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Summer 2010 Contributions
During summer 2010 I worked on the Plate Settler Spacing team. I am currently running experiments to test the robust-ness of the plate settler geometry. An ideal geometry is being subjected to non ideal conditions by changing the alum dose. I am also graphically analyzing the data collected from these experiments to attempt to develop a relationship with influent conditions and effluent turbidity. I have also worked on the velocity gradient calculations in mathCAD. We are attempting to figure out what the critical velocity and diameter of a particle would be to cause it roll up the plate settler and into the effluent. This critical velocity is also being determined experimentally using a ramp function (slowly increasing the flow rate over time) which allows us to see exactly where the critical velocity is. I have also been working to design a filter foam experiment which will even out the flow between the settlers in plants in Honduras. Preliminary experiments are currently being performedhad the pleasure of working on the Stacked Rapid Sand Filtration team. I assisted in successfully building a bench scale model of our filter, controling the influent raw water turbidity, running several experiments of varied parameters, and backwashing the system by sequentially fluidizing individual sand layers. I also contributed in conducting a performance comparison to a conventional single layer filter system of the same depth as an individual layer of our stacked filtration system (20 cm), and in adding pressure sensors to the apparatus to provide a more complete comparison. The original apparatus consisted of four filter layers in a white 4" I.D. PVC pipe, and I assisted in replacing it right before the Fall semester with a clear PVC pipe of the same diameter but with six filter layers.
Fall 2010 Contributions
This semester, I am working on the foam filtration team. We are currently preparing our experimental apparatus to run an experiment to determine the head loss across the foam column both with clean water running through it and when the foam fails and collapses due to particle buildup on the top layer. Additionally, the foam filtration team is working on designing a point of use foam filtration unit that will be submitted the the EPA P3 competition this semester.
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