Performance Evaluation of Low Cost Modular Solar Desalination and Disinfection Chamber
Abstract
The low cost water desalination was designed and fabricated to reduce and eliminate microbiological and chemical pollutants. Total and fecal coliforms, pH and chloride were parameters used to determine the efficacy of treatment of saline water.
The 10-liter capacity Solar Desalination and Disinfection Chamber (SDDC) set-up consisted of 12.7 mm thick glass with dimensions of 0.9 x 0.9 x 1.2m., equipped with thermocouple, cloth filtration and activated carbon filtration. The set-up was made to determine its performance on pathogen(total and fecal coliform) and chloride reduction of the saline water feed.
The SDDC prototype had the capacity to disinfect contaminated water containing an initial total and fecal coliform concentration of ≥16 x 106 MPN/100 ml to a final value <2 MPN/100 mL. Another important result was the reduction of chlorides from saline water from initial values ranging from 14,000 mg/L to 19,000 mg/L down to a concentration of only 1.0 mg/L. Chloride content is the main factor that contributes to water salinity. The volume of treated water ranged from 230 mL to 3,270 mL per day, depending on sunlight exposure and cloud cover. The measured optimum temperature ranged from 34oC to 67oC for an 8-hr exposure to the sun.
