Effectiveness of solar disinfection using batch reactors with non-imaging aluminium reflectors under real conditions: Natural well-water and solar light

C. Navntoft, E. Ubomba-Jaswa, K.G. McGuigan, P Fernandez Ibanez

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

70 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Inactivation kinetics are reported for suspensions of Escherichia coli in well-water using compound par- abolic collector (CPC) mirrors to enhance the efficiency of solar disinfection (SODIS) for batch reactors under real, solar radiation (cloudy and cloudless) conditions. On clear days, the system with CPC reflec- tors achieved complete inactivation (more than 5-log unit reduction in bacterial population to below the detection limit of 4 CFU/mL) one hour sooner than the system fitted with no CPC. On cloudy days, only systems fitted with CPCs achieved complete inactivation. Degradation of the mirrors under field condi- tions was also evaluated. The reflectivity of CPC systems that had been in use outdoors for at least 3 years deteriorated in a non-homogeneous fashion. Reflectivity values for these older systems were found to vary between 27% and 72% compared to uniform values of 87% for new CPC systems. The use of CPC has been proven to be a good technological enhancement to inactivate bacteria under real conditions in clear and cloudy days. A comparison between enhancing optics and thermal effect is also discussed.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)155-161
JournalJournal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology
Volume93
Issue number3
Early online date6 Sept 2008
DOIs
Publication statusPublished online - 6 Sept 2008

Keywords

  • Compound parabolic collector
  • Solar disinfection
  • Escherichia coli
  • Natural well-water

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