David Buck's Individual Contribution Page
Fall 2012
...
I worked on the Chemical Dose Controller (CDC) team with Rudy Koul and Andrea Castro. Together we created, refined, and tested a prototype of the chemical dose controller with the latest technologies. The new design for the lever arm assembly included a two sided lever, dual dosing system, and aesthetically pleasing counter weight. Also, we had the lever anodized and engraved with a scale and AguaClara logo to add a polished look to the CDC design. We also tested this system for linearity and varified verified that the new design does in fact provide a linear relationship between coagulant flow and driving head in the system. The AguaClara design now has a sleek piece of equipment to include in new plants that will not only function well without electricity but look good too.
Winter 2013
In January of 2013 I traveled with the team to Honduras, where we toured water treatment plants, interacted with community members, attended community meetings, and overall had a great time. As a graduate student I was able to attend a conference with various water and sanitation organizations in Honduras in the country's capital Tegucigalpa. While in Honduras I was able to practice my Spanish and learn about Honduran culture.
Spring 2013
In the Spring of 2013 I worked on the Full Scale Floc Breakup Team. Based on previous data, we designed a device to be placed in the flocculator in Atima to break up flocs and improve performance. This was a great team to be apart of, because the idea is new and innovative. I got the chance to work on design that nobody has worked on before, and got to work on a team to invent a new product. The device was a simple plastic sheet with holes drilled in it. It is amazing to me that such a simple device has the possibility of increasing flocculator performance. I'm excited for it to be tested and find out if it worksI am looking forward to traveling to Honduras in January of 2013 to see the treatment plants in action, practice Spanish, and help with the knowledge transfer of the chemical dosing system.