Automating Residential Water Filters

Abstract: It is not uncommon to install private water filters in Malaysia, to rid the water of heavy metal contaminants, chlorine and bacteria. The main objective of this study was to redesign the base structure of a commercially available water filter (by Blöndal Water Group) in order to allow for an automated backwashing and rinsing function of the filter. Additional focus was laid on creating an energy efficient mechanism for compatibility with different power sources, including solar energy. The study consists of two parts, firstly a literature study of selected relevant areas necessary to understand the product, the water filter industry and the solar photovoltaic market and secondly a conceptual development where material has been created to support the decision-making for continued research and development of the product.  In order to allow for an energy efficient construction, the focus was laid on changing the shaft from a push- and pull motion into a rotational movement, controlling the direction of the water flow. The shaft was redesigned to accommodate for the rotational movement and was divided into three parts, each third corresponding to 120 degrees of rotation. Once the details of the redesigned shaft and base structure were in place, the power source to supply the rotational mechanism with electricity was investigated and found out to ideally be from a simple stand-alone battery. The idea of using solar panels was not recommended, mainly due to the added complexity to the product and due to the fact that the energy required is considered low, even for a very small 10W solar panel. As for future research and development of the product, it was recommended to look into what kind of power mechanism were to be used, and rotary solenoids and stepper motors were introduced in the study as examples to look deeper into.