Inspired by: Lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica)
PAX Water Technologies, Jay Harman
The Problem
Industrial mixing and water treatment processes consume excessive energy; conventional mixers generate turbulence and waste
The PAX Water Mixer mimics the golden ratio spiral flow of a calla lily to circulate 10 million gallons of water with the energy footprint of just three 100-watt light bulbs.
Jay Harman, founder of PAX Scientific, spent years studying how nature moves fluids. He noticed that water in nature — from whirlpools to tornados — never flows in a straight line. It spirals. The calla lily, with its elegant spiral trumpet, follows the golden ratio in both horizontal and vertical axes, creating flow paths of least resistance.
Harman's insight was that existing industrial mixers waste enormous energy fighting turbulence. By modelling the precise geometry of the lily's vortex, he created an impeller that generates stable, torus-like fluid flow forms. These self-reinforcing vortices require very little energy to maintain once initiated.
The result: the PAX Water Mixer can circulate 10 million gallons of water in a municipal storage tank using the same energy footprint as three 100-watt light bulbs. Traditional paddle-style mixers performing the same task consume 20 to 30 times more energy.
The technology is now deployed in water utilities across the United States, preventing the growth of harmful bacteria including Legionella, reducing chlorine use by up to 30%, and dramatically cutting the energy cost of maintaining safe drinking water for millions of people.
Biomimicry Breakdown
How Lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica) translates into PAX Water Mixer
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