Week Three (April 17th, 2018 - April 23rd, 2018)

       This week we came prepared in the lab with all of our materials. Last week's post listed all of the materials that we planned on using for our design. This current week picked the first sketch for our design for filtering the water. It is more compiled and it is one system. The top layer is filled with legos, then charcoal, and then finally the sand.


       We came up with a few justifications of why we have certain materials in our bunker so that our design water filtration is as realistic as possible in the case of a nuclear war. The purpose of the legos is mainly for entertainment purposes because, in a bunker, entertainment is confined to the indoors. Therefore, being able to build something keeps the mind busy and active even though it is confined indoors. The large plastic bottles exist in the bunker due to soda bottles being in the bunker. Sand is integral in the bunker to help absorb any leaks in the bunker and it is important building component, in order to secure the foundation of the bunker. Charcoal is another component that will be in a bunker because of the burned ashes from the wood that warms the entire bunker. Rubber bands, cotton balls, duct tape, and coffee filters are all common materials that are found in everyone's home and are used for a variety of things.


       In class (April 16, 2018), we focused mainly on conducting tests with each and every layer that we planned on using in our design. First, we cut the top of one of the two-liter bottles by a fourth, so the bottom was completely opened.


       The first layer we tested was the legos because we wanted to see if it was a suitable replacement for gravel. However, we used the makeup cotton pad and a rubber band on the neck of the soda bottle, in order to keep the legos inside the bottle. However, when we started to filter the water, we forgot to take in consideration that nothing was holding down the legos. So, the legos just floated on top of the water. From that, we realized either we needed to keep the legos in one uniform case or we could not test it without another substance.


       The next layer we tested was the sand, prior, we were concerned that our sand was too soft. However, we realized it was the perfect texture. We initially, weighed the sand at about 244.83 g and added about 260 mL of water to the filtration bottle for about 10 minutes. The sand helped filter the water, however, we forgot to take into consideration that the sand was dirty. So, the water came out a little browner than what we had anticipated. We did a few different tests, with different volumes of sand, in order to gain some type of idea of how much sand would be needed in our final design.


       The last layer we tested was the charcoal. This layer was a little harder than what we had expected for a few different reasons. The charcoal that we obtained was a little bit finer than what we had expected, so it was not as compact. None of us in the group had a clear idea of how much charcoal would be needed in order to filter out the right amount of materials. We tested two different samples: one test the charcoal was weighing in at 42.8 g, while the other test was at 15.6 g. Both amounts were way too much and did a poor job filtering out clean water. Next week, we will figure out the appropriate amount of charcoal works.

Week Two (April 10th, 2018 - April 16th, 2018)

This week we finalized the materials for our water purifying design. We discussed multiple different approaches to tackle the best way to purify the water, but next week we will test different ways in the lab to achieve the best solution. We came up with the following list: 

• 2 Liter Soda Bottles (2)
• Gallon size water (1)
• Coffee Filters
• Charcoal 
• Rubber Bands
• Unglazed ceramic plate
• Cotton makeup wipes / Cotton balls
• Medical tape/duct
• Legos
• Crushed Stone

We came up with a few design ideas for our water purifying device in case of nuclear war. This encompasses all of the parts of the design and it is more compact. This is the first design:

 

This is our second design, it is comprised of multiple systems. So, that the water can be filtered perhaps more thoroughly.  

Overall, we will definitively test out different methods in order to find the best solution to purify the water in the three different stages.  

Week One (April 3rd, 2018 - April 9th, 2018)

       This week, we decided the members of this group, group 13, Stefan Jablokow, Amy Rosenberg,  Olivia Szabo, and myself (Laurynn Boissonniere). Our advisor and professor of our ENGR 103-063, Professor Caroline Schauer, gave us six different scenarios: a zombie apocalypse, flooding, nuclear war, drought, stuck on a deserted island, or a five-category hurricane. Each scenario offers different challenges and distinctive resources that are only available in that certain scenario. 


          Our group decided to do the nuclear war scenario because we best thought we could come up with a creative solution that could be used in this situation. And also we felt as if, this situation was most interesting and exciting because it is a real situation that could happen in our lifetime.


       Next week, we will make a detailed list of the supplies that we need to obtain in order to create the water filter. Due to the scenario of nuclear war, we are confined to an underground bunker, therefore, we will not be able to go out and get supplies from other houses or even a hardware store. The supplies would have to be sustainable and also would have to be practical in this situation. In next week's blog post, we will illustrate our supply list and our method to create an efficient water filter.