Parabosol: A Portable Solar-Powered Water Cleaning Unit

Providing Clean Water to Rural Communities

The Parabosol water cleaning unit is a unique and groundbreaking solution to the global problem of clean water scarcity. By utilizing solar power, this portable unit can be set up anywhere in remote areas, providing a sustainable and eco-friendly method of water purification.

The system works by using a parabolic mirror to boil water at high temperatures, a process that has never been achieved on an individual scale before. The parabolic mirror collects the sun's energy over a wide area and focuses it into a smaller area, raising the temperature to 400 degrees Celsius. This intense heat converts the water into steam, effectively purifying it.

The Parabosol system incorporates two filtration stages to ensure the highest quality of purified water. The first stage involves a sand filter, which removes sand particles from the water. After boiling, the water passes through a carbon filter to eliminate odor and dissolved gases. The purified water is collected in a water container placed at the focus of the parabolic mirror.

The system consists of four containers: one for contaminated water, one for purification, and two for clean water. Each container has a tap to access the water, and to prevent leakage, the unused container is placed upside-down. The capacities of the containers are as follows: 20 liters for contaminated water, 170 liters for purification, and 85 liters for clean water.

The Parabosol water cleaning unit was designed in December 2014 in Ankara. Extensive research on waterborne diseases and the global water crisis served as the foundation for this innovative design. With 1.8 million people dying each year from contaminated waterborne diseases, the need for effective water purification systems is more critical than ever.

The Parabosol water cleaning unit overcomes the challenges of clean water scarcity faced by rural communities. By providing a portable and sustainable solution, it eliminates the need for long walks and queues at water sources, allowing individuals to access clean water easily and conveniently.

Recognized for its outstanding expertise and innovation, the Parabosol water cleaning unit was awarded the Silver A' Design Award in 2015. This prestigious award is a testament to the design's technical excellence and artistic skill, as well as its ability to inspire positive feelings and wonder.

With the Parabosol water cleaning unit, Hakan Gürsu and the Designnobis team have created a design that not only addresses the global water crisis but also empowers rural communities by providing them with a basic human right: access to clean water.

Image courtesy of Designnobis