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Cairo Slums Get Energy Makeover
The setup consists of an insulated rectangular box covered in clear glass or plastic on one side. Inside the box are copper tubes wrapped in sheets of aluminum, which are painted black. Sunlight striking the darkened aluminum is converted to heat, which is then used to warm water flowing through the pipes. The glass sheet on top of the box prevents the heat from being carried away by wind.
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Solar CITIES also installs biogas reactors, which are based on designs Culhane saw while working in India. The reactors use microbes harvested from animal guts to break down food wastes into flammable gas that can be used for cooking and heating. If necessary, the reactors can draw hot water from the solar water heaters to maintain the warm temperatures the bacteria need to survive.
By attaching a simple plastic tube to the reactors, gas can be piped down several stories for residents to use. “In 24 hours, you’ve got 2 hours of cooking gas from yesterday’s cooking garbage,” Culhane said. The biogas reactors provide a more reliable supply of cooking gas than most residents currently have.
Awesome, I love to see people using engineering to make life better for those that can truly use help.
Related: Engineering Appropriate Technology Solutions – Water Pump Merry-go-Round – Reducing Poverty – 15 Photovoltaics Solar Power Innovations – Curious Cat Egypt Travelogue
September 7th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
[...] the original post: Curious Cat Science and Engineering Blog » Appropriate Technology … could-not, fulfill-your, invalid-request, key-shown, please-contact, problem, provide-the, [...]
September 10th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
[...] Curious Cat: The setup consists of an insulated rectangular box covered in clear glass or plastic on one side. [...]
September 14th, 2009 at 12:30 am
The Hand Made Solar Water System Rocks. Thanks for lovely post.
August 5th, 2010 at 2:46 am
This idea I could say is a very good solution for water system problems especially in Cairo. As for the future of solar energy, it seems even today that the overall opinion of the masses is that solar power is something that we all could be using in the future, as technology on it improves but the true fact of the matter is that it already has vastly improved over the past couple of decades. Thank you for the very scientific information.
August 30th, 2010 at 1:56 am
It still suprises me that solar products arent more widespread, especially since it can save you, literally hundreds of dollars a month. Also, magnetic generators can power an entire household. But does anyone think or know, of any places in the world where solar energy would not work? Alaska maybe? since theres very long periods of darkness? Certain parts of Europe? because its so cloudy?