Green Technology: Green solutions to combat water shortage

Source : NST 10 October 2012| last updated at 02:13PM

Clean water is essential for our daily lives. We use it for consumption, cooking, and cleaning among other things. Without fresh water to drink, humans can only survive for up to three days. Bacfree, a full solution and system provider, design engineering and consulting company that provides water and wastewater solutions, has taken it upon themselves to supply fresh and clean water to Malaysians. Established in 1982, the company has a host of products that are designed to provide safe and clean water. Here’s a look at some of the products developed by Bacfree:

PumpBuddy

The PumpBuddy valve is an innovative water inlet control device thats allows for variable minimum and maximum water level settings within a water tank. It permits variable and easy adjustment of minimum and maximum top-up water levels, thus reducing pump run time. In addition to saving electricity, this simple device increases pump life by reducing the frequency of pump start-stop cycles.

The PumpBuddy valve can be installed in both domestic water tanks and rainwater harvesting tanks.

Operating principle: The PumpBuddy valve will close when both weights are submerged (at the maximum water level). The valve will remain closed until the water level inside the tank has dropped below the bottom weight (at the minimum water level).

The valve will then open and allow water to top up the tank until it reaches the maximum level. The maximum water level is set by adjusting the top weight cord and the minimum water level is set by adjusting the length of the cord between the two weights.

Vortex Fine Filters

With global warming and the recent change in global weather patterns, it is likely that rainfall patterns will continue to change, bringing shorter but heavier bursts of rain leading to flash floods and soil erosion.

Water consumption, however, has been increasing for the last century due to increased populations and as the climate becomes warmer, new ways will have to be found to reduce, reuse and retain precious water resources.

Even in a country that has a high average of yearly rainfall, we can no longer assume that there will be an endless supply of water. This is already evident from the occasional water rationing as well as considerable increase in water price by the water works department.

This is where rainwater harvesting and recycling come into play. Rainwater that is collected and filtered can be safely used to flush toilets, water plants, wash clothes, wash the car and for general cleaning. Being soft water and chlorine free, it is kind to washing machines, cleaning surfaces, plants and does not leave behind unsightly scales and stains.

The Vortex Fine Filters is a revolutionary rainwater harvesting product developed by industry leader WISY AG of Germany and BACFREE of Malaysia. Its versatile design allows the Vortex Filters to be installed into horizontal rainwater downpipes either below ground or above ground. The unique construction allows the collection, filtration and aeration of rainwater at the same time.

Rainwater coming through the downpipe is distributed evenly to the receiving stainless steel fine strainer by a unique vortex action. The water that is collected is then aerated and led through the outlet to the rainwater storage tank.

More than 95 per cent of rainwater passing through the Vortex Filter is filtered and collected by this principle. Dirt particles and sediments (larger than 0.28 m) are rinsed directly into the drain with the remaining rainwater.

Its innovative design and construction of Vortex Filter ensures that the full inner cross-sectional diameter of rainwater downpipe is always unobstructed and requires minimum maintenance.

The fine strainer is placed vertically therefore very little debris will be trapped on the strainer surface. This is enhanced further by the self-cleaning property which washes away all the remaining debris on the strainer with the next heavy rainfall.

The Vortex Fine Filters also comes with the following warranty:

• Collected rain water quality below 5NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Unit).

• Five years warranty on PP Vortex Fine Filter housing and Stainless Steel strainer.

• No clogging or obstruction of rainwater downpipes.

Read more: Green Technology: Green solutions to combat water shortage - Extras - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/extras/green-technology-green-solutions-to-combat-water-shortage-1.155064?cache=ynzfkhhlsup%3Fpage%3D0#ixzz2tZAEtD7a