Households produce considerable amounts of greywater each month, which comes from different sources, including showers and sinks. While there is potential for reusing greywater, the majority of it is still being wasted. This has resulted in increased environmental stress. This concern has been addressed by the Teal Flow Backyard Bioremediation System. The project aims at creating a small-scale solar-powered filtration unit for greywater recycling. The filtration system includes a natural filtration system, which includes plant-based bioremediation, sand filtration, and activated carbon. The system has sensors that measure critical parameters, including pH and TDS. The value of these sensors must be within specific limits for reuse. The project aims at helping residents reuse greywater for irrigation. This will help reduce water loss and decrease water consumption. The project aims at promoting water management strategies during water scarcity.
The Teal Flow system is designed to prevent residential greywater waste through a compact solar-powered filtration system. The greywater is collected and then sent through a pre-filter that removes large items before passing through the main filtration unit. The main filtration unit utilizes various layers of natural filtration mediums, such as Bacopa plants, silica sand, and activated carbon, to clean the greywater. The system also utilizes sensors connected to an Arduino board that monitor the greywater quality by measuring pH levels and total dissolved solids (TDS). The system is able to recirculate the greywater through the filtration unit when the quality is not within the acceptable limits required for irrigation. The system also has a ultraviolet (UV) light that improves the quality of the greywater before storage for later use. The system is solar-powered using a 12V battery with a solar panel that charges it. The system also has a user-friendly interface that allows users to monitor the system’s performance in real-time through a web interface.
The project resulted in the creation of a working prototype of the Teal Flow backyard greywater bioremediation system, which includes mechanical filtration, electronic monitoring, and the use of renewable energy sources. The project included the physical architecture of the system, which includes the filtration units, piping, and tanks. In addition, CAD modeling of the system was created. A multi-stage filtration process using Bacopa plants, silica sand, and activated carbon is included in the project. Moreover, an Arduino-based electronic monitoring system with pH and TDS sensors is integrated to track water quality in real time. Additionally, a solar-powered battery is placed to operate the pumps and electronics. From the project, it is evident that there is an improvement in the clarity and pH stability of the water and TDS levels after filtration. The key deliverables of the project are the working prototype, engineering analysis, CAD modeling of the project, sensor monitoring system with web interface, and a project poster.