Vellor Reserach Fellow Discovers “Cost Effective Desalination Process

13 September, Chennai

Driving home the point that it was possible to overcome drinking water crisis, a young woman scientist in Chennai has discovered a “cost-effective” desalination process and bagged an international prize .

A CSIR senior Research Fellow at VIT University, 27-year old Devlina Das has discovered a method to convert saline sea water into drinking water using a “unique” five-step method powered by solar energy.

The award was given recently to Devlina at Stockholm Sweden by “2015 RELX Group Environmental Challenge”.

“The current scenario is such that the ground and fresh water resources are getting depleted day by day and require an immediate move to replenish the depleted sources. This circumstance inspired me the most to come up with this project”, Devlina said Sunday .

Explaining about the uniqueness of her invention, she claimed that the present desalination plants across the country adopts Reverse Osmosis (RO), which not only wasting more water but also wasting more energy”, she explains. .

he said the new method was energy efficient and the unit does not require huge construction activities. “Each step would be an innovation merged with a technology. We are using solar panels as well. The product would be meant for a large scale.”, she said adding that her project would target communities and supply drinking water through pipeline system.Hesitate to disclose further technical aspects, Devlina said she will be going for patent for her innovation.

“I will explain my method to the Water Pollution Board. Once they accepts my proposal, I will go for a patent”, she said.As Devlina won US Dollar 25,000, she has decided to dedicate the prize money to start a pilot water desalination project so that her invention could be benefited to all the water starved States in the country

.Steered by her mentor for her work,” she said “My mother Dr. Nilanjana Mitra, an alumni of IIT Kharagpur, guided me and holds a professional partnership in the project”, Ms Das said.