Innovation

New ways to clean water

In Ghana, more people might well get access to clean water thanks to a new water purification method invented by a DTU student.

Clean water. Photo: Colourbox — Worldwide 2.2 bio. people do not have access to clean drinking water according to figures from Unicef. Photo: Colourbox

Monday 15 July 2024

Gry Brøndum

When Johan Sølver started working at the Danish chemical factory Alumichem three years ago as part of an internship, he never imagined that—as a chemistry student at DTU—he would already be developing a completely new product.

"I'm actually making the drawings for the equipment I need in order to produce the new chemical solution that I came up with," Johan Sølver says proudly when talking about his work at the company, which specializes in purifying waste- and drinking water using aluminium products.

"I have a product that is a further development of the chemistry we already know in the water treatment market. But my way of producing it makes the process faster and less dangerous," says the 26-year-old about his work in Alumichem's development department, which he carries out alongside his studies in chemistry and biotechnology.

DTU student Johan Sølver carrying out laboratory work. Photo: Peter Lundberg — Even before completing his education, Johan Sølver is further developing a technology for purifying water using aluminium through his student job with the company Alumichem. Photo: Peter Lundberg

"The world population is growing, and water purification is a big and growing problem, so it's crucial that we get good at this," he says and continues:

"I have been allowed to be very broadly involved in the whole process in that I both plan my process and order components for my experiments from other companies. It gives me a very good all-round idea of how to drive a development process."

When the new method is one day utilized, it will benefit many people, as Alumichem is currently rolling out its technology and chemistry in Brazil, Ghana, the Dominican Republic, and Sweden. In fact, the company is already purifying drinking water for at least 14 million people worldwide.

Two people operating equipment to purify water. Photo: Isaac Mensah-Boansi — A look at Alumichem's water purification efforts in Ghana. Photo: Isaac Mensah-Boansi

Customized solutions

At a demonstration plant in Ghana, the company, with the help of local labour, is running trials to purify surface water from rivers for drinking water by precipitating and removing contaminants with an aluminium-based purifier made by the Danish company. At the plant, the company is testing various customized solutions, and this is also where Johan Silver's new method will eventually be tested before it can be rolled out.

"Our mission is to constantly refine our method and chemistry so that we can deliver the most sustainable water purification possible, for example by manufacturing the chemistry in Ghana so that it does not have to be transported all the way from Denmark," explains Alumichem CEO Jens Husted Kjær.