Solar Water Disinfecting Tarpaulin a step forward to fight disease and mortality in the third world.

by patgarcia | July 15, 2008 at 10:19 am | 371 views | 4 comments

The Solar Water Disinfecting Tarpaulin SWDT uses a method of sterilizing with the use of passive solar radiation.

Heat and UVA radiation pass through the top layer of recycled low density polyethylene into the water cavity and are reflected back from the bottom layer. On sunny days water purification takes five hours.

Eric Olsen's design was morphologically inspired by the saguaro cactus"sahuaro" in Spanish. A desert plant that absorbs and stores whatever little water it can get.

Baja California Sur is surrounded by sahuaros and cactus plants. they even bloom beautiful flowers.

Looking at the simplicity and utility of his design and knowing about the shortage of water we face each year, specialy around rural and extreme poverty areas. I can only hope it is available to reach people in need

The San Francisco-based architect was awarded $10,000 for his project, Solar Water Disinfecting Tarpaulin, which is a vessel for both transporting and purifying water that may be put to good use in disaster areas, developing urban areas, rural regions, or anyplace where clean water is otherwise difficult or impossible to come by. According to Metropolis, "It is lightweight, expandable, and comfortable to wear, allowing a greater volume of water to be carried when compared to traditional vessels."

.Eric Olsen's design combines two existing products in one the Hippo Water Roller and SODIS

Not only does it purify water -- up to 20 liters -- it makes it more portable in large quantities -- a vital dual role in Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Central Asia where access to clean water is often scarce.

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SOLARLIFE

at 10:55 on July 15th, 2008

good stuff:

patgarcia, good news solar disinfection of drinking water.

Does it really work, natural UV rays killing Bacteria, Viruses mostly "hook" on Bacteria, so their number will deacrease also, but what about amoebas, other parasites chryptosporidia shells? My experience from Brazil: high turbidity (dirty water from local sources) is not to treat effectivley, bacterias hiding behind the particles and get no UV shock. Is meanwhile a digital or Cheap 24hrs test available, I Know Mexico would be one of the countries to use this technology to avoid "Montezuma's revenge ".

solar water disinfection how does it work, popular science info

patgarcia

at 11:38 on July 15th, 2008

Thanks for the flag and the link. I agree with you, you can't compare it to Evian water, I'm sure you have seen the kind of water some people drink, this would be a bit better for them. We have lots of amoeba cases among little children, dysentery, gastroenteritis you name it.