Week Ten

Flush Diverter Mechanism Testing

During a second round of testing, the effectiveness of the flush diverting ball mechanism was validated. Using dirt and leaf debris similar to what would be found on Miramar roofs during the rainy season, the rainwater drum was filled with water flushed from a dirty piece of metal. After the 35 gallons were collected, the cleaner output water was tested for turbidity along with samples taken from the full drum and at various stages in the flush process. Although differences in lighting and photographic conditions preclude a direct comparison with the previous turbidity test, the results show a correlation with the trend of gradually decreasing contaminants that was observed in the first test.

Set-up for Flush Diverter Mechanism Testing and Turbidity Test #2

Finalization of Prototype Construction

With testing completed, the flush diverter components (heretofore assembled temporarily) were permanently sealed using PVC cement. Furthermore, to simulate the bamboo supports necessary in holding the weight of the diverting pipes when connected to Miramar homes, wooden dowels were purchased and used to support these freestanding components.

Tutorial Document

After the preliminary construction of the prototype, the computer-aided design of the flush diverter was updated to account for modifications that were made during material acquisition and testing. With these improvements finalized, the tutorial document detailing the proper construction of the flush diverter was written and is available on the Tutorial page.

Week Nine

Prototype Construction

This week, the group finished construction of the rainwater flush diverter prototype and conducted some testing of the efficiency of the first-flush and of the water stopper mechanism. This mechanism (consisting of a buoyant ball tied to a string) works to prevent the contamination by forming a water-tight seal between the drum and the diverted water. Without this component, convective currents could bring dirt up from the drum and contaminate the cleaner water.

Turbidity Testing

The effectiveness of first-flush theory was tested by measuring the turbidity of a small piece of contaminated metal with a volume of water proportional to the full volume of the drum.
The group collected data on various photographic elements of the samples (Aperture, ISO, Shutter Speed) that can be related to the amount of light reflected by the water (Lumens).

The test conditions for the turbidity test.

Decrease in contaminants at different stages of first-flush

The group only conducted one test, due to the existence of dirt and rust on the metal which was washed away after the first-flush.  A second test is planned pending the acquisition of a second piece of metal.

Goals for Next Week

• Update the CAD design to accommodate the changes in the constructed prototype
• These changes include the ball/string stopper mechanism and the rubber tubing.
• Create how-to document based on CAD diagram
• Update final report and complete presentation

Final Presentation (Tentative)

Monday, June 4th, 2016
4:00 PM

Week Eight

Prototype Construction

With the delivery of the fiber drum, it is possible to finally construct the flush diverter prototype. This week, the pipe segments and couplings were attached together (without cement) and connected to the rainwater drum.

The team prepares the materials for prototype construction.

The finished prototype is connected to the fiber drum.

Pending Modifications

Although construction of the main body of the prototype is completed, several components are still missing that will be necessary for full functionality.

• Coupling necessary to connect output pipe to T-junction
• Ball/String stopper mechanism to seal rainwater drum when full
• Structural support to keep pipes stable

Goals for Next Week

• Test the effectiveness of the flush diverter (pending constructions of the stopper mechanism)
• Perform turbidity test to evaluate cleanliness of the water following the first-flush
• Begin preparation for the final report/presentation

Available Times for Final Presentation during Week 11 (tentative):

Monday 11:30 - 1PM
Wednesday before 12PM
Thursday before 10:45AM

Week Seven

Prototype Construction
Construction was delayed due to a delay in the delivery of the fiber drum. Once this critical piece has arrived, we can begin to test the functionality of the flush diverter.

Machine Shop Visit
Andrea and Knesis used the machine shop to cut the 5ft. PVC pipe into manageable ~1ft. segments for use in the flush diverter.

The team used a Hydraulic Band Saw to cut the PVC pipe.

Each piece was also sanded to remove the burrs.

Planned Turbidity Testing
The proposed testing for the flush diverter would measure the cloudiness of the water, based on the amount of light reflected through it. Although this is not an especially quantitative test, it provides a good indication of relative water quality and the level of contaminants in the water.

Next Week's Goals
- Finalize and submit the Final Report Draft
- Construct the prototype of the flush diverter
- Begin working on the tutorial documentation

Week Six

During this week, Tyler, Anthony and Andrea went on a materials acquisition trip to Lowe's hardware store.

The team makes the journey to the Lowe's Hardware Store to purchase materials for the Flush Diverter.

The collected materials purchased so far

Materials Purchased

• Flush Cleanout Tee Pipe
• 5' PVC Pipe (Schedule 40)
• Flexible Coupling (3" by 2") Reducer
• Rubber Inner Tube
• Male/Female Adapter (Screw Cap)
• O-Ring (2x)
• Steel Clamp (~2-3")
• Primer/Cement Pack

Materials Ordered

• 35-Gallon Fiber Drum

Goals for Next Week

• With the materials purchased from Lowe's, as well as the 35-gallon fiber drum about to be delivered, the team is ready to begin construction of the flush diverter. Prior to assembly, the 5' PVC pipe will need to be cut into two pieces. We hope to accomplish this task by utilizing the services of the Drexel Machine Shop.
• The draft of the final report is due next week. This preliminary summary of our project will include our up-to-date research on the rainwater catchment system as well as the changes we have made to the design following our initial proposal.

Week Five

The main goal for this week is materials acquisition. For this purpose, some of the team is planning to buy a majority of the supplies this week from the Lowe's hardware store on 52nd and Lancaster Ave.

Team: Andrea, Tyler, Anthony
When: Sunday May 1st.
Transportation: Private Taxi (Uber, Lyft, etc.)

Most items from the Materials list are expected to be found, including PVC pipes, O-Rings, and Coupling Connectors. The 35-Gallon Fiber Drum is a specialized part and will have to be ordered separately.

Group meeting in the Idea Lab during Week Five.

One critical aspect of the materials acquisition process is photographic documentation, which will prove critical when creating the walk-through guide for flush diverter construction.

Another goal for next week is the creation of an official Gantt Chart with tasks divided by group member.

It is also important to finalize information regarding the final presentation in Week 10.
The final report draft is due Week 7, which is fast approaching.

Materials Update

Update from the Machine Shop

Jess and Andrea made a quick visit to the Machine Shop in the Engineering Design Labs to discuss locations to purchase materials for the Flush Diverter. The Machine Shop has some spare materials lying around, so our group was able to collect some lengths of PVC pipe. The worker there suggested visiting the Lowe's hardware store on Lancaster Ave. to gather the rest of our materials.

Group member Jess with two PVC pipes collected from the Machine Shop.