Project Overview

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Timeline of Project: January 6th - February 15th

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Monday-16 Team Portrait

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Scenario 4: Algae Growth and Accumulation in Treatment Ponds

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• Location: Tampakan, Phillipines
• Containment size: 1-100 μm
• Wastewater ponds experience excessive algae growth caused by hot climate
• Traps organic material, clogs filters, reduces efficiency, and can harm livestock

This project aimed to identify the ideal material for a specialized wastewater filtration system. Using Ansys Granta EduPack software and thorough research, we evaluated various materials to find a durable, cost-efficent, and eco-friendly. Our analysis led us to select UHMWPE fibre as the most suitable filter material.

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Our Problem Statement: “Create a design for a wastewater filtration system using general knowledge of wastewater treatment and filtration systems to remove waste and contaminants of 1-100 micrometres and reduce algae growth in the water for the animals and environment of the Philippines, reducing water toxicity levels, which prevents negative health effects.”

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Team’s Work and Personal Contributions

Team Contribution

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Early Identifications

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• Created an objective tree and outlined the three most significant objectives
  • Durability: Measured in Stress (Pa)
  • Low production cost: Measured in CAD ($)
  • Eco-friendliness: Measured in Energy consumption (kW)
• Created a Morph chart, listing the significant functions and their means

Algae-infested pond

Eco Audit for UHMWPE

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Research

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• Created multiple research memos to explore different filtration processes and technologies
• Researched regulations of the Phillipines regarding energy-use, clean water, and land-use
• Investigated end of life process alternatives for our top selected materials
• Created lifecycles for our top three materials

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Calculations and Decision-Making

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• Conducted Material Performance Index (MPI) calculations to optimize carbon footprint and production energy, our primary design objectives
• Used insights from morph charts, secondary research, life cycle assessments, and eco audits to refine material selection
• Identified top three candidate materials: UHMWPE fiber, Polypropylene fiber, and PTFE (Teflon)
  • Selected UHMWPE fiber as the final choice based on highest overall ranking in the decision matrix and successful porosity compliance.
• Calculated key material properties of UHMWPE fiber, including porosity and elastic modulus, and cross-referenced with the Ashby chart to confirm suitability.
  • Estimated the porosity by comparing the Young’s modulus of the porous and non-porous material, using values from the Ashby chart and Granta database.
  • Giving a porosity of approximately 7.30%, which ensured the material maintained the necessary mechanical strength for effective filtration.

Personal Contributions

• Arranged the comprehensive list of sources
• Wrote the “Sustainable Choices” portion in final report
• Created the life cycle for Polypropylene fiber
• Completed the MPI for minimizing production energy
• Kept track of sources as Subject Matter Expert and ensured the sources were reliable