A Portable Solar Water Purifier with Reverse Osmosis and Ultra Violet Disinfection System

International Journal of Mechanical Engineering

© 2024 by SSRG - IJME Journal

Volume 11 Issue 7

Year of Publication : 2024

Authors : Malay Quila, Sudeshna Mukherjee, Subrata Pramanik

10.14445/23488360/IJME-V11I7P105

How to Cite?

Malay Quila, Sudeshna Mukherjee, Subrata Pramanik, "A Portable Solar Water Purifier with Reverse Osmosis and Ultra Violet Disinfection System," SSRG International Journal of Mechanical Engineering, vol. 11,  no. 7, pp. 48-55, 2024. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23488360/IJME-V11I7P105

Abstract:

Climate change, global warming and water pollution have affected the availability of safe, pure and clean water in large quantities. Due to this, a large number of people around the world do not have easy access to pure water for drinking, cooking or cleaning purposes. The problems are accelerated when floods and other environmental disasters happen that cannot be estimated earlier. Humans may use and drink untreated and unsafe water that may contain a large no. of contaminants consisting of harmful germs and chemicals. In a report by NITI Aayog (2022), it is estimated that by 2030, about 600 million people may be affected by safe, pure and clean drinking water, which is approx.40% of India’s projected population by 2030. The only solution for the above scenarios is the purification of water that should be affordable, costeffective, portable and low maintenance requirement so that it can be implemented in remote and distributed communities where river, lake and brackish water is unsuitable for drinking purposes. A solar powered water purification system may be advantageous rather than conventionally sourced types that are costly and cause environmental pollution. In this research, a portable, fully solar powered water purifier is designed and developed, which is integrated with Reverse Osmosis (RO), Ultra Filtration (UF) and Ultra Violet (UV) disinfecting systems. The system design is very compact, requires small space and can be installed in remote or flood affected areas where potable water is essential to survive. The purifier is economical and requires very little maintenance cost.

Keywords:

Solar radiation, Solar controller, Reverse osmosis, Ultra violet radiation, Water purification.

References:

[1] Zhenwei You et al., “Solar Water Purification System Design: Application Study in Lake Taihu, China,” Journal of Residuals Science & Technology, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 363-369, 2017.
[Google Scholar]
[2] N.A. Nada, Al Zahrani, and B. Ericsson, “Experience on Pre- and Post-Treatment from Sea Water Desalination Plants in Saudi Arabia,” Desalination, vol. 66. pp. 303-318, 1987.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[3] H.M.N. AlMadani, “Water Desalination by Solar Powered Electrodialysis Process,” Renewable Energy, vol. 28, no. 12, pp. 1915- 1924, 2003.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[4] Murray Thomson, “Reverse-Osmosis Desalination of Seawater Powered by Photovoltaics without Batteries,” Doctoral Thesis, Loughborough University, pp. 1-257, 2003.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[5] P.C.M. de Carvalho et al., “Control Method of a Photovoltaic Powered Reverse Osmosis Plant without Batteries Based on Maximum Power Point Tracking,” IEEE/PES Transmision and Distribution Conference and Exposition: Latin America (IEEE Cat. No. 04EX956), Sao Paulo, Brazil, pp. 137-142, 2004.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[6] S. Abdallah, M. Abu-Hilal, and M.S. Mohsen, “Performance of a Photovoltaic Powered Reverse Osmosis System under Local Climatic Conditions,” Desalination, vol.183, no. 1-3, pp. 95-104, 2005.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[7] Akili D. Khawaji et al., “Advances in Seawater Desalination Technologies,” Desalination, vol. 221, no. 1-3, pp. 47-69, 2008.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[8] Marcelo Gradella Villalva, Jonas Rafael Gazoli, and Ernesto Ruppert Filho, “Comprehensive Approach to Modeling and Simulation of Photovoltaic Arrays,” IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 24, no. 5, pp. 1198-1208, 2009.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[9] Jameel R. Khan et al., “Diffusion Driven Desalination for Simultaneous Fresh Water Production and Desulfurization,” Journal of Thermal Science and Engineering Applications, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 1-14, 2010.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[10] Toufic Mezher et al., “Techno-Economic Assessment and Environmental Impacts of Desalination Technologies,” Desalination, vol. 266, no. 1-3, pp. 263-273, 2011.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[11] Edward K. Summers, John H. Lienhard, and V. Syed M. Zubair, “Air-Heating Solar Collectors for Humidification-Dehumidification Desalination Systems,” Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, vol. 133, no. 1, pp. 1-6, 2011.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[12] The Millennium Development Goals Report, United Nations Development Programme, 2006. [Online]. Available: https://www.un.org/zh/millenniumgoals/pdf/MDGReport2006.pdf
[13] Meeting the MDG Drinking Water and Sanitation Target: The Urban and Rural Challenge of the Decade, World Health Organization, pp. 1- 41, 2006.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[14] Annette Prüss-Üstün et al., “Safer Water, Better Health: Costs, Benefits and Sustainability of Interventions to Protect and Promote Health,” World Health Organization, Technical Report, pp. 1-60, 2006.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[15] Civil Society, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (CS WASH) Fund: design document, Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. [Online]. Available: https://www.dfat.gov.au/about-us/publications/Pages/civil-society-water-sanitation-and-hygiene-wash-fund-design-document
[16] Arief Anshory Yusuf, and Herminia A. Francisco, “Climate Change Vulnerability Mapping for Southeast Asia,” EEPSEA, IDRC, pp. 1-32, 2009.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[17] Eric Wolff, “Climate Change: Evidence and Causes,” School Science Review, no. 354, pp. 1-17, 2014.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[18] Sung Eun Kim, Ho Miu David Li, and Jonghyo Nam, “Overview of Natural Disasters and their Impacts in Asia and the Pacific 1970 to 2014,” ESCAP Technical Paper, pp. 1-32, 2015.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[19] Grace I. Davies et al., “Water-Borne Diseases and Extreme Weather Events in Cambodia: Review of Impacts and Implications of Climate Change,” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 191-213, 2015.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[20] J.K. Griffiths, “Waterborne Diseases,” International Encyclopedia of Public Health, pp. 551-563, 2008.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[21] Assessing Microbial Safety of Drinking Water - Improving Approaches and Methods, International Water Association, pp. 1-291, 2003.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[22] Amy M. Biltonm, Leah C. Kelley, Steven Dubowsky, “Photovoltaic Reverse Osmosis - Feasibility and a Pathway to Develop Technology,” Desalination and Water Treatment, vol. 31, no. 1-3, pp. 24-34, 2011.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[23] MaryTheresa M. Pendergast, and Eric M.V. Hoek, “A Review of Water Treatment Membrane Nanotechnologies,” Energy and Environmental Science, no. 6, pp. 671-705, 2011.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[24] Gazi Nazia Nur, and Mohammad Ahnaf Sadat, “Design and Construction of Solar Water Purifier,” International Conference on Mechanical, Industrial and Materials Engineering, RUET, Rajshahi, Bangladesh, pp. 28-30, 2017.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[25] Mariya Paul, and D. Vineeth Kumar, “Solar Energy and Enhanced Reverse Osmosis Based Mobile Hybrid Water Purifier,” NCERC International Journal of Advanced Science, Engineering and Technology, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 24-35, 2022.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[26] Moustafa Elshafei, Anwar Khalil Sheikh, and Naseer Ahmad, “Directly Driven RO System by PV Solar Panel Arrays,” Open Journal of Applied Sciences, vol. 3, no. 2B, pp. 35-40, 2013.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[27] Esmail M.A. Mokheimer et al., “Modeling and Optimization of Hybrid Wind–Solar-Powered Reverse Osmosis Water Desalination System in Saudi Arabia,” Energy Conversion and Management, vol. 75, pp. 86-97, 2013.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]