Solar Desalination Sculpture for San Andres Island, Colombia

The sculpture narrates a cultural belief of the island and helps bring the community together. The sculpture doesn't use prime space inland, it lives in the ocean near beaches that are some of the most important public spaces of the community. 

The sculpture's mirrors track the sun and focus the light to heating chambers. As the salt water is pumped it passes through the heat exchanger where it cools down the steam and it absorbs some of the heat. When the warmed water arrives at the focal point of the mirrors it is pumped at a high pressure and heated by the sun to 570 degrees F. The water under high pressure and temperature is then transferred to the desalination tank where it flashes, turning into steam and dropping the salt. The salt is then dried on the platform and collected for cooking. The steam travels up to the heat exchanger/radiator where its is cooled down by the wind and the intake water. The distilled water is stored at the base of the sculpture and pumped inland.