How to Make a Solar Water Purifier

Solar water purifiers are the most thorough and energy-efficient method of removing contaminants from water. A solar water purifier can be constructed with items found around the house, and it can be assembled as a student science project. The basic concept can be scaled up or down depending on what materials you have on hand or how much water you want to purify. Design your unit in full sunlight, facing south and close to a hose.

Things You'll Need

• 1 36-square-inch piece of glazed window glass
• 1 36-square-inch piece of aluminum foil
• 1 36-square-inch piece of plywood
• 1 24-square-inch black plastic bin at least two inches deep
• 1 tube of epoxy adhesive
• One 42-inch-long piece of 3-inch diameter PVC pipe cut in half, lengthwise
• 3 3-foot pieces of 2-inch by 4-inch lumber
• 1 24-square inch piece of home Insulation (any kind)
• 1 tube of super glue
• Large bowl

Instructions

1. Place the insulation on the ground and the black plastic bin on top. Align the foil to the piece of plywood so the plywood is completely covered. Attach the foil with super glue.

2. Stand the plywood upright with the foil facing toward the sun. Create an A-frame by attaching one edge of the glass to the top edge of the plywood using epoxy adhesive. Place the A-frame structure over the black bin.

3. Raise the edge of the glass off the ground about four inches by stacking pieces of lumber under it. Place the section of PVC pipe on top of the lumber but under the glass. The PVC pipe will form a trough, and about six inches of the pipe will stick out. Place a bowl under this overhang.

4. Fill the black bin with water. As the water evaporates in the sun, it will condense on the glazed window glass and trickle drown to the trough as purified water.

Tips & Warnings

• You do not have to use the measurements exactly as prescribed above, but the size of materials relative to each other should stay about the same.

• When sizing your system, consider that a unit the size of your stove would yield up to three gallons of purified water on a sunny day.

• If you use the purifier regularly, rinse the black bin regularly: Contaminants will remain in it as the water evaporates.

References

• Energy Efficient Homes for Dummies; Rik DeGunther; 2008