Date of Award
2015
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Environmental Engineering (MS)
College, School or Department Name
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Advisor
Brian D. Barkdoll
Abstract
The use of Jatropha curcas as a source of oil for fueling water pumps holds promise for rural communities struggling to achieve water security in arid climates. The potential for use in developing communities as an affordable, sustainable fuel source has been highly recommended for many reasons: it is easily propagated, drought resistant, grows rapidly, and has high-oil-content seeds, as well as medicinal and economic potential. This study uses a rural community in Senegal, West Africa, and calculates at what level of Jatropha curcas production the village is able to be self-sufficient in fueling their water system to meet drinking, sanitation and irrigation requirements. The current water distribution system was modelled to represent irrigation requirements for nine different Jatropha curcas cultivation and processing schemes. It was found that a combination of using recycled greywater for irrigation and a mechanical press to maximize oil recovered from the seeds of mature Jatropha curcas trees, would be able to operate the water system with no diesel required.
Recommended Citation
Archer, Alexandra, "THE USE OF JATROPHA CURCAS TO ACHIEVE A SELF SUFFICIENT WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM: A CASE STUDY IN RURAL SENEGAL", Master's Thesis, Michigan Technological University, 2015.
Included in
Environmental Engineering Commons, Oil, Gas, and Energy Commons, Water Resource Management Commons