Catchwater Energy Savings System

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Project Concept

This design is used to make more energy efficient housing, or homes that are able to feed more natural energy into their personal energy grids than through the use of the public grid.

Basic Explanation

The energy is derived from a few separate sets of grids. A rain barrel type collection system is located at the top of a gardener’s roof. The system feeds water into a tubular slide-like device where it filters on its way into a ground level collection device used to create irrigation water with an overflow feeding into the greywater system. As the water falls from the initial capture device, it spins a set of small turbines that are able to generate a power current that is immediately fed into the home energy grid.

System Additions

This can be coupled with the use of indoor aesthetics to create a phyto-filtration system in which the water, after flowing past the energy collection spindles, falls through a stairwell type tunnel feeding the root system of a group of air filtration hydroponics indoor ecology plant gardens. The water is filtered by the roots of these plants, and then falls into the greywater/irrigation catch basin below the house.
This system can also be used to assist in keeping the conditions in the house at a cooler temperature, reducing the pull on the AC unit. A clear tunnel can be used for the phyto-filtration in order to capture light so that it provides a new form of lighting on the interior of the structure; a lighting system that utilizes any heat to feed the plant roots rather than to let heat off into the interior of the house.

Alternative Modifications

There are many options that can be implemented with the system for added aesthetic values, and to some an added energy convenience. The water can be enriched with dies as it runs past the spindles, lights can be placed methodically around the tube, and much more. As long as the water is continuously being collected, the spindles enacted, and runoff of roof debris and soil sediments under the roof is curtailed, the system will be efficient.

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  • ABOUT THE ENTRANT

  • Name:
    Bonnie Aylor
  • Type of entry:
    individual
  • Profession:
    Student
  • Number of times previously entering contest:
    5
  • Bonnie is inspired by:
    Process improvements, product advancement/evolution, creativity, consumer satisfaction.
  • Software used for this entry:
    Microsoft word; energy collection metering software
  • Patent status:
    none