Abstract
STEM with Science and Technical Writing is taught by Dr. Crowthers. In STEM, students develop several projects and learn science technical skills through following the scientific or engineering process, and completing various scientific writing assingments.
The goal of this project was to create a device which can sterilize water for rural communities in need of water sanitation services.
Construct a device that harnesses solar energy to sterilize water.
Contaminated drinking water is a leading source of death and illness around the world.
The objective of this project was to develop a solar-powered device capable of harnessing solar energy to sterilize water. Following experimentation, the Solar Powered UV-C LED Water Sterilizer successfully achieved this objective, demonstrating a 99.9% inactivation of coliforms and an 83% mean decrease in turbidity compared to the untreated water from Institute Pond. The absence of coliforms and decreased turbidity in the water treated by the Solar Powered UV-C LED Water Sterilizer leads to the reasonable conclusion that the treated water is potable and safe for consumption.
Upon analysis, a correlation was discovered between a decrease in flow rate and a decrease in turbidity of the treated water samples. This may be attributed to the UV-C sterilizer aiding in water filtration and the carbon filter. Further research is needed to verify this correlation. Throughout the development of the Solar Powered UV-C LED Water Sterilizer, several challenges were encountered. Defective electronic components, such as the DC transformers, posed limitations. Despite the initial intention of relying solely on solar energy to power the water pump and sterilizer, electricity from a standard wall outlet was used during experimentation. The battery provided 12 volts, insufficient to power the UV-C LED water sterilizer, leading to the installation of a 12-volt to 24-volt DC step-up converter. However, after two transformers failed to emit a 24-volt output, a 24-volt power supply from a standard wall outlet was utilized for testing, deviating from the initial goal of solar energy dependence. Another challenge involved insufficient testing of the solar panel's power generation abilities due to indoor construction and lack of weather-resistant structure. Consequently, the Solar Powered UV-C LED Water Sterilizer was not placed outdoors to measure the solar panel's ability to charge the battery. The data suggest that this device has the potential to reduce deaths and illnesses associated with drinking contaminated water by effectively eliminating coliforms. However, further testing is crucial to establish its efficacy against a wider range of contaminants, including viruses. Additionally, addressing challenges posed by DC converters and evaluating the long-term viability of the solar panel as a power source is essential for future research.
