02

Water Filtration System

A benchtop prototype that detects cloudy water, doses treatment, mixes it, and pumps it through a filter.

Challenge
Automatically detect cloudy water, then dose treatment, mix, and filter it in a compact benchtop system.
What I did
I designed the magnetic mixing assembly and integrated the vessels, tubing, pumps, dispenser, turbidity sensor, and controls into the working prototype.
Current state
The prototype completes the treatment and filtration cycle.
Fig. 1. The prototype running its automated treatment cycle

Turbidity results

Turbidity measures water clarity; it does not show whether the water is safe to drink.

Select a data point to compare the paired readings
Turbidity before and after treatment Twenty paired trials on a logarithmic vertical scale. Mean turbidity fell from 240.7 NTU before treatment to 3.19 NTU after treatment. After-treatment measurements ranged from 2.61 to 3.79 NTU, with a sample standard deviation of 0.277 NTU. Turbidity before and after treatment Twenty paired trials on a logarithmic vertical scale. Mean turbidity fell from 240.7 NTU before treatment to 3.19 NTU after treatment. After-treatment measurements ranged from 2.61 to 3.79 NTU, with a sample standard deviation of 0.277 NTU.
Fig. 2. In 20 paired trials, mean turbidity fell from 240.7 to 3.19 NTU.

CAD models
Fig. 3. Gearbox assembly
Fig. 4. Powder dispenser assembly

How it works

  1. Detect

    When the turbidity sensor detects cloudy water, it starts the treatment cycle.

  2. Dose

    The dispenser adds the treatment material.

  3. Mix

    The magnetic mixer mixes the water.

  4. Filter

    A pump moves the water through the filtration loop.