SOLAR WATER PURIFICATION BY USING

THERMAL METHOD

SYNOPSIS
There are four primary sources of energy viz. petroleum, natural gas and natural
liquids, coal and wood. Excepting wood, all the common sources have finite supplies.
The lift-time is estimated to range from 15 years for natural gas to nearly 300 year for
coal. Therefore, as these non-renewable sources are consumed, the mankind must turn its
attention to longer-term, permanent type for energy sources. The two most significant
such sources are nuclear and solar energy.
Nuclear energy requires advanced technology and costly means for its safe and
reliable utilization and may have undesirable side effects. Solar energy, on the other
hand, shows promise of becoming a dependable energy sources without new
requirements of a highly technical and specialized nature for its wide spread utilization.
In addition, there appear to be no significant polluting effects from its use. But solar
energy is very large life in exhaustible source of energy. The power from the sun
intercepted by the earth is approximately 1.8 x 10 MW, which is many thousands of
items larger than the percent consumption rate on the earth of all commercial energy
sources.

INTRODUCTION

A solar water disalation can be also sized to fit the demand more
accurately. Although healing systems deal with extreme loads only a
few days of the year, they will have to be large enough to meet those
extremes.

A solar water heating system, on the other hand, will have

roughly the same load day in any day out, except in unusual
applications, the design load should be close to the normal daily load
Without the problems of widely fluctuating demand.

Solar water

disalation can be relatively cheaper and simpler than solar building

water filter. A problem common to all types of solar heating is the
variable nature of sunshine. Solar water disalation however often have
an additional advantage over solar space heating systems because the
requirements for hot water are less rigid than those for space heating.

There are however, several aspects of solar water heating that

make it potentially hotter investment of energy money and effort than
solar building heating.

For one thing, the demand for hot water is

relatively constant throughout the year.

Thus the collector and the

other parts of the solar water disalation will be working harder and
longer to produce the savings I fuel that eventually must pay for the
higher initial cost of the system.

WORKING PRINCIPLE

Solar energy Collector is a heat exchanger capable of using solar radiation to

increase the internal energy and temperature of a working fluid. In its simplest form it
consists of a tube exposed to solar radiation. The Solar isolation is partly absorbed by the
tube, the temperature of the tube wall increases until the heat loss from the tube to the
surroundings is equal to the solar energy absorbed.
To improve the thermal performance of this simple system fins can be attached to
the tube to increase the are exposed to solar insulation and the heat losses can be reduced
by placing one or two layers of glass between the incoming solar energy and the surface
absorbing it. If a fluid such as water passes through the tube, the useful energy delivered
to the working fluid, qu, is
Qu = m cp (T f, out T f,in)
Where
M = mass flow rate through collector,
Cp = Specific heat at constant pressure of working fluid.
T f,out T f,in = Temperature rise of working fluid passing through collector.
The basic elements of a solar water heater are:

FLAT PLATE COLLECTOR:

i.

Flat plate collector

ii.

Storage tank.

iii.

Circulation system

The plate collector consists

1. Aluminium body
2. Glass wool insulation
3. Aluminium foil
4. Copper fins
5. Block chroms sheet and
6. Tuffen glass

The aluminium body over the insulation and collective unit the
glass wool insulation is placed on the bottom of aluminium body. The
aluminium foil is placed on the insulation to reflect the solar radiation.
The copper fins are used to circulate the water.
They are welded with upper and lower header tubes. The block
chrome sheets cover the copper fins. They are used to absorb the
solar radiation. The copper fins with block chrome sheet is called
collective unit. The tuffen glass is used to transfer the solar energy to
collective unit. Hence it is called as transparent cover. It covers the
aluminium body.

STORAGE TANK:

It consists of

1. Inner copper tank

2. Insulation
3. Outer M S tank

The inner copper tank is used to store the hot water. The storage
capacity of the tank is 60 lit. The insulation is made of glass wool. It is
used to control the heat conduction. The outer tank is made of
aluminium. It is used to cover the storage tank.

CIRCULATION SYSTEM:

It consists of
1. Cold water inlet
2. Cold water outlet
3. Hot water inlet
4. Hot water outlet
5. Header tubes

Cold water inlet connects the cold water tanks with storage tank with collector. It
is of 1 dia. It is made of G I.

INTRODUCTION
Solar power

OF SOLAR POWER

The word solar stems from the roman word for the god of the solar. So, the
word solar refers to the sun and solar power is power from the sun. When we say
something is solar powered, we mean that the energy it uses was converted directly
from solar energy or sunlight energy. The sun provides earth with 2 major forms of
energy, heat and light. Some solar powered system utilize the heat energy
While others transform the light energy into electrical energy .we can find many
uses from both forms of energy. Solar energy is often referred to as an alternative
energy to fossil fuel energy sources such as oil and coal.

THE SUN
The sun is a star. It is the largest object in our solar system and one
of the larger stars in our galaxy. Galaxies are large clusters of many stars. The Milky
Way, the galaxy we live in, is classified as a spiral type galaxy and is estimated to
contain more then 1,000,000,000,000 (1 trillion) stars including the star we call our
sun.
Earth is a major body that orbits the sun and benefits from its energy. The sun is at
the centre of our solar and all together nine major planets, including earth orbit
around it. The earth is the third planet from the sun at a distance of about
93,000,000 (93 million) miles. If you could drive nib a car to the sun at 60 miles per
hour (mph) it would take you 177 years to get there. On the other hand, it only
takes sunlight energy about 8 minutes to reach the earth from the surface of the
sun, traveling at the speed of light of course. The speed of light is equal to about
11,000,000 (11million) miles per minute. 93,000,000 miles /11,000,000miles per
minutes =8.45 minutes for light to travel from the sun to earth.

ENERGY
Energy is a measure of a systems ability to do work. In other words,
the amount of energy in a system is that systems ability to cause change or
movement.
For a simple example think of a spring with a ball on it. When you push
the ball down into the spring you are storing energy in the spring. This stored
energy is called potential energy. The ability of the spring to cause movement and
shoot the ball into the air depends on how much you compress the spring. The more
you compress the spring the more potential energy you store in it. The greater the
potential energy the more ability it as to do work. When you release the ball the
spring does work on the ball on and shoot it into the air. The energy in the spring is
transformed into energy in the ball. The ball now has kinetic energy, the energy of
motion.
Energy comes to earth from the sun into main forms that we can use
directly, heat and light. We use heat energy for solar heating and we transform the
light energy into electrical energy. Solar heating is used for water heating systems
as one example. A panel with water pipes in it collects heat energy from sun and
transfers that energy to the water in the pipes to provide hot water. Light energy
into can be transformed electrical energy that is used immediately or stored in
batteries photovoltaic (PV) panels are devices that are used to convert light energy
into electrical energy.

We will attempt to explain the principles behind solar energy (solar power,
photovoltaic) in simple terms without putting you to sleep. I think we can all
understand that the sun heats things up. One of the earliest uses of this solar
energy was the creation of a solar showerA large enclosed (often black painted)
metal bucket filled with water set upon a roof top. The sun would heat the water
and provide hot to warm showers, at least for the first person cleaning up for the
day!
The sun heats things up because sunlight is made up of small particles of
energy called photons (a basic unit of light and all other forms of electromagnetic
radiation). These photons are absorbed by objects and create heat. The heat is the
result of electrons in the object moving around really fast. Think of a bridge in
winter and summer. During the winter the small gaps in the road surface are larger
than in the summer. The electrons are cold in the winter when there is not as
much sunlight and stick closer together or contract. In the summer they are hot
and expand to get away from each other.

SOLAR CREATION
Solar power is a wonderful use of free energy. But if you use it incorrectly you could
damage sensitive electronics such as laptop computers. It is prudent that you select the right
materials and location to satisfy the requirements for your solar powered system.

Your Basic Solar Needs

The obvious place to start is with the sun! When creating a solar system think about
how much sunlight will come in contact with the solar cells. If you are creating a permanent
location consider where shadows fall, as this will reduce or eliminate the current provided by the
solar panel. Also, consider geographic and weather related obstacles such as your latitude, fog,
the number of cloudy days, and winter snows. If your system is portable you need only find the
sunniest location to deploy your solar panel. To create optimal performance you need to
consider the tilt and angle orientation of the solar panels. Solar panels should always face true
south in the Northern Hemisphere, and North in the Southern Hemisphere. A good rule of thumb
is to tilt your panel, from horizontal, your latitude plus 15 o in winter and minus 15o in the

summer. There are many online resources that can help in determining the best positioning of
your solar photovoltaic panels and we encourage you to look at them.
Selecting the appropriate size solar panel is the next consideration. There are many
variables to consider, including the amount of sunlight hours, power requirement of your system,
and the total hours the system will be in use per day. The power wheel to the right is not meant
to scare you or have your eyes gloss over. It simply illustrates the relationship between power
(watts), voltage (volts), current (amps), and resistance (ohms).

SOLAR CALUCATION

How to Calculate and Convert

To calculate this information we suggest you use a solar calculator. The basic idea is to convert
your AC current usage to DC current usage and then into watts.

First, you need to convert AC amps to DC amps. Remember this ratio for
converting AC 120V amp units to DC 12V amp units: 1 amp = 10
amps (for example if your laptop adapter indicates it uses 1.7 input AC amps
per hour that is equal to 17 DC input amps every hour).

Second, you need to multiply that number by 12 volts to determine the

total watts per hour (in our example 17Ah x 12V = 204 watts).

The third step is to resolve how many hours the application will be in use.
Multiply the total watts/hr by the total number of hours the device will

be in use per day (for our example lets use 2 hrs x 204W = 408 watts per
day).

The fourth aspect to consider is the amount of sun hours available to

recharge your batteries. Do you need to have your system keep up with 24/7
use or is there a period of down time between uses? The average sun hours
available during a day are 5 depending on season and latitude.

At 12 volts this tells us for our example to break even under perfect solar conditions we need a
solar array that can create a minimum of 408W or 34 DC amps per day. Not accounting for
imperfect light conditions, resistance and any conversion loss this example would require a solar
panel around 110 watts minimum. For applications running for longer periods of time
(permanent) you will also have to calculate for solar loss, conversion loss, and the size of battery
bank needed to bridge the gap.
NOTE: Most laptops come with DC adapters which are much more efficient at converting to
your laptops DC voltage than from the AC adapter. In this same example the DC adapter allows
the DC input amps to be about 5.5Ah as the laptop uses 65W at 18.5V. That is a far cry from the
DC 17Ah required using the AC adapter! To run the laptop for this length of time you would
require at least a 30W panel.

SOLAR TECHNOLOGY

Amorphous Solar Technology

Color:
black
to

dark

brown

in

color.

These panels have the widest light spectrum absorption levels. They can produce current in poor
light conditions or earlier and later into the lunar day. This means while other solar technologies
have no output at all the amorphous panel will have output during these low light situations. The
amorphous panels are typically larger in size when compared with panels of similar wattage, but
are also far less expensive. These panels are great for low wattage maintenance situations for
keeping batteries in your car, motorcycle, SUV, truck, RV, boat and tractor in a fully charged
state.

Polycrystalline Solar Technology

Color:
Shades
of

dark

to

light

blue.

The polycrystalline panel works best in direct sunlight with proper south facing installation (in
the northern hemisphere). They will produce 2-3 times more power than a similarly sized
amorphous panel making then far more efficient. Polycrystalline solar panels are ideal for high
wattage installations or where physical space is limited.
DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM

SOLAR PANNEL
Solar panels are made from a material called silicon. When the solar energy (the photon)
is absorbed they dislodge electrons from the negatively charged side of the solar (photovoltaic)
panel to the positively charged side. An entire tutorial could be written outlining the makeup of
silicon doped with phosphorous and boron which creates the +/- charged silicon, but for
simplicity understand that heated-up electrons run around in search of a place to rest. As
these electrons move freely about the electric field (created by photons hitting the negatively
charged silicon that is in contact with the positively charged silicon), they create current. In
between the positive and negative sides is the electric field or diode that permits one way traffic
flow from negative to positive. The electric field creates the voltage. Harnessing this voltage by
providing a path for this current to flow freely from the positive side back to the negative side is
how we get power.

The solar panel diagram below shows how solar energy is converted into electricity
through the use of a silicon cell.
The below image is not a solar panel wiring diagram, if you need access to a wiring plan,
you could consult a specialist electrician, or solar installer.
In the diagram below, you can see how a solar panel converts sunlight into energy to
provide electricity for a range of appliances.
This energy can be used for heating, through the use of solar hot water panels, or
electricity through the use of regular solar cells.

SOLAR CELLS
"What is often considered the first genuine solar cell was built around 1883
by Charles Fritts, who used junctions formed by coating selenium (a semiconductor)
with an extremely thin layer of gold... These early solar cells, however, still had
energy-conversion efficiencies of less than 1 percent. This impasse was finally
overcome with the development of the silicon solar cell by Russell Ohl in 1941.
Thirteen years later three other American researchers, G.L. Pearson, Daryl Chapin,

and Calvin Fuller, demonstrated a silicon solar cell capable of a 6-percent energyconversion efficiency when used in direct sunlight."

TYPE OF SOLAR CELLS:

Amorphous solar cell that is deposited on a substrate. This material ranges from
glass, plastic or metal. These are the cheapest and least efficient cells on the
market, though they are very durable. These types of cells are the ones usually
found in calculators and garden lamps.

Monocrystalline these are a hexagon shaped cell and are the most expensive and the
most efficient.

Poly/ Mono Crystalline these are very fragile cells. They are the most popular and
require that they be tabbed together. Most people prefer to buy them in bulk. They are
wired in series through the use of tabs. Since these are the most common choice by users,
we will, for the purposes of this guidebook assume that you too will be using this type of
cell.

THE SOLAR CONTROLLER

The first item is a solar controller. The solar charge controller regulates the raw voltage
produced by the solar panel to a safe level for the battery bank and then shuts off the supply of
energy to the batteries when they are at full charge. The solar panel has no brain to tell it to
stop producing electricitywhen it is in the sun it will produce power regardless the need. A
large 12 volt panel can produce a little over 30V at peak operation while smaller panels produce
around 18V which is still too high for 12 volt batteries. Without the charge controller your

batteries will be destroyed in short order. It is recommended that any solar panel over 5 watts
have a charge controller (If you are using small batteries with a panel less than 5 watts you may
also require a controller).

THE BATTERY BANK

So what type of battery is best and how many batteries will you need? Good question.
Every situation is different, but generally speaking you want to use Deep Cycle Batt Neries. We
prefer AGM maintenance free batteries over flooded batteries. Maintenance free batteries are
sealed and can be placed into service on their side in a closed unventilated environment. With
sealed AGM batteries you will not have to check the electrolyte level monthly as you do with the
flooded type, which will save you time and the hassle of adding distilled water and spilling acid.
AGM batteries are generally a little more expensive than the flooded type, but typically last a
longer.
In regards to the number of batteries required this is dependent on the load applied to the
battery bank. We recommend the total amp capacity of the battery bank be at least twice the
draw. Batteries will last a long time when they are discharged to around 50% and then
immediately brought back to full charge. Deep cycle batteries are capable of discharging much
further, but it is not recommended to do this frequently. An often overlooked calculation in
regards to the size of battery banks is the number of days the system may be without the ability
to replenish its powerthink fog, rain, and snow. You will need to know how many amps are
being used each day under such circumstances and double the number. For example, if the fog
lasts 3 days and your application requires 50 DC amps per day then you should have at least
300Ah extra capacity beyond your normal system requirements of around 100Ah capacity.

THE INVERTER
Many solar systems require an inverter or converter to change the incoming DC voltage to a
preferred DC or AC voltage. When selecting an inverter one of the first questions you should
have answered is: What will be the maximum surge and for how long? When an appliance is
first plugged in it will draw a higher amount of watts for so many seconds before dropping back
to a continuous load. Your inverter needs to be able to handle the peak watt-hour demand
created by the appliance(s) connected into the inverter. The second consideration is that the
inverter itself will use up some of the systems power to convert the voltage. It may cost a little
more to purchase an efficient inverter, but in the long run the energy saving will be worth the
money spent. A final consideration is the type of device plugged into the system. A pure sine
wave inverter is best for sensitive electronics such as computers.

BATTERY
INTRODUCTION Electric cell is a device that stores electric energy in the form of chemical energy and delivers
electric energy when needed. The electric energy is released when a conductor is connected
between the terminals of the cell.
All cells consist of an electrolyte, i.e., solution containing ions, a positive electrode and a
negative electrode. During energy release stage the negative electrode (cathode) reacts with the
electrolyte to release electrons and positive electrode (anode) acquiring these electrons; thereby
electricity is generated. When the cell has no power to release electricity, or in other words,
electrolyte has reacted fully, the cell is said to be dead or discharged.

On the other hand, some types of cell can be recharged, i.e., the condition of electrolyte
can be returned to the original state by passing a current in reverse direction. This type of
rechargeable cell is also called storage cell or Secondary cell. Primary cell can not be
recharged. Following are the list of common type of cells used and also new developments made
in storage of electricity:

(i) Alkaline dry cells One of the commonest and quite old types of primary cell used today is alkaline dry cell.
This type of cell consists of a positive electrode made from manganese oxide and a negative
electrode made of zinc. Potassium hydroxide as the electrolyte is used. Alkaline cells are used
widely in radios, personal stereos, and torches as they can supply quite large currents for long
periods.

(ii) Mercury cells

Another major primary cell used is the mercury cell. It can be made in the shape of a
small disc to use in small, portable electronic devices. These are so small these can be used very
comfortably in hearing aids, wristwatches, calculators etc. In these cells the negative electrode
consists of zinc, while the positive electrode is made of mercuric oxide. The electrolyte is a
solution of potassium hydroxide.

(iii) Silver oxide primary cells

Silver oxide cells are also primary cell similar to the mercury cell. In silver oxide primary
cell negative electrode is made of zinc with potassium hydroxide as the electrolyte. Silver oxide
positive electrode in the cell delivers better voltage than mercury cells. These are also often made
in the shape of a small disc.

(iv) Lead-acid battery

This is a secondary cell, i.e., it can be recharged when it is discharged fully. It generally
consists of three or six cells connected in series. The electrolyte used is a dilute solution of
sulfuric acid (H2SO4), the negative electrode consists of lead (Pb) and the positive electrode is
made of lead dioxide (PbO2). This type of battery is used mostly in cars, trucks, aircraft, and
other vehicles. Its major advantage is that it can deliver a strong current of electricity for starting

an

engine;

however,

it

runs

down

very

quickly.

A lead-acid storage cell runs down when sulfuric acid is gradually converted into water
and the electrodes are converted into lead sulfate. When the lead-acid battery is recharged, these

chemical reactions are reversed until the chemicals have been restored to their original condition.
A lead-acid battery has a useful life of about two to three years and they produce about 2 V per
cell.

(v) Nickel-iron battery (Alkaline cell)

Another widely used secondary cell in heavy industry is the alkaline cell, or nickel-iron
battery. The principle of operation is the same as in the lead-acid cell. The only exception is that
the negative electrode consists of iron and the positive electrode is made of nickel oxide. The
electrolyte used is a solution of potassium hydroxide. The nickel-iron cell has the disadvantage
of giving off hydrogen gas during charging.

Features of the NaS Battery System:

a) Large capacity - By connecting many batteries, several MW systems can be easily designed,
b) Compactness - Required area for installation is approx. one third of that for a lead acid battery,

c) High efficiency - 75% of energy charge/discharge efficiency,

d) Long-term durability - Durability for about 15years,
e) Preservation of the environment - No discharging of any pollution gases, no vibration, low
noise.
Inside a Lead Acid Battery
A 12 volt lead acid battery is actually made up of six identical 2 volt cells. Each cell
contains lead plates of different compositions sitting in dilute sulphuric acid. Lead
dioxide plates (linked to the positive terminal of the battery) react with the acid to
form lead sulphate giving up electrons (leaving the plate positive). The pure lead
plates (linked to the negative terminal of the battery) react with the sulphate ions to
also form lead sulphate. The pure lead plates therefore supply two positive charges
and so are left negative. The passage of electons from the lead oxide plates to the
pure lead plates is the current of electricity generated by the cell which can be
used.
When the battery is recharged, the lead sulphate in each cell is broken down
resulting in lead dioxide being redeposited on the positive electrode, and lead being
replaced

on

the

negative

Lead acid battery schematic diagram follows with more information below.

electrode.

When batteries are frequently deeply discharged then sulphation build up

occurs. Sulphur molecules from the battery acid (electrolyte) start to coat the lead
of the plates. Once the lead is coverered in sulphur the battery is dead and cannot
be recharged. Sulphation starts occuring once the charge of a starting battery
descends below 75%. Therefore lead acid batteries must be looked after well if they
are to remain useable for a long time. Click here to read our article on battery
desulphation - a method to bring dead batteries back to life.

WORKING OF SOLAR

As you can see from the above diagram of a solar panel, photons are contained within the
suns rays and beam down to earth.
Once these photons reach the solar panel, they are absorbed by the silicon material, and
this allows electrons to be knocked off their orbit.
As the electrons are knocked off their orbit, they become free electrons and are able to
pick up a current, resulting in the flow of electricity to external sources.

New technologies are making renewable energy devices much more efficient
and a viable contender for electricity production from fossil fuels.
The Use Of Electricity From Solar Panels
As the solar panel diagram shows, you can see how power is sourced out to various
locations, this depends on how you plan to use the energy harnessed by a solar cell.
Possible uses of solar electricity could be to incorporate the current into an existing
power supply, provide a separate power supply dependent upon the solar panel, to charge solar
batteries for the storage of solar electricity, or even to sell back to the national grid.
Solar panels can even be used to heat water in different designs. Some home swimming
pools also use solar energy to heat the water, however this can usually be a very expensive
option.
Solar energy has a huge advantage for providing electricity in remote locations due to the
simple running requirements (i.e. no fossil fuels need to be transported the location).
A remote solar panel system can provide electricity for vital tasks where the laying of
electricity cable is not practical, a working example of this is on satellites.

BILL OF MATERIALS

S.NO.

MATERIAL

QUANTITY

1.

Solar Pannel

2.

Battery

3.

Inverter

4.

heater

5.

Frame

6.

Copper tubes

7.

Connecting Wires

8.

Bolt & Nut

Required
10

COST ANALYSIS

S.NO

MATERIAL

QTY

COST (Rs.)

1.

Solar Pannel

2500.00

2.

Battery

500.00

3.

Inverter

500.00

4.

heater

600.00

5.

Frame

200.00

6.

Copper tubes

20.00

7.

Connecting

Required

40.00

10

30.00

Wires
8.

Bolt & Nut

TOTAL (Material Cost)

Rs.

4390.00

LABOUR COST

LATHE, DRILLING, WELDING, GRINDING, POWER HACKSAW, GAS

CUTTING:
Cost = Rs.800.00

OVERHEAD CHARGES
The overhead charges are arrived by Manufacturing cost
Manufacturing Cost=

Material Cost

+ Labour cost

Rs.4390.00+Rs.800.00

Rs.5190.00

Overhead Charges =
=

20% of the manufacturing cost

Rs.1038.00

TOTAL COST
Total cost

Material Cost + Labour cost + Overhead Charges

Rs.Rs.4390.00+Rs.800.00+Rs.1038.00

Rs.6228.00

Total cost for this project

Rs.6228.00

CONCLUSION

This project work has provided us an excellent opportunity and experience, to use our
limited knowledge. We gained a lot of practical knowledge regarding, planning, purchasing,
assembling and machining while doing this project work. We feel that the project work is a good
solution to bridge the gates between institution and industries.

We are proud that we have completed the work with the limited time
successfully. The SOLARwater purification system is working with satisfactory
conditions. We are able to understand the difficulties in maintaining the tolerances
and also quality.

We have done to our ability and skill making maximum use of

available facilities.
In conclusion remarks of our project work, let us add a few more lines about
our impression project work. Thus we have developed an SOLAR water
purification system which helps to know how to achieve low cost system. By
using more techniques, they can be modified and developed according to the
applications.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1.SOLAR TECHNOLOGY IGBAL SINGH

2.ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
P.R.KANNADHASAN