Water filter project
Define a problem
We made a Gantt chart and divided responsibilities so we could work quickly and efficiently. The Gantt chart will allow us to stay on task and complete the project by the due date. Dividing project responsibilities ensures that we work more efficiently and that we can ensure that all of our work will be done.
Since this project is fairly short, most of the project will be done together in class, including prototype testing and data collection. However, prototype construction and the powerpoint are scheduled to be done over the weekend, so they will be completed by Maya and America, respectively.
brainstorm
America's Design Maya's Design
research and generate ideas
Activated Carbon:
Activated carbon is used to trap chemical impurities. Pros:Increases surface area and promotes absorption Cons: Has to be replaced over time since waste is collected, results in ongoing and considerable costs Source: http://www.explainthatstuff.com/howwaterfilterswork.html Reverse Osmosis: Reverse osmosis is when the water forced to pass through a membrane at pressure, leaving all the contaminants behind. Pros: Eliminates sediment, prevents contaminates from passing through membrane Cons: Not as efficient, could damage the membrane, removes good minerals in water Source: http://www.historyofwaterfilters.com/reverse-osmosis-pc.html Ion Exchange: Ion exchange is when the bad ions are exchanged for the good ions making the water more purified. Pros: Initial cost is low, can treat many different types of water problems Cons: Doesn't fully filter water, expensive over time Source: https://www.uswatersystems.com/how-do-water-filters-work#cartridge Home filters tend to use more than one method. Using more than 1 method helps purify water more and can make water more drinkable. |
explore possibilities
Gauze-337.2 NTU
Tulle-337.2 NTU
Stone Granules-337.2 NTU
Activated Carbon-102.3 NTU
Coffee Filter-337.2 NTU
Gravel-337.2 NTU
select aN approach
develop a design proposal
make a model or prototype
First 3 layers of materials- activated carbon, stone granules, and gravel.
First Prototype
test and evaluate the design using specifications
Our first prototype preformed very well during testing. Although it took a while for the water to make its way through the filter, when we tested the filtered water, we found that it was at 47 NTUs. This amount was low enough that we would not have any points taken off, however we wanted to get under the 5 NTUs necessary for the water to be drinkable, so we refined our design.
refine the design
We refined our design twice. The second design had more layers of activated carbon and stone granules. We also crushed the activated carbon into a fine powder, as we learned that this would likely yield better results. The second design we had resulted in 12.4 NTUs. Once again, this was good, however we hoped for better. Our final design has 3 layers of activated carbon and stone granules, as well as 3 coffee filters and 3 layers of tulle. We did not test this design as we would not have enough materials to remake it, however we assume that the more layers the better, so this final design should preform the best. However, through this process we did learn that our design is not reusable, as when we attempted to test our designs again with the same materials, it always yielded higher NTUs. We don't know what material is at fault for this design flaw, however if we had more time, it is a problem that we would have addressed.
communicate processes and results
conclusion
I would consider our project a success, as we were able to get the last design we tested under 15 NTUs. However, our design is not reusable, and if we would have had more time, we would have tested individual materials to determine which one was at fault for the flaw. Although I am uncertain if a reusable design is possible, as I suspect that activated carbon- the main material of most water filter designs- is not reusable. So that may be a design requirement that could be removed for next year's students. This process retaught me the entire design process that will be necessary for the capstone project, as we have not used the full extent of the design process in a few years. I also learned that there are often many different solutions to a single problem. It was very fascinating to watch how many unique materials allowed for several different teams to yield successful results. I believe that my team- America and I- worked very well together. We both were determined to make our design the best that we could, and I believe that it served us both well in this project.