Michael Skyler Erickson's Individual Contribution Page

Subteam: Foam Filtration/EStaRS (Fall 2014)

Spring 2015 Contributions

I lead the overall team this semester, advised the FInE team, and worked on the EStaRS team. The FInE team sought to provide a solution to the filter inlet and extraction system, and I worked to make sure the team members understood the different constraints that shaped both the inlet and outlet system, as well as provided guidance for how to construct and operate the model to test their new inlet and outlet designs. On the EStaRS system, I was working to understand issues associated with the cap blowing off during backwash, to develop the use of manometers to measure backwash efficiency, and to fabricate a new filter inlet design with orifices instead of slotted pipes. 

Fall 2014 Contributions

This semester I am co-leading the overall team and working on the EStaRS subteam. On the EStaRS team we hope to create a recycle system that will allow us to run the filter through both filtration and backwash cycles.  By the end of the semester we should have information about our filter performance and backwash efficiency across a range of turbidity and influent water conditions.  I hope to work specifically on design improvements that can be made to the system as a whole.

Summer 2014 Contributions

I lead the overall team and also work on the foam filtration subteam.  This summer we hope to fully install the Chemical Dose Controller, provide further improvements to the compression system, and also send a fully functioning prototype to Honduras in July.  In addition, we hope to gather much needed data from Honduras about the foam's life cycle.

Spring 2014 Contributions

This semester we created a full demo system for the lab.  I worked primarily on the structural part of our compression unit in order to give us a light weight and stable method to effectively clean the foam. I am excited to see the unit tested in the lab over the summer and also to see a prototype in Honduras!

Spring 2014 Mid Semester Contributions

Thus far this semester, we have designed a pulley system to compress and clean the drum and are in the process of testing it to see if it gives us an appropriate particle displacement velocity.  We have just received a straight sided drum, one we hope can be the basis for the project moving forward.  In addition, we have taken great steps towards developing a side valve--with the new drums potential for welding and also the implementation of drum we can now either use a sink drain or a welding fixture to create this valve.  We look forward to working on the dosing unit and further testing on different compression techniques.  In addition, we are working on a test that measures the impact that compression speed has on the degree to which the foam filter is cleaned.

Spring 2014 Goals

This semester, we really want to focus on improving several aspects of the pilot project we sent to Honduras.  First and foremost we want to have a full scale model of the filter up and running in the lab.  This will help us to test and improve various aspects of the drum.  We need to redesign and an over designed plunging technique, find an appropriate plunger material, create a side valve, and come up with an LFOM and chemical dosing unit.  The team wants to see the foam filter grow to be a sustainable water source of water for disaster relief efforts as well as a permanent fixture in rural areas, positively affecting as many people as we possibly can.

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