1

Jr3HNZ Innovations Project Notebook

Hahnbee Lee

Nick Kash

Noah Wong

Zaki Panjsheeri
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Table of Contents

Topic Page Number

Title Page 1

Table of Contents 2

Abstract 3.

Brainstorm 4

Matrices 7

Brainstorm Session 2 11

Desalination Methods & Copper Effectiveness 12

Final Project Idea 16

Technical Drawings 17

Research 18

Background Research Summary 21

Timeline 26

Abstract
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Salt Without Water

Noah Wong, Hahnbee Lee, Zaki Panjsheeri

This project is an isochoric depressurization desalinator, a device by which water and

salt are separated by the removal of pressure without changing volume. Such a removal induces a

decrease in vapor pressure and boiling in the salt water sample and thus vaporizes the water into

gas leaving the salt behind. This device, once it is functional and affordable, will have a number

of humanitarian applications such as purification of saltwater for water-starved Third World

regions and of ocean water for ships and lifeboats.

This invention will be a smaller model and has the potential to be applied to a larger

scale. It is innovative in a sense that it will be cost-effective, quick, and smaller scale relative to

the commonplace large desalination plants. Even if it were to be increased in size in the future, it

will be much more compact and portable in comparison to multistep desalination facilities. The

primary benefit of that being that this system is not only cheaper and faster in its current form but

also to iterate and improve upon.

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Brainstorm

Problems of the 3rd world:

Literacy
Littering
Coldness, freezing temperatures, extreme temperatures, lack of insulation
Bad water
Humid areas: create device that pulls the humidity out of the air
Violence
How do we help the third world make money
Farm tool
Isolation: we could create better communication system; improving literacy and

education
Insulating material development: socks that dont rip
A shirt that keeps you cool when you want cool, and hot when you want to be hot
Insulated clothing
Soap that you can use without water
Seeds, agriculture, making money
An app for communication, special news
Irrigation
An inexpensive tablet that is attached to a network; access to textbooks; easy

notetaking thing; electronic binder or notebook; Raspberry Pi from scratch

Immigration
Headset that hears the language and immediately translates; bluetooth translator
A device that makes paper
Water filters
Plumbing
Eyesight; survival of the fittest is not going to happen; glasses or contacts; human

eyesight is going to get worse with technology

Computer screen that is more natural than conventional screens; uses sunlight;

glasses that prevent blue light from penetrating

Screens that produced mass market; people dont want screens with no backlight;

something in between a nook and a modern cell phone light or screen

Teeth, cavities, dental issues, toothpaste without water
Blue light filter; blue light filter glasses; probably more inexpensive to have the

glasses produced than the screens

Some apparatus to reduce strain on eyes
Sandstorms, dust storms, lots of wind and debris
Individual protection from environmental harm
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Pollution (like in China)

Carbon filtration system (inexpensive)
NFC tag, security
Preventing food from rotting; inexpensive refrigeration
Zika, mosquito repellent; something that detects the disease in mosquitos so you

can get bit by the normal ones

Early detection of disease (stopping from finding out too late)
Frequency of exams; cant pay for it
Incineration of waste
Sweating, when its humid its harder for you to sweat, so you get too hot, and

you get heat exhaustion, the desert

Cleaning wounds or cuts
Flying medicine kit (not our original idea)
Endangered animals; bees, device to mutate bees; encourage mating between

endangered species; a device that emits fermions; works like cologne

Automated lint roller
Automatic ironing machine
Shampoo when you dont have water; dry shampoo
Line of mens body care products
Animal to human and human to animal communication
Access to music
Communication of ideas
Eyebrow cleaning
Super thin but super strong bullet proof vest (could be used for animals, like

camels)
Create a cast that does not require professional help
Radios that capture the frequency of a wave, that convert it directly to writing;

satellite
Windmill on body; chewing by putting something on your chin that takes energy
Windmill connected with charger
Something that accelerates decomposition
Portable electric stove
Vertical ironing board; have it pressed up against the wall
Locker room safety
Piezoelectricity to power phone
Gravity-powered fan; water filter (think of the gravity light)
Gravity-powered generator, has outlets
Use the electric force of a magnetic field to power something
Second-hand smoke purification through algae lamp
Protein-shake
Malaria, zika virus,
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Gravity-power water filter with filtration (copper, carbon)

Bleach that doesnt bleach your clothes
Water-powered water pump
Equip a desalination, purification (copper) device to a lifevest, life-preserver
What is the best way to desalinate sea water?
Two containers, one of them containing the sea water, a tube connecting

the two, two check valves to decrease the pressure, and a final container to

drop in the vapor to have water

Find a plant that lives in salt water; plants give off water, going to give off

fresh water, some survival manuals will have you put a bag around a plant
Try to have something that doesnt have electricity, or a power source
Automated Lawn Mower (Like a roomba for you lawn)

5 Strongest Ideas

Radios that capture the frequency of a wave, that convert it directly to writing; satellite

(using Siri technology); give it a screen

Automated iron
A screen with absolutely no blue light emitting from it
Piezoelectric energy
NFC tag door
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Matrices

General Information

Project Idea Society Feasibility Invention

Radio Rebellion, against low Combination of two already

frequency oppressive regimes; established ideas
transcription targeted toward the deaf

Automated Lack of Middle class high Mechanism for heating, gears and
iron willingness to iron roller

Blue light Eyesight of computer and middle Completely new screen; not one
filter screen phone users with or without a backlight,
something totally new, made from
scratch

Piezoelectric Owners of shoes, mostly high Create a sole that captures

energy 1st world, green energy mechanical energy in sole of shoe
generation to be used in something else;
and storage charging batteries
device

NFC tag 1st and 3rd world, lots of high Alarm system connected
different applications

Water Members of both the first High Two containers, one of them
Desalinator and the third world,
and Purifier emergency mechanism containing the sea water, a tube
for Livevests
connecting the two, two check

valves to decrease the pressure,

and a final container to drop in the

vapor to have water

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Opinions: 1 is the best, 5 the worst

Project Idea Hahnbee Lee Nick Kash Zaki Ave.

Panjsheeri

Radio My favorite idea, but Easily the most Most original 2.3
frequency Im concerned with complicated, but is idea; involves a
transcriptor the feasibility and the most inventive lot of work;
technical details of it, idea in this table. computer
wed definitely need Involves transcription aspect not
to research a lot via radio signal to familiar to any
more. (1) convert audio input to of us; most
visual output via an infeasible in
app. Can be done, but the amount of
Im not sure it can be time we have;
done in a semester (3) useful for the
deaf, so it has a
positive
societal impact
(3)

Automated I definitely want to Its a very feasible Feasible; 2.3

ironing try implementing a project, but I feel like programming
device vertical component to its too simple. I should not be
this (2) would like to work as difficult as
out more design the radio;
details for this idea makes life
before we decide (4) easier; rather
original (1)

Anti-blue I personally find this Using a hardware Difficult to 3.3

light screen idea a very needed solution to eliminate market: health
invention. No MORE blue light from benefit vs.
GLASSES! FOR screens while keeping quality (2)
ALL OF how things appear on
HUMANKIND (3) the screen the same is
complicated, and has
a low chance of being
completed before the
semester ends (5)

Piezoelectric Not sure how to There is a lot of Not as original; 3.3

energy make this more precedent with this feasible for the
generator innovative, maybe project, making semester; not
and storage customize it for a design and execution sure how to
unit specific occupation very simple. make some
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(4) However, we do need new use of it

to come up with an (5)
innovative use for it
(1)

NFC Definitely want to This project will be Hard to code, 3.6

apply to security simple to execute. The program; good
measures, not sure programming will be for locker room
what else we could complicated, but the (4)
do because of the design can be easily
small range. (5) tailored to what we
want to do with it (2)

Emergency HL: High feasibility, NK: I believe that a ZP: Most Unanimous
Water depends on how we plant based filter original and agreement:
Desalination decide to approach equipped to a lifevest feasible of our Final Pick
and the problem. Through would be a great idea. ideas; flexible,
Purification a stationary device The Materials would many different
Device (island) or on a life more than fit into our approaches;
vest (middle of the budget, and We have good for
ocean). Reverse options as to how we emergencies
osmosis? Plant? would implement the out at sea
Evaporation by a filtration, whether it
decrease in pressure be a water tank or
or an exothermic some type of straw.
reaction? Lots of No electronics or
ways to approach the heating mechanisms
problem are necessary in a
plant-based system,
making it very safe.
The challenge in a
plant based system
would be keeping the
plant alive throughout
the filtration process
and making sure it
thrives

NW: More likely

than not, low
feasibility due to use
of water and
electronics in single
device. That, and
desalination is a long
multiphase, high-
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energy process. Lots

of methods to
approach the problem

Brainstorm Session II

Note: Keep Constraints in Mind

Budget: $150

Loss Flora and fauna

Environmental losses
Air conditioning
Gravity fan
https://docs.google.com/viewer?
url=patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pdfs/US20120212948.pdf
Big convection fan in factories
Quick iodine tablet (5 minutes)
Ship issues
Desalination
Osmosis
Evaporation
Check valve, bellow, decrease boiling point of water to desalinate
Plant based filter, could be stationary.
http://news.mit.edu/2014/need-a-water-filter-peel-a-tree-branch-
0226
Size of Sea Salt: 0.035-0.050 Microns
Visibility when stranded
Light up light jacket thats powered from your body heat
Reflective blanket
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Desalination Methods

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-dont-we-get-our-drinking-water-from-the-

ocean/

There are two basic methods for breaking the bonds in saltwater: thermal distillation and

membrane separation. Thermal distillation involves heat: Boiling water turns it into vapor

leaving the salt behindthat is collected and condensed back into water by cooling it down.

The most common type of membrane separation is called reverse osmosis. Seawater is forced

through a semipermeable membrane that separates salt from water. The technology typically

requires less energy.

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Copper Effectiveness

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/9762689/Fit-brass-fixtures-to-cut-superbugs-say-

scientists.html

Researchers have discovered that copper and alloys made from the metal, including brass, can

prevent antibiotic resistance in bacteria from spreading.

Even if the bacteria die, DNA that gives them resistance to antibiotics can survive and be passed

on to other bacteria on these surfaces. Copper and brass, however, can kill the bacteria and also

destroy this DNA.

Until relatively recently brass was a relatively commonly used surface. On stainless steel

surfaces these bacteria can survive for weeks, but on copper surfaces they die within minutes.

In research published in the journal Molecular Genetics of Bacteria, Professor Keevil and his

colleagues found that compared to stainless steel bacteria on copper surfaces bacterial DNA

rapidly degraded at room temperature.

Molecular Genetics of Bacteria study:

Naked E. coli DNA degraded on copper at 21C and 37C but slowly at 4C, suggesting a direct
role for the metal. Persistence of viable pathogenic bacteria on touch surfaces may not only
increase the risk of infection transmission but may also contribute to the spread of antibiotic
resistance by HGT. The use of copper alloys as antimicrobial touch surfaces may help reduce
infection and HGT. Horizontal gene transfer.

Rapid death, inhibition of respiration, and destruction of genomic and plasmid DNA of both
pathogens occurred on copper alloys accompanied by a reduction in bla copy number.

In addition, rapid death of both antibiotic-resistant strains and destruction of plasmid and
genomic DNA were observed on copper and copper alloy surfaces, which could be useful in the
prevention of infection spread and gene transfer.
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http://www.asm.org/index.php/88-news-room/journal-tipsheets/1252-dry-copper-kills-bacteria-
on-contact

Metallic copper surfaces kill microbes on contact, decimating their populations, according to a
paper in the February 2011 issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology. They
do so literally in minutes, by causing massive membrane damage after about a minutes
exposure, says the studys corresponding author, Gregor Grass of the University of Nebraska,
Lincoln. This is the first study to demonstrate this mechanism of bacteriocide.
When microbes were exposed to copper surfaces, we observed contact killing to take place at
the rate of tens to hundreds of millions of bacterial cells within minutes, says Grass. This
means that usually no live microorganisms can be recovered from copper surfaces after
exposure.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/ocr_gateway_pre_2011/carbon_chem/0_fund
amental_concepts5.shtml

2Cu + O2 2CuO

Summary: The system contains copper tubing. The chemical reaction of the combustion of

copper, which can also be called the reaction of copper in the presence of oxygen, gives cuprous

oxide, copper rust, antimicrobial properties. The reaction allows for electrons to be transferred,

some lost by the copper and some gained by the oxygen, creating an unstable environment for

the bacteria swimming through the water. These electrons pull on the electrons of the atoms of

the cell membranes of the bacteria, disintegrating the membranes and killing the bacteria.
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http://highline.wa.safeschoolssds.com/document/repo/43e52dce-9808-11e3-9b6e-d8d230712f36

Chemical SDS, pure cuprous oxide

Cuprous Oxide is less toxic than more soluble copper salts, such as copper sulfates.

Except for occasional acute incidents of copper poisoning, few effects are noted in normal

human populations.

http://www.metalroofnet.com/metal-roofing-blog/bid/56192/Copper-Roof-Patina-Process

So when does it go green? Copper goes green and turquoise after prolonged exposure to

moisture. Without accelerating the process, it can actually take 20 years or more in dry climates

for this patina to develop. The pump should last, therefore, at least 20 years.

http://www.fwr.org/copper.pdf

High velocities or turbulence can lead to a type of damage called erosion corrosion: the

protective corrosion layer of the pipe is prevented from thickening.

Restrictions and changes to flow direction cause water velocity to increase locally. Because the

flow of water through the pipe is usually consistent, this will lead to damage at approximately

the same point. The increase in water velocity, additionally, leads to the temporary formation of

bubbles, leading to further corrosion known as a local water hammer effect.

Poor workmanship can cause this to occur such as poorly planned pipework with too many

bends, unreamed cut tube ends, globules of solder, tube ends not fully inserted into fittings
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before soldering, tube ends not cut square, dented tubes, and tubes crimped during bending are

among the workers possible errors.

Abrasive solids like sand has also led to erosion corrosion. Cuprosolvent water and water

softened to near zero, in addition, are also considered causes.

To avoid erosion corrosion, the water flow velocities should not exceed 2m/s in cold water and

0.5m/s in hot water systems. The installation issues mentioned above should also be avoided.

The velocity of water in our pump, however, will not approach nearly 2m/s or 0.5m/s, so erosion

corrosion, although a concern of plumbers, is not a concern for PATRIC H2O.

Copper and the human body

The human body requires a daily intake of 2-4mg of copper. This usually comes from the diet

rather than water. At high concentrations, on the other hand, copper is toxic and is limited to

2mg/L of water.

Protective layers

Copper resists corrosion due to a small amount of corrosion at the surface of the pipe that forms

a protective (semi-passive) layer that stifles further corrosion.

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If the water has a low oxygen content, the metal itself is stable and will not corrode readily.

In acidic waters, that is to say, waters with a pH<6, with oxygen present, the metal will dissolve

to form the Cu2+ ion that is the most stable form in the acidic and oxygen conditions. Waters of

this type are called cuprosolvency.

In neutral to alkaline water (pH 6-8), with a reasonably high oxygen content (greater than 2mg

O2/L water), the metal will produce an insoluble layer of copper (I) oxide, also called cuprite

(Cu2O). A magenta red to brown corrosion product will be the most stable species in these

conditions. A semi-protective scale against further corrosion, additionally, will form.

In alkaline water (pH>8) with a high oxygen, copper will form a layer of copper (II) oxide, also

called tenorite (CuO). A jet back to brown corrosion is the most stable product under these

conditions and will form a protective scale against further corrosion.

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Mangrove

Plant-based filter

http://www.nature.com/articles/srep20426

Notes

Plastic, super light, super light tube

Not made out of glass
No 3D printing
Keeping the plant alive issue,
Aquaponics
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Final Project Idea

The final idea for the project is as follows. We will create a desalination device that

incorporates evaporation and depressurization in order to quicken the evaporation process to be

as fast and efficient as possible. Our main objective will be to boil the water efficiently by any

means possible such as making everything black because black attracts heat, applying many

vacuums to make the pressure as low as possible, etc. Make sure that the condensed water only

ends up in the desired area

Put vacuum pump in the tube system. Does not have to be waterproof, just has to handle

water vapor. Expect vacuum pump to be majority of the budget. Use vacuum pump in the

middle of the tube in order to make sure vapor moves to the water vapor collection container.

Get oilless vacuum pump to ensure impurities do not go into pure water. Reciprocating pump vs.

axial pump. Not for lifevest, has to be tabletop. Reciprocating and centripetal axial pump:

choose between these two. Pictures of diagrams follow.

Not necessary to boil water: just lower the pressure to some extent so that the rate of

evaporation decreases.

Saltwater tank completely closed system. Freshwater tank will be an open system so

atmospheric pressure will recondense it.

Water bottle not going to work: has to be round, depending on thickness of container;

copper or PVC.
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If the water is kept in a separate open container, say a bowl, and a large cylinder were

placed over it and if the air were to be sucked out out the cylinder through the top then the

cylinder would vacuum seal to the surface beneath it.

No hose, we will direct connect them.

Pressure vessel, containers, vacuum pump

Ask Dr. P: do you have a vacuum chamber, or a vacuum pump, for us to look at?

http://www.kr4.us/vacuum-pump-12v.html?gclid=CJrksrrcj9ICFVSBswoduOAMww

Oil-less vacuum pump https://www.google.com/aclk?

sa=l&ai=DChcSEwjX84zD34_SAhUbVw0KHYYsAToYABAW

&sig=AOD64_0p2N7UlO26sRFmlz87lR0JccxEaw&ctype=5&q=&ved=0ahUKEwiE5IfD34_S

AhXL5SYKHVCwCw0QvhcINw&adurl=

http://www.supplymylab.com/Equipment/Pumps/Vacuum/_/TWO-STAGE-DIRECT-DRIVE-

PUMP?q=HVG-TUBING/SET&gclid=COGG7NLfj9ICFZNLDQod2coGZQ
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Feedback

How to make sure vacuum does not suck in water, just reduces pressure by pulling in air?

Noah: one-way valve; buying a one-way valve

Salt water tank completely closed system. Freshwater tank will be an open system so

atmospheric pressure will recondense it.

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Reciprocating and Axial Pumps Design

Technical Drawing

Reciprocating Vacuum Pump

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http://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-reciprocating-pump/

https://www.amazon.com/Model-Train-Electric-Solenoid-

Valve/dp/B00N38PYZ2/ref=sr_1_24_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1487683751&sr=8-

24&keywords=12V+Air+Compressor
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http://turbolab.tamu.edu/proc/pumpproc/P24/06-tackett.pdf

A reciprocating pump is any machine using reciprocating motion to cause fluid to be moved

from one location to another.

A positive displacement reciprocating pump traps a fixed volume of fluid and displaces it from

suction conditions to discharged conditions by means of check valves placed in series, at least

one on the suction side and at least one on the discharge side. The check valves ensure the fluid

movement is from pump suction to pump discharge.

Rate flow is directly proportional to speed since there is a fixed volume.

A positive displacement reciprocating pump has constant flow regardless of pressure since

pressure and flow are independent of each other.

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Air Compressor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGb-UwAXicI

Vacuum pump out of an air compressor: Could just take apart an air compressor and convert it to

a vacuum pump. Cost effective: $10, in this case.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWzzttw4SuE

The gauge is not going to measure pressure taking out, only pressure added. Gauge is not going

to help: it either works, or it does not. In the future, for commercial purposes, some measuring

device can be used to measure the exact decrease in pressure.

Start off with a thermos: if it is a good enough container, it should be able to withstand the

decrease in pressure.

Do not use 3D printing, something that has vacuum-insulated walls.

Whatever the lid design is, figure how to make an air tight attachment to it.

Notes on how to convert inflator to vacuum pump:

Plug the intake valve

Create a new input and output line: input of the inflator is massive, so we need to plug it and

replace it so it does not take in air that way

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Build an intake

Power Source

Outlet
Solar Panels
Battery power

Harms of Seawater

http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/drinksw.html

Seawater contains salt. When humans drink seawater, their cells are thus taking in water and salt.
While humans can safely ingest small amounts of salt, the salt content in seawater is much
higher than what can be processed by the human body. Additionally, when we consume salt as
part of our daily diets, we also drink liquids, which help to dilute the salt and keep it at a healthy
level. Living cells do depend on sodium chloride (salt) to maintain the bodys chemical balances
and reactions; however, too much sodium can be deadly.

Human kidneys can only make urine that is less salty than salt water. Therefore, to get rid of all
the excess salt taken in by drinking seawater, you have to urinate more water than you drank.
Eventually, you die of dehydration even as you become thirstier.

Background Research Summary

Possible titles:

The Desal, The Desalinator, The DS

Devaping
Vape no more
Vape away
Vapor Desalinator, the VP
Desalination Celebration
Boat Vaping
Saltless Water
Salt Extractor
Salt Remover
Seasalt Purifier
Non in aqua salsa (NIAS)
 27

No sal in agua (NSIA)

Salt without water (SWW, SW^2)

Tentative title: Salt Without Water (SW^2)

Introductory paragraph (what we want to do):

Untreated seawater is unsafe for human consumption because of the high concentration

of salt, too much for the body to process according to the National Ocean Service. To purify

water of unhealthy amounts of salt, our group intends to produce a mechanism which

significantly reduces the pressure surrounding water through a tube, turning water into water

vapor, thus removing salt from seawater and yielding pure water into a vessel. The goal is to

make the mechanism both as inexpensive and as efficient as possible, thereby making it a highly

competitive commodity in the market.

Reason for selecting project:

The purpose and use for this project is mainly commercial rather than humanitarian. If

they run out of water supplies, seafarers resort, in dire circumstances, to drinking seawater

despite their knowledge of its harms. However, if they have a product that can purify seawater in

the case of emergencies, then they have a better chance of survival. Additionally, if SW^2 is

effective enough, people at sea could use it as the sole means for acquiring freshwater, reducing

the amount of water supplies needed to be brought on board. Depending upon how compact the

device becomes, SW^2s could be carried in survival kits kept on ships or taken by amateurs.
 28

Design:

The final design weve settled on is similar to what we originally had in mind. There will

be two vessels: one that holds salt water and can withstand the force of a vacuum and one that

would hold the resulting clean drinkable water. The salt water vessel will have to have the

capabilities to withstand the pressure difference we would apply to it, so itd most likely be made

out of a strong steel or acrylic. However, the output that will hold the desalinated water does not

have to be as strong. The input section of the vacuum pump will be directly attached on top of

the salt water vessel and the output will be connected to a tube that will lead into the desalinated

water vessel.

The main aspect that we will focus on is the creation of the vacuum pump. We will

purchase an air compressor, take it apart, and reverse it to become a vacuum pump. The reason

why we are doing this instead of simply purchasing a vacuum is because they are much more

expensive than an air compressor. Additionally, an air compressor is much more easily accessible

since it is used for simple everyday uses such as filling the air inside your tires. This vacuum

pump will not have to be waterproof due to the fact that itll only have to withstand water vapor

which wont affect the electronic aspects as much.

Refer to the following sections of the notebook for research:

Reciprocating Vacuum Pump

Air Compressor
 29

Harms of Seawater

Reducing Pressure

How to test project:

The testing of the mechanism will be as follows. A sodium chloride and water solution

with high concentration of sodium chloride will be created in the chemistry laboratory at the

Governors School. This solution will be run through the system, and the water collected at the

end will be tested for salinity. A negligible salinity is the ideal result, proving the effectiveness

of SW^2.

Glossary:

salinity: the quality of being saline; saltness (Oxford English Dictionary).

solution: the action of dissolving, or changing from a solid or gaseous to a liquid state, by means

of a fluid or solvent; the state or fact of being so dissolved (Oxford English Dictionary).

reciprocating vacuum pump: a reciprocating pump is any machine using reciprocating motion to

cause fluid to be moved from one location to another.

isochronic: the volume of a closed system remains constant

 30

Materials

https://www.amazon.com/Karlsson-Robotics-D2028-Vacuum-

Pump/dp/B00DYA21PU/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1487684420&sr=8-

6&keywords=vacuum+pump

https://www.amazon.com/Model-Train-Electric-Solenoid-

Valve/dp/B00N38PYZ2/ref=sr_1_24_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1487683751&sr=8-

24&keywords=12V+Air+Compressor

Reducing Pressure

http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/161584/can-this-container-withstand-a-vacuum

0down vote
I will second @Eoin and say to use a vessel designed for the use. Assumptions about
strengths of vessels under pressure (tension) vs vacuum (compression) can be dangerous.
The manufacturer's statement of maximum working pressure (130 psi) will be based on
the ASME Boiler code (or similar codes in other countries). The 130psi would correspond
to the Maximum Allowable Working Pressure. The ASME codes also define a Minimum
Allowable External Working Pressure - if your vessel is not so rated (and a keg likely
isn't), than it is not rated for holding vacuum against external air pressure. The codes have
various sections on requirements for dealing with external pressure, so the design
standards are, in fact, different.

However! ASME codes do not apply to vessels having an internal or external pressure not
exceeding 15 psi (your usage). They also do not apply to vessels having an inside
diameter, width, height, or cross section diagonal not exceeding 6 inches. (So, why the
ratings in the previous paragraph? Well, it lets you know if you can pump out what is
 31

nominally a pressure vessel down to vacuum to, for example, remove all process gases).

So, your usage of the keg to hold liquid inside a vacuum chamber would not violate any
ASME codes, but nothing about the rating of the vessel guarantees that it would work.

Phase Diagram

http://www.ck12.org/user:obristl/book/CP-Chemistry-Obrist/section/43.0/

Lowering the temperature allows for the pressure to be lowered as well.

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Invention Statement

This project is an isochoric depressurization desalinator, that is to say a device by which

water and salt may be separated by the removal of pressure without changing volume. Such a

removal induces a decrease in vapor pressure and boiling in the salt water sample and thus

transforms the water into gas leaving the salt behind. This device, once functional and affordable,

will have a number of humanitarian applications such as generation of freshwater from saltwater

in water-starved third world regions and direct transformation of ocean water into drinking-water

for ships and lifeboats.

This invention will be a smaller model of what it has the potential to be applied to on a

bigger scale. This invention is innovative in a sense that itll be cost-effective, quick, and will be

at a smaller scale in comparison to large desalination plants. Even if it were to be rescaled to a

larger scale in the future, it will be much more compact and portable in comparison to the large,

multistep desalination plants. The primary benefit of that being that this system is not only

cheaper and faster in its current form but also cheaper and faster to iterate and improve upon.

Timeline

Date Plan Actual

 34

3/14 Research, Google Slides Research, Google Slides

presentation, brochure presentation, brochure

3/16 Research, Google Slides Research, Google Slides

presentation, brochure presentation, brochure

3/21 Research, Google Slides Research, Google Slides

presentation, brochure presentation, brochure

3/23 Research, Google Slides R

presentation, brochure

3/28 Research, Google Slides

presentation, brochure

3/30 Research, Google Slides

presentation, brochure

4/4 Parts come in: take apart the

air compressor, order more
components and submit new
order form

4/6 Begin reversing the air

compressor

4/11 Reverse air compressor

4/13 Reverse air compressor

4/18 Make sure there are no leaks,

drill hole into water bottle

4/20 Test and refine

4/25 Test and refine

4/27 Test and refine

The following materials will be obtained: an air compressor, a stainless steel water bottle, and

tubing. The air compressor will be reversed and changed into a reciprocating vacuum pump. On

one end of the pump will be an input tank that takes in either seawater or salt water, and the

reciprocating vacuum pump will pull in the air and depressurize the system, converting the water
 35

into water vapor. Finally, the water vapor will go into the output tank and condense into

drinkable water. At the moment, the group is awaiting materials and postulating a method for

streamlining the product.

The audience will gain knowledge of a new and uncommon method for water purification.

http://saltwithoutwater.weebly.com/

Logo
 36

Design 1
 37

Design 2

Design 3

Design 4: The Final Design

38
 39

Progress Report
40
 41

Timeline for final stretch

Date Plan

5/2 Seal the tubing to the fixture

5/4 Receive 3D printed material from Jarrett,

attach to vacuum pump, make salt water
solution, bring screws

5/9 Testing, taking pictures, finishing powerpoint

and brochure

5/11 Testing, finishing powerpoint and brochure

 42

To test air fitting: put soapy water around the fitting of the top of the bottle cap to see if bubbles

form. If bubbles form, its not completely sealed.

Seawater composition

Principal constituents of seawater*

ionic constituent g/kg of moles/kg** relative concentration

seawater

chloride 19.162 0.5405 1.0000

sodium 10.679 0.4645 0.8593

magnesium 1.278 0.0526 0.0974

sulfate 2.680 0.0279 0.0517

calcium 0.4096 0.01022 0.0189

potassium 0.3953 0.01011 0.0187

carbon (inorganic) 0.0276 0.0023 0.0043

bromide 0.0663 0.00083 0.00154

boron 0.0044 0.00041 0.00075

strontium 0.0079 0.00009 0.000165

fluoride 0.0013 0.00007 0.000125

Seawater with S equal to 35 contains approximately 35 grams of salt and 965

grams of water, or 35 ppt (35 psu).

 43

Final Write Up: (1500 words, double spaced)

Cover Page

Abstract

Introduction (motivation, statistics, background research

Invention (innovative aspect, process, materials/methods)

Conclusion/Future Extensions

Reference Page
 44

Abstract:
The purpose of this project was to create fresh water through the isochoric

depressurization of saline ocean water. Many current day desalination and water filtration

systems take use of the natural process of evaporation to filter out any potentially hazardous

particles that could be dissolved into the water. The process of evaporation can be sped up by

either heating up the solution or decreasing the pressure in the system; this project targeted the

latter technique. In order to achieve this cheap and efficient desalination apparatus, it was built

through a long process of trial and error, combinations of modification and 3d-printer

fabrication. This device, once it is functional and affordable, will have a number of humanitarian

applications such as purification of saltwater for water-starved Third World regions and of ocean

water for ships and lifeboats.

A tire inflator, water bottle, and vacuum tube were purchased for the materials. The main

component consisted of the tire inflator, the reason as to why a tire inflator was used instead of a

vacuum pump was due to the difference in price. Tutorials were found online on how an inflator

can be reversed to be used as a vacuum instead. A component of the inflator was replaced by the

a component of similar design but with a hole in it that accommodates to the insertion of the

vacuum tube that would lead into the water bottle containing the salt-water solution. The

compressor would be turned on to decrease the pressure in the system which causes the vapor

pressure to decrease, increasing the speed as to which the water will evaporate leaving the salt

behind.

This version is a smaller model and has the potential to be upscaled to a larger scale.

However, the current model is innovative in a sense that it is cost-effective, quick, and smaller

scale relative to the commonplace large, multi-step desalination plants. Even if it were to be
 45

increased in size in the future, it will still be much more compact and portable in comparison to

multistep desalination facilities. The primary benefit of that being that this system is not only

cheaper and faster in its current form, but also to iterate and improve upon.

Introduction:
The Team would first like to thank Professor Chouika for supporting us throughout our

process of trying, failing, and repeating. Then, to all the innovators out there, the dreamers,

forward thinkers, and norm-defiers, wed like to thank you for being you.

Hundreds of millions of people worldwide suffer everyday for want of the most basic

necessity of all life, water. Conversely the surface of this planet is over 75% water. The earth is

brimming with this simplest of all resources, this backbone of agriculture and of civilization

itself, and yet it remains unused simply because of its salinity. Desalination is possible and yet

its never reached the point where its economically feasible for the Third-World. We planned to

rectify that.

Our research into desalination found methods that used everything from convoluted

multi-step processes, to chemical reactions, to slow and expensive filters. Finally, we settled on

an unorthodox method: isochoric depressurization. The theory was as follows: if we could get the

vapor pressure in a sealed chamber of set volume low enough then the boiling point of saltwater

in the chamber would intersect with room temperature then the water would boil leaving behind

the salt. And so we named our bold new initiative Salt Without Water.
 46

Invention:
Our plan for invention was as follows: 1. Repurpose a vacuum pump to act as a

reciprocating pump 2. Attach the pump to our desalination chamber and desalination duct 3.

Create a saline solution mimicking the salinity of ocean water. 4. Test device 5. Repeat and

modify as needed.

Our project was designed to attempt a new approach at an already established problem.

The vast majority of solutions to the desalination issue included some sort of chemical agent or

filter which increased their price point and made them not viable for Third-World application.

Our method uses no such expensive components and therefore is geared towards cost efficiency.

Furthermore our concept is novel in that, rather than removing the salt from saltwater, it is

designed to extract water from saltwater.

Our first step was figuring out what materials we needed.These included an air

compressor, a stainless steel water bottle to act as our desalination chamber, several feet of

airtight tubing, nuts and bolts and rubber o-rings, and a few valves.

First we had to 3d print a new intake face because the current one had too many holes to

use for a reciprocating pump. This took several different iterations and versions before one was

designed which fit well to the pump chassis.

While the iterations of this intake face were being iterated and improved upon by our

CAD specialist, the rest of the team was working on setting up the desalination chamber and

intake duct. This was done by drilling a hole in the top and attaching a valve with an o-ring. Next

the intake duct was attached to this valve using a heat gun and sealed using teflon.

Lastly we began testing and ran into immediate air leakage problems. Our metric for

success was the pressure differential formed by plugging the outflow valve with one's thumb.
 47

The larger the differential, the greater volume was leaking. Over time through application of

various forms of adhesives (i.e. duct tape, caulk) this pressure differential shifted over time but

the device was never sufficiently air-tight as to perform as required.

Conclusions and future work:

The desalination mechanism is not fully functional in that the reciprocating vacuum

pump was not strong enough to generate a pressure reduction from 1.00atm to 0.73atm, which, in

turn, would cause the water to boil at standard temperature. Additionally, the strength of the

vacuum pump was enough to continuously create leaks in the caulking. Although caulking was

added consistently, the leaks continued to form, thereby never creating a real vacuum.

Our future work would involve repurposing this project to make a reverse osmosis filter

at a cheaper price than normal market value, participating in the frugal science revolution.

We learned how to use a pH meter and work in a chemistry lab. We used a heat gun to

fuse the vacuum to the cap of the water bottle. Additionally, we learned that it is essential to map

out the entire design of a project on a software like Autodesk before implementing ideas into a

device or 3D-printing materials. One of the time-consuming processes was repeated 3D-printed

material production after one then another would fail. We found that caulking dries quickly if

left unsealed, and that it is useful in sealing up patches but not necessarily for vacuum pumps

because of the strength of suction. Stripping screws should be avoided, and spare screws should

be kept as backup. X-screwing is useful to apply equal torque distribution for apparati that

require it.

Reference
 48

Why don't we get our drinking water from the ocean by taking the salt out of seawater? (2008,

July

22). Retrieved June 01, 2017, from

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-dont-we-get-our-drinking-water-from-

the-ocean/

Gray, R. (2012, December 23). Fit brass fixtures to cut superbugs, say scientists. Retrieved June

01, 2017, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/9762689/Fit-brass-fixtures-

to-cut-superbugs-say-scientists.html

C. Esprito Santo, E.W. Lam, C.G. Elowsky, D. Quaranta, D.W. Domaille, C.J. Chang,

and G. Grass, 2011. Bacterial killing by dry metallic copper surfaces. Appl.

Environ. Microbiol. 77: 794-802.

Laboratory High Vacuum Pump. (n.d.). Retrieved June 01, 2017, from

http://www.supplymylab.com/Equipment/Pumps/Vacuum/_/TWO-STAGE-DIRECT-

DRIVE-PUMP?q=HVG-TUBING

%2FSET&gclid=COGG7NLfj9ICFZNLDQod2coGZQ

G. (2016, May 12). Simple Reciprocating Pump. Retrieved June 01, 2017, from

http://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-reciprocating-pump/

Tackett, H. H., Jr. (2008). Http://turbolab.tamu.edu/proc/pumpproc/P24/06-tackett.pdf. Retrieved

June 1, 2017, from http://turbolab.tamu.edu/proc/pumpproc/P24/06-tackett.pdf

M. (2013, November 02). How to make a electric vacuum pump for $10. Retrieved June 01,

2017,

from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGb-UwAXicI

C. (2016, June 11). Converting a 12V Air Compressor into a Vacuum Pump. Retrieved June 01,
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2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWzzttw4SuE

US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2014, August

01). Can humans drink seawater? Retrieved June 01, 2017, from

http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/drinksw.html

Can this container withstand a vacuum? (n.d.). Retrieved June 01, 2017, from

https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/161584/can-this-container-withstand-a-

vacuum

Science, C. (2016, November 29). 43.0: Phase Diagram for Water DRAFT. Retrieved June 01,

2017, from https://www.ck12.org/user:obristl/book/CP-Chemistry-Obrist/section/43.0/