plastic sheeting
over your bucket. The weight should slightly curve the plastic
sheeting downward toward the center;
7)Leave your bucket in an open area that gets a good amount
of sunlight. Solar energy will evaporate the water, which will
then condense on the plastic sheeting, roll down the curve
created by the weight, and drop into the glass jar, leaving
salt and solid contaminants in the bottom of the 5-gallon
bucket.
Operating Procedures
Glue the 1 lb. weight to the base of your glass jar
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Place the glass jar (with weight attached) inside your 5-gallon
bucket.
Fill the space around the jar with contaminated water or
saltwater.
Cover the top opening of the bucket with transparent plastic
sheeting.
Secure the sheeting by looping masking tape around the rims of
the bucket.
Leave
your bucket in an open area that gets a good amount of sunlight.
CHAPTER IV
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
In this study, the water turned out clear. The sun warmed
the water in the bowl until the water evaporated and became gas.
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When the gas rose and hit the plastic, it condensed there in
dropets (just like water vapor condenses into clouds). The
droplets rolleddown the plastic toward the weight and eventually
fell into the glass (like rain falling from the sky). The salt
was left behind in the bowl, making the water in the glass pure
enough to drink.
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
In conclusion, I know now for sure that water can be
purified using solar energy at a temperature less than boiling,
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Napnapan National High SchoolTigbauan, Iloilo
as I stated in my hypothesis. But I feel this area of research
needs to be recognized by more people. I think more testing is
needed for final results to this experiment. So, I hope, by my
investigation, I am able to educate these people that can not
afford purified water to realize that boiling is not the only
way. I want to help thesepeople by finding a new way to purify
their water through solar energy.
My design can be applicable to modern day water problems.
Because it is solar powered, my system can be deployed to remote
locations, that do not have a significant power source, to
provide fresh water from contaminated or other undrinkable water.
A current example is being contaminated by sea water, and there
is no fresh water to drink on the island. In addition, the
developed system can be deployed in disaster areas to provide
purified drinking water. Examples include flooding due to
moonsoons, or tsunamis. A pertinent example is the tsunami and
subsequent radioactive contamination of water sources.
Chapter VI
Recommendations
1.)The current investigation did not rely on detailed
calculations for the sizing of the condenser.improved
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thermodynamic analysis will likely point to an increase in the
size of the condenser to improve efficienc.
2.)Increasing the evaporator contact area between the warmth
water and the air will likely improve the amount of water that
can be absorbed by the air at a given flow rate.
REFERENCES
http://www.solarknoxville.org/for-students/science-projects/
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/education/pdfs/solar_rainmachine.pdf
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