Design & Development of Ultra Low Cost WaterPurifier for Indian Rural Market

P Prakash!, Manas R Mishra2, R Sri Krishna Prabhu3, Dr. Abhay Kumar4'student, M.Sc. (Engg.), 2Asst Prof,

Centre for Product Design, M.S.Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bangalore3Technical Head EFL, 4General Manager for Purification System EFL, Bangalore.

AbstractWater is the vital source of existence of life on earth. Drinking pure water has changed from luxury to necessityfor

the past few years. In general the people living in urban areas have access to good drinking water by having water purifierand at times can afford for packaged drinking water. However, ifwe look at scenario in rural India, most of thepeople do nothave a source of clean drinking water and because of illiteracy, they are not aware of the hazards caused by drinking uncleanwater. Even if they know it, their poor economic status prevents them to afford even a water purifier. To solve this problem,keeping economic considerations and practical functionality in mind, theproject was taken to design a water purifier for ruralIndia. Theproject was aimed at designing a low cost waterpurifier suitablefor rural conditions.

The design process began with product context study where a thorough understanding of the product was made bygoing through literatures and by undertaking discussions with the industry experts. Traveling to different villages and havingone on one interview with the people with a list of questionnaires was the method adopted for data collection. Alsointerviewing suburban shops and observations made during the visits gave a clear insight of the rural lifestyle and theirexpectations. Data collection was followed by different design process like Quality Function Deployment, MorphologicalAnalysis, Mind Mapping, etc he outcome of which was implemented during generation of concepts.

Finally, the purified waterfrom functional product was subject to stringent lab testing at an equipped testingfacility,recognized by water quality association, U.S.A. The report outcome saw a 99% reduction of bacteria, virus and protozoa.Smell, taste and the temperature of water werefound to be non objectionable.

Key Words: Cost, Water, Purifier, Safe

1. INTRODUCTIONDesign as a process can take many forms depending on

the object being designed and the individual or individualsparticipating. Designing normally requires consideringaesthetic, functional, and many other aspects of an object,which usually requires considerable research, thought,modeling, interactive adjustment, and re-design. ProductDesign can be defined as the idea generation, conceptdevelopment, testing and manufacturing or implementationof a physical object or service. It is a sub field and hasevolved from the field of Industrial Design. ProductDesigners conceptualize and evaluate Ideas, making themtangible through products. For the product considered Waterpurification is the most important function. It is removal ofcontaminants from raw water to produce drinking water thatis pure enough for human consumption or for industrial use.Substances that are removed during the process includeparasites (such as Giardia or Cryptosporidium), bacteria,algae, viruses, fungi, minerals (including toxic metals suchas Lead, Copper etc.), and man-made chemical pollutants.[I] Many contaminants can be dangerous-but depending onthe quality standards, others are removed to improve thewater's smell, taste, and appearance. A small amount ofdisinfectant is usually intentionally left in the water at theend of the treatment process to reduce the risk of re­contamination in the distribution system. Various methodsand processes for development of design to solve the aboveissues were followed. The proposed product thus madeshould solve the above issues within the limited cost so that

it is in the reach 0 the Indian village segment.

2. PRODU,CT STUDY2.1 Water Purifier TechnologiesVarious methods of water purifier were studied to have acomparative knowledge of the product [2]

Reverse OsmosisOzoneUV basedUF basedResin based

2.2 Data Collection and Analysis

Fig 1. Data Collection

From the survey it has been found that majority of therural people use ground water for drinking purpose, frominterviews as shown in Fig I, Fig 2. It was concluded thatdue to lack of awareness on the importance of pure water,rural people are more likely to get affected with water born

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diseases. The data collected indicates that due to theAffordability issues, people in the rural areas are usingineffective methods like: Water filter (ceramic candles),Chlorine technology, Boiling the water, Amla stem, Alumpowder, Cotton cloth. [2]

Fig 4. User Environment

3. PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

7171.77171.0

,..

Fig 2. Interviews

In semi rural shopping there is no water purifier OnlySteel water filter are sold and the cost of the product startsfrom 340 rupees. When researched in the urban market, itwas found that, Resin based Water purifiers were availablein urban market costing 1500 rupees to 2000 rupees, Off­line purifiers were also available costing around Rs. 600.Thecompetitors in this market are Eureka Forbes, Usha Brita,Hindustan Lever Ltd.

2.3 Target Customer

Fig 3. Target Customers

The product context study is undertaken by any company tounderstand the different environments in which the productis likely to be used and finding customer needs. The productcontext is shown in Fig 3, Fig 4.was carried out. Aquestioner was prepared and the corresponding details werecollected from the users to understand there need better. The

answers for the questioners where collected from about 50villagers from 15 villages.

Fig 5. Population GraphAs shown in Fig 5, it is noticed that 72% of Indian

population belong to the rural section of which the childrenbetween the age group of 3 and 6 are most vulnerable towater borne diseases like diarrhea, gastroenteritis andcholera, all of which can cause severe dehydration and evendeath. In India, nearly six lakh children die every year due todiarrhea related causes in the age group of less than fiveyears.

As per the survey conducted Fig 6, the issuesconcerning the rural segment was, Water Complaint, lack ofawareness, No need of purifier Environment, etc. From theabove identification, Water from the 15 villages was broughtfor sampling test, Fig 6.

Fig 6. Sample CollectionsThen water samples were taken to EFL laboratory for

testing the output. The water result was matched with IS-

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10500: 1991, Edition 2.2, (2003-09) that indicated that onlythe ph value was matching with the specified norms, buthardness, alkalinity, chloride, nitrate, sulphate, TDS werenot matching.

3.1 Quality Function Deployment

User

AffordablePurified water

Long lifeHarmless structure

Easy to carryStable

Dust proof materialFunction

Easy to cleanWithstand all climates

3.3 Product Design Specification.

Performance The water should be 100% pure and safefor

drinkingpurpose,Suspended

Impurities should be removed, Destroydisease causing bacteria and virus,

10

liter storage tank, 10 liter filter tank, 45 ccof iodinatedresin(lowleachresin),

250gm of activated carbon (non silvercoated),

returntap,PPyarncloth,

Company Constrains Cost should be low,100% Pure and Safe Drinking Water, Itshould be Mass Produced.StandardsEuropeanstandardandspecification

specificationswould be taken guidance of in the design.

It should be appropriate according to theIndian StandardsDrinking

WaterstandardSpecificationsIS

10500: 1991, Edition 2.2, (2003-09)Customer

Rural PeopleProduct cost

Nearly 450 Rupees

4. CONCEPT GENERA nON

Fig 7. Output from QFD

Fig 8. Resin Based Technology

4.1 Form generation

Sketching exercises were carried out to generate formfor the product. Few of the sketches are as shown in Fig 9.[5].

Fig 9. Form Generations

4.2 Form exploration

Overall selection of few concepts were done for which threedimensional form was explored. Fig 10. [6].

Iodinated LowLeach Resin

Activated Carbon

(Non-Silver Coated)

Seliment Filter

4••

Output from the QFD matrix indicated the importantissues, which are illustrated in Fig 7; this gave high rankingfor Cost, Technology and Material.

3.2 Technology Research

From Fig 8, It is found that resin based technologywould be appropriate for the given situation. Resin basedtechnology has 3 stages. PP yarn cloth, [3]. Iodinated resin(low leach resin), Activated carbon (non silver coated) [4].

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Details of manufacturing of pottery by traditionalmethod were explored to suit the product. Provision ofrequired fittings and arriving to the proposed dimensionswas also explored.

Fig 13. Final Concept

5.2 MANUFACTURING DETAILS

The naturally available material was Stone, clay &metals. Fig 13. Comparing with these, we found clay wasvery cheap than stone and Metals. Due to the easyavailability and low cost, Clay was selected as the materialfor the final concept. The process adopted for manufacturingthe product is pottery. Fig 14. [10].

Fig 10. Form Explorations

Fig 11. Concepts 1-9

The final concept is selected, by following the Dot Stickmethod as shown in Fig 12. The selected concept was takenand investigated to ensure all the product design parameters.The final concept is shown in Fig 14. [8]

5. FINAL CONCEPT

4.3 Concepts

The probable concepts were modeled and rendered asillustrated in Fig II. [7].

Fig 12. Concept Selections5.1 Material Selection

Material selection and Manufacturing process shouldmeet the Aesthetic of the product. Material should befriendly with the environment conditions. Low material cost.Low manufacturing cost, Mass Production, Biodegradable,Availability in rural area was the main criteria for materialselection. [9]

Fig 14. Manufacturing Detail Images

5.3 Research and ResultsSmell test was done between normal ground water and

purified water. The results showed that there was no smell ofmud, pipe or any other material in purified water. Whentested for taste, the purified water was free from any of theobjectionable parameter.

The tested water gives 99.999% reduction of E.Colifrom the input of IOe3/ml spiking load.

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PRICE inRs

35

35 _

5

5.4 Cost of Product

DESCRPTION MATERIAL

JoP pot . CJay

Bottom JJQL ~ __

Stand ~

_GJlP- . ._ __ _.G!~y

..s.~gjm~J:ltf.i.lI~r PP.y~c..lQm.. 30

H~~~gQ!lN\lt. .,@S.(pI~!i.C.}i:.!.i

H~~~gQn~LThJ:eadPipe.". AB.,s. (Pl~!i.c.L!4.i~eL_____Ny)QJ:l___ __ L4 __._____

G~igge___ _..• i\I3S.(pl~ti.c.)_.., ! 1>,tt!:2±2"""" """,-1

Tap set AIlS (plasti'!:L i 3Q_Gum Standard i 8.5

Tota! , ,.!J12>Q, .

Fig 15. Cost Chart

The total cost of the product is Rs.312.501- the details of theproduct and its cost have been explained in Fig 15, [11].

5.5 Usage Board

The designed product was taken to the actual users to betested for its usage related issues, Fig 16.

Fig 16. Usage board

6. CONCLUSIONA product success mainly depends on the customer

aspects. In this project the Ultra Low Cost Water Purifier istaken for Design for the rural market. Even though theproduct can be made in some low cost plastic, this product ismade in clay keeping the rural people in consideration. Inthis product the total product context study with the relevantmarket study was made to understand the user. Then, thePDS was made keeping the user needs as base, Concepts aregenerated with reference to Product Design Specification.Analysing the existing systems of water consumption inrural area, lifestyle of the user, mood board and the usageboard of the targeted customer helps to generate theconcepts. Product was designed for the rural area, so all theconcepts were exhibited for the rural people and feedbackwas collected to pick the best one. Working model of thefinal product was developed to give the justification in termsof low cost and hygienic water for the rural area.

REFERNCES

[I] www.eurekaforbes.com[2] www.allproducts.com[3]http://www.aquadepot.com/Residential/Countertop/Water Filtration

[4]http://www.starlingwatersystems.com/site/68 85951

page/50199I[5]http://www.heartspring.net/water_fiIters~uide.htmI#charcoal

[6] http://www.aquasanastore.com/[7] P. Ranganath Nayak Ph.d and John MKetteringham Ph.d, (1986), "Breakthroughs!,"Published simultaneously in Canada by CollierMacmillan Canada, Inc. -[8] Stuart Pugh, (1991), "Total Design," Published byAddison-WesleyPublishing Company, Massachusetts.[9] Mike Baxter, (1996) "Product Design," Publishedby Chapman & hall, Chennai, India.[10] Ian Wright, (1998) "Design Methods inEngineering and Product design,"Published by McGraw-Hili, Berkshire, England.[II] Karl T. Ulrich and Steven Eppinger (2003)"Product Design and Development",Third edition

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