Sunday, March 9, 2008

Planning outline - revised

Project:
Sustainable drinking water solutions for developing nations.

Method:
Determine best/most efficient purifying method.
- Research different types of purification.
- Cost-benefit of each.

Calculate power required (if any) for purifiers, pumps, etc.
-Manufactures' data sheets.

Calculate ways to maintain power level.
-Solar, wind, hydro, etc.

Number of homes/people in one area can use a single water purifier.
-Define flow/purify rate.
-Define average use.
-Determine storage size based on use.

Determine climate data (hours of sunlight, rainfall, etc.)
-Weather.com/BBC Weather Centre for most recent/accurate data.

Additional hardware - What's required and costs.
-Batteries for power storage, pipes, pumps, etc.

Final cost-benefit analysis.
-Would enough people be able to benefit to justify the cost?

Also:
Specific project must be defined (specific equipment, location).

Special problems:
Who will perform maintenance if required?
Can the residents construct it?
Will items have to be shipped (added cost) or can they be found locally?




Planning outline


Project:
Completely sustainable homes in rural developing countries including clean water and power.

Method:
Determine the best/most efficient purifying method
-Research different types of purification
-Cost/benefit of each

Calculate power required for electric water pump (if needed) and purifier.
-Manufacture's data sheets for high efficient purifiers.

Calculate how many photovoltaic cells required to maintain power level.
-Manufacture's data sheets.
-General photovoltaic information

Hom many homes/people in one area can use a single water purifier?
-Define the flow rate through a purifier.
-Define average use.
-Determine storage size based on use.

Determine climate data (hours of sunlight/rainfall).
-Weather.com/BBC Weather Centre for most recent data.

Additioinal hardware - Waht's required and costs.
-Batteries, etc.

Final cost/benefit analysis.
-Would enough people be able to benefit to justify the cost?

Also:
Specific equipment (purifiers, photovoltaic cells, etc.) must be defined.
Specific location must be defined.

Special problems:
Where will the cells be purchased? Will they have to be shipped? (added cost)
Who will perform maintenance if any required?
Can the people who will live in the building construct it?

10 comments:

Travis Helm said...

Gordon,
good topic man, that's going to be a very interesting report to read. Just found an article that is right in your ball park, also has some pretty good references. hope this helps you out with your research.
Cheers, Travis.
http://www.cee.mtu.edu/peacecorps/documents_july03/Disinfection_FINAL.pdf

Gordon T. said...

Thanks Travis, looks like an informative read. I'll take a look at that and add it to my resources.

Travis Helm said...

My bad, the last part of the link is missing.

/Disinfection_FINAL.pdf

Derek Anderson said...

Gordon,
Topic is somewhat related to mine, I'm pretty interested to see the final result. Feel free to check out some of my links for rain barrels it might help, in the meantime I found a decent link for you.

http://www.csep.co.uk/downloads/information_sheet_water_recycling.pdf

Halfway down there it talks about treatment so its suitable to drink. Hope this helps.

Derek

Dale Parkes said...

Your site is looking much improved. Great photo! You have defined your topic well, now you just need to define how you will apply your research. Kevin Ryan is away for another week or so. Hopefully when he returns you can strike up a conversation. I was talking to another potential client on the weekend who wants to build a ranch house up in Knutsford, but he does not think the two wells on the site will produce enough water to support a house, so this topic also applies close to home as well. Although this guy will certainly not die without the water.

Jeremy Wolfe said...

"but he does not think the two wells on the site will produce enough water to support a house, so this topic also applies close to home as well. Although this guy will certainly not die without the water."

It seems that there is a big difference between making water suitable to drink and having enough water to supply a house.

Anonymous said...

Would you be interested in applying this research to a real world village?

I could likely help connect you to one in Kenya who would benefit greatly from any improvements you might find.

Let me know. Contact me at The Water Project

Dale Parkes said...

This is exactly the kind of input that I was hoping for on these blogs! The Water Project appears to be a real organization that can benefit from your expertise (or the expertise that you will have once your research is completed). I suggest that you contact them and hopefully both sides will learn something.

Gordon T. said...

Dale,
I already have. He's going to Kenya in May and will be connecting me with a village there. We're also setting up a phone interview for next week sometime.

Dustin Remillard said...

Check out this term paper.. hope it helps

http://www.collegetermpapers.com/TermPapers/Environmental_Science/Water_Issues_in_Kenya.shtml