The Project Continues

A team was recently dispatched to Thailand to implement some of the ideas discussed in our work.  You can read more about it at here or you can review the comprehensive report.

Project Completion

Our filter system project is finally complete. Please click on "Final Project Report" above to see a detailed report on the completion of our project. You can also download the PDF by clicking here.

Week 9 Update

Prices found for the materials needed are:

1. - [7] $68for a ready steel close headed drum container.

2. - $600 for 300 clay bricks [8] could be possibly found cheaper in Thailand

3. - $34 for a Thermometer to ensure that required temperature is reached and maintained [9]

4.- Unknown costs : Wood fuel for the process,time and labor put into constructing the fireplace and the whole system;Shipping and taxes.


Design Material and Dimensions

Oil Drum -         Length      2.87 Feet
                      Diameter   2 Feet

2 Steel Pipes -    Length     10 Feet  (to be cut in half, to be used as support structure)
                       Diameter  1- 1/4 Inch

Iron Crank-        Lenght  3 Feet            (Possible Insulator for handle - Silicafelx Tape AB)
                      Width    1- 1/2 Feet
                                         

Week 8 Update

We have come up with a design that will allow the Ban Huay Mii villagers to create their own activated carbon which can be used to filter their water supplies.The design is as follows:

Over a fire place built from clay bricks a steel oil drum container will be held by 2 pairs of 2 steel pipes. The container will be filled with Nitrogen gas to ensure minimal Oxygen levels.A device (i.e.a handle) will be installed on one side of the container allowing the container to be rotated around its axis. On the other side of the oil drum there will be a pressure valve for safety reasons.

Ted Talk - Application of Small Scale Filtration

Below is an interesting application of several different types of filtration systems all "bottled" into one. This system was developed by Michael Pritchard and is a very promising application of small scale filtration .




(If the video does not appear click here)

Week 7 Update - Granular Activated Carbon

• GAC or Granular activated carbon is commonly used to absorb organic and inorganic compounds that may cause undrinkable water due to its foul taste, odor and color [4].
• It would be beneficial to the villagers of Ban Huay Mii and their water supply [1]. The physical and the chemical properties of the activated carbon makes it capable of absorbing unwanted substances such as E.Coli.[5],[1] 
• For the purpose of reducing costs due to frequent replacement of the GAC the water should be in contact with the GAC for at least 5 minutes to ensure proper filtration and usage of the GAC's filtrating lifetime. 
• More information and a visual representation of the filtration method can be found at http://www.simultaneouscompliancetool.org/SCToolSmall/jsp/modules/welcome/documents/TECH6.pdf.

Week 6 Update

On the Itinerary for this week:

1) Acquire rice hulls. Because the villagers have to make their own activated carbon we first want to make sure that the material they have is usable for this purpose. We are currently looking to purchase about 10 pounds of either rice hulls or un-hulled/husked rice.

2) Work on physical incorporation of filtration system. Explore Cornell's foam filter system.

3) Design tests to quantify the filtration and purification effectiveness of the filter designed.

Decision Matrix (Explanation of Variables)

Explanation of Variables 

Estimated Cost - The estimated cost of the filtration system is very important to the village Buan Huay Mii. Ideally the filtration system has to be inexpensive due to the economic troubles that the village faces. 

Maintenance - Water filtration system are in need of constant maintenance in order to be working properly. The difficulty of the maintenance varies in between different types of systems, some require 5 minutes of anyones time, while others require professional engineers to maintain it. 

Implementability- Certain water filtration systems are applicable to specific types of villages depending on their terrain, location, and education of the villagers. The village of Ban Huay Mii needs a water filtration system that is easy to use. 

Filtration Effectiveness - A water filtration system is broken down into two components, the cleanliness of the water and the health of the water.  A system with an effective filtration process will produce water that is free of mud, rocks, etc. 

Purification Effectiveness- The second component of a water purification system takes dirty, unhealthy water and turns it into bacteria-free healthy drinking water. The Village of Ban Huay Mii, is concerned about the quality of the water. 

Pre Requisites - Some water filtration techniques require existing technology. The techniques or systems are only an addition to an existing part of a water filtration system. 

Decision Matrix

Filter Type	Estimated Cost	Maintenance	Implement ability	Filtration Effectiveness	Purification Effectiveness	Pre Reqs.		Total
% Weight	0.1734	0.1634	0.12	0.232	0.2312	0.08
Slow Sand Filter	3	1	2	5	5	5	None	3.6396
Ultraviolet Purification	1	1	5	1	3	3	Turbidity Filter	2.1024
Activated Carbon Filter	5	3	1	5	5	5	None	4.1932
Chlorine Powder Tap Box	4	3	1	1	4	3	Turbidity Filter	2.7006
Foam Filter	2	3	5	4	1	5	None	2.9962
							1- least applicable; 5- most applicable

Market Need: Conceptual Designs

The design will meet the following specifications:

1) Will reduce the turbidity of the water to between 5 and 25%.m x to y)

2) Will minimize the presence of harmful bacteria in the water.  The ideal number we want to reach is a zero percent colony count when sample is incubated in a petri dish.

The following are some conceptual designs that we have worked out:

Manual for existing water systems - The Ban Huay Mii village uses storage tanks to keep their water. When the water sits in the storage tanks, the mud, and other particulates in the water sinks to the bottom. These storage tanks are fitted with purge valves, which allow them to be emptied and cleaned. [1] One of the most significant contributors to the poor water quality is that the villagers are unaware of how to take care of their water system. Therefore it might be the best course of action to first produce a comprehensive manual for the maintenance and care of the system they currently have in place.

Slow sand filter - A slow sand filter involves running water through a compact layer of sand. This will remove many particulates and other small or large objects from the water source. This system also serves as a checkpoint to filter out bacteria contaminating the water. The sand filter has proven to work because after a few days of operation a layer of bacteria and other biological material will build up on top of the sand. This layer will trap bacteria as water cruises through it [2].  While this is an excellent, inexpensive method for cleaning water, it requires a lot of maintenance. The bacteria layer must be sifted and cleaned periodically throughout the year for the best results.

Ultraviolet water purification – UV water treatment has proven to be an effective way to purify water. This system operates by running clear water through ultraviolet light. This will kill most if not all bacteria living in a contaminated water supply. While it is a very effective purification method, it will probably be expensive to build, and maintain. The system will require power from a solar panel, which if damaged, would be difficult for the villagers to replace.

Activated Carbon Filtration - Activated carbon is another excellent method to filter out particulates and potentially harmful biological material from water. A filter containing activated carbon would work similarly to a slow sand filter, in relation to the gravity fed system where water is pored over a layer of activated charcoal and filtered out the bottom.  This substance can be made using charcoal from burned corn husks, bamboo, and wood. Because activated carbon is relatively easy to produce this may be a perfect filtration method for the Ban Huay Mii village.

Classification Tree:

Click on image to enlarge

Market Need

In order to create an effective design that meets the needs of those who will use it, we must first establish what those needs are, and determine who will be effected by this project. 

Stakeholders:                                                              Order of importance:

Village of Ban Huay Mii	Primary
Villages in similer situations to Ban Huay Mii	Primary (2)
J. Shanley, J. Shore, E.G. Leon, V.V Milanov	Secondary
Dr. Alexander J. Moseson and Teaching- -Assistants	Secondary (2)
Drexel Thai Harvest	Tertiary
Ken Mallory	Tertiary
Magid Bdeir	Tertiary
Bob Shim and the Sustainable- -Development Research Foundation	Tertiary
The Drexel University College of Engineering	Tertiary

Needs: Primary Stakeholders:

The Village of Ban Huay Mii prioritizes their water need by requesting less turbid, better tasting water over larger quantities of water. Because this is not a wealthy village with abundant resources, a filter system developed for them must be as inexpensive to produce as possible. It is also important to educate the villagers on clean water practices such as keeping animals away from their water supply, and to clean their storage tanks often. The villager’s water needs are the first priority of this project. The main goal of this project is to produce clean water with minimal biological contamination.

Needs: Secondary Stakeholders: It is the goal of all the members of the engineering group working on this project to design this water filtration system. The main driving force behind this goal is the desire to educate ourselves, and use that information toward making the world a better place, even if it just means that several villages have clean water to drink. The members of the design team also have grades depending on this project, however the desire to help others supersedes the desire to get a good grade. 

This project will also directly effect Dr. Moseson and his teaching assistants. Their first priority is for our group to complete all required tasks within the scope of the freshman design lab. The hopeful success of this project will also give testimony to Dr. Moseson's incredible drive and motivation in his humanitarian exploits. 

Needs: Tertiary Stakeholders: While the Tertiary stakeholders needs are important, they will be considered only after all the other's stakeholders needs are fulfilled to the best of our abilities. It is important to note that in fulfilling the needs of our primary and secondary stakeholders, many of the tertiary stakeholders needs will be fulfilled as well. 

Week 3 update

So far we have been diligently working on developing a Project overview. Take a look at it! It's a link on the side bar. We are still brainstorming ways to purify water. We have decided to focus our efforts on the Ban Huay Mii village. We are putting our ducks in line and figuring out exactly what these villagers need. It seems that their main concern is the quality and taste of their water.  Check back next week for another update!