Pall Provides Solar-Powered Water Purifiers to African Villages
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Solar-powered water filtration systems developed by Pall Corporation will be deployed in villages in Senegal to help stem the high incidence of fluorosis among the local population. Beginning in October 2011, Pall AriaTM Pure systems will provide an independent water source for more than 3,000 people in Ndiaffate and Dankh Sene Villages. The filtered water will be 98% free of fluoride which, in high concentration, causes tooth and bone decay. Pall is a global leader in filtration, separation and purification.
The prevalence of fluorosis is a key health concern in many parts of the world. A study by the University of Dakar found that the concentration of fluoride ions in underground water in Senegal ranges between five and fifteen times the acceptable standard (0.7 milligrams per liter.)
This new Pall system is solar-powered, a particularly important feature in areas like Senegal, where the majority of the population does not have access to electricity. The installation of the Pall water systems is the culmination of an 18-month pilot test. The pilot involved more than 1,000 hours of on-site testing under harsh conditions. It was conducted in Senegal's Ndiaffate Villages in partnership with the University Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar and the local Discalced Carmelites community.
The cost-effective Pall Aria Pure unit is an easily transportable, manual, low-pressure reverse osmosis (RO) system engineered for TDS (total dissolved solids) removal -- including fluoride -- from well water. It can produce 500 liters (132 U.S. gallons) of pure water every hour.
The system incorporates Pall Disc TubeTM module technology, featuring a unique cross flow construction of stacked discs that minimizes fouling and enhances performance. No pre-treatment or chemicals are needed for operation. A built-in maintenance system enables effective membrane cleaning and maintenance.
"The system we designed for Ndiaffate Villages is simple, robust, reliable, and fully independent, enabling it to serve an urgent need for a community that is not on the power grid," said Greg Collins, president, Pall Energy & Water. "The success of our solar-powered Pall Aria Pure membrane system is a potential model for other communities in developing countries."
Building on the success of the pilot installation, Pall conducted a demonstration of the first standard unit in the capital city of Dakar in February 2011. This unit also proved successful and will be installed in the district of Fatick in the coming weeks to supply safe drinking water.
Pall plans to deliver three additional Pall Aria Pure systems to Ndiaffate and Dank Sene Villages in September under the Senegalese Water Ministry's PEPAM Drinking Water and Sanitation Program for the Millennium, which is supported by Cooperation Technique Belge (Belgium Technical Cooperation). Pall will collaborate with TEREAU Sarl, its local engineering partner in Senegal, for the commissioning, start-up and maintenance of the units, as well as training of the operators.
"The launch of the Pall Aria Pure unit in Dakar was considered an extremely significant development by the Senegalese government and the community," added Michel Farcy, vice president, Water Processing Business Development at Pall. "Pall is gratified to provide a solution that enables developing communities to solve an escalating public health issue that can be easily controlled at the source with solar-powered membrane systems."
(Persbericht Pall Corporation, september 2011)
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