title: High-performance, low-cost solar collectors for disinfection of contaminated water.
abstract: Although the germicidal action of sunlight has long been recognized, its potential for practical applications has to be researched more thoroughly. This paper summarizes the progress made toward a commercially practical collector for solar disinfection applications. Nontracking compound parabolic collectors (CPCs), developed originally for capturing solar photons for thermal energy applications, were examined as potential solar photoreactors. A field demonstration of solar disinfection treatment using commercially manufactured solar reactors was conducted. Field tests showed successful destruction of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis and have provided data for full-scale design of water treatment systems. From above observations, a throughput value of 50 L/m2 h for the low-cost CPC reactor tested was estimated. For a 190 m3/d (0.05 MGD) facility, the estimated total costs for disinfection using UV-A is U.S. $0.19/m3 ($0.70/1000 gal). The use of near-UV sunlight to disinfect water supplies seems promising in rural communities of developing countries where treated water is unavailable.
authors.affiliation: CIEMAT, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vidal
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Diaz
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000528:radiation effects*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004203:Disinfection / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004867:Equipment Design; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000528:radiation effects; D013472:Sunlight; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D018508:Water Purification / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*