1.

0 Introduction
Water is the most important and necessity element in human life. Approximately 70% of the human
body, water is found in the cells. The source of all body fluids including blood, lymph, saliva,
digestive enzymes, urines etc. is the pure drinking water. Water is the regulator of all body functions.
It is the main source for transporting energy to every cell in the body. The brain is also made up of
80% of water, severe dehydration may lead to mental derangement, inability to think clearly. Thus,
human body requires a 6-8 glass of pure water daily to function properly.
Now In the world water is abundant. As we all know 71% of the earth’s surface is covered in Oceans.
Now the issue is not all of it is readily drinkable. From figure we can see.

Figure: Earth’s water distribution Diagram.

Now we can see that fresh water (not salt water) is only 2.5%. and then we don’t have access to the
majority of it as it is in the form of Ice Caps and Glaciers. We only have access to the rest of it about

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just 20%. Even then not all of it is safe for drinking. As unfiltered waters of lakes and rivers isn’t safe
for drinking directly.
As we all know that water is an important element to Human life so drinking water should be pure
and hygienic. Otherwise, people may suffer from various water-borne diseases. A Developed country
like Japan is supplying pure water in most of the places. The developing and underdeveloped
countries are facing the problem of unhygienic drinking water, leading to various water borne
disease. Yearly many people are dying due to lack of pure drinking water especially people below
poverty lines are suffering most from these problems.
An abundant freshwater supply is a basic necessity for the development of human civilization. For
thousands of years we have lived in cities built on rivers so that we could drink, wash, and move
from place to place on these waters. Yet, only in the last 200 years have we seen rapid
developments in water treatment. We have come a long way in the last century, and the future
holds a lot of promise. This is a brief summary of where we’ve been and where we’re headed.

1.1. History of Water Treatment

So, water purification is an important part of civilization. The history of water purification is very old.
Ancient Greek and Sanskrit writings dating as far back as 2000 BC recommend methods for water
treatment. Even then, people knew that water could be purified with heat, and they practiced sand
and gravel filtration, boiling, and straining. Their primary motivation in doing this was to make water
taste better, as they couldn’t yet distinguish between water that’s clean and water that’s foul. They
knew to try to reduce the turbidity of the water, but didn’t know much about chemical
contamination or microorganisms. The Egyptians first discovered the principle of coagulation
around 1500 BC. They used alum to achieve suspended particle settlement, as depicted on the wall
of the tomb of Amenophis II and Ramses II. Hippocrates first started discovering water’s healing
properties around 500 BC. He invented water sieving and created the Hippocratic sleeve, the first
bag filter. This latter invention was able to remove sediments that gave water a bad taste or smell.
Between 300-200 BC, Rome began building its aqueducts and Archimedes invented his water screw.
Aqueducts:
In the 7th century BC the Assyrians built the first structure for transporting water, a 32-foot high and
nearly 100-foot long structure that brought water nearly 50 miles across a valley to Nineveh.
Romans later began building many of these structures themselves and called them aqueducts, from
the Latin words for “water” and “to lead”. The aqueducts were sophisticated structures that
transported water for long distances using only the power of gravity. They supplied the Roman
Empire’s large cities and industrial regions.

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Rome alone constructed eleven of these aqueducts, building more than 250 miles of them over the
span of 500 years. Most of them were built underground to keep them safe from pollution and war.
They supplied Rome with over 250 million gallons of water per day, and many still stand in Spain,
Turkey, Germany, and France. Many of the techniques used in these aqueducts are still being used
to build modern water transport systems today.

Archimedes’ Screw
The Green engineer Archimedes lived between 287 and 212 BC. One of his inventions was a
machine for bringing water upwards to higher ground from a low body of water. It took the form of
a very large screw inside of a hollow pipe that pumps the water up. Archimedes’ screw was originally
used to remove water from ship bilges and mines, as well as to help irrigate farmlands. His design is
still in use for transporting water to higher ground today, such as in the Dutch city of Zoetermeer.
More importantly, it serves as the basis for many modern industrial pumps.
Water Treatment Is Reborn after Fading Away
Water treatment in the Middle Ages (500-1500 AD) became less sophisticated, as the Roman
aqueducts fell into disrepair with the collapse of the Roman Empire. In these times, relatively little
was done to ensure public access to a clean water supply.
Sir Francis Bacon restarted the advancement of water treatment practices in 1627, when he began
experiments in seawater desalination. He tried to use sand filtration to filter salt out of saltwater. His
experiment didn’t succeed, but he laid the groundwork for other scientists to get involved in the
field.
In the 1670s, two Dutch spectacle makers were experimenting with grinding and polishing lenses for
enhanced magnification. This was the first microscope, which allowed Antoine van Leeuwenhoek to
first observe aquatic microorganisms.
The first water filters made from charcoal, wool, and sponge were created for home application
in the 1700s.  Then Robert Thom designed the first municipal water treatment plant in Scotland
in 1804. The treatment there utilized slow sand filtration, and they distributed the water with a
horse-drawn cart. Water pipes were installed three years later, and the idea was proposed that
everyone should have access to safe drinking water. Unfortunately, this still hasn’t become a reality
everywhere in the world even to this day.
Then, in 1854, there was another breakthrough: researchers discovered that an epidemic of cholera
spread through water, and that the outbreak had been less intense in areas that had sand filters.
John Snow discovered it was caused by sewage water contaminating the water pump, and used
chlorine to purify it. This helped establish the practice of water disinfection and chlorination.

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The water had smelled and tasted fine, so this was when they figured out that that’s not enough to
guarantee the safety of the water. As a result, cities began installing municipal water filters, and
government regulation of water started to become the norm.
Water Treatment Advances into Modernity
America began building large sand filters in the 1890s. Rapid sand filtration outperformed slow sand
filtration, and they used a jet stream to clean the filter and improve its capacity. Researchers also
discovered that filtration worked better when you treated the water with coagulation and
sedimentation first. At the same time, water chlorination became more widespread and waterborne
illnesses like cholera and typhoid became less of an issue.
It wasn’t long though before chlorination started to reveal negative side effects. Chlorine
vaporization was linked to respiratory disease, and experts began searching for alternatives. Calcium
hypochlorite and ferric chloride were first used in Belgium in 1902, and ozone was first used in
France in 1906. People also began using home water filters to prevent the negative effects of
chlorine themselves.
Water softening was invented in 1903 for desalinating water. Then, in 1914, standards based on
coliform growth were implemented for drinking water in public traffic. However, it wasn’t until the
1940s that these water standards were applied to municipal water supplies. From there it was
another thirty years before the Clean Water Act of 1972 and the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974,
which developed the principle of that everyone has the right to safe water.
This was also when the major public health concerns around drinking water shifted from disease-
causing bacteria to man-made pollutants such as pesticides, chemicals, and industrial sludge. New
regulations addressed water contamination and waste from industrial processes, and water
treatment plants adapted to the new threats. They applied new techniques including active carbon
adsorption, aeration, and flocculation.
In the 1980s, researchers developed the first membranes for reverse osmosis systems. Soon after,
water treatment plants began regularly running risk assessments of the water.
2000 and Beyond Today, the processes of filtration and disinfection are still in use, but are
continually being refined based on our better understanding of the complex web of physical and
chemical interactions that make these processes work. Particles can now be measured in microns,
and we can detect compounds to part-per-billion and part-per-trillion levels. Regulations now
require not only proper disinfection but also careful control of disinfection by-products. Membranes
are starting to provide the same functions as conventional treatment and alternative disinfection
methods such as ultraviolet light are coming into focus. In addition to water treatment practices,
water systems must work toward solutions to the formidable problems of source water protection

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and water scarcity, as well as how to replace an aging infrastructure. Changes in how much we
charge for water will become increasingly important as water becomes an even more valuable
commodity. The challenges of supplying an increasingly higher quality of water to an increasing
human population on a planet with a limited freshwater supply will shape the future of water
utilities and advanced treatment processes in the 21st century

1.2. Methods of Water Purification

In a country where waterborne diseases result in over thousands of deaths annually, we don’t need
to emphasize why there is an urgent need for a water purifier in every household. While higher
authorities might be doing their best to provide us with clean and safe drinking water, we, too, have
a responsibility. We need to ensure that our homes and workplaces are fitted with an electric water
purifier for safe and clean water. Most people trust an RO Water Filter or an RO UV Water Purifier
for their drinking water needs, but there are other alternative methods that you can try.
Here are some of the most effective water purification methods that have stood the test of time:
1. Boiling
The simplest method to purify water is to boil it for a good time. High temperatures cause the
bacteria and virus to dissipate, removing all impurities from the water. In doing so, chemical
additions cease to exist in the water. However, the dead micro-organisms and impurities settle at
the bottom of the water, and boiling does not help eliminate all the impurities. You must strain the
water through a microporous sieve to completely remove the impurities.
2. Water Purifier
An electric water purifier is the most trusted form of water purification found in most houses today.
A water purifier uses a multi-stage process involving UV and UF filtration, carbon block, and modern
water filtration technology that eliminates most of the chemicals and impurities, making it the
purest drinking water.
3. Reverse Osmosis
A RO Purifier proves to be one of the best methods of purifying water. Reverse Osmosis forces water
through a semipermeable membrane and removes contaminants. The TDS Controller and
Mineraliser Technology, like the one found in an A. O. Smith RO UV Water Purifier, help retain the
necessary nutrients while doing away with harmful impurities.
4. Water Chlorination
It is an older technique used usually during an emergency, wherein a mild bleach with approximately
5% chlorine is added to the water. This mixture works as an oxidant and quickly kills microorganisms,
making water safe for consumption.

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5. Distillation
Distillation is a water purification process involving collecting the condensed water after
evaporation, ensuring that water is free of contaminants. However, this isn’t as effective as an RO
filter because it is time-consuming and eliminates minerals.
6. Iodine Addition
Iodine is a red chemical that is easily available as a tablet or a liquid. It is extremely powerful as it
kills bacteria and viruses. However, it adds an unpleasant taste and can be fatal if taken in high
doses. Therefore, it should only be used if you don’t have access to a better method of purification
like an electric water purifier.
7. Solar Purification
An alternative to the UV filtration is solar purification which involves treating water with the
ultraviolet radiation of the sun. The process involves filling a plastic bottle with water, shaking it to
activate the oxygen and leaving it horizontally in the sunlight. This effectively kills bacteria and
viruses present in the water, making it safe for consumption.
8. Clay Vessel Filtration
Way before people had access to an RO or UV Purifier, they used clay pots which purified muddy
water, by blocking out the mud and allowing pure, potable water to pass through. This method is
still used in some rural regions.
9. UV Radiation
Water is exposed to a UV Light that kills microorganisms, thereby preventing it from breeding
further. But if not coupled with an RO Filter, UV Radiation alone cannot remove impurities and heavy
metals.
10. Desalination
This method is used when water with a certain level of salinity needs to be filtered. This process is
helpful.
In this project the method of water purification is mainly of distillation with the help of a
thermosyphon run by solar power.

1.3. Distillation:
Water has a lower boiling point than the contaminants and minerals within it. This means that if you
boil untreated water, the water will turn into vapor and leave everything else behind. Then the
condenser lets the steam return to liquid water in a separate area from where it started. This is the
concept behind purifying water through distillation.

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 Figure: Water Distillation.
Water distillation is a water purification process that uses a heat source to vaporize water and
separate it from the contaminants within. Most frequently, the undesirable elements are what you
find naturally in ground or surface water.
Distillation heats untreated water until the water reaches its relatively low boiling point and begins
to vaporize. The heat of the water is then kept at this temperature to maintain the water
vaporization while stopping other elements from vaporizing as well. This process also helps to
separate the water molecules from any microscopic disease-causing organisms. Once the water has
vaporized, that vapor is then funnelled into a condenser. Removed from the heat source, the water
cools and reverts back to its liquid form and flows into a receiving container.
Throughout the course of history, people have also experimented with using solar power for the
water distillation process. This is due to the high cost of heating sources to start the process. This
version makes use of solar power, which is more environmentally friendly than most other power
sources.
Water distillation can reduce the levels of sediment, metals, and biological contaminants within the
water. These materials are unable to travel out of the boiling chamber with the steam. Water
distillation units, when they are combined with activated carbon filtration, can be used to effectively
treat contaminants such as:
 Arsenic
 Asbestos
 Benzene
 Fluoride

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 Mercury
 Lead
 Nitrate
 Radium
 Radon
 Biological Contaminants
Distillation is effective in providing clean water for both household and commercial use. It provides
water with a clarity that is up to 98% free of impurities. These units are always being improved to
increase efficiency as well as water output. This makes them popular and cost-effective for both
homeowners and business owners alike.

1.4. Solar Distillation:

Solar distillation is a process in which the energy of the sun is directly used to evaporate freshwater
from sea or brackish water. The process has been used for many years, usually for small-scale
applications.
The advantage of solar water distiller is that it runs on the energy of the sun, rather than needing an
external power source.
Since solar stills use the heat of the sun directly and don’t employ solar cells to generate electricity,
the overall cost of a solar still is relatively low.

Figure: Solar Distil.

The solar still is made to replicate a version of the water cycle. To be more specific, the moisture
inside the distil evaporates due to the sun’s heat and condenses upon cooling down.

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When the water vapor condenses, it forms water droplets that get collected and can be used for
drinking. The salts or minerals in the water doesn’t evaporate with the water.
Hence, the contaminants are left behind, while only the water gets extracted from the solution.
Advantages of solar still
There are numerous advantages to creating solar stills, and you might have picked up on some
yourself. Nonetheless, the list the most important ones down below.
No energy requirement: Solar stills can work completely independent of electricity. This makes it an
excellent option for places which do not have power lines or limited energy reserve.
Balanced PH levels: Even if the water gets distilled from a contaminated source, the PH of the water
remains normal. No contaminants get transferred during the process.
Simple construction: Even if we build top tier solar still, the construction of it is significantly simpler
than filtration devices that run on electricity or other forms of fuel.
Low maintenance:  Since solar stills don’t have any electronics or moving parts, it requires very low
maintenance.

1.5. Thermosyphon
A relatively simple, passive system, and the most popular solar water heater worldwide is
the thermosyphon. Thermosiphon (or thermosyphon) is a method of passive heat exchange, based
on natural convection, which circulates a fluid without the necessity of a mechanical pump. Natural
convection of the liquid starts when heat transfer to the liquid gives rise to a temperature difference
from one side of the loop to the other. The phenomenon of thermal expansion means that a
temperature difference will have a corresponding difference in density across the loop. The warmer
fluid on one side of the loop is less dense and thus more buoyant than the cooler fluid on the other
side. The warmer fluid will "float" above the cooler fluid, and the cooler fluid will "sink" below the
warmer fluid. This phenomenon of natural convection is known by the saying: "heat rises".
Convection moves the heated liquid upwards in the system as it is simultaneously replaced by cooler
liquid returning by gravity. A good thermosiphon has very little hydraulic resistance so that liquid can
flow easily under the relatively low pressure produced by natural convection. Common in Japan,
Australia, India, and Israel, they are easily recognizable because the tank must be located directly
above the collector.
Thermosyphon systems work on the principal of heat rising. In an open-loop system (for non-
freezing climates only), potable water enters the bottom of the collector and rises to the tank as it
warms. In colder climates, an antifreeze solution, such as propylene glycol, is used in the closed solar

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loop, and freeze-tolerant piping, such as cross-linked Polyethylene (PEX), is used for the potable
water lines in the attic and on the roof.
Several international manufacturers make thermosyphon systems. The advantage of this system
over the batch heater is that solar heat is stored in a well-insulated tank, so hot water can be used
any time, without the penalty of overnight losses.
The following Figure illustration includes the primary components of any thermosyphon system.

Figure: Thermosyphon.

Thermosiphon systems
As shown in the Figure thermosiphon systems are the most frequently installed solar systems
worldwide. The collector is placed below the storage tank. When the sun is shining the collector,
fluid is heated up in the collector, which leads to a reduction of density. If the temperature is so high
that the weight of fluid in the line of collector bottom–collector top–tank inlet is less than the weight
of the fluid from tank inlet–tank outlet–collector inlet, the fluid starts moving. Simplified, the
pressure difference by hydrostatic uplift can be calculated by

Δpuplift=(ρi−ρo) ·g·H

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with g being the gravity acceleration and the other values according Figure 2.23, right. The resulting
mass flow in results from an equality of Δpuplift and the pressure losses due to friction and turbulence
of the collector circuit Δpfriction.

2.0 Objectives
 To study on a thermosyphonic solar water purification system .

 To learn the basic principles behind the system.

 To learn of its applications and usefulness.

3.0 Literature Review

In this work, dual solar water purifier was studied. Using the sun as the principal source of energy, a
cheap low technological method can be used to produce small quantities of safe drinking water. The
sun provides heat to distil and ultraviolet (UV) light as the two key elements that destroy pathogen
in water. They aided the formulation of the water purifying model. Also, a thermosyphon loop can
be used to increase the efficiency of the system. A parabolic shaped solar radiation reflector can be
used to concentrate solar energy to the looping pipes to heat the water faster. The two popular
methods of purifying water were combined to create new purifiers’ design model. This design
comprises of two already existing methods of purifying water, the Solar Still and the SODIS (Solar
water Disinfection). The addition of the two methods creates the intended thermosyphon solar
water purifier. A desalination plants.
Average intensity of the solar energy incident on the earth's surface is 1300 W ⋅m−2.
Which is a lot of energy. Even if we can harness a small percentage of it for our system it is a zero-
carbon emissive system, which uses no power for generating clean drinkable water from saline or
untreated water.
The efficiency of the system was increased using a double basin system. Also, pcm can be used for
the off-sun shine hours for a small boost to the process. Black no harmful paints used for greater
solar radiation absorption.
Copper – 398 W/m. K
Copper is the most commonly used metal for manufacturing conductive appliances in the United
States. Copper has a high melting point and a moderate corrosion rate. It is also a very effective
metal for minimalizing energy loss during heat transfer. Metal pans, hot water pipes and car
radiators are all appliances that utilize the conductive properties of copper.

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 Figure: Solar Distil

HERE THE THERMOSYPHONIC LOOP CAN BE SEEN TO USE THE WATER PURIFIER EFFECTIVELY.

4.0 Design

5.0

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