Melissa Shinbein's Individual Contribution Page
Spring 2014 Final Contributions
As the semester comes to a close, we are working on putting together the final pieces to the 55 gallon drum apparatus. We have all the components with a chemical doser fully designed. Implementation will happen in the next week. Testing is expected to happen over the summer as we continue to improve the foam filter. Good luck to future foam teams!
Spring 2014 Mid-Semester Contributions
As this semester picks up, the team continue to update the foam filtration unit. Current tasks include: designing a side-valve that can go into the 55gallon drum without creating a path of least resistance for water to flow through, investigating materials for the compression unit that will not rust, designing an efficient compression unit that implements pulleys, and finding more suitable materials to construct the plunger such as stainless steel wire mesh or geomembranes. Once all the components are assembled, the whole unit will be tested in lab for varying turbidities with a fully designed LFOM and flow controller. The goal is to create an easy to assemble and clean unit.
Spring 2014 Contributions
This semester our main goal is to redesign the 55-gallon drum unit that went to Honduras. While the unit did work successfully, the cleaning procedure was extremely over-designed. A new cleaning technique that is both compact and easy to use will be designed and implemented this semester. Additionally, the unit should have components such as the LFOM, dose controller, and drainage pipes that are compact and can be easily set-up.
Fall 2013 Final Contributions
Since the middle of semester, the Foam Filtration team has made great strides towards redesigning our apparatus. This new design involves all the foam being in a single 55-gallon drum, complete with chemical dosing, LFOM, improved cleaning mechanisms, and chlorination. The drum and all additional components will be mounted on a wooden frame that will be constructed in Honduras. When members of the team, including myself, arrive in Honduras we will put together the whole apparatus and demonstrate its effectiveness. Additionally, improved cleaning mechanisms involve a concrete slab attached to a hoist. This slab will compress the foam, since the foam is now at approximately 23inches in diameter a simple plunger will no longer exert enough force to compress the foam. To remove the dirty water that pools on top of the foam, we will use flexible tubing to act as a siphon. Dirty water at the bottom will simply flow out of a drain pipe. The goal for these last few weeks of prep is to put these components together as pieces arrive to have the system ready to be mounted once we arrive in Honduras this upcoming January.
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