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HOME | CONTACT US | |
Mobile Max and MaxPower FAQs • System Diagrams | |
FAQs - Mobile MaxPure®Frequently Asked Questions
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Q1. What is the primary difference between the Mobile MaxPure (MMP) and the Mobile Max (MM)? A1: The MMP
solar array is rated at 3.4 kW whereas the MM is 1.7kW. The MM units
are always mounted on a trailer; with the MMP the trailer is optional.
The MMP can provide water purification either by filtration and ultra
violet light for fresh water applications, or reverse osmosis and filtration
for salt water applications. The MM units pump water for displacement
and irrigation purposes, for instance. Q2. What are the pumping and purification capabilities of the Mobile MaxPure units? A2: The MMP can pump and purify up to 30 gallons per minute (GPM) or 1,800 gallons per hour (GPH) from polluted freshwater sources. Running on batteries during the night, this will result in an average of 30,000 gallons per day (GPD) of purified water. The MMP can also perform reverse osmosis and purification for brackish and saltwater sources. The brackish water system can provide an average of 6,000 gallons of potable water each day while the seawater purification system produces an average of 3,000 gallons of potable water daily. This is in addition to providing power created from the rays of the sun. If the MMP is only pumping water (no purification) it can pump 75,000
to 100,000 GPD in a 24 hour period. Q3. What are the key trailer specifications? A3: The trailer
is custom designed to accommodate the MaxPure frame dimensions. It
is a 7000 lb GVW flat deck trailer with tandem electric braked axles. The
trailer dimensions are 8.5 ft wide by 11 ft long and it is available
with either a military style pintle hitch or a ball style hitch. Full
technical specs are available if needed. Q4: What are the weight and dimensions of the Mobile MaxPure in the shipping mode and in the operational mode? A4: The MMP is a 7x7x7 foot cube weighing approximately 6,200 lbs. when ready to ship. Two MMPs can fit into a 20 foot cargo container; 4 MMPs in a 40 foot container. Once deployed and operational, the array is approximately 17 feet wide
by 15 feet deep. The rear of the array is 11 feet high and the front
is 4 feet high. Q5: What pre-deployment site preparation is required prior to operating the Mobile MaxPure? A5: The MMP must
be placed on a solid, level surface. This may be directly on the ground
or on a concrete pad, depending on your site conditions. Ideally, the
deployment location is no more than 50’ from the water source. The water
source should be tested to ensure sufficient flow and to identify the
contaminants present. A water test kit is available from WorldWater. Q6: What type of batteries are in the Mobile MaxPure? A6: There is
a 31 kWh battery bank consisting of sealed, gelled electrolyte, batteries.
Since they are sealed, they are “maintenance-free,” they cannot leak
battery acid, and no fumes are produced. They are certified as “non-spillable
and non-hazardous” and can be shipped by air without special packaging
containers. Q7: How long will the batteries last? A7: Battery life
is a function of several factors: How often the batteries are discharged
(less is better); the depth of the discharge (shallow is better than
deep discharges); the ambient temperature the batteries operate in; and
the number of years in service. The battery manufacturer provides a one
year warranty regardless of where the MMP is located. We have batteries
that have operated in tropical environments for 5 to 7 years. Q8: What is the warranty for the Mobile MaxPure and individual components? A8: The unit is warranted for ninety (90) days from shipment. Once the MMP leaves the WorldWater loading dock, any damage that might be incurred during transportation is the responsibility of the purchaser. The MMP is packed securely. Pass-through warranties for some of the components are: Batteries are
warrantied for one year. OutBack charge controller, inverter/charger,
and system controller are warranted for two years. The solar panels have
a 25 year design life but there is no additional warranty passed on from
the manufacturer. Q9: Does the end user need to purchase anything else in order to make the Mobile MaxPure operational? A9: No. All necessary items are included, either installed on the MMP or furnished in the Field Support Package. In addition, the unit is tested at the factory as a total system with the batteries, filters, pumps and electronics, completely assembled. The only onsite assembly is plugging the extension cord from the submersible pump into proper receptacle on the MMP, attaching the input hose from the submersible pump into the inlet fitting, and connecting the outlet hose from the outlet fitting to the 2,500 gallon “pillow” tank. Typically within 15 to 30 minutes after positioning the MMP near the
water source, the unit can be operational. For the first 20 minutes or
so, the water should be allowed to pump through the unit and flush out
the filters and piping—much like one would do when new plumbing is installed
in a home. Q10: What is the difference between reverse osmosis (RO) and ultra violet (UV) purification? A10: Both of these technologies address pathogens—bacteria and viruses, but in a different manner. Ultra violet light is a wavelength of light that will kill pathogens. (Note: The MMP has a safety feature built-in whereby if the UV lamp goes out, the water going through the UV filter is automatically shut off. No non-treated water will pass through the UV filter. However, since there are two parallel redundant filtering systems in the MMP, the other UV unit will continue to provide potable water—but at half the normal production.) The reverse osmosis technology is the passing of water through a semi-permeable membrane to remove viruses, bacteria, dissolved solids, organics and salts. The product water that exits the membrane is potable. RO systems use a lot of energy to force the untreated water through
the membrane. This is why our UV (Fresh Water MMP) can produce an average
of 30,000 gallons per day (GPD) of potable water, versus 6,000 GPD for
the Brackish purification system and 3,000 GPD for the pure Seawater
purification system. Q11: What are the terms “Parts Per Million” (PPM) and “Total Dissolved Solids” (TDS)? A11: Parts Per Million (PPM) is a measure of concentration. When dealing with RO systems, PPM is important. Usually with salty water, the majority of the PPM numbers are from sodium and chloride (everyday salt). Along with other items in the salt water such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, —all of these become the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) measured in PPM. Our Brackish MMP can handle 10,000 PPM of TDS per day. Our Sea Water MMP can handle up to 45,000 PPM of TDS per day. (Note:
Typically about 38,000 PPM of the 45,000 PPM will be sodium and chloride
ions—salt). Q12: Do I have to be concerned about salts, PPM, and TDS only when purifying water near the ocean? A12: No, it is possible to find “salty/brackish” water inland, where the ground water is located in soil that is high in salts. This is why, ideally, it is a good idea to test the water for PPM of salts before ordering the MMP. Water test kits are available from WorldWater. Freshwater-source purification systems are not suited for brackish water
and brackish water purification systems are not suited to handle sea
water applications. Q13: What are the various types of filters the Mobile MaxPure uses? A13: FRESHWATER: The first filter is the 25 micron sediment filter, also known as the mass media filter. It is manufactured from spun poly fiber and is designed to remove fine particulates such as dust and sand. While it can last up to 3 months before replacement, in sandy/dusty areas such as Iraq, it may have to be replaced every 3 to 4 weeks. The second filter is the 5 micron carbon filter. It is manufactured using a “charcoal” process from coconut shells. (This is a great way of utilizing a renewable resource). It is excellent in removing chlorine and similar materials, and improves the taste of the water. The third filter is the KDF/GAC Filter. KDF stands for Kinetic Degradation Fluxion and GAC stands for Granulated Activated Carbon. This filter removes heavy metals, neutralizes chlorine, and inhibits bacterial growth. The final stage of purification from polluted freshwater sources in the MMP is the ultraviolet light (UV) process which renders biological pathogens inert. REVERSE OSMOSIS: The first filter is a 25 micron sediment filter, also known as the sediment pre-filter. It is manufactured from spun poly fiber and is designed to remove fine particulates such as dust and sand. While in can last up to 3 months before replacement, in sandy/dusty areas such as Iraq, it may have to be replaced every 3 to 4 weeks. The second filter is a granulated activated carbon filter, manufactured using a “charcoal” process. This filter removes chlorine and similar materials and improves the taste of the water. A 5 micron sediment filter cleans the water next, removing particulates from the water. Brackish and seawater is next filtered through a series of 4 reverse
osmosis membranes, straining salts and biological pathogens from the
water. Q14: How often do filters have to be changed? A14: This
is strictly a function of how contaminated the water is and how much
sediment is present in it. For example, for every KDF/GAC Filter
you might have to replace, you would probably have to replace two Carbon
Filters and perhaps 4 to 6 Sediment Filters. The water quality will determine
this. Q15: What maintenance is necessary for optimal operation of the Mobile MaxPure? What are typical annual maintenance costs? A15: Upon reaching the end of their useful life, filter elements and UV lamps in the purification system must be replaced with new cartridges. Limited spares are provided with the unit with others available for purchase from the factory. For a unit in daily use, the estimated annual maintenance costs will
run about 2 to 3 percent of the initial purchase price. Q16: What safety features does the Mobile MaxPure present? A16: A number of safety features have been designed into the unit. When deploying the solar array, safety pins are fitted into the array to reduce the likelihood of an accidentally dropped section. Safety braces are built in to provide redundant support of the array after the hydraulic system is used to put the array into position. Safety features have also been built in to ensure highest quality water output. The parallel design of the filtration system from freshwater sources ensures that if one portion of the filtration system needs service all water input can be easily diverted into the other portion, allowing for continual operation by turning a manually operated valve. In the event a UV bulb fails, the water coming into the filtration system will automatically be diverted into the operational filtration system. Indicator lights will appear to inform the operator if a UV-bulb change is necessary. No non-treated water will pass through the UV filter; the other UV unit will continue to provide potable water—but at half the normal production. Operators will know filters must be changed when flow is noticeably decreased. A water test kit can also be purchased to easily test both the water
source as well as the water output from the MMP unit. Q17: Which types of pollutants does the Mobile MaxPure filtration and purification system filter? A17: The current design of the MMP renders over 99% of biological pathogens inert and filters sediment from the water down to 0.5 microns in size. The MMP does not use any chemicals in this process, though a chlorination stage can be special-ordered if desired. WorldWater is developing a MMP that filters water contaminated by petroleum
products or heavy metals. Please inquire with the Sales team if you are
interested in this application. Q18: Is the Mobile MaxPure waterproof and rugged enough to last in adverse conditions? A18: The MMP’s frame is powder coated steel. It will be able to operate many years without rusting. Much of the other materials are stainless steel or aluminum. The deck material is “synthetic” wood. The electronics are “marine” grade—designed for salty, humid, environments and are sealed from the elements. For example, the MMPs in Iraq are exposed to high ambient temperatures
(120ºF+), sand storms, high winds, cold nights in the winter, and they
are continuing to operate well. If high winds are encountered (above
60 mph) the solar array should be stowed. Q19: Are there any environmental conditions that would prohibit operation of the MMP? A19: There
are some conditions that would limit operation of the MMP. If high winds
are encountered (above 60 mph) the solar array should be stowed. The
MMP should not be operated in below freezing conditions as the water
system components will freeze. If the unit is to be stored in below
freezing environments the entire water system must be drained and dried. Operation
at latitudes higher than 40º will result in less than optimum collection
of solar irradiation. Q20: Will the glass on the solar panels break? A20: The solar array is rated for up to one inch hail stones. It is unlikely that a solar panel would suffer breakage during normal operating conditions. Glass breakage in solar panels used worldwide in mobile applications is extremely rare. If the glass does break the panels will still produce solar electricity,
though at a reduced efficiency. If the broken glass presents any sort
of danger, the panel should be removed and properly disposed of. Replacement
panels are available from WorldWater. Q21: Does the Mobile MaxPure perform on cloudy days? A21: Yes.
Even on cloudy days there is a significant amount of solar energy collected
by the MMP solar array. Additionally, the on-board battery storage provides
for night-time water purification and power generation. Q22: Does the solar array have to be constantly angled towards the sun? A22: No.
When the MMP is first positioned, it should be placed so the solar array
is facing south when north of the equator, and facing north when south
of the equator. The solar array can be set at a horizontal position (at
the equator) or at a 25 degree tilt. Once set, the array needs no further
adjustment. Q23: Is it safe to run computers and sensitive electronic devices with the electricity from the Mobile MaxPure? A23: Yes.
The MMP inverter system generates a pure sine wave which is ideal for
powering critical electronic devices. Q24: Is it safe to operate higher current devices such as power tools and floodlights from the Mobile MaxPure AC load center? A24: Yes. The MMP’s 3 kW inverter, coupled with the 30kWh battery capacity, can provide power for tools. In addition, the inverter can handle twice the normal operating current on inrush (there is increased current load when a power tool is first started).
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WorldWater & Solar Technologies, Inc., Technology Center of Princeton, 330 Carter Road, "The Farmhouse" Princeton, NJ 08540 |
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