A local solar desalination hero

11 April 2011

Victorian company F CUBED has launched an innovative, modular, direct solar-powered desalination system branded as Carocell.

Six years in the making, and created in collaboration with Australian company OneSteel, Carocell has been recognised globally by former US President Bill Clinton's Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), which implements solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges.

Using ground or roof mounted units that emit zero greenhouse gas emissions, the system produces safe, high quality potable water from any water source including seawater, groundwater, contaminated and polluted water.

In addition, Carocell uses no chemicals, filters or electronics and also enables rainfall to be captured and harvested. Disease causing pathogens and heavy metals are removed during purification. For use by the mining industry, valuable minerals and salts like sodium chloride and magnesium chloride are separated and can then be reused.

Meanwhile the durability of the components, including a custom designed steel framework manufactured from OneSteel Galvatube precision tubing, ensures a lifespan of 20 years or more for each system.

F CUBED national sales manager Stuart Eastaugh described Carocell as "the most cost effective and highly efficient solar desalination system currently available on the world market."

"Independent tests reveal Carocell to be almost twice as efficient as comparable systems and significantly cheaper to purchase and install."

"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."

The strength and anti-corrosion properties of OneSteel's Galvatube were critical factors in F CUBED's design, said OneSteel product manager George Kourtesis.

"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. "

F CUBED confirmed it was experiencing a high level of demand for Carocell, from governments and organisations wishing to provide safe water to developing countries along with industrial and mining industries, agriculture and horticulture operations and urban end-users.

The company has 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.

 

Have your say