OneSteel and F CUBED prove clean water for the world is not a pipe dream

22 Mar 11

An innovative design in solar desalination from Victorian based company, F CUBED may have found the solution to the world’s water woes with the launch of a new, modular,  direct solar-powered desalination system branded as Carocell.  The system, which has been six years in the making, has already been recognised globally by former US President Bill Clinton’s Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) – an organisation established to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

Carocell produces safe, high quality potable water from any water source including seawater, groundwater, contaminated and polluted water. The Carocell units can be ground or roof mounted and emit zero greenhouse gas emissions. The system uses no chemicals, filters or electronics and also enables rainfall to be captured and harvested.

Disease causing pathogens and heavy metals are removed during the purification process. In the case of certain applications such as use by the mining industry, valuable minerals and salts like sodium chloride and magnesium chloride are separated and can then be reused as part of the supply chain.

The durability of the components, including custom designed steel framework manufactured from OneSteel Galvatube precision tubing, ensures a lifespan of 20 years or more for each system - even in the most challenging conditions.

“We have created the most cost effective and highly efficient solar desalination system currently available on the world market, said Stuart Eastaugh, F CUBED’s National Sales Manager.

“Independent tests reveal Carocell to be almost twice as efficient as comparable systems (65%-80% water yield per megajoule of energy when compared to 30-40%*) and significantly cheaper to purchase and install.

“The Carocell units are manufactured in different sizes  and multiple panels can be connected together in order to produce large quantities of distilled water suitable for a small town’s or major commercial operation’s use or a single panel can generate enough water for the average family’s use.

“As water demand increases, the number of panels can also be increased or decommissioned when no longer required.  Most of Carocell’s components can then be refurbished or recycled providing another level of sustainability to an already clean energy product.”

OneSteel’s Product Manager, George Kourtesis said that the strength and anti-corrosion properties of OneSteel’s Galvatube pre-galvanised tubing were critical factors when it came to F CUBED sourcing steel components for the construction of the Carocell modules.

“At the time of Carocell’s development we were working with F CUBED on a range of projects.

“The F CUBED team chose our Galvatube steel tubing based on the fact it is galvanised internally and externally and has been specifically designed for outdoor use where greater protection from corrosion is required.

“Additionally, Galvatube’s structural integrity is second to none.  It can withstand the most challenging of environmental conditions, particularly those experienced in situations such as desalination plants or mining sites,” Mr Kourtesis said.

F CUBED said it is experiencing a high level of demand for its Carocell systems, including from governments and organisations wishing to provide safe water to developing countries along with industrial and mining industries, agriculture and horticulture operations, urban usage and as a replacement for bottled water.

The application of treating contaminated waste water to ‘zero liquid discharge’ via solar energy has enormous potential throughout mining and industrial sectors.

F CUBED has already signed an $11m MOU with the South Australian town of Ceduna to supply 13,000 Carocell panels which will produce approximately 200 million litres of pure drinking water annually as a result of processing sea water. The valuable salts will also be harvested via the Carocell process.

“From one hectare of Carocell panels we can produce on average over 55,000 litres of pure distilled drinking water a day, Mr Eastaugh said.

“Our system is a combination of high tech and low tech processes and follows the same basic principles of the natural water cycle from evaporation and condensation. The system operates on a continuous flow of feed water.  As the water moves over the solar collector, a percentage is evaporated to create distilled water and the remaining flow travels out as a brine stream. This brine stream can then be reprocessed, increasing in concentration before being directed to the zero liquid discharge unit.”

The Carocell modular unit retails for $362.50 (+ GST and freight).

For more information visit www.fcubed.com.au