Distillation is a process in which the components of a liquid are separated. By doing this, you will be able to separate the pure and safe drinking water from any contaminants (such as salt, bacteria or minerals) that may influence its taste or drinkability. First, the still will heat the water to steam, then collect the steam through tubes or in a glass sheet. Finally, it will condense the steam into fresh, purified water droplets that can be collected in a clean container. You'll find stills at many hardware stores, but you can also create your own from common materials.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Create a Stovetop Still
Step 1. Gather your supplies
You probably already have some of these supplies. You may need to get the other supplies from a hardware store or from a company that supplies home brewing supplies. Do not try to buy other cheaper options than these products. You will need to use food grade and heat resistant implements if you want your distilled water to be safe. Among the implements you should use are the following:
- 20 ft. (6 m) of 3/4 in. (1.9 cm) copper coil;
- 1.8m (6ft) of heat resistant silicone tubing;
- 2 gallon (7.5 L) pail;
- kettle or pressure cooker;
- ice;
- sealant;
- large bottle of water to collect distilled water.
Step 2. Make ice
Put water in ice cube trays or a few water bottles and put them in the freezer. In the distillation process, you will have to have a lot of ice. Remember that to distill the water, you must boil it until it turns into steam and then cool the latter quickly to form drops of purified water. You will need a lot of ice trays if you want to distill a lot of water.
Step 3. Install a cooling tank
The water will require a cold environment in which the vapor can re-condense into pure water droplets. The hot water will travel through the heat and water resistant copper tube that is coiled inside your cooling tank, which will cause the steam to cool and turn into purified water inside the tubes.. The refrigeration tank can be quite simple, a 7.5 L (2 gallon) bucket will suffice. You can also use a large gallon of milk if you cut it in half and fill it with ice.
If you are using a 2 gallon (7.5 L) bucket, it should have a 3/4 inch (1.9 cm) hole at the top and bottom. The copper tube must pass through both holes, thus collecting the steam (at the top) and expel the water (at the bottom)
Step 4. Make a condensation tube
You will have to collect the water from your heat source (the kettle or pressure cooker), send it through the rolled tube inside the cooling tank to condense the water and, finally, send it to the container that will store the distilled water. The most efficient way to cool the water is to run it through a coiled tube that is immersed in ice water or around a very cold object (such as a gallon of frozen milk). Roll the copper tubing about 7-8 times. Once you have done this, you will have a spiral.
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Simply place the rolled copper tubing inside the bucket or gallon, leaving a 1 inch (2.5 cm) clearance between the tubing and the sides of the bucket. Keep in mind that you must pass the top and bottom of the copper coil through the holes that you have drilled in the bucket. If the tube looks too loose, you can use epoxy or sealant to make sure it fits precisely into the holes.
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Step 5. Connect 3 feet (90 cm) of silicone tubing to the heat source
You can connect the hot water source (pressure cooker or kettle) to the top of the condenser tube using a heat-resistant silicone tube. Cut the 6 ft (1.8 m) tube in half so you have 2 3 ft (90 cm) tubes. If you're using a kettle, just attach one end of the tube to the mouth of the kettle. If you're using a pressure cooker, attach one end of the tube to the open pressure valve on the lid of the pot.
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If your pot has a pressure valve that is too small, you can use a metal fitting that is the same diameter as the tube, so the silicone tube will fit precisely.
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If your kettle has a mouth that's too large, just poke a hole in a rubber stopper that is the same diameter as your tube, place it in the kettle, and insert the tube.
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Step 6. Connect the other end of the silicone tube to the top of the condensation tube
Here you must use the silicone tube to connect the water source with the condensation tube. The other end of the tube that you connected to the water heater should fit into the copper tube at the top of the condensing tube. It should be well adjusted.
Step 7. Create a mouth for the condensation tube
Here you must have a hot water source that is properly connected to a condensation tube attached to a refrigerant system. However, you will need to find a way to collect the purified water that forms inside your condensation tubes. Create a mouth with the other 3 ft (90 cm) piece of silicone tubing. At this point, the bottom of the condensation tube should protrude from the bottom of your cooling tank. Connect the silicone tubing to this opening, then put the other end into a clean water bottle. Once you do, you will have finished your water distillation system.
Step 8. Distill the water by boiling it
Fill the kettle or pressure cooker with water, and place it on your stove. Turn the stove on to high heat and wait for the water to boil. The steam will travel through the silicone tube, reach the copper tube, and then the cooling system. At that time, the steam will turn into water droplets through the condensation process and finally it will come out through the water mouth and into the purified water container. The water will be rid of all impurities such as salt, minerals or soil, and the result will be clean and pure water that will be found in the final collection bottle.
Step 9. Sterilize the water containers to store it for a long time
You must sterilize the storage container very carefully if you want to store distilled water for long periods of time. Dilute 1 teaspoon of bleach in 1 gallon (3.7 L) of water. By using this solution, you can properly coat the inside of the storage container. Remove the solution with bleach after about 30 seconds. Air dry the container or rinse it with clean water.
Method 2 of 2: Making a Solar Water Still
Step 1. Gather your supplies
Hardware stores or home brewing supply stores stock most of the supplies needed to create a solar water still. Compared to a stove-top water still, a solar still will require more work and installation, but it can be useful for emergency situations where you don't have electricity or gas. Among the implements you need are the following:
- 1.2 x 2.4 m (4 x 8 ft) plywood;
- a sheet of tempered glass with a high quality finish (69 x 55 cm or 27.25 x 22 inches);
- glue for wood;
- black paint resistant to high temperatures;
- screws;
- drill with bits;
- putty;
- cross-linked polyethylene tubing (60 cm or 2 feet);
- rigid insulation;
- two long baking sheets made of flat glass.
Step 2. Make a wooden box by cutting the plywood into several pieces
You will need to make a box with the plywood, which will be the base of your solar water still. The top of the box should be slightly angled so that the glass lid is at an appropriate angle. You will need five different pieces of plywood to assemble the box:
- a bottom base of 59 x 48 cm (23.25 x 19 inches);
- a short end piece 14.6 x 52 cm (5.75 x 20.5 inches);
- a long end piece of 22 x 52 cm (9 x 20.5 inches);
- two trapezoidal pieces with a height of 23 cm (9 1/8 inches) at the long end, a height of 13 cm (5 1/8 inches) at the short end, and a width of 67.9 cm (26.75 inches).
- You will be able to cut the trapezoidal pieces correctly if you use a circular fastener set at a 9 ° angle.
Step 3. Install the rigid insulation
Cut a piece of rigid insulation using the same measurements as the bottom base of your plywood box. Attach the insulation to the plywood base using the screws.
Step 4. Install the wooden box
Attach all the pieces of the wooden box with screws and glue, except for the long end piece. This piece will be the hinged door and must be attached with separate hinges. The door should point to the short end and the two trapezoidal pieces should face each other. Use caulk or moisture sealer to make sure all edges have a tight seal.
Step 5. Paint the inside of the box black
The high-temperature-resistant black paint will help the water inside the box to heat up in the sun, causing it to evaporate more efficiently. Coat the inside of the still properly. Let the paint dry for 3-5 days to ensure that all gases and toxins are exposed to the air before completing the still installation.
Step 6. Make a hole for the water tube
The cross-linked polyethylene tube will be useful to collect the water droplets that form inside the solar still and to deposit them in a separate clean container. Insert the tube into the box by making a hole with the same diameter as the tube 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) from the top of the box, on the short side of the trapezoid. You only need to drill a hole in one of the trapezoidal pieces, not both.
Step 7. Install the water tube
The water tube should be open on the inside of the box (to collect dripping water) and closed on the outside of it (to keep the water clean), so you will make sure you collect the water efficiently. Mark 19 inches (48 cm) into the cross-linked polyethylene tubing and cut it in half. This will give you a piece of tubing that will be open by 19 inches (48 cm) and closed by 5 inches (12.7 cm). Take three screws and screw the open tube into the inside of the short side of the box, making sure that a few centimeters (inches) of the closed tube can stick out of the hole you made earlier. Use a 1/4-inch incline to make sure the water flows out of the box properly.
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Apply caulk or caulk to make sure the tube fits precisely into the hole you drilled and that the open tube is securely attached to the plywood.
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Step 8. Attach the glass cover
The glass sheet will fit slightly at an angle on the top of the water still, causing the water droplets to form inside and then slide down the slope into the cross-linked polyethylene water tube. From this point on, the purified drops will exit the still through the closed tube and move into a separate container. Once you've made sure the glass sheet is adequately clean, carefully seal the outer edges of the glass. Then gently place it on top of the box that you have installed. If you have taken the correct measurements, the glass cover will have an angle of 5 ° to 10 °, which is ideal for collecting the water.
You can secure the sealed glass cover with a temporary retainer or masking tape, until it has properly dried
Step 9. Place glass trays filled with water inside the still
One side of the still has been hinged, so you can open and close the door whenever you want. Fill two flat glass baking sheets with about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) of water and put them into the still. This will be the source of water that the sun will purify.
Step 10. Sterilize the containers for the water in which you will keep it for a long time
You should properly sterilize the storage container if you want to store distilled water for long periods of time. Dilute 1 teaspoon of bleach in 1 gallon (3.7 L) of water. By using this solution, you can properly coat the inside of the storage container. Remove the solution with bleach after about 30 seconds. Air dry the container or rinse it with clean water.
Advice
- In addition to being able to drink the distilled water, you can also use it to make soaps, fill steam irons and repair cars.
- Before the first use, make sure that all the components are completely dry and airtight, thus avoiding leaks and deformations.
- Before distilling drinking water, thoroughly clean all components of the still. They are likely to have dust or dirt.
Warnings
- The tools you use to make your water distiller must be heat resistant, thus preventing them from deforming, melting or leaking chemicals into the purified water. Make sure collection buckets, tubes, and lids are heat resistant.
- If you are going to drink your distilled water, verify that your implements are food grade. A large number of building materials (such as vinyl and plastics) are not toxic when in contact with them; however, they could release toxins into the water.
- It is not recommended that you only drink distilled water for long periods of time. This type of water can be useful to maintain your health for a few short periods (such as a cryptosporidium outbreak or temporary water contamination); however, it can also prevent your body from getting the essential minerals and nutrients it needs. If it is safe for you to drink non-distilled water, you should.
- You should find another source of water if yours has been contaminated with fuel or toxins. Your home treatment plan may not work well enough to ensure your safety.
- It is not recommended that you distill alcohol with a homemade water still. You are likely to unintentionally produce the toxin methanol, which causes blindness if ingested. Furthermore, the gases are extremely flammable and dangerous.
- Be careful to touch the components of the water still, as they get extremely hot during the distillation process.