SOLAR-POWERED PHARMACEUTICAL WASTEWATER FILTRATION
Team L2E – Team 7
Fall 2025
Objective
Cut down on pharmaceutical contaminants in hospital wastewater before it hits the municipal system.
Solution
A low-energy, on-site solar filtration system that uses activated carbon and membranes.
Role
Engineering student, designer, prototype contributor.
The Challenge
Most wastewater treatment plants aren't actually designed to filter out pharmaceuticals like antibiotics, painkillers, or hormones. This causes a lot of environmental contamination and long-term damage to ecosystems. Our goal was to design a low-energy, sustainable solution that hospitals could easily set up on-site without adding a ton of operational complexity.
Key Outcomes
- Researched hospital wastewater characteristics & pollutants
- Evaluated filtration technologies (Activated Carbon, Membrane, UV)
- Developed a solar-powered pump system prototype
- Designed a multi-stage filtration unit for hospital outflow
- Created comprehensive CAD diagrams and calculations
Concept visualization of the solar-filtration integration.
Why We Did It
Reduce Contamination
Stop pharmaceuticals from getting into natural water systems.
Support Compliance
Help hospitals stay ahead of future environmental regulations.
Energy Independence
Build a system that runs 100% on renewable solar energy.
Scalable Design
Make it modular so it fits different facility sizes.