The Applied Research Center’s expertise includes extensive research in renewable energy systems, including solar powered systems, and clean water (environmental) research.  During the WHIX 2005 project, we combined the two technologies, providing a thin-film photovoltaic cell canopy to power a reverse osmosis water purification system.  Goals of this project were to demonstrate/validate power requirements for the standard U.S. Army light-weight water purification system, and then to develop more efficient, alternative systems, including a mobile system, which could be used as a Field Expedient Crisis Response Center during disaster response operations.  This project involved military and civilian engineers from Honduras, Argentina, Chile, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic.

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The equipment displayed here includes the thin-film photovoltaic cell canopy (top left), and the US Army standard reverse osmosis water purification system.  These systems were deployed and tested in Honduras, at Amapala Naval Base on the Pacific coast.  At this location the system was connected to a local well, which had been contaminated by saltwater intrusion and runoff from the naval rework facility.  The purified water was used as drinking water by naval base personnel and by the local community.

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Phase II of the project will took place in El Salvador, as we test different systems/configurations to provide the most energy efficient system possible.  In conjunction with US Southern Command’s Science and Technology Advisor, and the SCJ7 staff, the FIU’s Applied Research Center tested the redesigned, more energy efficient water purification system a second time in Honduras as part of the Crisis Management III exercise, where the system was deployed to produce power for the water purification system, as well as computer systems and a portable satellite communication system.  During the power outage at the event, the system continued to produce more than enough electrical energy to power all the communications, computer and water purification systems without a break in service.  Using the built in battery system, the unit can continue to provide power for operations 24-hours per day.

In a subsequent test, the system was deployed to a humanitarian/disaster relief operational exercise, FA-HUM 2008 in El Salvador and provided water and communications at a remote, field location.  The system sustained operations without any problems due to the inherent flexibility of the thin-film photo-voltaic systems.  These systems have been deployed under field conditions and multiple setups/tear downs without significant wear. 

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For phase III, a containerized version of the mobile water unit was produced. This was done to test the mobility of the unit and testing in desert conditions to obtain data on how the system withstands in that kind of environment. An addition to the system was a wind turbine, which, in combination with a small solar array, powered the system as well as produced extra electricity for other needs.

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Phase IV took place in the Dominican Republic, using the “H2Go!” system developed by FIU.  This system fits in the back of a military vehicle and has photovoltaic cells embedded in the vehicle canopy top, to produce energy to power a highly mobile water purification system for Army patrols and disaster response.

The systems are guaranteed for 10 years service from the manufacturer.  Unlike rigid panel systems, which if damaged in the field are unusable, the thin-film technology allows the remaining portion of the panel to continue to produce electrical energy.  

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