Solar Powered Distiller.

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1 Solar Powered Distiller. 11/21/2016 Julian Jaffe. For the Beautiful Minds Challenge 2016 prompt, I have decided to build something that not only represents technology changing the lives of others in the present but also the lives of those in the future. I believe that the nature of this project suggests that through technology we can easily change lives for the better, even in the most unfortunate circumstances. My Beautiful Minds project is a solar powered water filtering mechanism, which over time generates clean, usable water from any contaminated water source. The concept of a low-cost, electricity powered, water distillery/filter is not entirely a new one, as there exist mini water filtration machines which are made for the same purpose as my design. Picture of the filters boiler components. The thing about my idea is that it is made specifically to be used in situations where one cannot obtain clean and safe drinking water, such as states and cities experiencing prolonged drought and third world countries where the economy isn't stable enough to enable the country to provide clean water. My machine is made with simplicity in mind. This machine provides clean water if the boiler is filled with contaminated water and then closed properly. After the lid is closed, all one has to do is flip a switch and wait for a couple of hours for the water to finish processing. It could be as simple as that. The machine consumes no energy from the grid and the concept is designed to work as a closed system that is incredibly user-friendly.

2 Here is how it works. Using heat generated by a hot plate, powered by a small homemade solar array the machine boils dirty water in the bottom of the boiler and gathers the steam generated to make clean water through processes similar to condensation. Water droplets form at the top of the boiler and when they collect enough mass they drip down into a bowl which floats on top of the dirty water. This process is slow but effective and easy to understand. By boiling water and creating steam the user evaporates the water, separating it from the contamination, bacteria and dirt particles, within the unfiltered water source. I have calculated the result, using a prototype. About 2 to 3 hours of boiling time produces enough water to fill a large water bottle. The distillation technique my project is based on is commonly used to distill water in households and in outdoor survival situations but with the electrical power generated from solar energy, I believe I have made the technique more powerful and energy efficient. This system would change the lives of those in dire circumstances as it would provide two basic needs, in particular, consumable, sanitary water. Solar modules produce enough energy to keep the hot plate at boiling temperatures. Amount of water distilled after approximately 45 minutes of boiling.

3 Charge controller manages electricity that goes through the battery box and power inverter. I formulated this idea and a plausible solution on my personal thoughts about the water shortages and water contamination that plagues some parts of the planet, particularly in areas of the third world where many are left having to consume unsafely, disease infested drinking water. In places of extreme poverty or drought, it is common to see individuals drinking and using unsafe levels of contaminated and impure water. We as Americans find drinking dangerously unclean water everyday absurd but for many it is a fact of life that unfortunately spells disease and health problems for all. I believe that through technology we can solve this problem in any situation it manifests itself in. Imagine, during times of poverty, in a place like South Sudan, where citizens have no choice but to use unsafe water resources, that a machine similar to the one I have designed were available. Think about the usability given the simplicity of the design and the lack of need for consumable electricity. This machine would run off the grid and produce a fair amount of clean water given enough time. If a community that exists in these situations were granted an upscaled version of a solar-powered water filter they could produce the water they consume every day. After a full day of gathering water and refining it, they could quite possibly be set for several days, as long as water consumption was properly managed. By building my design and testing it in real life situations I think I have created a tribute to what technology is truly capable of. If one person, I, can learn and design one of these machines in school, in one month, for under $200, imagine what an actual charity organization or government agency could do with the idea, given enough interest, time and support.

4 The prompt for the 2016 challenge suggested that creating a life changing product or machine would be a perfect way to be the change one wishes to see in the world. By imagining and creating the idea of the solar filter project/experiment I believe that I have successfully invested in being the change. By simply submitting the project to the competition I have let the outside world know that they have the ability to build and use things like this. I have demonstrated that change can manifest itself using the simplest engineering projects like this one. This inspires me to continue my studies of science and engineering with greater effort and concentration. My plan is to further this project by trying to maximize the efficiency and time the filter takes to make a usable volume of water. Currently, the prototype that I built is capable of purifying any type of contamination in water. The only reason it is a prototype is because it takes a long time to use. Another challenge I am addressing relates to the heat source, the hot plate I'm using cannot heat large amounts of water effectively. These problems aren't impossible to solve; I m sure I will spending more time trying and retrying ideas to perfect this project in the future. Also, the problems I have recognized would be easily solved by a group or an organization focused on researching this type of solar filtration system. By building my design I have only provided proof that the future of water doesn't have to be a dark future. One day we may run out of clean water, in some areas of the world at least. Water is a very fragile compound effected by poverty, over use, droughts, water filtration malfunctions, contamination and even climate change. It is easy to think of ways in which drinking water can become scarce. The fact that water may one day become a commodity pushes engineers and activists to try and establish systems and ideas that lessen the effects of the crisis we might one day face. You may think if we are able to filter seawater why do we ever have to worry about running out of water? Desalination of seawater is not modern science, people have been doing it for decades, so what's the problem one might ask? The answer is simple for us, in the present day, it just takes too much energy and time to build filters that provide water for an entire country the size of the United States purely from seawater. I believe, however, given what I know about the energy industry, that it would be possible to create practical amounts of water from the ocean if solar energy was used to power the whole system. Solar power will unfortunately not be able to power enough distilleries for an entire country but with the technological evolution of energy production, it is not unlikely that if the world can be satisfied long enough by solar, then eventually a new and more powerful energy source will take its place. What I'm trying to say is that the situation will only get better with solar power. That should be enough to inspire the world to invest itself in seawater filtration and renewable energy. The technology will only continue to become more sophisticated.

5 Desalination plant design meant for use in Saudi Arabia In conclusion, I have been inspired by the prompt and as a result, I have devised an experiment that represents how easy it is to wield the power of technology for the purpose of positive change. My project fulfilled its purpose as planned. Now that I have submitted it to the competition I have helped expose the world to the value of technology and have hopefully inspired others as well. Technology enables us and inspires us to imagine more efficient and safe solutions to the worlds problems. In using science for the good of humanity we are successfully being the change we wish to see in the world.