Design Proposal

ENGR 103 - Spring 2016
Freshman Engineering Design Lab

“Self-Sustainable Water Purifier”

Project Design Proposal

Date Submitted: April 4, 2016

Group Members             {Reid Anderson, raa84@drexel.edu }

                                         {Jonathan Stevenson, js3983@drexel.edu }

                                         {Maxwell Shyda, mns65@drexel.edu }

                                         {Daniel Reddy, djr93@drexel.edu }

                                         {Isaiah Sauvageau, ips24@drexel.edu }

Technical Advisor          {Peter Herczfeld, prh24@drexel.edu}

Abstract:

 This Freshman Design Project is a water filtration system to be used in an area without access to a power grid. Thus, the energy will be supplied by photovoltaic panels in order to generate the necessary amount of electricity needed for the unit to function. The vast amount of different subject areas touched on by this project will present many opportunities for the team to learn the proper methods of research and development. From electrical systems to assembling the reverse osmosis, many situations are predicted to arise. Low income citizens in foreign countries would find this unit useful for creating potable water for consumption.

1      Introduction

1.1 Motivation

The design team was inspired by the idea and challenge of creating a device that filtered and cleaned riverwater to make it potable. After considering the theme of clean energy and solutions for third-world energy and sustainability issues, it was decided that the optimal solution would be to design and construct a portable, self-contained unit capable of purifying contaminated water. The unit will be powered by a solar panel so that the unit is self-sustainable in order to guarantee power even under circumstances where a power outlet is not available. Since the unit will be used daily by citizens that may not be technologically proficient, the design implemented is user friendly, with minimal maintenance required.

1.2 Major Tasks

            The design and construction of this product will consist of a number of tasks. There will need to be a reservoir to hold contaminated water entering the device. A filtration system will remove particulate matter, chlorine, and volatile organic compounds from the water. An ultraviolet light will then be used to kill bacteria, viruses, and mold. Reverse osmosis will then be used to remove any dead bacteria and particulate that made it through the filter. To power this system, a solar panel will be used to collect energy which will then be stored in a battery. The flow of water will be controlled and manipulated using pipes to optimize direction and form factor. A removable reservoir will be the final destination of the clean water. Finally, a metal frame will be used to hold all of these components securely in their place. All of these components will need to be researched further ensure a balance between price, efficiency, and power usage.

1.3 Technical Challenges

            The largest challenge will be safely connecting the solar panel, battery, UV light fixture, and pump to prevent it from interfering with the rest of the apparatus. Research will be conducted in order to find the proper way to construct this section of the system. Particulate filtration must be researched in order to find an optimal filtration system for our application. The design group must also research ultraviolet lighting and how to use it for germicidal purposes.

1.4 Desired Outcomes

            The desired outcome for this project would be to have all of the discussed above components working and usable. The goal is a fully working prototype.

1.5 Learning Objectives

            This project will push the design team to learn extensively about DC power circuits and water filtration processes. A large amount of knowledge will also be gained about an performing an extensive, multidisciplinary design project.

2      Deliverables

            At the conclusion of this design process the design team will present a working prototype of the water purification device. The device will be able to take dirty river water in, and dispense potable water. Each component of the apparatus will be modeled in CAD as well as a final assembly.

3      Technical Activities

3.1 Upper Reservoir

            The upper reservoir will be where the dirty water is stored. Optimally the upper reservoir will be removable so that water can be brought from a nearby source and filled. The filled upper reservoir would then be placed back into position on the device and a valve in the reservoir would be opened to allow the flow of dirty water into the device. The implementation of a removable reservoir makes it so no other container will be needed to use the device.

3.2 Filter System

            The filter will be made of multiple components. The water will first pass through a course filter to remove large particulate. Once the large particulate is filtered out the water would travel through a finer filter that would remove smaller particulate. A charcoal filter would then be last to filter out any chlorine, sediment, volatile organic compounds, taste and odor. The filter system will be designed in a manner that it can be disassembled for occasional cleaning and maintenance.

3.3 Ultraviolet Light

            An ultraviolet light will be implemented in the system to kill bacteria, viruses, and mold. The optimal rate at which the water can pass by the UV light and still be purified must be determined. The design will ensure that the UV light has the greatest exposure possible to the water.

3.4 Reverse Osmosis

            Once the water travels through the filter system and under the UV light, the reverse osmosis process begins. A pump will be used to force the water through a semipermeable surface so that any particulate that made it through the filter and any organisms that the UV light neutralized will be removed from the water. The motor on the pump will consume extra energy and burn up if it runs without moving any water. To solve this issue, a switch must be implemented so that the pump only runs in the presence of water.

3.5 Power

            Power for the system will be provided by a solar panel. The solar panel will then charge a battery. Power will then be sent from the battery to power the UV light and the reverse osmosis pump. The design team will determine the compatibility of these components. A display will tell the user the level of the battery to determine if there is enough available energy to preform the purification process. A power switch will be implemented so that the UV light is only on when the device is in use. A power activated switch will also be placed in line between the solar panel and the battery so that power from the solar panel is cut once the battery is fully charged. Overcharging the battery will lead to a short battery life and longer charging times so this is essential to the design of the device.

3.5 Flow of Water

            The flow of water to and from each of the components will be done using PVC pipe. PVC is a widely used material and therefore will be easily implemented in the design of this device. When the water is passed under the UV light the water will need to be exposed and therefore a clear plastic pipe will need to be used in place of the PVC pipe.

3.6 Lower Reservoir

            The lower reservoir is where the clean water will drain to once it has completely gone through the machine. The lower reservoir will have a faucet so that clean water can be tapped directly from it.

3.7 Frame

            The frame will be a structure that supports the other components. Ideally, all components will be as compact as possible within the frame. The frame will allow the device to be moved more easily and without causing damage to the device. The desgin team will create the frame out of angle iron because of its strength and because it is relatively easy to work with for an experienced  member of the design team.

4      Project Timeline

Table 1: Water Purifiction device project timeline.

	Week
Task	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Research of DC power	x	x	x
Research of water filtration systems	x	x	x
Mechanical design		x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
Electrical design		x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
Purchasing materials	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
Assembly						x	x	x	x
Testing							x	x	x	x
Final report preparation								x	x	x

5      Facilities and Resources

The manufacturing of the design team’s sample unit will involve extensive use of the machine shop for creation of the frame of the machine. The frame will be created using a bandsaw and a welder from the machine shop.

6      Expertise

Production of the sample unit will require the design team to be skilled in welding for creation of the metal frame. Additionally, the design team must learn basic circuit theory and analysis in order to connect the solar panel to the battery and the battery to the pump and any other components that require electric power. The design team must learn how to work with a solar panel and the output of electric power that it produces. The design team must have a firm understanding of DC power to correctly wire the apparatus.

7      Budget

Table 2: Sample freshman design project budget. To add captions like this one, right-click the table or figure and select "Caption". Place all captions BENEATH figures and ABOVE tables.

Category	Projected Cost
Filter media and case	$55
Ultraviolet Light	$60
Reverse Osmosis assembly	$50
Power Supply	$50
Misc. PVC pipe and fittings	$25
Frame	$50
Misc. Harware	$30
Misc. electronic components	$25
TOTAL	$345

7.1                   Filter Media and Case

            Filter media will perform primary filteration, mainly focusing on getting out particulate matter such as dirt or sand.  The filters will be put into a five-gallon water dispenser and from there will be transported to the lower resivour which will also be made out of a water jug.

7.2                   Ultraviolet Light

     The ultraviolet light will be used to perform the task of elimiating the bacteria present in the water.  This will happen after the water has went through the primary filter and the larger parts have already been filtered out.

7.3                   Reverse Osmosis

Like the UV light, reverse osmosis is another way of filtering out the bacteria present in the water.  This will be an alternative to the UV light, since having both of them at the same time may be require too much power and not yield much of a benefit.

7.4    Power Supply

      The power supply for this design will consist of battery that will store the energy recieved by the solar pannel and transmit it to the motor and the UV light. 

7.5   Miscellaneous PVC Pipes and Fittings

     The PVC pipes and fittings are important in controlling the flow of water and not letting any get into unwanted areas.  This means preventing leaks and making sure none of the components are subject to water damage. 

7.6    Frame

     The frame for this apparatus will be constructed with angle iron.  This is becasue this type of iron is exteremly durable and will have no problems holding everything together.  Another benefactor of working with angle iron is becaue it is not a challenging metal to weld. 

7.7    Miscellaneous Hardware

     The miscellaneous hardware used in this project will consist of the nuts, bolts and other various components to hold everything together.

7.8    Miscellaneous Electronic Components

     The electronic peices used in the construction are to help the user understand the aparatus to ensure that everything is operating properly.  Another use for the electronic components is to transfer the energy from the solar pannel to the battery and then from the battery to the UV light and or the motor.