Simple Water Purification Device Using Car Battery

The water purification device (SE200) costs $239 and was developed in conjunction with a number of Seattle-based nonprofits, including World Vision and the Washington Global Health Alliance

An estimated 748 million people across the globe still lack access to clean drinking water, an injustice that can lead to cholera, typhoid and diarrhea disease –- the fourth leading cause of child death.

To help underserved communities purify their water in an affordable way, Mountain Safety Research, together with nonprofit PATH, developed the SE200, a device that just relies on salt and electricity from any 12-volt battery, which is typically a motorcycle or car battery.

The device produces chlorine, which is effective in killing off bacteria to reduce the risk of waterborne diseases, according to Global Biodefense. But rural villages and slums often don’t have access to the chlorine and since it breaks down easily, it’s challenging to store, according to PATH.

The SE200, a small plastic canister, attached to a battery and the user adds the indicated amount of salt and water. After pushing a button, the mixture undergoes a process called “electrolysis,” according to NPR’s Goats and Soda.

In a matter of five minutes, the electricity causes the salt to break apart into sodium and chlorine and eventually produces sodium hypochlorite, which is used to purify the contaminated water.

Source: Huffington Post

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Taxonomy

• Purification
• Battery
• Water Purification