Solar Bottle, a solar based water disinfection bottle.
Project progress
TEDx Milano
Alberto Meda was invited to present the Solar Bottle project at the very first edition of TEDx Milano, the non profit organization focused in “ideas worth spreading”. The event was just great, thanks to everyone that came along and to the organization.
@Fuori Salone 2012
We’ll take part of the “Milano si Autoproduce” event at Fabbrica del Vapore during the Fuori Salone 2012. The show displays the work of 202 self-producing designers, a project supported by the city of Milan to promote small-scale cultural excellence.
Drop by, we’ll be delighted to have you.
MILANO SI AUTOPRODUCE
April 17-22 Aprile
Fabbrica del Vapore
via Procaccini 4, Milano
We will also show Solar Bottle at Domus Academy’s “Lost in Translation” exhibit celebrating the 30 years of the school along with 40 designers.
LOST IN TRANSLATION
April 17-22 Aprile – Opening Party April 1t at 6PM
Domus Academy
via Pichi 18, Milano
Drop test. Again.
After detecting the weak zones of the previous bottle and fine tuning the moulding process we are ready to give the new bottle a hard time.
We’ve dropped it several times, full of water and from a 1.80mts height and this time we got it.
Bottle update
As per today we have the final bottles moulded in PETG which have successfully passed the drop test.
Both the handle and the cap have been defined in detail-functionality and engineering wise. The models in these photos are made of rapid prototyping nylon so not yet the final ones but surely a step closer. Although neither the reflective and insulated layer is yet the final one we are potentially ready to start with the first field tests!
October 2011
Drop test
Time to give our bottle a bit of a hard time.
Plastic moulding isn’t an easy task, in order to have the resistant super effective bottle we have envisioned is necessary to fine-tune the moulding process, hence we need to put it under some stress.
We dropped the bottle from a man height- about a meter- and after several tests it broke. No worries, we are back to work, we shall succeed.
July 2009
We’ve got the mould!
After long days searching for the courageous manufacturer that would share our determination to make Solar Bottle a reality we have done an important step forward: we have the mould!
Thanks to the precious contribution and support of Plastivalle we are ready to move on with a pre-series of the bottle which will allow us to test its functionality and resistance. Although we are aware there’s stil a long journey ahead of us we are enthusiastic for this achievement!
July 2009
Ciba model
We are facing an important step forward. We’ve defined every detail of the bottle, introducing some important changes for the functional and engineering aspects.
First thing before proceeding was to have an updated 3D model of the bottle, we decided to usa ciba material and a 3D milling machine.
Design and the Elastic Mind
Solar Bottle was exhibited at MOMA New York in the Design and the Elastic Mind show, which in the words of MOMA’s Director Glenn D. Lowry:
“comprises more than two hundred design objects and concepts that marry the most advanced scientific research with the most attentive consideration of human limitations, habits, and aspirations”
Special thanks for Ryan Somma for this photo, check all his pics of the show here.
February 2008
Awarded!
We are delighted to announce Solar Bottle has been awarded the first prize of the important INDEX Award 2007 in the Home category.
We attended a touching ceremony in Copenhagen and a beautiful outdoors installation featuring all the selected projects and winners. This is a fantastic achievement for our project and hopefully the start of a brighter future for Solar Bottle.
August 2007
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TEDx Milano
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@Fuori Salone 2012
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Drop test. Again.
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Bottle update
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Drop test
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We’ve got the mould!
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Ciba model
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Design and the Elastic Mind
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Awarded!
How it works
Solar Bottle is a low-cost container capable of disinfecting water for people consuming microbiologically contaminated raw water; based in the Solar Water Disinfection process (SODIS), which uses solar energy to destroy the pathogenic microorganisms causing water borne diseases such us typhus, dysentery and cholera. Pathogens are vulnerable to 2 effects of the sunlight: UV-A radiation and heating by infrared rays.
Solar Bottle improves the solar purification process. The large surface augments the UV_A rays collection and the reflective face absorbs infrared rays, improving temperature and disinfection. The reduced thickness of the bottle facilitates both transportation and storage.
Fill
Contaminated water is filled into the 4 litres SOLAR BOTTLE specifically designed to enhance the efficiency of the SODIS process.
Expose
The SOLAR BOTTLE is then exposed to full sunlight for 6 hours, during the exposure UV-A and infrared rays destroy the pathogens present in the water.
The Bottle holds up to 4 litres of water and the handle integrates the angular regulation needed to improve sun exposure depending in which latitude of the world the process is executed.
Drink!
Clean drinking water in 6 hours!
The SOLAR BOTTLE is expected to last 6 months of intense use, after this period the transparency reduces and the bottle will be out of use.
The Solar Bottle
Solar Bottle is a low-cost container capable of disinfecting water for people consuming microbiologically contaminated raw water; based in the SODIS (Solar Water Disinfection) system.
Double Face
The PETG container has a dual face: a transparent face for maximum UV-A rays collection and a alluminium face that absorbs the infrared sunrays augmenting the temperature and improving disinfection.
Handle
The reduced thickness of the bottle facilitates both shipping and storage; the handle has been designed to ease the transportation of more bottles together.
Angle regulation
The handle integrates the angular regulation needed to improve sun exposure depending in which latitude of the world the process is executed.
Instructions
An universal icon-based set of instructions is permanently imprinted in the bottle, meant to assure best use of the bottle anywhere in the world.
Recognitions
Solar Bottle was awarded the first prize of the important Index Award 2007 in the Home category.
In 2008 it was selected for the exhibition Design and the Elastic Mind in the MOMA New York.
The designers
Alberto Meda and Francisco Gomez Paz first imagined the Solar Bottle for an exhibition in Milan named H2O, it was 2006 . When Solar Bottle was awarded with the first prize of the important Index Design Award in 2007 they decided to invest their time and energy in developing a product they so much believe in.
Since then they have …
Alberto Meda
Engineer and designer, born in Italy in 1945. A renown protagonist of the contemporary design scene, he designs for leader companies such us Alias, Alessi, Ideal Standard, Luceplan, Philips, Olivetti, Vitra and several more.
He has received several recognitions among which the Compasso d’Oro 2011.
www.albertomeda.com
Francisco Gomez Paz
Industrial Designer, born in Argentina 36 years ago. His curiosity drove him to Milan where he lives and works, designing for important italian companies such us Artemide, Danese, Driade, Luceplan, Olivetti and Sector.
He has received several recognitions among which the Compasso d’Oro 2011.
www.gomezpaz.com
Interested?
Get in touch with us!
We are looking forward to make Solar Bottle a reality and we are working hard on it. In the past 3 years we have done important steps forward and we have resolved most of the technical aspects. We have good ideas for the business model as well and we’ll be happy to hear your thoughts and ideas.
Drop us an email at info @ solarbottle.org
If you are in the social side please join our Facebook Page!