Post on 25-May-2015
The Biomass Project:
A Model for Bottom-of-the-Pyramid Projects
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute & KNUSTThe Design Lab & College of Engineering
Charles “Casey” Goodwin & Lawrence Darkwah
RPI/KNUST Collaboration
Plan: Biomass Project as a template for future collaborative projects
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
The Design Lab
Introduction to Engineering Design(Sophomore level)
Capstone Design
Project
Project
Project
Project…
Biomass
Project
KNUST
College of Engineering
Chemical Engineering Principles
Process Engineering Projects
Project
Project
Project
Project…
Biomass
Project
CollaborativePartnership
E*ntrepreurshipat Rensselaer
(Rob Chernow)
Humanities and Social Science (Ron Eglash) Ghanaian
Farmers
KNUST School of Business
Kumasi Institute for Technology Energy
and the Environment
Vision/Goal1. Long Term:
1. More numerous and better Global Design projects.2. Continued and improved relationship with partners3. Spin out enterprises from successful projects
2. Near Term:1. To design a portable device which produces energy from biomass and
waste streams2. To provide educational value to students (KNUST & RPI) – Practical Problem Solving
and Skills training
Near Term Objectives1. To produce a device which is cost effective to build, operate, and maintain.2. To device portable real-time and reliable measuring tools for parameters
measurements3. To validate data collected from prototypes of devices.4. To assess cultural, environmental, and socio economic benefits / impacts ‐5. To establish student and faculty exchange programmes for designing, laboratory
assessments, field trials and evaluations.
Internet
Textbooks Raw MaterialsLaboratory
FacilitiesCatalogues
Library
RESOURCES
ACTIVITIESField Trips & International
Travel
Group Brainstorming
Prepare Statement of
Work
Build Teams
Create Poster & present Laboratory
testingPrototype Building
Designing with CADWrite Mid-term
Report
PEOPLEVisionary /
Networker - Ron Eglash
End Users (Farmers)
Mentors - Casey, Aren, Lawrence &
others
SeniorsLauren Spinelli
& othersCollaborators - Rob Chernow
Teaching Models & Materials
Team Building (MBTI)
Field Trips
Decision Matrices for
Decision-making
Leverage Previous Courses
Methods of Data Collection (EDA)
Customer Requirements
Engineering Specifications
(Numerical Methods)
Translate to Market
SpecificationsLaboratory
Process
Technical Reporting
Poster Creation &
Poster Presentation
Learning Outcome
Design Skills
Acquisition
Physical Output
(Deliverables)
Prototypes
Practical Problem Solving
Techniques
Communication Skills Improvement
– Customers & Stakeholders
Project Topic Formulation
Effective Working in Multidisciplinary
Team
Global Perspective Analysis
Data Collection
Team & Leadership Skills Acquisition
Stimulated Students Design Reports Business Plans
Prototype/Artifact
Production
Experience with Sourcing
Materials
Design Softwares
& Facilities
Future Plans (Biomass project)• Next Steps: 1. Refining the current Biosolar prototype
for sun tracking• 2. Field testing of Biosolar in Ghana with variety of
feedstocks• 3. Characterization of properties and quantities of the
streams of products – Syngas, Bio-oil and Biochar• 4. Operational Parameter Devices design & production• Time frame/Schedule: 3 – 5 years to complete project
(Not sure yet).• Needs/Partnerships: RPI, KNUST, GMD, DSES,
Farmers/Farmer Co-ops, KITE (TBD)
Future Plans (Strategic Plan)
• Continue Biomass project to completion• Begin new projects with KNUST and others• Begin course at RPI to augment Design Lab
Capstone Course projects focusing on Global Design
• Begin course at KNUST in entrepreneurship and business startup
Strengths Weaknesses
Opportunities Threats
SWOTAnalysis
• Steady Supply of Students• Multidisciplinary Expertise
• Lack of Business Experience (we are engineers)
• Low skills (of end users)• High materials Cost in Ghana
• Cultural Barriers• Communication• Time difference• Languages (Twi,fante, etc.)
• [biomass project] – availability of raw material
• Emerging markets• [ghana] – low labor rate• Exchange Programs• Social Impact
The Ah-Ha Stage: Initial Prototypes
Conventional Pyrolysis (KNUST) BioSolar Pyrolysis (RPI)