Water Sanitization through UV-C Radiation
Session Number
Project ID: ENGN 7
Advisor(s)
Dr. Mark Carlson; Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Discipline
Engineering
Start Date
22-4-2020 8:50 AM
End Date
22-4-2020 9:05 AM
Abstract
Despite access to safe drinking water being declared a human right, it is estimated that 790 million people don’t have sanitized water available, leading to 88% of diarrheal disease deaths. Many people face barriers of poverty and development, preventing their attainment of a filter. This project focuses on the development of a cheap, durable water filter that can provide 40L of water daily. Using a mercury-based aquarium UV-C light bulb, I tested radiation sanitation effectiveness by exposing a bacterial solution for various lengths of time and depths of solution. I performed static tests, yielding kill rates reaching 99.99% in only 3 minutes of exposure. The filter configuration for these tests consisted of a 3-inch PVC pipe with a suspended lightbulb. To reduce work input by the user, the static system was converted to continuous flow. The flowing system is not currently reliable for flow rate or kill rate, but work is ongoing. My research works to find the most efficient relationship between water yield, UV-C exposure time, and bacterial kill rate to find the maximized flow rate to produce safe drinking water.
Water Sanitization through UV-C Radiation
Despite access to safe drinking water being declared a human right, it is estimated that 790 million people don’t have sanitized water available, leading to 88% of diarrheal disease deaths. Many people face barriers of poverty and development, preventing their attainment of a filter. This project focuses on the development of a cheap, durable water filter that can provide 40L of water daily. Using a mercury-based aquarium UV-C light bulb, I tested radiation sanitation effectiveness by exposing a bacterial solution for various lengths of time and depths of solution. I performed static tests, yielding kill rates reaching 99.99% in only 3 minutes of exposure. The filter configuration for these tests consisted of a 3-inch PVC pipe with a suspended lightbulb. To reduce work input by the user, the static system was converted to continuous flow. The flowing system is not currently reliable for flow rate or kill rate, but work is ongoing. My research works to find the most efficient relationship between water yield, UV-C exposure time, and bacterial kill rate to find the maximized flow rate to produce safe drinking water.