Melissa Shinbein's Individual Contribution Page

Fall 2013 Final Contributions 

Since the middle of semester, the Foam Filtration team has made great strides towards redesigning our apparatus. This new design involves all the foam being in a single 55-gallon drum, complete with chemical dosing, LFOM, improved cleaning mechanisms, and chlorination. The drum and all additional components will be mounted on a wooden frame that will be constructed in Honduras. When members of the team, including myself, arrive in Honduras we will put together the whole apparatus and demonstrate its effectiveness. Additionally, improved cleaning mechanisms involve a concrete slab attached to a hoist. This slab will compress the foam, since the foam is now at approximately 23inches in diameter a simple plunger will no longer exert enough force to compress the foam. To remove the dirty water that pools on top of the foam, we will use flexible tubing to act as a siphon. Dirty water at the bottom will simply flow out of a drain pipe. The goal for these last few weeks of prep is to put these components together as pieces arrive to have the system ready to be mounted once we arrive in Honduras this upcoming January. 

Next semester, we will work to improve any components that prove troublesome whether in Honduras or en route. Also, after submitting an EPA P3 competition proposal for an emergency design, we will follow up on any further research required by the P3 and on making said design by having the components more "compact". This entails having all pieces fit inside the drum for easy transport and set up in emergency settings. 

Fall 2013 Mid-Semester Contributions 

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