The BALTO Filtera design for emerging markets project

Team Eight: Eric Sternberg, Leah Frederick, ,Steve Schweigert and Kelsi McKinley Lester

Hierarchical CustomerNeeds Assessment

1.0 Performance (0.48, 0.48)1.1 Large Capacity for Water (0.1344,0.28)1.2 Able to Distribute water (0.3216, 0.67)1.3 Able to Expand to hold more water (.0288, 0.06)F.1 Siphon/Pump WaterF.2 Filters Water to Safe Drinkable Levels 2.0 User-Friendly (0.19,0.19)2.1 Easy to operate (.0456, 0.24)2.2 Relatively Maintenance Free (0.0494, 0.26)2.3 Cost to Consumer (0.0589,0.31)2.4 Ease of Repair (0.0361, 0.19) 3.0 Portable (0.33,0.33)3.1 Easy to maneuver (0.1221, 0.37)3.2 Ergonomic to Use (0.0396, 0.12)3.3 Useable on rural terrain (0.1221, 0.37)3.4 Lightweight (0.0429, 0.13)C.1 Inexpensive to ManufactureC.2 Utilizes local resources

SCAMPER Chart

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/africa/kenya.gif

Step Description Objectives

S (Substitute)

Rather than building a wooden frame that attaches to the top of the jugs, use a thicker base frame to hold jugs in place. This reduces materials and simplifies the design.

1, 2,3

C (Combine)

The local resources could be used to make clay pots instead of the plastic ones. This would make the jugs more susceptible to breaking, but it would reduce the cost, utilize more sustainable materials.

1, 3

A(Adapt) Our design already adapts old bicycle wheels to build the cart. 1,2

M(Modify)

The simple design could be easily altered to hold more jugs; for example, it could be widened to carry 4 jugs or even 6. The cart would be heavier and harder to maneuver, but would transport much more water.

2

P(Put)

Removing the jugs allows the user to put other items in the cart that need to be transported. Also, the filters can be removed and just to filter other water that wasn’t brought in the cart.

2

E(Eliminate) The wooden frame over the jugs was eliminated. 1, 2, 3

R(Reverse) n/a n/a

ConclusionThe Balto: Water Filter and Transport System meets all of our customer needs; it is able to filter, distribute, and transport ten gallons of water on the terrain in rural Kenya. Our design is also sustainable, as it is created out of local resources and utilizes recycled bicycle wheels and as a result is cost effective.

HOW DOES IT WORK?Our filtration system utilizes a ceramic filter impregnated with colloidal silver. The ceramic pot is made from a mixture of plant material and clay. Thus, after the pot is fired, the miniscule cavities left by the plant material create a filtration matrix through which the dirty water flows. The ceramic pot filter filters out most impurities by trapping them in the system of pores. Colloidal silver, an antibacterial agent, breaks down the bacteria’s cell walls and causes them to die, thus leaving clean water. The filter flows through the ceramic filter fairly slowly but the flow rate can be increased by first stretching a fabric swatch over the pot’s opening to reduce turbidity before the pot’s filtration process begins. The filter can filter approximately .8 gallons of water per hour.

The cart system utilizes a three wheel system. The two larger wheels carry most of the weight. The third wheel is much smaller and serves mostly as a guide wheel and stabilizer. The third wheel should keep the cart from bouncing around thus extending the cart’s life. The cart’s handle’s design is similar to a shopping cart because shopping carts seem to work for all heights and body types. The water containers can be easily removed and the cart can be used for alternative purposes when the containers are removed.

AbstractOur second design challenge is a combination of two of the Design for Emerging Markets (DEM) projects: “Filter Press” and “Put Wheels on Anything”. Our team decided to design a water transportation and filter system for a village in Kenya. Initially we conducted detailed research on the living conditions, economy, and local resources in Kenya, thus determining that the design had to be durable, made of local materials, and easy to assemble and repair.

  Cart Design Filter

Push/Pull

Push: easier and more ergonomic when pushing

heavy load

Pull: Hard to maneuver on rough terrain

Concept 1: Ceramic Filter imbedded with Colloidal Silver

Number of

Wheels

1 wheel: wheelbarrow like design, hard to

control

2 wheels: dolly design,

must lift more weight

to move

3 wheels: tricycle; less material than

4 wheels

4 wheels: wagon design, uses the most material

Concept 2: Biological Filter

Jug HoldStraps: absorbs shock of terrain;

can be made of rope (natural local resources)

Cutouts: must be made to fit jugs, more rigid

Concept 3: Solar Disinfection

Type of Wheel

Bicycle: uses materials already available, could

recycle broken bike parts

Small wooden: must be made, hard to make perfectly round

Concept 4: Boiling

Concept 5: Cloth Filter

Morphological Chart