The main goal in this project was to be able to build a water filter from scratch. The water filter had to be able to successfully make turbid water cleaner and drinkable. More specifically, the filter had to purify 12 oz. of water to a maximum of 50ntu.
Gantt Chart
Brainstorming:
- While researching, we discovered that one of the simplest forms of filtering water would be to just let it separate on its own. Anything with a higher density than water would sink to the bottom and be filtered more thoroughly while anything lighter could float to the top and be scraped away.
- We also considered wrapping a cloth over the top of the container used to store the filtered water and pouring the dirty water through it sough that the sediment and other impurities would not be able to permeate the cloth and would therefore be easier to separate.
- Since charcoal has a tendency to adhere to other powdery or rocky substances, we considered pouring the tainted water through it so that all the dirt could stick to it and be separated from the water.
- Knowing that a tea strainer is used to keep the small leaves of tea bags from remaining in the liquid tea, we thought we'd use this same concept to keep the dirt from being in the liquid water.
- Sponges are very absorbent and could suck in and release the water while also capturing the dirty sediment.
Research and Generate Ideas:
- Commercial water filters tend to do their job too well. Instead of purifying the water of all harmful particles, they strip away the beneficial minerals as well. This could lead to further health issues unless some supplement iis talen in place of these minerals that are sometimes necessary for bodily functions.
- The option to purchase commercial water filters that selectively purify water while leaving the beneficial minerals alone is still available but costly. Seeing as how it is not cost efficient, it would not be in the best interest of our end user.
- Another filtration method that we researched included using the deionization of water. This would be removing the charged particles from water by passing it through a transparent sticky substance that would first remove the cations (positively charged ions) and then another that would remove the anions (negatively charged particles).
(2014, September 4) Water Filter Technologies.. Retrieved from:
http://www.waterfiltercomparisons.com/compare-water-filter-technologies/
Aquasana (2014, September 4) Why Should I Consider Charcoal Water Filters?.. Retrieved from
http://livehealthy.aquasana.com/2010/05/why-consider-charcoal-water-filters/
(2014, September 5) Deionization.. Retrieved from
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/deionization.html
http://www.waterfiltercomparisons.com/compare-water-filter-technologies/
Aquasana (2014, September 4) Why Should I Consider Charcoal Water Filters?.. Retrieved from
http://livehealthy.aquasana.com/2010/05/why-consider-charcoal-water-filters/
(2014, September 5) Deionization.. Retrieved from
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/deionization.html
Identify Criteria and Specify Constraints
- The end user could be anyone from a family looking to purify their drinking water with every day objects (especially low income families) to just people who are destitute or below the poverty line who don't have pure water readily available to them.
- The filter has to successfully purify 12oz. of water to a maximum turbidity level of 50 ntu.
- The filter must be designed only of materials that are easily accessible if not already on hand.
- The materials must be extremely invaluable so that anyone can afford them and reusable for convenience purposes.
Explore Possibilities:
- When revising our design, our group decided that a tea strainer would not be a very easily available object because it has a specific purpose and therefore isn't always readily at hand.
- Some alternate design ideas include doing a gradual filtration; starting with the tea strainer to filter out the largest sediments and continuing on with objects that could be more meticulous in filtering out the water.
- We also considered using crushed charcoal wrapped in a tightly bound cloth so that the adhesive properties of charcoal could collect the unclean particles and keep them from getting in the water.
- Last, but not least, we considered using a sponge as an addition to our filter. The rough side would gather all the debris on its surface and the clean water would seep through the opposite side.
Selecting an Approach
- Tea Strainer wrapped in cloth; this design would be cheap, reusable, and quick, although it wouldn't be meticulous enough to remove small debris and the materials might not always be readily available.
- Crushed charcoal inside cloth; this design would also be cheap, reusable to some extent, but much slower than the previously mentioned design.
- Sponge and funnel; this design was effective for capturing debris and somewhat reusable, but the materials aren't necessarily readily available at hand and the filtering process would be much slower.
Test and Evaluate the Design using Specifications:
The first time we tested our filter, it did not include the sponge. Our turbidity level flickered around 29.6 ntu. When we added the sponge, we noticed a considerable decrease in the turbidity, leaving it at 23.7. We thought that if we considered to refilter our already slightly clean water, we would see an even greater decrease in the turbidity but we found that this was only in theory. My guess is that our materials were too contaminated to further decrease the turbidity level. One of the main reoccurring problems was the dirty water kept flowing around the side of the sponge and the charcoal, and not actually being filtered which caused the high turbidity level. If we could have directed where the water went, we could have had more control over the turbidity itself.
The first time we tested our filter, it did not include the sponge. Our turbidity level flickered around 29.6 ntu. When we added the sponge, we noticed a considerable decrease in the turbidity, leaving it at 23.7. We thought that if we considered to refilter our already slightly clean water, we would see an even greater decrease in the turbidity but we found that this was only in theory. My guess is that our materials were too contaminated to further decrease the turbidity level. One of the main reoccurring problems was the dirty water kept flowing around the side of the sponge and the charcoal, and not actually being filtered which caused the high turbidity level. If we could have directed where the water went, we could have had more control over the turbidity itself.
Refine the Design:
The only real revision we made was adding the sponge to our filter. We needed a permeable wall that was both absorbent and permeable. A sponge was the only material that fit this criteria and it did end up serving its purpose and lowering the turbidity level of the dirty water to 23.7
The only real revision we made was adding the sponge to our filter. We needed a permeable wall that was both absorbent and permeable. A sponge was the only material that fit this criteria and it did end up serving its purpose and lowering the turbidity level of the dirty water to 23.7
Conclusion/Reflection:
I feel like this project was my first experience as an engineer. It was not extremely guided so I was forced to use critical thinking skills. Having a partner was really beneficial to the project as well because it gave me a chance to enhance my ideas while also having someone steer me back in the right direction if I was negligible in certain factors or if the end user's best interests were not being prioritized. I learned that I really need to focus on time management; every second should be taken advantage of when it comes to deadlines. When it comes to teamwork , I think you need to work with someone who has a similar mindset as you, but someone who you can take seriously and trust to accomplish the necessary tasks at hand. The only thing I would stress to next year's students would be to STAY ON TASK and communicate everything with your partner!
I feel like this project was my first experience as an engineer. It was not extremely guided so I was forced to use critical thinking skills. Having a partner was really beneficial to the project as well because it gave me a chance to enhance my ideas while also having someone steer me back in the right direction if I was negligible in certain factors or if the end user's best interests were not being prioritized. I learned that I really need to focus on time management; every second should be taken advantage of when it comes to deadlines. When it comes to teamwork , I think you need to work with someone who has a similar mindset as you, but someone who you can take seriously and trust to accomplish the necessary tasks at hand. The only thing I would stress to next year's students would be to STAY ON TASK and communicate everything with your partner!