Vorsana Cavitation Water Purifier Tao Xing, PhD, PE, Assistant Prof. Dept. of Mech. Engineering, University of Idaho Herbert Hess, PhD, PE, Professor of Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Idaho Industrial Partner: Vorsana, Inc. (David McCutchen CEO) Sponsor: Vorsana Inc.

Introduction Water infected with bacteria and laced with chemicals is a problem throughout the world, especially in poorer countries.   Portable RO Life Straw

The Needs! Disaster situations require water disinfection as a first step.  Chlorine is ineffective against cysts, and forms carcinogenic chloramine byproducts. Existing methods are limited to small scale A better way to kill bacteria and cysts and neutralize chemicals is needed.

Project Goals and Approach Goal: Demonstrate that physical water treatment, from cavitation augmented by electrical discharge, can disinfect water and break down harmful chemicals. Approach: The machine uses no membranes, is scalable, and can work in situations without electricity.  The machine design is suitable for low cost mass manufacture. Computational/theoretical analysis using computers and experimental measurements Faculty: Dr. Tao Xing from ME and Dr. Herbert Hess from EcE ME and EcE Shop Technicians One senior design team with 2 ME, 2 BE, and 1 EcE students Budget: up to $60,000

Cavitation Water Purifier (Vorsana Inc.) The machine disinfects a continuous flow of water using no membranes: Scalable and work in situations without electricity.  The machine design is suitable for low cost mass manufacture Physical treatment, particularly cavitation, ultraviolet light, and pulsed electric field, which can be combined all in a single machine as needed. Water forms bubbles next to pathogens. Bubble collapse creates strong shock waves as well as powerful microjets, which destroy the pathogens. Challenges: The vanes in the prototype (the opposed slotted disks) are oppositely charged, either by a ring of permanent magnets making opposed disk dynamos, or by direct charging of the disks as anode and cathode.  In either case, we’ll have to pay attention to safety issues including the conductivity of the water.

Tasks How to measure the concentration of various pathogens Control of cavitation What is the best combination of disk rotational speed, gap size, and electrical pulses to create the most effective results? Propose new designs Test new designs on a model scale and/or prototype machine if applicable

Questions?