Dear all, This is interesting, to say the least.
Its not a solution to anything,its an experimentation to used discarded everyday material for anything that may encourage reuse of it than being used as landfill. Light will enter through a roof, even if it has a small hole, but that will be more of a focused beam of light, high in intensity,but no spread. Now, if one puts an empty plastic bottle, the spread of light will be there, but much less than what a clear plastic bottle filled with clean water. The bottle with water actually acts as a lens to disperse the light all around...due to reflection, refraction & maybe a bit of total internal reflection. I put in a white LED torch through the bottle, and the light was pretty good, I then put the bottle with the 'embedded torch'' on an old CD with shiny side up..& it became even better .. Perfect for a night lamp:) I have included this in list of projects that children could use for summer vacation projects. The same plastic bottle when filled with water from well or hand pump can be used successfully as solar disinfectant for water Solar Water Disinfection (SODIS) <http://www.sodis.ch/> is a simple, environmentally sustainable, low-cost solution for drinking water treatment at household level for people consuming micro biologically contaminated raw water. SODIS uses solar energy to destroy pathogenic micro- organisms causing water borne diseases and therewith it improves the quality of drinking water. Pathogenic microorganisms are vulnerable to two effects of the sunlight: radiation in the spectrum of UV-A light (wavelength 320-400nm) and heat (increased water temperature). A synergy of these two effects occurs, as their combined effect is much greater than the sum of the single effects. This means that the mortality of the microorganisms increases when they are exposed to both temperature and UV-A light at the same time.SODIS is ideal to disinfect small quantities of water of low turbidity. Contaminated water is filled into transparent plastic bottles and exposed to full sunlight for six hours. During the exposure to the sun the pathogens are destroyed. If cloudiness is greater than 50% , the plastic bottles need to be exposed for 2 consecutive days in order to produce water safe for consumption. However, if water temperatures exceed 50°C, one hour of exposure is sufficient to obtain safe drinking water. The treatment efficiency can be improved if the plastic bottles are exposed on sunlight reflecting surfaces such as aluminium- or corrugated iron sheets. As of now, SODIS is an accepted method for water purification; we have used it successfully in Orissa & during 2007 floods at Gaighat,Bihar. These are interesting & environmentally sound applications of used plastic soda/water bottles. One can also make self watering flower pot from these bottles or weatherproof enclosure for CFL units for outdoor use. The thing is, if we can save even a handful of these from adding up to non bio degradable pile of junk, we will be helping the environment. Do share if you have any such ideas, & do write to us if you want detailed procedure/ DIY pdf for many such uses. Thanks, ~Chandan www.greenpowerindia.org www.greenpowercanada.org www.projectsimilipal.blogspot.com On Thu, Apr 9, 2009 at 7:11 PM, Swagat Sen <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Dear Dhiraj Mallick and Dr.V.N.Sharma, > > Thanks for responding to the post. > > I do not think it is a fanciful idea since it recycles something very > easily available , is completely maintenance cost free, and does not > involve any major alterations. > > Transparent sheets cost money , this may considerably improve standard > of living for people who cannot afford them. > > regards, > > Swagat Sen > > > On 4/8/09, Dr.V.N. Sharma <[email protected] <vnsh44%40gmail.com>> wrote: > > The technique used here looks as fanciful as a new idea. But it does > > not help find solutions of lighting. Shorter route of prevalent > > techniques of lighting such houses is the use of transparent fiber > > sheets in the roof in stead of corrugated steel or asbestos sheets. > > One has to make no holes nor a hanging fear of leakage through the > > roof if transparent sheets are used. This is already in use in many > > houses in India. > > > > vns > > > > 2009/4/7, dhirajrajumallik <[email protected]<dhiraj.raju%40gmail.com> > >: > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> Dear Swagat Sen, > >> The information is really amazing. It is useful not only for slums it > >> useful everywhere. even it may be modified to reflect streetlights > during > >> night and work as a good night lamp. Thank you for such a nice > information > >> > >> Dhiraj Mallik > >> --- In [email protected] <Bihar-Network%40yahoogroups.com>, > Swagat Sen <swagat...@...> wrote: > >> > > >> > Hello everyone :) > >> > > >> > This information may be of use...how to use 2 liter soda/water bottle > >> > to give 50 watts of light : > >> > > >> > http://welcomeindia.posterous.com/ > >> > > >> > I see use in slums/village houses...quality of life will improve quite > >> > a bit...for free. > >> > > >> > regards, > >> > > >> > Swagat Sen > >> > > >> > >> > >> > > > > > > -- > > "Those who have the privilege to know, have the duty to act." Albert > > Einstein > > > > Dr.V.N.Sharma > > http://canvas.nowpos.com/vnsharma > > > > >
