Household Multi-Layer Granular Media Filter (Bottle Biofilter)¶
Membranes & Advanced Filtration • Est. CapEx: $3 USD • Lifespan: 7–15 Years
Technical Overview¶
A simple, low-cost water filtration device built from a recycled plastic bottle layered with coffee filters, cotton, sand, gravel, rice, and activated charcoal. Intended for educational programs, emergency preparedness, and household pre-filtration, it demonstrates core environmental engineering principles using locally available materials.
Key Specifications & Engineering Parameters¶
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Category | Membranes & Advanced Filtration |
| Capital Cost (CapEx) | $3 USD |
| Power / Energy | 100% Gravity / Zero Power |
| Target Scale | Household (5–10 people) |
| Standard Lifespan | 7–15 Years |
| Technology Maturity | Field Tested |
| Primary Mechanism | Dirty water is gravity-fed through an inverted bottle funnel. Gravel and rice act as coarse pre-filters trapping large debris; cotton balls and coffee filters slow flow and capture fine particulates; sand layers physically strain smaller particles by size exclusion; and activated charcoal adsorbs certain dissolved chemicals and impurities, yielding visibly cleaner water. |
Cross-Reference & Interactive Tools¶
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