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| <img src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/gmoke/solardesal.jpg" alt="" title="" />
| | Solar energy can be used to heat water for washing oneself, as well as washing clothes and dishes; see: |
| | * '''[[Solar hot water]]''' |
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| The <a href="http://www.watercone.com">Watercone®</a> is a solar powered water desalinator that takes salt or brackish water and distills it into freshwater. It is simple to use, lightweight and mobile.
| | Solar energy can also be used to treat water, to make it safe for drinking, in two key ways: |
| | * '''[[Solar water disinfection]]''' - disinfection by the heat and UV light (or sometimes just heat) of the sun. The water must be already clear, especially when using the sun's UV light. |
| | * '''[[Solar distillation]]''' - using the energy of the sun to evaporate the water and then condense it. This is a much more energy intensive process, and requires more specialized and expensive equipment, but can be expected to give even safer water, and can start from even very dirty or saline water. |
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| Designed to produce 1.5 liters a day, it provides a child's daily needs for fresh water and reduces the number of children who die as a result of drinking unsafe water, currently estimated to be 5000 or more each and every day.
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| <blockquote>The WATERCONE® is a long lasting UV resistant Poly Carbonate product and can be used up to 5 years daily. The material is non-toxic, non-flammable and 100% recyclable. The black pan for the saltwater is already made out of 100% recycled PC. Even when the WATERCONE® becomes old and tarnished, it can still be used to collect rain water, as a roof panel or container for other goods.</blockquote>
| | [[Category:Water purification]] |
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| <blockquote>The Watercone® project is looking for investors and companies to initiate mass production tooling and distribution. So the Watercone can be manufactured for a lower price and become affordable to the people in need...
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| Single products are not available at the moment!</blockquote>
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| <img src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/gmoke/solarwatercone.jpg" alt="" title="" />
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| The Watercone® was tested in Yemen in 2004 and in the Lake Baikal region of Russia in 2005.
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| Thanks to <a href="http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/874/"> Treehugger</a> for bringing this design to my attention.
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| Until everybody who needs one can get a Watercone®, you can pasteurize water in clear plastic bottles by exposing them to the sun.
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| <img src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/gmoke/SODIS.jpg" alt="" title="" />
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| <blockquote>The <a href="http://www.sodis.ch/">Solar Water Disinfection (SODIS)</a> process is a simple technology used to improve the microbiological quality of drinking water. SODIS uses solar radiation to destroy pathogenic microorganisms which cause water borne diseases.
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| SODIS is ideal to treat small quantities of water. Contaminated water is filled into transparent plastic bottles and exposed to full sunlight for six hours.
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| Sunlight is treating the contaminated water through two synergetic mechanisms: Radiation in the spectrum of UV-A (wavelength 320-400nm) and increased water temperature. If the water temperatures raises above 50°C, the disinfection process is three times faster.</blockquote>
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| You can raise the temperature of the water in transparent bottles by putting them in the sun against a dark background.
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| Simple Solar Rules:
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| Dark heats up
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| Light reflects
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| Clear keeps off the wind
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| As suggested above, years from now, when your Watercone® wears out, you can use it to collect rainwater for the gravity drip irrigation system exhibited at the recent <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/10/19154/3051">Design for the Other 90%</a> show at NYC's Cooper-Hewitt Museum.
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| <img src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/gmoke/gravitydrip.jpg" alt="" title="" />
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| Change the color of the gravity drip bag to black and you have a solar hot water heater. [See Simple Solar Rules above.]
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| There are lots of other things you can do with sunlight and plastic containers.
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| I plant my garden a month or six weeks early by practicing <a href="http://solarray.blogspot.com/2005/03/recycled-solar.html">Recycled Solar</a>. Place a ring of plastic bottles on the soil, fill them with water, plant seeds of your choice (I've grown tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, beans, and greens with this technique) in the middle, and cap it with another bottle with its bottom cut out. This makes a solar heated coldframe or cloche.
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| <img src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/gmoke/IM000099.jpg" alt="" title="" />
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| <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/3/30/142018/700">Solar IS Civil Defense</a>.
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