**Project Title:**
**Design and Construction of a Simple Water Purification System Using Solar
Energy**
**Objectives:**
- To design and build a low-cost solar water purifier suitable for rural communities.
- To provide a practical solution for improving access to clean drinking water using
renewable energy.
- To demonstrate the effectiveness of solar water purification in removing harmful
bacteria.
---
# **Stage 1: Problem Identification**
**Statement of the Problem:**
Many rural communities lack access to clean and safe drinking water. Contaminated
water causes waterborne diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid. Boiling
water requires fuel, which may be scarce or expensive. There is a need for a low-cost,
sustainable method to purify water using locally available resources.
**Statement of Intent:**
I intend to design and construct a simple solar water purification system that uses solar
energy to disinfect water by heating it to kill bacteria and pathogens, providing safe
drinking water in an affordable and environmentally friendly way.
**Design Specifications:**
- Use solar energy as the only power source.
- Use locally available and affordable materials.
- Be easy to construct and maintain.
- Purify at least 1 liter of water per cycle.
- Be portable and safe to use.
---
# **Stage 2: Investigation of Related Ideas**
| Solution Used Before | Advantages | Disadvantages
| Where Used |
|-----------------------------------------|---------------------------------|----------------------------
------|--------------------------------|
| 1. Boiling Water | Kills most pathogens | Requires fuel, time-
consuming | Globally |
| 2. Solar Water Disinfection (SODIS) | Uses sunlight, no fuel needed | Slow
process, limited volume | Rural Africa, Asia |
| 3. Chemical Treatment (Chlorination) | Effective and fast | Requires
chemicals, taste issues | Urban and rural areas |
| 4. Filtration Systems (Ceramic filters) | Removes particulates | May not
remove all bacteria | Rural communities worldwide |
**Drawings/Photos:**
- Diagram of SODIS method: water in transparent bottles exposed to sunlight.
- Photo of traditional boiling method.
- Sketch of ceramic filter system.
---
# **Stage 3: Generation of Ideas**
1. **Idea 1:** Use transparent plastic bottles filled with water and expose them to
direct sunlight for 6 hours (SODIS method).
- Pros: Simple, cheap, no fuel needed.
- Cons: Slow, limited water volume.
2. **Idea 2:** Construct a solar box cooker to boil water using solar heat.
- Pros: Kills all pathogens by boiling.
- Cons: More complex to build, requires larger space.
3. **Idea 3:** Build a solar still that evaporates and condenses water to remove
impurities.
- Pros: Removes chemical contaminants and pathogens.
- Cons: Low output volume, takes time.
4. **Idea 4:** Combine solar heating with a reflective surface to increase water
temperature faster in a transparent container.
- Pros: Faster disinfection, uses simple materials.
- Cons: Requires careful construction.
---
# **Stage 4: Development of Selected Idea**
**Selected Solution:**
Idea 4 – Solar water purifier using a transparent container placed on a reflective
surface to increase water temperature and disinfect it.
**Reason for Selection:**
This method is affordable, uses simple materials, and can disinfect water faster than
the basic SODIS method. It is easy to build and suitable for rural areas.
**Materials Needed:**
- Transparent glass jar with lid (1-liter capacity)
- Aluminum foil (reflective surface)
- Black-painted wooden board (to absorb heat)
- Thermometer
- Water sample (contaminated water)
- Plastic wrap (to cover the jar)
- Adhesive tape
**Construction Process:**
1. Paint one side of the wooden board black and let it dry.
2. Cover the board with aluminum foil, shiny side up, to act as a solar reflector.
3. Place the transparent jar filled with water on the black-painted side.
4. Cover the jar with plastic wrap to trap heat and prevent contamination.
5. Position the setup facing direct sunlight between 10 am and 2 pm.
6. Use the thermometer to monitor water temperature every 15 minutes.
7. Continue exposure until water temperature reaches at least 70°C for 30 minutes
(enough to kill most pathogens).
(Drawings/photos of each step included.)
---
# **Stage 5: Presentation of Results**
- The water temperature reached 75°C after 45 minutes of sunlight exposure.
- After 1 hour, water samples tested showed no bacterial growth (using simple water
testing kits).
- The system purified 1 liter of water effectively in about 1 hour.
- The setup was easy to construct and portable.
- Feedback from classmates: The system is practical and could improve water safety in
rural homes.
---
# **Stage 6: Evaluation and Recommendations**
**Problems Faced:**
- Difficulty maintaining consistent water temperature due to weather changes.
- Need for frequent repositioning to track the sun.
- Limited water volume per cycle.
**Solutions:**
- Added a small stand to adjust the angle of the reflective surface easily.
- Recommended using multiple units to purify larger volumes.
**Recommendations:**
- Use insulated containers to retain heat longer.
- Explore larger or multiple jars to increase output.
- Educate users on the importance of exposure time and water handling hygiene.
- Consider integrating simple filtration before solar disinfection for turbid water.
