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PASTEURIZATION USING A LENS AND SOLAR ENERGY (PULSE) METHOD
Impact/Purpose:
Much has been done to improve access to safe drinking water in third world nations; over seven hundred and eighty million people still lack access to safe drinking water sources. The solar disinfection (SODIS) method which uses sunlight to destroy water pathogens is already in use through much of the world, however it is very time consuming. Therefore an improvement upon the SODIS method will be investigated to increase the rate of treated water.
Description:
Water pasteurization using Fresnel lenses and preexisting solar disinfection methods will be evaluated. Preliminary tests were conducted using two types of Fresnel lenses: spot and linear, which concentrate solar energy onto a point and a line respectively on a water container. Results show that a 3’x2’ spot-focused Fresnel lens can achieve pasteurization temperatures within 15 minutes. Additional tests using different lens sizes and water container materials will be evaluated to maximize the effectiveness of the device, while minimizing the cost of the design so that developing communities and nations can potentially use this technology to provide safe water to individuals.