Thermofluidics is committed to helping address the global need for low cost, reliable access to water for drinking and agricultural irrigation, which is a strategic concern for many NGOs. We are also committed to helping support NGOs in their disaster relief efforts where our technology can help with the provision of drinking water and the removal of human waste to improve sanitation.

Smallholder agriculture

Our technology is readily applicable to small-scale water pumping for irrigation, drawing water from shallow wells, canals, rivers, ponds or other ground level water stores. Our system is modular, so that more or less solar thermal collectors can be used to give the required flow-rate at the best price.

We are developing a modular “add-on” called a Hydraulic Ram which will enable the NIFTE to draw water from deep-wells.

Our NIFTE base unit is designed to irrigate an area of approximately 0.5 Hectares[1]. Larger areas can be addressed through the technology’s modular capability or with multiple units.

We are keen to partner with NGOs and to work collaboratively to develop solutions that work locally in each community from an economic, social and environmental perspective.

Water supply

Our technology allows water to be pumped over considerable distances to allow communities easier access to drinking water drawn from shallow wells and other ground level water stores. We are also developing a modular “add-on” called a Hydraulic Ram which to enable the NIFTE to draw water from deep-wells up to 100m deep, where drinking water sources often exist.

Our system is modular, so that more or less solar thermal collectors can be used to give the required flow-rate or pumping pressure at the best price to meet the distribution requirements and land topography for a specific local community.

As the NIFTE uses the free energy of the sun to pump drinking water, communities will benefit from its’ reliable, low cost and clean approach compared to petrol or diesel alternatives.

For communities that rely on basic, manually operated water pumps, the NIFTE offers greater versatility to pump water over greater distances, heights and depths. This is turn may enable more options for communities to access water sources and free up time for other important tasks.

Disaster relief

Our technology can be deployed very rapidly to enable water supply and sanitation in refugee camps arising from disaster relief operations.

Water supply to camps using the NIFTE pumping technology can be made operational quickly, either from local water sources at ground level or alternatively up to 100m underground using our Hydraulic Ram “add-on”. We are also able to pump water brought in to a camp, enabling rapid clean water supply to those needing relief.

Our technology is also able to pump human waste in relief camps, helping to address the associated key health risks that may be faced and preventing the spread of diseases. The ability of the NIFTE to operate off-grid makes it versatile, given that major disasters are often accompanied by a loss of infrastructure.

The NIFTE’s solar pumping capability makes it an attractive and safe alternative to approaches based on internal combustion engines using (highly flammable) petrol or diesel, which have the accompanying challenges relating to fuel logistics, safety and storage.

For more information on any of these applications, please click here to contact us