Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

What is a water filter? A water filter removes impurities by minimizing

contamination of water using a fine physical barrier, a chemical or a biological

process, as said in the web. A water filter does not need to undergo in chemical

processes just to be used, it can be made at home, a simple one but useful. A water

filter is as said, removes impurities in the water that is consumed by human beings,

it’s so that the water will not have bacteria swarming in it. There are many kinds of

water filters, such as the Solar water filter, the ordinary kind of do-it-yourself (DIY)

water filter, sand water filter, and the factory made water filter like the Reverse

Osmosis (RO).

Solar water purifiers work by using sunlight to change contaminated water

into fresh-smelling, good-tasting and safe drinking water. There are many solar

water purifiers on the market and they all work a little differently. What they all do,

however, is collect water in some kind of covered bin. As the sunlight raises the

temperature of the water, the water is vaporized and leaves the contaminants

behind. The water goes through condensation under the glass or plastic cover and
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drops of water collect in a pure water channel. The drops are then delivered into a

clean bin from which we can then drink clean water.

Solar water filters uses solar energy to make a biologically-contaminated

(e.g. bacteria, viruses, protozoa and worms) water safe to drink. Water

contaminated with non-biological agents such as toxic chemicals or heavy metals

require additional steps to make the water safe to drink. Solar disinfection using the

effects of electricity generated by photovoltaics typically uses an electric current to

deliver electrolytic processes which disinfect water, for example by generating

oxidative free radicals which kill pathogens by damaging their chemical structure.

The ultraviolet part of sunlight can also kill pathogens in water.

Distillation is one of many processes available for water purification, and

sunlight is one of the several forms of heat energy that can be used to power that

process. Sunlight has the advantage of zero fuel cost but it requires more space (for

its collection). To dispel a common belief, it is not necessary to boil water to distill

it. Simply elevating its temperature, short of boiling, will adequately increase the

evaporation rate. In fact, although vigorous boiling hastens the distillation process

it also can force unwanted residue into the distillate, defeating purification.

Solar distillation systems can be small or large. They are designed either to

serve the needs of a single family, or to produce much greater amounts for an entire

neighbourhood or village. In some parts of the world the scarcity of fresh water is

partially overcome by covering shallow salt water basins with glass in greenhouse-

like structures.
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The Solar Water Disinfection (SODIS) method is ideal for treating water for

drinking in developing countries. The UV-A rays in sunlight kill germs such as

viruses, bacteria and parasites (giardia and cryptosporidia). If the water is cloudy

and dirty, it should be filtered first to allow the UV-A rays to effectively penetrate

into the water. The method also works when air and water temperatures are low.

People can use the Solar Water Disinfection (SODIS) method to treat their drinking

water themselves. The method is very simple and its application is safe. It is

particularly suitable for treating relatively small quantities of drinking water.

Homemade water purifiers are one way to benefit the environment, to less

bottles to dispose of or nothing at all. In making homemade solar water purifiers,

things are recycled for a cheaper cause. Some may wonder that why shouldn’t they

just purchase and use bottled water as a way of getting better tasting water. The

answer is quite simple; bottled water creates more wastes. Plastic wastes are one of

the environmental problems in our country, the habit of not recycling water bottles

will result to too many plastic wastes spreading across the place that may cause sea

pollutions or land pollutions. If some would just recycle their plastic bottles in water

filters instead of just throwing them away, the plastic wastes would eventually

decrease.
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Statement of the Problem

This study will center /focus on determining the effectiveness of a solar water

purifier. Basically it seeks to answer the following questions.

1. How long does it take for enough water to be purified?

2. Can the water be drinkable already after it has been purified, if not, what

should be done first to successfully purify the water?

3. In six (6) hours for the Solar Water Purifier was left under the sun, how many

mL of salt water are purified from:

a. 60 mL;

b. 120 mL; and

c. 180 mL?

Significance of the Study

This study will benefit the people whom are unable to purchase a water filter,

for a much more efficient way to drinking water and for a cheaper cause. It is also

to less diseases in water to avoid sickness, and to help the environment for less

plastic wastes.
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Scope and Limitations

This study focuses on the effectiveness of the solar water purifier and its

effects on our country about the recent water crisis. The coverage of this study on

removing contamination out of water has a time interval of three (3) to six (6) hours

for the water filter to be left under the sun.