Water purification in emergencies.

[Jock Campbell]

Hi folks,

I'm the developer of a new product which I designed to be an extremely lightweight, compact, passive water purification system which can also be used as a cooking vessel in an emergency survival situation.  A similar device has been used by certain NATO departments since 1953, but it is so bulky and heavy that it wouldn't be worth inclusion in any individual's kit.  Rather, it is supplied to Naval vessels and aircraft alone.

The device I have developed (and applied for international patents on) promises to cut the weight and bulk of the prior art by a factor of ten, increase reliability and efficiency significantly and offer an alternative in-the-field use that could potentially make it a very worthwhile addition to your personal survival kit; Especially where you may find yourself in a situation where clean, fresh, drinking water may be non-existent... whether on land or at sea!  It is so light, you may carry it for ten years without even knowing it is there... but at least it WILL be there should you find yourself in a tricky situation.

Before I explain what my device is, I would like to invite members to tell me how they would seek clean water in a survival situation, what equipment they might carry and whether you believe the standard kit supplied gives you the best opportunity to preserve life in challenging situations for the least amount of kit space sacrificed and weight carried.

Your feedback will help me tailor my business plan and bring my device closer to production.

Many thanks in advance,
Jock Campbell
Product Developer.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I have a 15 gallon water supply at home and a reverse osmosis filter hand pump. I have a couple of the filtered drinking straws in the cars.

 

[Jock Campbell]

And you carry that 15 gallons on your back?

 

[cld617]

And you carry that 15 gallons on your back?

If you have something which reduces the footprint and weight of an already currently used product by such a large margin, and your system works....why post here? To me it seems like this should be an easily marketed device, especially if you're willing to sell the patent.

I smell a kitchen knife salesman. 

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Especially where you may find yourself in a situation where clean, fresh, drinking water may be non-existent... whether on land or at sea!  It is so light, you may carry it for ten years without even knowing it is there... but at least it WILL be there should you find yourself in a tricky situation.

The 'at sea' part grabbed my attention; maritime aircrew type.  I can't recall the exact name/model of the desalination pump we have in our life rafts are, but I think they produce an average of 1 litre/water per hour when they are working at their peak. 

Personally, in an operational theatre, I carry water purification tabs, a 2 quart canteen and a Lifestraw.  Non-op theatre, I carry just the Lifestraw.  That's a personal purchase, we are not issued them.

 

[krustyrl]

http://www.amazon.com/Katadyn-8013418-Survivor-06-Desalinator/dp/B000F395X0



Used in global survival kits on Can Mil Aircraft. Note that these units are strictly desalinators using a membrane and sodium metabisulphate with small amounts of glycol to prevent freezing. No purification value in freshwater.

 

[a_majoor]

Low cost emergency purification can be had by investing in a bottle of unscented bleach, and using the bleach to purify a larger container of fresh water. 8 drops/4l should suffice.

 

[MJP]

.  That's a personal purchase, we are issued them.

I am assuming that you meant "we aren't issued them" but wanted to clarify.  I am looking at water puri options right now.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

And you carry that 15 gallons on your back?

I have young kids we will be bugging in, not out. The straws are to provide drinkable water if away from the home, the water stored deals with the short term after the disaster (I live in Vancouver, earthquake) the water purifier I have is to provide drinkable water from 2 natural sources nearby, which will then have to be humped back to our shelter.

 

[Jock Campbell]

I am testing feedback for the conceptual qualities of my device to see just how interested those who are mindful of such requirements might be, should I pour more cash into development at this early stage.  I am not exactly "well off" at the moment, so must choose where to put my money and weigh up the market attitude carefully before plunging in.  I am quietly confident those among you with objective minds will recognise the plausible value in the product, but your feedback here will influence those decisions.  So I thank all of you who can invest ten/twenty minutes of your time to help me gauge the validity of my concept.

Developers cannot invent new devices to cater for every individual's specific needs, Colin.  Your specific circumstances are for you to address.  However, my device; Low-cost, light, reliable and compact can be supplied to EACH of your family members to ensure they INDIVIDUALLY have the means to secure a subsistence level of fresh water... on land or at sea.

This also applies to a large group of people stranded in a lifeboat.  You can either rely on a single, bulky, inefficient and self-contaminating (due to sloshing around of the source saline water) inflatable solar still, which might provide as little as ten ounces of fresh water only on calm hot sunny days to provide for everyone on board, or you can each use one of my devices, which will generate perhaps four to six ounces of fresh water per person per day, and continue to produce even on cooler, overcast days... and it cannot contaminate its produce by sloshing as there is no loose water to slosh!

The Catadyn is an excellent filtration system, but costly!  It also takes up a bit of room and isn't exactly "light".  By all means, if you prefer to invest in such equipment, there's nothing to criticise.  However, I would consider my own product to be an excellent back-up device for your filter system due to its very low comparative cost and absolute reliability.  Not to mention the fact is can be used to cook a meal when not being used as a water purification device, something no filtration system has accomplished! 

Filters are great, but they need standing water to filter and parts (elements) to continue working well... and to carry one which cost you $1500 for twenty years on the off-chance that something "might" happen, is an investment few are willing to make. 

My device, perhaps retailing at as little as $50, might fill a gap in the market.  It will work without standing water (damp soil is as good a source as any).  It elegance is in its simplicity.

Thanks for the feedback so far, more thoughts please!  I'll be happy to give a detailed description of the device soon.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I am assuming that you meant "we aren't issued them" but wanted to clarify.  I am looking at water puri options right now.

That was a 'whoops'; we aren't issued them.  I wanted something I could use anywhere and 'with a broken wing'.  Same reason I carry a Blastmatch for a firestarter.

 

[Jock Campbell]

That's effectively what my device promises to deliver, Eye in the Sky... a device you can leave on the ground, wear on your person or attach to vegetation. It will allow you to passively purify a subsistence level of water for extreme survival emergencies, or larger amounts for longer-term surthrival. 

And all in just a few ounces of material. 

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Question; how quickly does it work? 

In my 'worst case scenario', I would be drinking from my straw while dunking that 2 quart canteen at the same time; fill the belly and the bottle rickity-tick-tick and get the heck out of dodge; inside 1 minute kind of quick.  Drop purification tabs in canteen and I have water for when I am forced to be laid up/stationary.  Repeat as necessary.

 

[Jock Campbell]

It depends on how you use it i.e.- the specific circumstances you have found yourself in.

If there is no standing water and no additional heat source except body heat, it will supply only a subsistence level of clean fresh water.  Sufficient only to keep you alive, extracted from whatever damp sources you can find.

If you have a plentiful source of clear water (saline or otherwise) it should produce a little more without additional heat. Certainly enough to get you by if not overly exerting yourself.  (Again a subsistence level for survival).

If you have clear water and a heat source (ie an open fire), you can produce as much clean water as you can load into the device. Perhaps three litres per hour.

Obviously, without having conducted very specific tests, the exact quantities are hard to define.  And of course, every scenario has specific qualities that will effect the exact amount produced.  But there is no reason to believe the device will not perform as intended.  The technology utilised is known technology, I have merely applied modern materials and redesigned the prior art to perform in a specific, more reliable manner.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

With that basic info, I would think this would have a potential use in a domestic crash/ditch/survival situation in the aircrew line of work but perhaps not so in the operational survival "behind enemy lines" scenario.  Also, for good old fashion 'civilian' use.

 

[Bearpaw]

For water that has only bacterial contamination, a useful simple "purification" device is a clear 1.5L pop bottle.  If you fill it with contaminated water and let it sit in sunlight for 8 hours, 99% of bacteria will be killed.

This is of no use for dissolved contaminants ---- salts, resins,....


Bearpaw

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I am testing feedback for the conceptual qualities of my device to see just how interested those who are mindful of such requirements might be, should I pour more cash into development at this early stage.  I am not exactly "well off" at the moment, so must choose where to put my money and weigh up the market attitude carefully before plunging in.  I am quietly confident those among you with objective minds will recognise the plausible value in the product, but your feedback here will influence those decisions.  So I thank all of you who can invest ten/twenty minutes of your time to help me gauge the validity of my concept.

Developers cannot invent new devices to cater for every individual's specific needs, Colin.  Your specific circumstances are for you to address.  However, my device; Low-cost, light, reliable and compact can be supplied to EACH of your family members to ensure they INDIVIDUALLY have the means to secure a subsistence level of fresh water... on land or at sea.

This also applies to a large group of people stranded in a lifeboat.  You can either rely on a single, bulky, inefficient and self-contaminating (due to sloshing around of the source saline water) inflatable solar still, which might provide as little as ten ounces of fresh water only on calm hot sunny days to provide for everyone on board, or you can each use one of my devices, which will generate perhaps four to six ounces of fresh water per person per day, and continue to produce even on cooler, overcast days... and it cannot contaminate its produce by sloshing as there is no loose water to slosh!

The Catadyn is an excellent filtration system, but costly!  It also takes up a bit of room and isn't exactly "light".  By all means, if you prefer to invest in such equipment, there's nothing to criticise.  However, I would consider my own product to be an excellent back-up device for your filter system due to its very low comparative cost and absolute reliability.  Not to mention the fact is can be used to cook a meal when not being used as a water purification device, something no filtration system has accomplished! 

Filters are great, but they need standing water to filter and parts (elements) to continue working well... and to carry one which cost you $1500 for twenty years on the off-chance that something "might" happen, is an investment few are willing to make. 

My device, perhaps retailing at as little as $50, might fill a gap in the market.  It will work without standing water (damp soil is as good a source as any).  It elegance is in its simplicity.

Thanks for the feedback so far, more thoughts please!  I'll be happy to give a detailed description of the device soon.

I would then say your main competitor is the drinking straw https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LifeStraw . Simple to carry, simple to use and easy to sell at the current price. Your price is staring to compete with pumped reverse omasis filter system, which is what most people are familiar with. You are entering a market that is already well served. Even if your product is unique you are going to have to spend significant money to market that difference and since it's likely you get it made in China, you have about 1-2 years before a larger competitor pops up to take market share and fighting the copyright battle may not be worth it. Here is the MEC page and gives you an idea about price point http://www.mec.ca/shop/water-treatment-hiking-and-camping/50467+52299/?h=10%2050033%2052299

 

[Teager]

Just a thought but if your short on cash maybe audition for Dragons Den.

 

[Jock Campbell]

Hi Bearpaw,  you're quite correct, your bottle will only kill bacteria... and depends entirely upon the availability of strong sunlight.

The device I have designed will desalinate and remove harmful chemicals and bacteria (without filtration).

Lifestraw is a good product Colin, but it is a freshwater filter only.  It cannot desalinate, nor will it remove certain chemicals. Nor indeed will it provide a handy secondary function, as my own design can.

EyeintheSky, certainly it does have application in the domestic and commercial marketplace, but it is equally applicable in the tactical environment, albeit utilised (as all equipment should be) with circumspection to the particular situation.  Put it this way; Any soldier/sailor/airman *could* potentially find themselves detached from their unit and stranded in either hostile or neutral territory without the means of rescue and quite possibly without the bulk of their kit.  My device is small enough and light enough to be carried in a map pocket, will allow the user to generate a subsistence level (or more) fresh water AND be usable as a cooking vessel (if you have the skills to create fire)... essential to ensuring healthy sustenance in the wild.

I'll log in this Saturday and describe how I came to design my product and exactly what it is and how it works.

Thanks guys for your feedback thus far.  MUCH appreciated.

Jock

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I hope the feedback was useful, and sounds like it was.  I don't believe there are very many "perfect in all scenarios!" tools and gear out there;  I am interested in your gears ability in salt water situations as an example, because I don't have an 'individual' kit item for that problem.