Sun purifies water in remote region (A Solar Still. No.. H2O not the other stuff)

Multi-National Force - Iraq ^ | Pvt. Jared N. Gehmann, USA

[SandRat]

Spc. Rachael Potts and an Iraqi engineer prepare to run dirty water through a solar-powered water filtration system at Forward Operating Base Hammer, Sept. 5. Photo by Pvt. Jared N. Gehmann, 82nd Airborne Division.

BAGHDAD — In an effort to provide a better quality of life for the citizens of Iraq's Ma'dain region, U.S. paratroopers here put their time and energy into learning how to set up and operate a solar-powered water filtration system, Sept. 5.

Paratroopers assigned to 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Multi-National Division- Baghdad implemented a self-powered, energy efficient water filtration system to provide the area's residents fresh, clean drinking water. However, for this system to be effective, regional leaders need to be shown how it works.

That’s where Phoenix native, Spc. Rachael Potts, a water treatment specialist assigned to Company A, 82nd Brigade Support Battalion, came in and put her knowledge to work to show some of the region's engineers how to put the system to use.

"I got involved with this filtration system a few days ago while working on a reverse osmosis system," said Potts. "But once I heard about this system, I wanted to see what it could do in order to help our Iraqi partners."

The solar-powered system uses a series of hoses and filters to purify brackish or dirty water in areas where clean water is limited. The Ma'dain region, located on the outskirts of eastern Baghdad, is a vast, mostly desolate area were most water sources consist of dirty, mineral-filled wells.

The system can treat about 6,000 gallons of water a day. Despite its size, the system is also transportable in order to provide clean drinking water to even the most remote villages in the region.

"So far we have 25 of these systems to place all over the Ma'dain region in areas such as the towns of Narwan and Salman Pak," Potts said.

During a demonstration of the solar-powered filtration system’s capabilities to local Iraqi engineers, Potts partnered with Abbas Hassan, the chief engineer of al-Nahywan Water Treatment facility, to demonstrate to Hassan's fellow engineers how the system functions.

"The water filtration system is impressive because it solves both of the main problems we have right now, which is having access to clean water while also having a reliable power source to make the machine work and clean the water," said Hassan.

Along with Potts, several combat medics assigned to the battalion's Company C came out for the demonstration in order to receive hands-on experience with the system and witness the results of the water-cleaning process. To ensure the water was to the drinkable standard, the medics performed a series of quality assurance tests.

"It was amazing how much cleaner this water was after it ran through the machine," said Spc. Wayne Terry, of Cartersville, Ga. "Clean water is a necessity for good health; bad water can be a leading cause of many health problems."

U.S. and Iraqi leaders discussed their hopes of putting this system to use in the much-needed areas across in region in the near future. The system is also seen as a step in the right direction for the nation.

"We appreciate all the help the U.S. Army has given us in making our country a better place," said Hassan. "As long as we keep pushing technology such as this solar- powered filtration system, I believe we will continue to accomplish our goals in rebuilding Iraq."

(By Pvt. Jared N. Gehmann, 82nd Airborne Division)

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Nothing new. These things were designed back in the 1960s. All the outdoor magazines had articles about them back then.

[Nathan Zachary]

BTW, I sustain myself on my own water supply, so I’m a little higher on that bell curve than you think.

When and if you ever do manage to move out to the country in hopes of living off the land, you can look me up and ask for advice when you find yourself in trouble.

I KNOW I can teach you a few things.

[I see my hands]

One needn’t be very bright to understand bell curves. You are revealing more than you care to.

Yes, you are right that rainfall amts vary. That is why storage is important. I won’t need 1,500 rain barrels. What makes you think I would?

Check out this calculator and the very conservative data I’ve entered.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Back in 1959 I lived in Hope, NM, in the middle of nowhere. all over this semi-ghost town were abandoned buried cement cisterns shaped like a soda pop bottle about 20 feet deep. All were empty at the time an if you fell in one you were there till someone happened to find you.

The last time I went through there a few years ago they had been filled in and covered.

[I see my hands]

Thanks!

[doc11355]

Looks like Nature's Uterus.......

...and I bet you only read Gray's Anatomy for the articles.

[Nathan Zachary]

Those are wonderful calculations.

I still don’t see the value of having 934 gallons of poisonous water though.

[I see my hands]

Yep, got to maintain everything. Stupid entropy :)

[I see my hands]

How did the water get poisonous? How would you solve that problem?

[Nathan Zachary]

Algae.

You’ll have to better explain what kind of system you plan in order for me to explain the problems you may have, and how to prevent them.

[Nathan Zachary]

From what i can gather from what you said so far, is you plan on storing wather in large plastic tanks which are made for septic systems.

If you keep them above ground, the sun will promote algae growth very fast. To prevent that, and to keep the water cool, it’s best to bury them. You’ll still be able to get into them from the access tube.

Next, because you plan on collecting run off water, it will have a lot of silt and iron, which will oxidize rapidly and coat the tanks with a thick rust colored sludge, and cause all the other problems with any indoor plumbing you might have that water with a lot of iron in it does.

[RFEngineer]

“One needn’t be very bright to understand bell curves. You are revealing more than you care to.”

Yes, it certainly does reveal something, like: apparently my humor is too subtle for your type of genius.

Ok, so you have 900 gallons of runoff - let’s assume the various water authorities/EPA lets you go with your plan.

Even if you just have a bath on Saturday night (whether you need it, or not) - you need a lot of storage. If you want to survive the drought years - you need a lot more storage.

The average family of 4 uses about an acre-foot of water. Lets assume that you can do with 1/4 of that. That still is more than 80,000 gallons a year. that’s about 90 - 900 gallon containers. If you are careful, maybe you can go with half again as much as that.

Even if you go to every-other Saturday night baths, you’ll still need a lot of storage.

Now you know why people dig wells.

[wita]

Reminds me of a trip to Aruba many years ago, probably about fifteen or twenty years back. At the time, they were proud of a recently completed desalinization plant, that in order to be payed for, required the destruction of the previous system.

That system would be rooftop collection of rainwater into the home cistern. A system that had worked well for many years but would be a serious problem for the governments need to have everyone on the island tied into the new desalinization plant in order to be able to pay for the plant.

So there goes the only drinking water backup courtesy of who else, “the government”.

[I see my hands]

"Beautiful! I’ve seen similar systems. Love the concept and it should work fine. Especially if you know your needs. I assume it needs filtering prior to use. What’s the best system for that?"

Thanks. Sand and fire are how I plan to make the water clean and potable.

[I see my hands]

"apparently my humor is too subtle for your type of genius. Ok, so you have 900 gallons of runoff - let’s assume the various water authorities/EPA lets you go with your plan. Even if you just have a bath on Saturday night (whether you need it, or not) - you need a lot of storage. If you want to survive the drought years - you need a lot more storage. The average family of 4 uses about an acre-foot of water. Lets assume that you can do with 1/4 of that. That still is more than 80,000 gallons a year. that’s about 90 - 900 gallon containers. If you are careful, maybe you can go with half again as much as that. Even if you go to every-other Saturday night baths, you’ll still need a lot of storage. Now you know why people dig wells. "

I am humor bereft. An outlier on the left side of the humor bell curve, can’t you tell?

80,000 gals/365! Who are you really, Aquaman? We (two of us) can and have lived (hygienically and all) on 3 gals a day for extended periods. That is not H2Opulent but it's more luxurious than death. So we can live on my assumed data. And that data is very conservative as I’ve said. Odds are real good we will receive more than .5 inches of rain per year, odds are real good that we can increase efficiency well above 50%, and If we wanted to we can prepare a 60,000 square foot collection area.

I currently have a well. They break. I’m planning for societal chaos. No well man, no well parts.

[Leonard210]

Sounds great. Good luck man.

[I see my hands]

"Storing run off water shown in your link isn't what's being proposed in the article."

Never said it was.

Some of the concerns you point out we have considered and have plans to remedy. Others are not applicable. I’m sure other problems will present themselves unexpectedly. I’ll do my best to American-man-up to solve those.

Sounds to me like you have ideas worth hearing. Don’t know why you presented yourself as a nay sayer.

[RFEngineer]

“80,000 gals/365! Who are you really, Aquaman? We (two of us) can and have lived (hygienically and all) on 3 gals a day for extended periods.”

That’s what cities routinely provide a family of 4 on average (actually it’s more than that). Granted it’s a lot of water, but the point here is that an “average” lifestyle requires a lot of water. If you are not going to shower or flush toilets - and merely subsist, I’m sure 3 gallons/day might be enough, if it’s not summer.

The good news is that should societal collapse come, it’s not likely anyone would try to take what you have to live like you do.

Good luck, and may God grant you at least enough water to flush your commode every day!

[I see my hands]

The first time I went to Bermuda I learned the vast majority of (I was told for all intents and purposes: all) private residences harvested rainwater (the only fresh water the island sees) from their lime washed roofs and stored it in cisterns. They are still going strong. Hotels desalinate, I understand.

[I see my hands]

"The good news is that should societal collapse come, it’s not likely anyone would try to take what you have to live like you do"

Now you’re talking. Also, to get to the property you have to first go to the middle of nowhere to a dirt road. Take the dirt road 15 miles to the other dirt road and it’s another 5 miles to the property which is a small island of private property surrounded by hundreds of square miles of federal land. We don’t expect mobs to be our problem.

But like I always try to remember.. if the good Lord is willing and the creeks don’t rise.