Subject: Solar Water Purification

From: [email-masked] (Dale Andreatta)
Date: Thu, 27 Jul 95 21:51:55 GMT

A few weeks ago there were several articles posted about
solar water distillation as a way of providing clean
drinking water in the developing world.  Please note that
most water in the developing world is merely biologically
contaminated and distillation is not necessary.

A simpler process which kills all bacteria, viruses, and
parasites that cause disease in humans is called
pasteurization.  This is the heating of water to 149 degrees
F, (65 degrees C) for about 6 minutes, or to higher
temperatures for a shorter time.  It is not necessary
to boil the water as many people believe.  Depending on the
method of pasteurization, pasteurization requires only 1%
to 5% the energy that distillation requires.

While a graduate student at Berkeley I worked with Solar
Cookers Int'l and Pax World Service to develop a series of
solar water pasteurizers.  Information about the devices
we built and tested is available on the net at:
http://www.accessone.com/~sbcn/solarwat.htm

[email-masked]
Dale Andreatta, Ph. D., P. E.
S. E. A. Inc.
7349 Worthington-Galena Rd.
Columbus, OH  43085
(614) 888-4160  FAX (614) 885-8014