Define
Our problem is simple but quite difficult to solve. We are acting as a water filtration company to make a filter to make provided waste water clean enough to be released back into the Pitt river. The challenge was to make a good filter only with the materials that were provided by Ms. Yorke.
To do this, groups would have to find what different combinations of materials could clean the water. There were materials such as Carbon rocks, Sand, Sponges and so on. To find the right combination, its just a process of trail and error.
Discover
There have been many different types of ways to filter water. However, most water filters consist of very small holes that only let water pass through, capturing any dirt or pieces in it. In the past there were lots of different ways such as boiling water. Boiling water in my opinion is the most popular and most common way of cleaning water as it is simple and easy to do.
A lot of designs in the past were based around using sand to filter out things like salt from salt water. These designs were called “Slow Sand Filters”. As the name suggests this did take a long process. The main idea was for there to be a purifying plant where water was put through a process involving gravel and sand. Following that process, the water would be distributed by horse around the land.
Of course, these designs got overtaken by much more advanced and sophisticated designs that improve on almost every aspect as its predecessor. As humanity advanced, we saw how important the filtration of water is for us and for the environment we live in. Thus, we started finding new ways to filter once a previous way became absolute.
Dream
We had many different ideas and opinions going into this challenge. I feel that it was a challenge of just trying to put all of our ideas into one prototype. Everyone in the group agreed on how the filter structure should look like. However, we were trying to make sure we put in materials that we all thought would make a difference. Once we had our basic idea down of how and what the layers would be like, we managed to draw up a picture of what we wanted.
We tested our materials with water to see how they would work to determine where they should be in the filter or whether to even include it at all. Our goal was to mainly filter out all the things in the water that you could see such as sticks in the first couple layers and then to focus on the quality of the water. We were hoping to perhaps change the clarity of the water which we did however just not as much as we wanted to. In the end, we managed to create a design that we figured could do a very good job in filtering the water enough to release into a river.
Deliver
As you can see in the photo, our filter was designed in layers. Each layer holds a different resource that contributes to the filtering of the waste water. The main structure of the bottle was the top of two 2L bottles cut out and flipped onto the bottom of a 2L bottle. Now, onto the layers!
First layer. In the first layer we but a ton of cotton to eliminate the big pieces from the waste water. Under that, its very hard to see but there is sand that is being held up by cheese cloth, separating it from the next layer. The purpose of this layer was to eliminate the big visible pieces.
Second layer. After passing through that soft first layer, the water now goes through the cheese cloth and into the carbon pebbles. The carbon pebbles are supposed to clean the water so that most of the dirt and other materials in the water are removed. However, in our testing we noticed that the water would get specs of the carbon in it so to add some clarity, we fit in a sponge as one of the last stages with a cap with holes to finish it off and transfer the water into the catchment.
This was the process:
Before filtering
This is what the waste water looks like. Our goal was to make this water as clean as possible. Now this doesn’t look that bad because you’re just looking at it from a screen but the smell, it was HORRIBLE.
During Filtration
It is a little difficult to see however this is what happens as the water is being filtered. The big pieces get caught in that big cloud as it moves down the filter into the final layer where it gets cleaned.
After filtration
This is the final product. Now it may not look the best, but it is way better than how it started. The smell did remain however the color and clarity were greatly improved.
Debrief
Now not everything can be perfect. There will be things that could be improved and/or changed to make it better. I found that our filter functioned quite well in the sense of filtering the water to a very good level. I did expect the carbon to maybe filter the water a little more but maybe in the future with some adjustments that could be done very well.
I was a little disappointed with the product because I feel that maybe we could have made the water just a little bit clearer. If we did have a little more time, I feel that we could have made it close to perfect. However, I am very proud of what we could accomplish in the little time that we did have.
Overall, I feel that this project passed very well and I am looking forward to doing similar projects to this!
Bibliography
- “THE HISTORY OF CLEAN DRINKING WATER.” The History of Clean Drinking Water | APEC Water, www.freedrinkingwater.com/resource-history-of-clean-drinking-water.htm.
- “0510 Hyatt Pure Water Filter.” This Day in Water History, 10 May 2013, thisdayinwaterhistory.wordpress.com/2013/05/08/may-10/0510-hyatt-pure-water-filter/.
- Www.facebook.com/waterfilteranswers. “The History of Water Filters.” Water Filter Answers, 14 Aug. 2019, waterfilteranswers.com/history-water-filters/.