by Although three quarters of the world is covered with water, not all of it is potable. Those living in cities and even some rural areas have the luxury of access to purified water, but many people might be miles from the nearest natural well. However, humans need water to survive, and people in remote parts of the world are forced to drink unclean, bacteria-laden water just to live, only to get sick from it. Using water purifiers in these places might sound like the simplest solution, but most of them require electricity, which is difficult to come by even with solar generators. However, this concept uses the power of the sun in a different way and offers a thoroughly sustainable solution.
Designer: Hans Ramzan
Traditional water purifiers, at least the small ones at home, clean the water by passing it through different types of filters. Some simply require water to flow through the pressure of faucets, while others use electricity to power motors and other electronics. None of these methods are practical in remote areas that don’t even have access to electricity, let alone clean water from natural wells. While you can actually connect such an air purifier to a solar generator, the use of batteries and electronics still limits the sustainability of the air purifier.
Stil, on the other hand, does not use the sun’s energy to power the electronics, but almost directly to purify the water. It uses the age-old method of heating water to boiling point and then collecting the condensate as clean, distilled water. With no electricity or electronics required, this type of air purifier can be placed and used anywhere, with access to sunlight being the only tough requirement to put style to work.
As simple as the process sounds, the design of this eco-friendly water purifier isn’t exactly trivial. For example, the Fresnel lens that collects sunlight is dome-shaped, allowing sunlight to hit it from all angles. The metal core is a thick rod that when heated will bring the water to an even boil. There is a covered overflow hole that prevents the dirty water from mixing with the clean water. And the parts are made to be easily disassembled for cleaning.
The exterior of the container itself is made from an opaque bamboo composite, making it eco-friendly from start to finish. The dirty water level indicator is just a strip, but the clean water tank is clear and fully transparent, creating an optical effect that emphasizes the contrast between dirty and clean water. It can be placed on any flat surface or placed on clip-on metal legs in the center of an open space for maximum impact. With no cords or heavy motors, Stil can focus on cleaning the water, delivering up to 12L of clean water that can save thousands of lives.
