Figure 5. The pump rough design. 

Figure 6. Charcoal "sacs or thylakoids" with crushed charcoal inside and T-shirt material holding it. 

Figure 7. An image of the pump and plastic cup. 

Figure 8. The bottom of the plastic cup with holes cut at the bottom. 

Week 4: April 24, 2015

This is the fourth meeting of group 4 laboratory period. It is established that the group needs to test three different materials, with 3 different volumes of materials, and 3 different volumes of water per material. So, there will be a total of 27 trials. The three different materials are charcoal, sand, and fabrics, say from a cut up T-shirt. The group continued to discuss the tangible building of the filter. The original idea that was proposed was it would be a two-way pump. However, after more discussion this is proving to be more difficult than assumed. So, the group is discussing a new possible design in which the two-way pump can still work. Also, outside of class, a simple "protoype" design idea was built with a plastic tumbler bottle. Three holes were cut out on the bottom of the bottle, and the top was cut and rounded off. Using cardboard, a round surface was built and three wooden dowels in the shape of a tripod were attached to it using glue. In the real filter, glue will not be used, however this was used just for current circumstances to test the shape of this pump. Black cotton (t-shirt) material was wrapped around the cardboard and duct tape was taped underneath (just for current circumstances). Smaller holes were poked into the cardboard area. Pictures follow this blog post. Also during this laboratory period, sacs of charcoal were made with t-shirt fabric being the sac carrier material. These sacs were placed inside the clear plastic bottle. However, a problem arose because some fine charcoal was coming through the t-shirt. A proposed idea was to place sand under the charcoal as a second layer so that no charcoal would leave the holes. However, the group is in process of acquiring sand. The general idea of this test is to test the pressure of the the water and pump onto these charcoal sacs. This was tested, and pictures follow. However, the test did not work very well. There were too many holes poked into the cardboard pump, and too much charcoal was flowing through, and the water was darker due the charcoal. This will be tested again outside of class in the following week.

Figure 4. An image of the charcoal purchased at a local store, which in simulation would be made from scratch. 

Figure 4. Matthew Long pouring water through the finely mashed charcoal. 

Week 3: April 17, 2015

This is the third laboratory period of the group meeting. For this period, the group has gathered charcoal, plastic cups, cloth, coffee filters and multiple tools. For the collection vessel, questions that arise are "how much can it hold?", "does it have a flat bottom or should it be propped up?" and "is it fragile?"The objective in testing materials is that the group must test a minimum of three different materials, three different times. Additionally, the group will be measuring two different volumes of filter material used. First, using one Solo cup and a screwdriver, multiple small holes were made on the bottom of the cup. Then, large pieces of charcoal were placed in a plastic bag. A hammer was used to mash the charcoal into fine, thin pieces. In the simulation, charcoal will be made from scratch. What charcoal requires to be made is fire, firewood, and one container. The wood will be found from trees on the island, the fire would be made with either wood from the island, or a lighter could be found on the crashed plane. The more specific steps on how to make charcoal from scratch follows on a different blog post. So, after the charcoal was mashed into fine pieces, it was placed in the Solo cup with holes in it. The fill line of charcoal was also recorded, this will later be more finely measured and will serve as one of two different volumes of filter material. Water was poured through the "charcoal filter" three different times. Observations were recorded and an excel chart will be created as follows this post. The other filtration material that was tested during this period was the cloth. A basic T-shirt was cut into small squares, and lined along the bottom of a different cup, also marked with holes at the bottom. This filter was tested three different times as well, and was recorded as only one lining of cloth (which will be one of two different 'volumes' of filtration, as two layers will have a thicker volume). These were recorded and tested.

Figure 3. Revised rough sketch of filtration device with labels. 

Week 2: April 10, 2015

This was the second meeting of the group and the second laboratory period. This period, groups were guided to begin thinking about building and testing these devices. The professor stated that testing will be on May 8 and final reports are May 15. During the period, the discussion of more possible materials and supplies took place. Coffee filters were brought into the discussion, because there are definitely a large supply of those on the plane do to the airline serving coffee. Also, charcoal filtering became a possible idea. However, the group had to watch videos and read about how to make your own charcoal, because the survivors of the crash would not have any accessible. After research, it was concluded that while on an island, charcoal can be made. The only materials needed are two bottles, wood and a fire. Technically charcoal would be made on the island for the filtration device, but the group will be purchasing charcoal at a store to reduce hassle. So it came to a conclusion that charcoal would definitely be used in the filtration system. As discussion continued, a re-sketch of the filtration device was composed, and follows this blog post. This sketch is more detailed than the last and more labeled on what materials would be used. At the end of this laboratory period, it was concluded that for next week we would be testing our different materials and the duration of time it takes for water to flow through each material. So, for next period materials should be ready for testing.

Week 1: Group 4 Outside Work

Figure 2. Group 4 hard at work on April 9, 2015 outside of lab. 

Week 1: Brief Sketch of Filtration System

Figure 1. A brief brainstorming sketch of the filtration system. 

Week 1: April 3, 2015

This was the first meeting of the group and first laboratory period. The overview of the project was presented by the professor and groups were formed. The group consists of Matthew L., Charles Z., Jeffrey S., Nicole C., and Cheyenne S. Six different possible scenarios were presented to each group, in which one is chosen by personal decision. These scenarios included zombie apocalypse, deserted island, nuclear war, tsunami, drought, and flood. Group 4 chose the deserted island simulation. Afterwards, the blog was formed and ideas for the filtration system were being brainstormed. The general consensus was that sand would definitely be used and it is assumed a spring is located on the island. Other materials that are provided by the laboratory are 1-micron sized beads for bacteria, colored solutions for organics and copper solution for metal removal. Remaining materials must be obtained independently. Possible ideas were then discusses amongst the group. One idea was a pump that could pull water into the container continuously by placing the pump in the spring, and pump it out through the filtration materials through tubing through a fine filter. This idea was not used because it relied too heavily on creating enough suction to lift the water with only scrap material. Also, rubber tubing from a plane crash would have been used for engine components and would be saturated with gasoline, jet fuel or other harmful chemicals. The second idea that came into discussion was a similar design that uses a pump with a one-way valve into which water will be fed by the user. Two course filters will prepare the water for pumping by removing any large materials from it. The user will then push down on the pump to force the water through a fine filter that will contain and pull back on the pump to allow more water into the chamber. A brief sketch of this design proposal is also posted on this blog. This is the general filtration system that will be tested and worked on, with possible alterations as research and testing continues.