Designing a Solar-Powered Water Purification Device

[AnthreX]

i have to design a device that can purify seawater using only solar energy

i have just one idea but still not sure it would work
the idea is to buy a plastic bucket and a long cup or long and smaller bucket. then i put the long and smaller bucket into the big plastic bucket right in the middle. than i pour the sea water into the big bucket so it surrounds the small bucket. after that i cover the big bucket with glad wrap put it in the sun. i get a pebble (rock) and place it in the middle of the glad wrap. than the water that forms on the glad warp will all gather in the center and eventually fall into the smaller bucket.. the PROBLEM IS the water formed in the smaller bucket would vapourise too

any ideas that could help me ?

 

[Gara]

yah it would but it would also keep going back into the smaller cup. i think.

 

[AnthreX]

what i want to do is just have some water left in the small bucket
soon as i open it. is there anyway to keep the water in the small bucket ? i just want to make it vapourise slower than the sea water in the big bucket

 

[Artman]

Put a funnel in the top of the small bucket, large end at the top small end pointing down into the small bucket, and seal around it. The water will drop down the funnel, the vapor inside will form on the underside of the funnel and drop back into the small bucket (except the small amount that will come out through the hole at the bottom, which should form on the celephane as water drops and fall back in).

 

[AnthreX]

hmmmm that's a good idea but how would i seal the funnel ?
and... the hole... the water from small bucket would vaporise and leak out of the hole... hmm ahhh damit! so confusing

thanx for the help

anyone have anymore good ideas ?

 

[Artman]

Originally posted by AnthreX
hmmmm that's a good idea but how would i seal the funnel ?
and... the hole... the water from small bucket would vaporise and leak out of the hole... hmm ahhh damit! so confusing

thanx for the help

anyone have anymore good ideas ?

Silicone seal would work to seal the funnel. The funnel could be opaque white to reduce the effects of the sun on heating the water in the small bucket and the amount lost through evaporation through the hole would just drop back in anyway.

 

[Njorl]

Put some lighty crumpled aluminum foil in the small bucket.

Njorl

 

[AnthreX]

Njorl

by putting those crumpled aluminium foil in the small bucket
what does it actually do ?

i think the funnel idea is the best i got.. and that's what i had planned to do before posting it here.

but there has to be a better way. have you guyz ever done this experiment before? if u did, did u guyz use any other different idea?
what materials did u guyz use ?

thanx heaps..~

 

[JasonRox]

I got a good one, to prevent evaporation from the purified water.

E-mail me, and I'll send you a picture, or plan. It is to elaborate to explain in words.

It is very similar to your plan, but the purified water will not get any of the solar energy, which is what you want.

Maybe you'll figure it out yourself, so I'll give you a hint.

"Think outside of the bucket."

E-mail: rox_jason@hotmail.com

 

[ray b]

it is called a solar still
a common item on offshore small boats
or in liferafts/lifeboats
uses a tube to carry the pure water outside the still

 

[AnthreX]

i will be trying the experiment with the filter funnel tomorrow
and i will see if its really effective or needs more improving

 

[AnthreX]

Bahh!

i tried the filter funnel it worked ok but i want some more better way

experts

professors help me on this please~!

 

[JasonRox]

Also, make sure the bucket is black, and the surrounding area is light. All the energy will go towards the bucket.

 

[AnthreX]

the idea that u gave me over the email
that really helps
ta again