...
The overall team goal for this semester is to design and fabricate a new EStaRS for use in the 1 L/s plant. The team aims to reduce the filter height and make improvements based on problems reported by previous teams, including issues with flexible tubing and the inability to visually confirm backwash fluidization. After researching the design and construction methods of the original EStaRS, the team will create an updated version using MathCAD and AutoCAD.
Spring 2016
This semester, the the team will be working to design a system to measure headloss in the filter during forward wash and find a way indicate if the bed if fluidized during backwash. At this point in the semester, a manometer system has been set up to indicate headloss in the entire tank and a way to measure fluildization in the sand layer. The rest of the semester, we will be researching the relationships within our data collection and implement our findings into the field. The team will also continue to test the filter's performance while running with PACL and clay to view how the filter would perform in similar field situations.
Fall 2015
The team's major goal this semester is to test and evaluate the new inlet system developed and installed last semester. This task includes operating the filter during forward filtration and during backwash to confirm the team's theory that the new orifices can replace the slotted pipes in the inlet manifolds. During testing, the team will be looking for movement of sand into the inlet manifolds and tubing and for successful back washing. If the inlets test successfully, the team will move onto continuing to make the filter easier to operate in the field, while developing a way to gauge how well the filter is fluidizing during backwash. If the inlet system proves problematic, the team will work with the FInE subteam to find a solution.
...