Making a simple charcoal filter is a straightforward process using common materials like a plastic bottle, sand, and charcoal.
To create a basic charcoal filter, you will need a plastic bottle, cotton wool, sand, and charcoal. The process involves preparing the bottle and layering the filtering materials inside.
Simple Charcoal Filter Construction
Here's how to build a charcoal filter using the specified method:
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Prepare the Plastic Bottle:
- Cut the bottom off of the plastic bottle.
- Unscrew the lid of the bottle.
- Make a hole in the lid using an awl.
- Place cotton wool inside the lid.
- Close the bottle with the prepared lid.
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Set Up for Filtering:
- Turn the bottle upside down so the lid with cotton wool faces downwards.
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Add Filter Layers:
- Pour layers of sand into the bottle.
- Pour layers of charcoal into the bottle.
- Alternate between layers of sand and charcoal. The more layers, the more effective the purification will be.
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Filter is Ready:
- Once the layers are added, the filter is ready for use. Water poured into the open (cut-off) top will pass through the layers and out the lid.
Key Components and Their Role:
| Material | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Plastic Bottle | Structure to hold filter layers |
| Cotton Wool | Acts as a pre-filter and base layer |
| Sand | Filters larger particles |
| Charcoal | Absorbs impurities and odors |
Adding multiple layers of both sand and charcoal helps enhance the filtering capacity of the device.
