Most of the water filtration technologies require a lot of energy to push water through a membrane that eventually end up staining and must be replaced. Both factors make water filtration is too costly for most applications.
Now researchers at the Research Center of Palo Alto (PARC, for short) have managed to overcome these challenges by incorporating scientific concepts of physics in the movement of the toner particles in a water filtration device that is not low membranes used.
This is good news for the emerging spectrum of seepage of brackish water that threatens much of the developing world and even some areas of developed countries with water shortages. In the past, however, the economic factor has been the main obstacle to the creation of water treatment systems available.
PARC researchers call their device the spiral concentrator. This is a piece of plastic pipe, 50cm in length and one millimeter in diameter, with a spiral shell. As water is pumped from one end of the device, the particles are in the water is pressed against the walls of the tube. Particles the size of a micron are separated by centrifugal force and carried away from clean water through forks diverging spiral concentrator.
The advantage of this approach is that it does not require as much energy to move water through a membrane. These membranes are usually made of resin and have many tiny holes drilled in them, which can be between a few micrometers to a few nanometers.
PARC’s innovation comes from a previous research project contracted by the U.S. military. The objective was to design a device for concentrating biological hazards such as Anthrax concentrating few parts per liter of pollutants, so the sensor could detect its presence.
PARC researchers have much experience in the study of particle physics. The photocopier toner is made of charged particles in miniature electron. Understanding the physics of how these charged particles move in both air and liquid has been a key area of research PARC. Lessons Learned from the toner particles used in the detection of biological agents and water purifying PARC.
The purifier requires a water flow rate constant, so that the movements of the particles conform to expected patterns. This water flow can be achieved with a low power pump that can operate with a solar panel.
