Tulip Siphon Filter

Basic Water Needs

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.

Snapshot
Manufacturing & delivery
Performance & use
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Product description

Target region(s)

Worldwide

Distributors/implementing organizations

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

Market suggested retail price

Depending on location, around USD 20.00^(Interview with manufacturer)

Competitive landscape

Household water treatment methods and products available in local market.

SDG targeted

SDG #6: Clean water and sanitation

Target user(s)

Individuals, households

Manufacturing/building method(s)

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

Patent publication number: WO 2009087670 A2

User Provision Model

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

Distribution 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: Dirty / 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 measurement tool provided).

Filter design capacity

7,000 Liters

Average flow rate per hour

5 Liters per hour

Average flow rate per day

20 Liters

Maintenance Schedule

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

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

Product schematics

User manual and schematic

Technical support

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

Replacement components are available through local agents or distributors.

Lifecycle

7,000 liters or until diameter less than indicated.

Manufacturer specified performance targets

Performance targets: Capable of removing 99.995% bacteria, >99.995% protozoa, and 99% turbidity. Flow rate is up to 5-Liters per hour.

Vetted performance

Laboratory testing: Removal efficiency of Silver impregnated Ceramic filters

Testing organizations

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

Safety

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

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

Academic research

Examples include: Microbiological effectiveness of household water treatment technologies under field use conditions in rural Tanzania; What point-of-use water treatment products do consumers use? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial among the urban poor in Bangladesh; The Biosand Filter, Siphon Filter, and Rainwater Harvesting; Effects of Solids Loadings and Particle Size Distribution on Siphon Ceramic Candle Filters.

Compliance with regulations

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

Evaluation methods

Laboratory and field evaluations (see above).

Other information

Selected as one of Toekomstmakers Top 100 in 2015.

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

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Basic Water Needs

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