Slingshot (water vapor distillation system)
From Wikipedia,
the free encyclopedia
Slingshot is a water
purification device created by Dean
Kamen, inventor of the Segway
PT.[1] Powered by a stirling engine running on a combustible fuel
source, it claims to be able to produce clean
water from almost any source.[2]
Kamen came to
develop the device on the basis of statistics that showed lack of access to
clean water as a key public health issue. Statistics from the World Health Organization show that there are 900
million people worldwide without a readily available supply of drinking water and that some 3.5 million people
die annually because of diseases resulting from the consumption of unsanitary
water. Despite the fact that over two-thirds of the Earth's surface is covered with water, only 1% of
it is potable.[3]
Kamen sought to
develop a technology that would transform the 97% of water that is undrinkable
into water that can be used and consumed on the spot, readily and inexpensively.
The device takes contaminated water and runs it through a vapor compression
distiller that produces clean water, producing 250 gallons daily (~946 litres),
enough for 100 people. The test devices have been used with "anything that looks
wet", including polluted river water, saline ocean water and raw sewage.[3] In a demonstration at a technology
conference in October 2004, Kamen ran his own urine through the machine and
drank the clean water that came out.[4]
By the end of
2000, a team of 200 at DEKA had produced 30 units, each the size of a
compact refrigerator.[4] A pair of Slingshot devices ran
successfully for a month in a village in Honduras during the summer of 2006. While the
initial devices cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, Kamen hopes that
increased economies of scale will allow production machines
to be made available for $2,000 each.[3]
The Slingshot
process operates by means of vapor compression distillation, requires no
filters, and can operate using cow
dung as fuel. In addition to producing drinkable water, the Slingshot
also generates enough electricity to light 70 energy-efficient light
bulbs.
Kamen hopes to
seed thousands of the units with local village entrepreneurs, in much the same
way independent cell phone businesses have thrived and gradually changed the
face of many impoverished areas around the globe. Future target price for the
device is in the $1,000 to $2,000 range. [5]
See
also
- LifeStraw, designed by Vestergaard
Frandsen
- LifeSaver bottle, designed by Michael
Pritchard
- Tata Swach
References
1.
^ Ulanoff, Lance.
"Dean Kamen Honored by Popular Mechanics", PC Magazine, October 9, 2009. Accessed
October 20, 2009.
2.
^ Malnson,
Donald. "Dean Kamen aims to clean water, generate electricity with
Slingshot machine", Engadget, April 23, 2008. Accessed October 20,
2009.
3.
^ a b c Bergeron, Ryan. "Segway inventor takes aim at thirst with
Slingshot", CNN, September 11, 2009. Accessed October 18,
2009.
4.
^ a b Pearson, Ryan. "Segway inventor drinks his own pee (really): Dean Kamen
uses drama to test water-filter system.", Orange County Register, December 15, 2005.
Accessed October 18, 2009.
External
links
- [1]
- Segway Creator Unveils His Next
Act
- US Patent Application
2004/0159536
- Dean Kamen’s
Slingshot water purifier and Stirling generator tech - low cost water and power
for the developing world
- Thursday Mar 20 2008 Interview - Dean Kamen Episode:
#04039
- To Build a Better World
- Segway inventor takes aim at thirst with
Slingshot
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