2023-07-01 14:16:08
“A system for producing drinking water from seawater.” This is how Helio, a creation of the Var company Marine Tech, is presented on the Elysée site. For the weekend of July 1 and 2, the system is one of 124 products presented at the third edition of the “Made in France” exhibition at the Élysée Palace.
“A simple and natural principle”
“Our product makes it possible to transform non-potable water (rain, river, lake, sea, etc.) into drinkable water, thanks to solar distillation”, explains Franck Bonnefoy, Managing Director of Helio Water, the company in charge of Helio’s development and a subsidiary of Marine Tech.
Solar distillation, a complex word for “a simple and natural principle”, according to him. The impure water is brought by a pump, powered by a solar panel, into a hard plastic sphere placed outside. In this sphere of one meter twenty in diameter, the rays of the sun penetrate, heat the water, involving its evaporation.
The water vapour, in contact with the walls, condenses and trickles down the sphere, into a space isolated from the impure water. It can be picked up and drunk. For the water to be mineralized, the company will soon be offering “remineralization kits” for users.
Up to 10 liters from 30 to 40 liters
“The sphere replicates the same process as when ocean water evaporates and forms clouds, explains Franck Bonnefoy. With good sunlight, Helio can produce up to 10 liters of drinking water per day, completely autonomously. » 30 to 40 liters of water are needed to obtain this result.
All the water introduced does not therefore become drinkable. There is a surplus of water, more concentrated in salt or sediment depending on the place of pumping, which must be discharged into the environment. According to the company, the volumes rejected are very low and have no impact.
Childhood memories
Its inventor is Thierry Carlin, an engineer by training, and faced with the challenges of access to drinking water during his youth in Africa. He first wanted to bring a solution to these populations and help the NGOs. Helio is born after six years of development.
But, quickly realizing that a demand also exists in countries like France, he now wants to offer it to everyone. The system is on sale on the Helio Water website for just under €8,000.
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