RESEARCH PROJECTS
THIS PAGE HANDLES INFORMATION ABOUT MY CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS.
HYDROPONICS & GREENHOUSE OPERATION.
DEVELOP AN EFFECTIVE WIND TURBINE.
DEVELOP A SIMPLE METHOD TO CONTROL WATER RECYCLING.
WHAT ARE THE HYDROPONICS PROBLEMS?
- One problem with hydroponics is that there is currently no way to re-use the nutrient solution. The farmers just throw it away in 2 weeks and switch to a new fresh batch. The desirable method would be to replace what the plant has used.
- Maybe we need to kill some algae or bacteria in the process with UV light.
- There is a second objective. A hydroponics setup for a family or a small group mostly faces the fact that they are inundated with crops for a few weeks and then there is a large gap where there is none for that particular food. We need to find a way to smooth that out.
- Thirdly the main growing season for vegetables is spring and summer plus a bit of over run. We need to find a way to extend the seasons.
WHY AM I CONCERNING MYSELF WITH WIND TURBINES?
- I need a 3kW maybe 5kW wind turbine that gives power via an inverter to a private grid, just the same as a solar panel.
- The problem 90+% of the wind turbines sold in Australia are much smaller and all require a battery within 2 meters.
- You can buy a large wind turbine which lives on a 20 to 40m mast or tower and costs more than my whole solar power system.
- So, the fall back solution is either import from overseas and make do what you get. Or, redesign the system, import the components and combine them here.
WHAT IS THE CHALLENGE?
There are a number of parameters we need to take into consideration.
- We need to make sure that the process kills all the fungi, algae and bacteria.
- We need to ensure the water does not smell.
- We want to remove the soaps and surfactants to the extent that all foam is removed.
- The treatment costs money in power and perhaps chemicals. So, the question is to what extent do we process. Where is the balance between effectiveness and cost?
- Because we use ozone to oxidize the soaps, all the C, N, Cl atoms will be removed from the water as gas. However, the sodium from soap and from sodium hypochlorite remains in the water. This will build up the salt concentration and the pH of the water. Hydrochloric acid can fix the pH. But eventually some water needs to be discarded to prevent excessive salt accumulation.
- We need to be aware that there is no point recycling, when the cost rises beyond the cost of buying extra fresh water.
THIS PAGE IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
