Produce drinking water using photovoltaics. A necessity in countries where this precious resource is scarce, along with electricity, and where the sun is abundant. It's called SunSaluter and recently made it to the finals in The Tech Award 2015
To produce water drinking using the PV. A necessity in countries where this precious resource is scarce, along with electricity, and where the sun is abundant. Is called SunSaluter and recently arrived in finale nel The Tech Award 2015.
SunSaluter consists of two parts: a rotation system that tracks the movement of the sun, following it to produce more electricity, and a water purifier able to produce four liters of drinking water per day. Not a lot but still precious.
By combining clean energy and water collection in a single simple device, SunSaluter allows you to have drinking water without producing emissions but above all bringing it to areas of the world that do not.
An adventure that began in 2013, when the special technology was developed “Tracker” which increased the energy production of the 30% making sure that the panel PV followed the sun all day. In this way, not only was greater efficiency ensured but fewer panels were required.
The system, a real one photovoltaic tracker, it can be integrated into any panel in a very simple way, without the need for special tools. The solar panels are mounted on the rotating frame, then at one end there is a weight while at the other there is a “Waterclock”.
As soon as the container with water is emptied, the panel begins to rotate slowly. The user can set the speed at which the Waterclock empties itself, thus controlling the rotation rate of the SunSaluter.
According to its creators, conventional solar trackers use complex electronic systems that make them more than 30 times more expensive and prone to failure. That is why so far they have never been successful in developing countries.
Kit do-it-yourself. Today SunSaluter is available for purchase worldwide. A real do-it-yourself kit is provided ease of assembly both of the rotation system and of the purifier. The system is designed for panels over 40 watts, but the cost-effectiveness depends above all on the cost of photovoltaic panels in the various countries.
Compared to a few years ago, the system design has changed slightly. Today it is even easier to use ei Costi they fell by 50 percent. There are 140 units in operation in 16 countries but the goal of the creators is to reach 1.000 by the end of this year and 10.000 by the end of 2016.
Francesca Mancuso
Foto: SunSaluter
READ also:
FROM SUNFLOWER TO PHOTOVOLTAIC PANEL HUNTING FOR THE SUN
WATERDROP: HOW TO PRODUCE DRINKING WATER IN THE DESERT USING SOLAR ENERGY
