Tulip Siphon Filter

Basic Water Needs

A portable silver-enhanced ceramic water filter.

Snapshot
Manufacturing & delivery
Performance & use
Research & standards
Feedback

Product description Brand name and product description

The Tulip® Siphon is a portable water purifier for daily or emergency use and is comprised of a silver enhanced ceramic candle filter (Tulip® or CrystalPur®) with a plastic casing and a siphon mechanism to initiate filtration.

Target region(s) Target region for distribution/implementation (listed by country if specified)

Worldwide

Distributors/implementing organizations Organization(s) distributing/deploying this product directly to communities/individuals?"

Local partners in Ethiopia, Zambia, Ecuador and Guatemala. NGOs, commercial networks, national, regional and community entrepreneurs

Market suggested retail price Price per unit or service price per usage/terms (USD). Subsidies noted.

Depending on location, around USD 20.00^{Interview with manufacturer}

Competitive landscape Similar products available on the market. May not be a comprehensive listing.

Household water treatment methods and products available in local market.

SDG targeted United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targeted with this product/application/service

Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation

Target user(s) Target user/consumer base (country, income segment)

Individuals, households

Manufacturing/building method(s) Detail regarding solution production or construction method (instructions, mass production capacity, custom made,etc...)

Ceramic candle filters are manufactured in China using diatomaceous earth, nano silver, and activated carbon. Production locations include China, India, and Kenya.

Product Intellectual Property Open source/IP protected (note patent)/trade secret/other?

Patent publication number: WO 2009087670 A2

User Provision Model Where can the product be purchased/acquired by end users?

Basic Water Needs partners with local entrepreneurs, NGOs and other organizations to establish local distribution networks.

Distribution to date Number of units that have been deployed, downloads or users to date

Including filter models in addition to the Siphon model, roughly 500,000 Tulip units have been distributed.^{Correspondence with manufacturer}

Fields marked are sourced values that have been evaluated by the manufacturer or a third party, all others are design specifications.

Filter materials

Manufactured with diatomaceous earth, nano silver, activated carbon

Dirty water volume

Not applicable, influent water container not included

Bacteria removed (logarithmic scale)

4 log

Turbidity (NTU)

99% removal

Safe water storage capacity (L)

Not applicable, safe water storage not included

Number of spigots

Not applicable, water storage not included

Filter lifespan (years)

Filter life span is one year or until ceramic candle diameter is less than specified (as measured by tool provided)

Filter design capacity

7,000 L

Average flow rate per hour

5 L/hr

Average flow rate per day

20 L

Maintenance Schedule

How often/when should maintenance be performed?

Backwash filter after each bucket filtered; if using pre-filter, wash when dirty; clean ceramic with toothbrush or cloth when flow rate is slow; if flow rate not improved, clean with round scrub pad and rinse.

Chemical residual

Manufacturer claims silver in filtered water protects against re-contamination.

End of life indicator (yes/no)

Yes, user must check ceramic candle filter diameter with measuring tool provided.

Design specifications Component and Operation overview including power, portability, facility requirements, preventative maintenance and user training requirements

Dimensions: 20.5 x 14 x 9 cm Weight: 0.5 kg

Product schematics Design and assembly illustrations

User manual and schematic

Technical support Technical support provided by

Provided by user: When flow rate slows, clean filter by backwashing by closing the tap and squeezing the rubber bulb, to force water back through the filter element. If sufficient flow rate is not restored, scrub filter with included scrub pad. Users should check filter diameter using the tool provided, and when diameter is less than indicated on the tool, the ceramic filter should be replaced.A washable pre-filter can be used when filtering turbid water to reduce clogging.

Replacement components Availability of replacement components (in-country, by order,...)

Replacement components are available through local agents or distributors.

Lifecycle Disposal and warranty

7,000 liters or until diameter less than indicated.

Manufacturer specified performance targets Designer / Manufacturer specified targets

Performance targets: Capable of removing 99.995% bacteria, >99.995% protozoa, and 99% turbidity. Flow rate is up to 5 L/hr.

Vetted performance Findings of manufacturer evaluations or independent testing centers

Laboratory testing: Removal efficiency of Silver impregnated Ceramic filters

Testing organizations Independent lab, academic research centers, etc.

Waterlaboratorium Noord (WLN) (accredited by the Raad voor Accreditatie, accepted by the Dutch Government) and additional independent laboratories.

Safety Potential hazards / risks related to operation of this product

2.5 – 6.5 ppb silver in filtered water, below US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and WHO secondary standards for silver in drinking water (0.1 mg/L).

Complementary technical systems Performance of this product is improved with another technology (eg. Cookstoves and Wind-blocking skirts)

To preserve filtered water quality, use with a safe water storage container with lid and tap.

Academic research Academic research related to the product (e.g. published papers in peer-reviewed journals)

Mohamed, H., et al., Microbiological effectiveness of household water treatment technologies under field use conditions in rural Tanzania, Tropical Medicine and International Health, 2016, 21 (1), 33-40.

Luoto, J., et al., What point-of-use water treatment products do consumers use? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial among the urban poor in Bangladesh, PLoS One, 2011, 6 (10).

Barnes, et al., The Biosand Filter, Siphon Filter, and Rainwater Harvesting, 2009. [MIT Group Report]

Renzi, D., Effects of Solids Loadings and Particle Size Distribution on Siphon Ceramic Candle Filters, University of South Florida, 2011. [Thesis]

Compliance with regulations Product certifications and standards referenced by designer/manufacturer

Malawi Ministry of Health approval, Philippines DOH Certification (expired May 2015), National Laboratory test results

Evaluation methods Evaluation methods/protocols/guidelines referenced by designer or manufacturer.

Laboratory and field evaluations

Other information

Selected as one of Toekomstmakers Top 100 in 2015.

Other Tulip technologies include: the Tulip Table Top and Tulip Group Filter.

In context photographs (0)

You can use the form below to contribute a photo of this product.

In context files & documents (0)

Feedback from users, customers & distributors

Please let us know your experience in using this product through comments below.

Snapshot

Product description Brand name and product description

Target region(s) Target region for distribution/implementation (listed by country if specified)

Worldwide

Distributors/implementing organizations Organization(s) distributing/deploying this product directly to communities/individuals?"

Local partners in Ethiopia, Zambia, Ecuador and Guatemala. NGOs, commercial networks, national, regional and community entrepreneurs

Market suggested retail price Price per unit or service price per usage/terms (USD). Subsidies noted.

Depending on location, around USD 20.00^{Interview with manufacturer}

Competitive landscape Similar products available on the market. May not be a comprehensive listing.

Household water treatment methods and products available in local market.

SDG targeted United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targeted with this product/application/service

Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation

Target user(s) Target user/consumer base (country, income segment)

Individuals, households

Manufacturing & delivery

Manufacturing/building method(s) Detail regarding solution production or construction method (instructions, mass production capacity, custom made,etc...)

Ceramic candle filters are manufactured in China using diatomaceous earth, nano silver, and activated carbon. Production locations include China, India, and Kenya.

Product Intellectual Property Open source/IP protected (note patent)/trade secret/other?

Patent publication number: WO 2009087670 A2

User Provision Model Where can the product be purchased/acquired by end users?

Basic Water Needs partners with local entrepreneurs, NGOs and other organizations to establish local distribution networks.

Distribution to date Number of units that have been deployed, downloads or users to date

Including filter models in addition to the Siphon model, roughly 500,000 Tulip units have been distributed.^{Correspondence with manufacturer}

Performance & use

Fields marked are sourced values that have been evaluated by the manufacturer or a third party, all others are design specifications.

Filter materials

Manufactured with diatomaceous earth, nano silver, activated carbon

Dirty water volume

Not applicable, influent water container not included

Bacteria removed (logarithmic scale)

4 log

Turbidity (NTU)

99% removal

Safe water storage capacity (L)

Not applicable, safe water storage not included

Number of spigots

Not applicable, water storage not included

Filter lifespan (years)

Filter life span is one year or until ceramic candle diameter is less than specified (as measured by tool provided)

Filter design capacity

7,000 L

Average flow rate per hour

5 L/hr

Average flow rate per day

20 L

Maintenance Schedule

How often/when should maintenance be performed?

Chemical residual

Manufacturer claims silver in filtered water protects against re-contamination.

End of life indicator (yes/no)

Yes, user must check ceramic candle filter diameter with measuring tool provided.

Design specifications Component and Operation overview including power, portability, facility requirements, preventative maintenance and user training requirements

Dimensions: 20.5 x 14 x 9 cm Weight: 0.5 kg

Product schematics Design and assembly illustrations

User manual and schematic

Technical support Technical support provided by

Replacement components Availability of replacement components (in-country, by order,...)

Replacement components are available through local agents or distributors.

Lifecycle Disposal and warranty

7,000 liters or until diameter less than indicated.

Manufacturer specified performance targets Designer / Manufacturer specified targets

Performance targets: Capable of removing 99.995% bacteria, >99.995% protozoa, and 99% turbidity. Flow rate is up to 5 L/hr.

Vetted performance Findings of manufacturer evaluations or independent testing centers

Laboratory testing: Removal efficiency of Silver impregnated Ceramic filters

Testing organizations Independent lab, academic research centers, etc.

Waterlaboratorium Noord (WLN) (accredited by the Raad voor Accreditatie, accepted by the Dutch Government) and additional independent laboratories.

Safety Potential hazards / risks related to operation of this product

2.5 – 6.5 ppb silver in filtered water, below US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and WHO secondary standards for silver in drinking water (0.1 mg/L).

Complementary technical systems Performance of this product is improved with another technology (eg. Cookstoves and Wind-blocking skirts)

To preserve filtered water quality, use with a safe water storage container with lid and tap.

Research & standards

Academic research Academic research related to the product (e.g. published papers in peer-reviewed journals)

Luoto, J., et al., What point-of-use water treatment products do consumers use? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial among the urban poor in Bangladesh, PLoS One, 2011, 6 (10).

Barnes, et al., The Biosand Filter, Siphon Filter, and Rainwater Harvesting, 2009. [MIT Group Report]

Renzi, D., Effects of Solids Loadings and Particle Size Distribution on Siphon Ceramic Candle Filters, University of South Florida, 2011. [Thesis]

Compliance with regulations Product certifications and standards referenced by designer/manufacturer

Malawi Ministry of Health approval, Philippines DOH Certification (expired May 2015), National Laboratory test results

Evaluation methods Evaluation methods/protocols/guidelines referenced by designer or manufacturer.

Laboratory and field evaluations

Other information

Selected as one of Toekomstmakers Top 100 in 2015.

Other Tulip technologies include: the Tulip Table Top and Tulip Group Filter.

Feedback

In context photographs (0)

You can use the form below to contribute a photo of this product.

In context files & documents (0)

Feedback from users, customers & distributors

Please let us know your experience in using this product through comments below.

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Basic Water Needs

In context photographs (0)

In context files & documents (0)

Feedback from users, customers & distributors