Group 17 - Final Report

2014/2015
Project 17: Improving

Durability and Portability
of Biosand Filters
FINAL REPORT
Sponsored by:
Members:
CAWST - Center for Affordable Water and Sanitation

Technologies
ADRIAN ALEXANDRU
Academic Advisor:
TARA GHOLAMI
Dr. Simon Li,

Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing
Engineering,
HAIDER KIRMANI
University of Calgary
KEVIN FIELDING
ADRIAN MIRANDA
PHIL SPANSWICH
Executive Summary
This project was sponsored by the Center for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technologies
(CAWST), whose vision is to make clean drinking water available to the people in developing
communities around the globe. The main objectives of the project were improving the
portability and durability of the current widely implemented concrete Biosand filters as
developed by CAWST. Other considerations for developing a successful design included
accessibility and affordability of materials as well as ease of construction to ensure
feasibility of implementation.
After analyzing our clients challenges with the current model, we decided that the best
improvements possible were reducing the weight of the model from its current empty
weight of 95 kg, and developing a design that does not break during initial transportation to
the users location. We also wanted to increase the ease and flexibility of the construction
process so that failures will not occur due to inexperienced labour.
We tested the feasibility of multiple ideas either physically or through discussing them with
experts before deciding on a final design made of sheet metal. This design offers a total
empty weight of only 5.7 kg. In addition, because the filter design is transported to the
users location unassembled, there is virtually no chance of failure during transportation
and the assembly process is designed so that the local users can easily accomplish it. In
terms of accessibility, the compact unassembled parts are able to be cheaply massproduced and imported to various countries via CAWSTs already established importing
infrastructure for diffuser plates, resulting in only a slight cost increase per unit.
Acknowledgements
In addition to thanking our sponsor CAWST, Project 17 would like to specifically thank Dr.
Candice Young-Rojanschi for providing support and sharing her invaluable experience about
CAWST Biosand filters. We would also like to thank Dr. Simon Li for advising us during the
design process; Mr. Daniel Norton for his input and recommendations at various stages of
design; Desert Rose innovations for correspondence regarding sheet metal Biosand designs;
and last but not least the University of Calgary mechanical engineering machine shop team
for helping us realize our final prototype.
Key Words and Abbreviations:

Biosand Filter A water filtration device that implements both mechanical filtering by vertically
passing water through layers of sand and gravel; and biological processing to
remove pathogens.
Biolayer
The biological layer present in Biosand filters containing micro-organisms

including bacteria, protozoa, algea, and diatoms that help remove pathogens
from the water.
CAWST
Center for Affordable Water and Sanitary Technologies
Improved Water Source
A water source that is adequately protected from outside contamination, in

particular from fecal matter
Sanitation
Having access to a flushing toilet, soap and basic sanitation knowledge such
as the need to wash hands after using the washroom.
Empty weight Weight of a Biosand filter case without the additional weight of sand, gravel
and water inside.
Table of Contents
Table of Figures .............................................................................................................................................7
Background....................................................................................................................................................8
Components and Operation of the Biosand Filter ....................................................................................9
Background Research: Main Points ............................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Problem Statement .................................................................................................................................... 10
Overall Goals and Scope ............................................................................................................................. 10
Project Schedule ..................................................................................................................................... 10
Vision .............................................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Concept Generation and Selection............................................................................................................. 18
Problem Definition ......................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Customer Requirements ............................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Constraints ..................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Health Standards ........................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Flow rate:.................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Maintenance Criteria.................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Objectives ....................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Portability ................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Durability .................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Cost Effectiveness....................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Sanitation Objectives.................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Specifications .................................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Functions ........................................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Portability ................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Damage Minimization ................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Supporting the Biosand Material ............................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Design Alternatives......................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Modular Design .......................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Description ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Advantages ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Disadvantages......................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Brick Design ................................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

Frame Design .............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Composition Refinement Design ................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Assessment of Design Alternatives ............................................................................................................ 31
ENME 538A Means of Evaluation ............................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Consultation with a Professional Civil Engineer ......................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
CAWST Correspondence with Candice ....................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Conclusion of Assessment .......................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Overview of Design Concept and Description of Key Components ............... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Estimation of Costs ......................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Verification Planning ...................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Toxicity Test ................................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Strength Test .............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Shaker test .................................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Density test................................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
References .................................................................................................................................................. 10
Table of Figures
Figure 1: Components and Operation of the Biosand Filter [3] ....................................................................9
Figure 2: Background Research: Main Points ................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 3: Problem Vision Statement: Biosand Filters ..................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 4: Tree of Constraints .......................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 5: Figure of Biosand Filter [3] .............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 6: Tree of Objectives............................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 7: Morphological Chart ........................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 8: Design Alternative Models (from left to right: wooden frame, original build, modular
and brick designs) ........................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 9: Modular Design Concept ................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 10: Modular Brick ................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 11: Brick Design using Original Biosand Filter dimensions .................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 12: Frame Concept Design................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 13: Pairwise Comparison Chart of Priorities / Objectives ................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 14: Cost Breakdown of Frame Design ................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Background
Water is integrated in our society in a variety of different ways. It can be used for
irrigation, navigation, hydroelectric power generation, industrial manufacturing, recreation
and much more. The most important use of all, however, is for vital needs such as drinking,
washing, cooking, and sanitation. Living in developed countries, these vital needs come
without thought or effort. Clean drinking water is always within walking distance and we
can just turn a simple tap to receive filtered water. This seems so natural that many people
take the idea of clean water for granted.
The situation is much different in developing countries where the majority of people
do not have access to clean water. In these countries, water and sanitation concerns are of
great magnitude. There are currently 1.1 billion individuals that are without access to an
improved water source [1]. An improved water source is one that is adequately protected
from outside contamination, in particular from fecal matter [2]. An even more staggering
number is that 2.6 billion people are without improved sanitation meaning they do not have
access to a flushing toilet and soap; or lack the basic knowledge of sanitation such as the
need to wash your hands after using the washroom.
As a result, millions of people are dying each year from preventable diseases related
to diarrhea. Many rural communities in developing countries rely on sources of water from
wells, ponds, lakes, rivers, or rainwater. These sources end up becoming contaminated but
remain in use. Without access to clean drinking water or basic sanitation, many individuals
face life-threatening challenges every day.
With hopes to change the situation in developing worlds, the Biosand Filter was
created by CAWST. Their vision is to provide expertise and support to governments,
communities, and locals in water delivery and sanitation programs. To achieve this vision,
their strategy is to first start by improving drinking water quality at the household level and
to provide technical training and consulting. As a result, CAWST has established the
development of over 650,000 filters in 55+ countries. By 2014 CAWST will have impacted
9.3 million people. The Biosand Filter is really the driving force and product that is being
used to allow people to have access to clean water in third world countries.
These filters work using only the driving force of gravity to run dirty water through a
biolayer, followed by layers of sand and gravel to mechanically and biologically filter water.
Currently, the most popular model of the Biosand filters used by CAWST is made up of
concrete. Figure 1 is a schematic of this model. Despite the advantage of providing global
accessibility, this model does entail many challenges, outlined in table 1, that our project
aimed to reduce.
The Concrete Biosand Filter
Figure 1: Components and Operation of the Biosand Filter [3]
Problem Statement
Increase the portability and durability of the CAWST Biosand Filter while keeping
accessibility, construction and material cost in mind.
Overall Goals and Scope

This project aimed to successfully develop a Biosand Filter that is easily portable,
durable and economically, culturally, and socially acceptable to the users. To achieve this
goal, we generated and tested the feasibility of multiple design ideas and chose a final
design based on the metrics tailored to our clients vision and the users needs.
Project Schedule
9-8
10-8
11-7
12-7
1-6
2-5
3-7
4-6
Kickoff Team Meeting

Kickoff Meeting with Sponsor
Interim Design Presentation Development
Interim Design Review Presentation
Choose/Evaluate Primary Design
Interim Design Paper
Fly Ash Design Development
Primary Design Re-evaluation
Brick Design Construction Testing
Mitigation Plan Initiated: Sheet Metal Design
Sheet Metal Design Development
Develop CAD Drawings for the Machine Shop
Build Prototype
Water Seal Test
Refine Final Design
Final Design Review Presentation
Capstone Design Fair
Final Design Paper
Figure 2: Gantt chart overview of the project schedule
The progress of the project is roughly described in the Gantt chart above. As it can be seen,
most of the project was done in a ladder structure, where each task was completed before
going to the next.
5-6
Problem Definition
Customer Requirements
During the kickoff meeting with our sponsor we identified the main problems to be
addressed and improved by our design. Background information from the presentation by
CAWST as well as meetings with our project advisor helped us to refine the initial problem
statement and identify key areas to work on.
During the kickoff meeting, our sponsors identified the key features that are
necessary to a successful Biosand Filter design. These are the criterion with which current
CAWST Biosand Filters are designed:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
Flow Rate - The water filter must maintain a flow rate of 0.4 L/hr.
Quality- The filtered water quality must maintain the current health and safety
standards.
Cost- As the filters are to be used in developing nations, total materials and
manufacturing costs must be kept low.
Marketability- It is desirable to have a design that is easy to sell and market locals,
schools, communities etc.
Simplicity- It is important the design is easy to build, use and maintain as the end
users often have limited knowledge and technical skills.
Clear benefits to the user- It helps the marketability of the design if users perceive
that the filter it useful and can successfully clean water.
Cultural acceptability- As the filters will be used in familys homes the design should
not be offensive to any religion or culture. The construction materials should also be
sensitive to things that may be seen as taboo in certain communities (animal skins,
leather, types of sand etc.).
Some of the most successfully implemented models are made out of concrete.
These designs owe their popularity to low cost and simplicity. They incorporate local
materials, and can be made by locals who have been given basic construction training.
Although these designs do a great job adhering to the above criterion, they entail certain
challenges regarding portability and durability that CAWST asked us to improve. These
challenges are briefly outlined in table 1.
Limited Portability
Mechanical Failure during

Transportation
Mechanical Failure due to

Poor Construction
The casing for the current model weighs ~95kg

and the inside components weigh an additional
~45kg
Manufacturing cannot be moved to end users
location as it involves the use of very large molds
The heavy models must be transported over
very long distances
Most common mode of transportation is by
truck
The brittle nature of concrete causes mechanical
failure in bumpy rides
Concrete requires specific water-cement
composition to provide maximum strength
Making the right composition requires skill
As a result, many filters fail due to poor
composition or construction
Table 1. Challenges of the current concrete Biosand Filter
Portability was emphasized as the most important area to improve. Factors of the
current concrete design that make this a prominent issue are the weight and geometry of
the filter, which doesnt lend itself easy to carry. Also, filters often have to be delivered in
the bed of a truck or carried by several people. The durability of the filter is also a significant
problem during the transportation phase. The brittle nature of the concrete makes it
susceptible to cracks and chips, which can propagate further once installed.
During the meeting, it was also made clear that the chance of our design being used
would depend largely on the designs ability to be incorporated into the current
infrastructure. This is due in part to the cost and resources that would be needed to develop
and re-educate locals on a new design. As such, it was emphasized that a modification to
the existing model would be preferable to a complete redesign.
Our client specified one area that must maintain its current level of performance:
filtered water quality and flow rate. Clearly the new filter design must not reduce the
degree of water sanitation below its current level, and be able to deliver the necessary
amount of water to the users. Due to the nature of the filter, this establishes several
constraints such as overall height and the height of the outlet nozzle. These constraints as
well as the objectives that the design team has decided to target will be discussed in the
following sections.
Constraints
We will first outline the constraints, as they were required to be accomplished in
order to produce a successful final design. Figure 3 provides the outline of these constraints,
as imposed by CAWST, which in turn define some of the specifications for our design.
BIOSAND
FILTER
Constraints
Health
Standards
Filter
Composition
Height of Each
Layer of Filter
Material
Flow Rate
Prevent Short
Circuited Dirty
Water
At least 0.4 L/min
Maintenance
Standing Water
Depth of 5 cm
Total Height of
Casing (873 mm)
Figure 3: Tree of Constraints
It can be seen that constraints fall under three main categories: Health standards,
flow rate and maintenance necessities.
Health Standards
As stated before, it is absolutely essential that the quality of the delivered water be
up to par with the current health and safety standards [4]. The existing models pass the
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) drinking water standards [5]. The
current designs have been shown to successfully reduce up to 100% of helminths (worms),
up to 100% of protozoa, Up to 98.5% of bacteria and 70-99% of viruses [4]. The new design
must be able to maintain this quality standard. As the filtration process itself is not within
the area of expertise of the design team, it was decided among the team, sponsor and
project advisor that certain features of the current design will not be changed, in order to
ensure the water quality is not tempered with. These features, crucial to the quality of the
delivered water include:
a.
The composition of the filtering material
b.
The height of each layer of the filtering material
c.
The overall height of the filter
d.
The order of filtering material
With the constraint to keep these features unchanged, it was clear that the scope of
our design should be reduced to the Biosand Filter casing. This casing must in turn be able
to support the necessary quantity and layout of the filtering material. Therefore the
following new constraints were drafted:
a.
b.
c.
The total height of the casing must be at least 873 mm, excluding the thickness of
the base, to house the necessary filtering components in their respective depths
The casing should not compromise the ability of water to navigate through the
filtering material in their entirety
It also follows from (b) that dirty water should not be able to find a route to be
short circuited to the outlet. For example by trickling down the inner walls of the
casing or the sides of an outlet tube that runs through the filtering material
Flow rate:
An important feature of the Biosand Filters is the ability to provide enough water for the
daily drinking water usage of an average family. The CAWST organization has identified that
in order to accomplish this, the water filter must deliver at least 0.4 L/h water flow rate. It is
highly unlikely that pumps could be used to achieve this flow rate. The addition of pumps
would bring in undesirable costs, complexities and may pose risks to the filtering process.
Therefore the only driving force for the flow rate is gravity.
In order to achieve the desired flow rate with gravity as the only driving force, it is essential
to maintain a certain horizontal cross section area. This cross sectional area depends on the
porosity of the filtering material. Since we are not changing the filtering material, in order to
maintain the desired flow rate, we must also maintain the horizontal cross sectional area of
the current design. This cross sectional area is 0.0600 m^2 at the top of the sand and 0.0493
m^2 at the bottom of the sand.
Maintenance Criteria
The correct installation and operation of the Biosand Filter requires a standing water depth
of approximately 5 cm above the biolayer when the filter is not in use. In terms of the
design of the casing, this means that the outlet must be positioned about 5 cm higher than
the top of the biolayer, as seen in figure 4 [3].
Figure 4: Figure of Biosand Filter [3]
Objectives
After finalizing the list of constraints, our group provided a list of objectives to best
respond to the sponsors design requirements. In this list we included all possible objectives
that could benefit the design. We then drafted our concept generations in order to achieve
as many objectives as possible.
BIOSAND FILTER
Portable
By Truck
Carried by Hand
Durable
During
Construction
During
Transportation
Cost Effective
Material
Sanitation
Standards
Minimize
Outside
Exposure
Infrastructure
Figure 5: Tree of Objectives
Figure 5 illustrates the tree breakdown of design objectives that are best tailored towards
achieving customer requirements. As it can be seen from this figure, the design objectives
fall under four main categories: Portability, Durability, Cost Effectiveness and Sanitation
Standards.
Portability
Increasing the portability of the currently heavy and bulky Biosand Filters was one of
the priorities of our sponsor. There are various ways in which the Biosand Filters are
currently transported that can be targeted to improve the portability. Our team identified
two main means of Biosand transportation as manpower in short distances and trucks for
longer transportation journeys. Our design aimed to achieve easier, and more efficient
transportation in both aspects.
Durability
The second main objective of the design was improving the durability of the Biosand
Filters. It was brought to our attention that the filters structurally fail mainly during
transportation or during the construction phase. During truck transportation over rough
terrain, the Biosand Filters are subject to a harsh vibrational environment. One of our design
objectives was improving the chance of survival of Biosand Filters in such an environment.
Our second objective was to make the design relatively easy and straightforward to build, so
that there is less chance of structural failure due to lack of technical skills in the construction
phase.
Cost Effectiveness
In order for the successful implementation of the new Biosand Filter in developing
countries, it is imperative that the design is cost effective. To achieve this requirement, one
of the design objectives was using cheap material. We also aimed to use material that is
available in the places where the design will be implemented. Because there is a very wide
range of locations where CAWST is operating, the design aimed to incorporate materials
that can be found readily in many parts of the world. In order to achieve a cost effective
design, we planned to use the existing infrastructure, such as the existing diffuser plates.
Although this was not a strict constraint by CAWST, it was made clear that a design that
required new molds would likely not be implemented.
Sanitation Objectives
When it comes to sanitation standards, most requirements are strict constraints.
However, it was brought to our attention that the current Biosand Filters have a couple of
places where the clean water is in open contact with the environment. We aimed to
minimize such contact to reduce the chance of contamination.
Specifications
From a subset of the given constraints, the design specifications are explicitly stated here as:
1. Total inner height of the casing must be at least 873 mm
2. The delivered water flow rate must be 0.4 L/min
3. The inner horizontal cross sectional area of the casing must be at least 0.0600 m^2
at the top of the sand layer
4. The inner horizontal cross sectional area of the casing at must be at least 0.0493
m^2 the bottom of the sand layer
5. There must be approximately 5 cm of standing water depth when filter is not in use\
Concept Generation and Selection

To systematically begin the concept generation phase, our group started by
identifying the main functions of the design. This information was used to better identify
the various means in which each function could be realized. These means were then
transformed into design concepts that would be reviewed using a metrics tailored to the
clients requirements. Our team used physical testing and sought advice from experts to
correctly judge each design concept and where they would score within the boundaries of
the metrics.
Functions and Means

Functions and means were generated and organized using a morphological chart
was created as can be seen in table 5. The primary functions are listed on the left hand
column and multiple means of achieving each function are listed in the bulk of the table.
Means
Function
Increase
Portability
Add
Handles
Add
Wheels
Incorporate
Modularization
Reduce
Weight
Custom
transportation
device (dolly)
Increase
Durability
Add
Rubber
Padding
Increase
material
strength
Improve
stacking ability
Change
geometry
Reduce forces
acting on the filter
during
transportation
Support and
Contain
Biosand
Material
Concrete
container
Plastic
container
Sheet Metal
container
PVC Pipe
container
Wood container
Table 2: Morphological Chart
As illustrated by the Morphological chart, the functions that our design aimed to
perform was increased portability and durability, as well as the basic function of containing
the filter material and water. We did not include the actual filtering of water as a function
because we did not plan on changing that aspect of the current Biosand design and
replacing it with any means other than gravity.
Decision Metrics
In order to systematically evaluate our design concepts we used the following decision
metrics as a scoring board. When evaluating our concepts we used research, experts advice
and physical testing to appropriately allocate a scores in each category.
General
Objective
Portability
Durability
Evaluation Criteria
5 points
4 points
3 points
2 points
1 point
Mass of each separate

component
Mass of total unit
M 10 kg
Stacking ability behind

trucks
+5 filters
10 kg < M
30 kg
10 kg < M
30 kg
+4 filters
30 kg < M
50 kg
30 kg < M
50 kg
+3 filters
50 kg < M
70 kg
50 kg < M
70 kg
+2 filters
70 kg < M
90 kg
70 kg < M
90 kg
+1 filter
Drop Test Height
Over 20
cm
Intact
After 2
hour
First
timers are
capable
15 to 20
cm
Intact
After 1.5
hour
5 to 10 cm
1 to 5
cm
Molds,
diffuser
plate and
manufact
uring
tools
Nothing is
imported
Molds
and
diffuser
plate
10 to 15
cm
Intact
After 1
hour
2-3
practice
tries
necessary
Molds
only
Total material cost

(CAD$/ unit)
< $30
$30 $39.99
$40
$49.99
Some
parts are
imported,
but are
not
rare
$50
$59.99
Number of exposure
opportunities to
environment
None
Rough Terrain Road Test
Technical expertise
required
Cost
Effectiveness
Design Uses existing

infrastructure
Availability of material
Health
Standards
M 10 kg
Table 3: Decision metrics used to evaluate design concepts
Only
diffuser
plate is
imported
Intact
After 30
min
Diffuser
Diffuser
plate and
plate
Manufactu only
ring tools
$60 $80
In addition to the metrics, another process that helped us assess our design alternatives
was to refer back to the priorities of the project. At the beginning of the term during the
planning phase of the project, the project team developed a pairwise comparison chart (PCC).
This chart was used to rank the importance of the objectives we identified for the project. The
objectives of highest importance to our team and the sponsor were chosen and placed within
the chart. The exercise to compare each of the objectives together within the PCC completed
and the results can be found in Table 4.
Goals
Cost
Portability
Durability
Material
Availability
Life Span
Cost Portability Durability Material

Availability
X
0
1
1
1
X
1
0
0
0
X
0
0
1
1
X
0
Life
Span
1
1
1
1
X
Score
3
3
1
3
0
Table 4: Pairwise Comparison Chart of Priorities / Objectives
As it can be seen from the PCC, cost, portability and material availability were ranked
highest among the five objectives we decided to rank. During our deliberation, it was considered
that cost was a very high priority item as the consumers or potential users of the Biosand water
filter that are being targeted live in rural and third world countries. Adding to this, material
availability and cost can go hand in hand which was why this objective was also ranked high. To
keep the raw material and transportation costs low for the development and construction of the
filter, the new design would ideally have the flexibility to use easily accessible and local
materials in regions where these filters would be placed. Portability was also ranked high. The
project team believed and identified this to be a major part of the projects scope and necessary
objective to deem the project a success if achieved. On the other hand, the project team
believed that durability and the lifespan of the Biosand Filter went hand in hand and ranked the
lowest out of the five objectives. Some of the problems arising under the umbrella of these
objectives include manufacturing defects, human use which results in damage and damage
incurred during transportation. At the time this table was made, it was believed that developing
a new design may or may not improve or eliminate these problems such as damage incurred
with human use. In other words, some of these problems are unrelated to the project and will
be present even with a new design.
A note should be added here to not construe this data in a way that both durability and the
lifespan are not important whatsoever in the project. They are indeed important and a part of
our objectives of the project. It is just that these objectives are not of a priority compared to the
other objectives listed in the PCC. As stated above, the team believed that some problems that
impact these objectives negatively may not solved with the development of a new design.
Design Alternatives:
In this section we outline some of our early design concepts and how we analyzed each of
their advantages/ disadvantages and feasibility.
Figure 6. Design Alternative Models (from left to right: wooden frame, original build, modular and brick designs)
Modular Design
Description
This design involved installing stints in the existing mold (while making the Biosand
Filter) that would result in the existing Biosand Filter design splitting into three more
manageable segments. This disassembly of the existing design into easier to transport
modules leads to a significant increase in portability while leaving the existing Biosand Filter
dimensions and ideology intact. This would require some means to seal the contact points
when the modular Biosand Filter design is assembled on site. Also note that each division
would be strategically made with respect to what internal components are at that level on
the inside of the Biosand Filter (i.e. there will be on split at the actual Biosand Filter level;
the split would occur a safe tolerance before it).
Figure 7: Modular Design Concept
Advantages
Each individual piece will be much lighter than the entire filter
The existing Biosand Filter dimensions and ideology remains intact
Pieces will be stackable during transportation
Precast molds can be used with this proposed design
Disadvantages
The construction / manufacturing process will be more complex and difficult

The ends of each piece will be less durable and more prone to damage
Material to maintain water seal between pieces is required
How did it score?

General Objective
Portability
Evaluation Criteria
Mass of each separate component
Mass of total unit
Stacking ability behind trucks
Performance
30 kg < M 50 kg
>95 kg
+3 filters
Points
3
0
3
Durability
Drop Test Height

Technical expertise required
1 to 5 cm*
After 30 min*
Highly skill intensive
1
2
0
Cost Effective-ness
Design Uses existing infrastructure
Molds, diffuser plate and

manufacturing tools
Total material cost (CAD$/ unit)

Availability of materials
Number of exposure opportunities
to environment
$60 - $80
Diffuser plate imported only
4
1
4
1
Health Standards
Table 5: Metric scores of the Modular design.

*Speculated performance levels
**Assuming all performance criteria are weighted equally
The Bottom Line:

Although offering many advantages in terms of reducing the mass of each separate
component and the ability to integrate perfectly with the existing structure, after discussion
with Civil engineering experts it was brought to our attention that finding an agent that will
seal the concrete pieces is extremely difficult. Such sealants are often extremely expensive,
can be toxic and are difficult to be effectively applied. For these reasons, the modular design
was eliminated.
Brick Design
Description
The brick design is an entirely different take on the portability and durability aspect.
As opposed to thinking about how to make the existing design more durable to survive
transport or more modular to make easier to transport; this alternative focuses on how to
eliminate the journey component entirely and questions how can I make this easier to
recreate at site. The result of this train of thought is the brick concept design. This design
suggests transporting modular bricks (most common brick design used in the world)
constructed of perhaps the same concrete composition that CAWST currently uses in their
existing Biosand Filter design and raw materials to make the concrete to be used as mortar
to the desired location. The transport of raw materials is considerably easier than
transporting the current heavy Biosand Filter and once built on site, should be more durable
while keeping the same internal measurements of the original Biosand Filter as seen below.
Figure 9.
8: Modular brick
Brick
Figure 9: Brick Design using Original Biosand Filter dimensions
Advantages
Eliminate the transportation of the whole filter

Keeps internal dimensions consistent with existing Biosand Filter
More durable than original when built on site and will not break in transportation
Utilizes existing infrastructure locally that currently make bricks
Eliminates the need for the precast mold
Flexibility, easier to repair, and by replicating the brick nozzle to all bricks below, can
enclose exposed pipe.
Disadvantages
Necessary to be very tight with regards to the specification of the mortar to ensure
integrity
Requires specialized and skilled workers
Lack of portability when completed
Filter will need to be constructed on site and potentially in someones home for a
long period of time
Increased cost: more concrete required for more bricks and mortar
Increased total weight: less units can be transported at any one time behind a truck
How did it score?

General Objective
Portability
Evaluation Criteria
Mass of total unit
Performance
M 10 kg
>95 kg
+2 filters
Points
5
0
2
Durability
Drop Test Height

Over 20 cm *
After 2 hour *
5
5
0
Cost Effective-ness
Diffuser plate only

to environment
$60 - $80
4
1
4
1
Health Standards
Table 6: Metric scores of the Brick design.

The Bottom Line:

We tested building the brick design only to a small height to evaluate the ease and skill
level required in bricklaying. We found that it is extremely difficult to get the right mortar mix
that would prevent water from leaking. The process was very labour intensive and the end
result failed to be waterproof. For these reasons, the brick design was eliminated.
Figure 10: The brick design failed to retain water and was extremely difficult to build and was therefore eliminated.
Frame Design
Description
The frame design focuses on facilitating transport by an external means so as to increase the
portability and durability of the existing Biosand Filter during its greatest mode of failure;
transport. The solution ot this train of thought was building a carriage or wooden frame of some
sort that reduces the vulnerability of the heavy, empty, and exposed Biosand Filter during
transport by adding the frame to serve as sort of a damper (and/or spring) system. One
approach to a frame design is using locally available materials to cushion the Biosand Filter, and
aims for a one time use and approach. The other is making an affordable and cheap frame that
can be used a number of times.
Figure 11: Frame Concept Design
Advantages
Ease of transportation
Reduces damage incurred during transportation
Relatively easy to construct
No changes to current Biosand Filter design
Potential for a wheel design to facilitate ground transport
Disadvantages
Potentially limited usage
Geared towards vehicular transport
Reduces the number of water filters transported per trip (increases space required)
Increase the total cost of the water filter
How did it score?
General Objective
Portability
Evaluation Criteria
Mass of total unit
Performance
>95 kg
>95 kg
+2 filters
Points
0
0
2
Durability
Drop Test Height

5 to 10 cm*
After 2 hour *
First timers are capable
2
5
5
Cost Effective-ness

manufacturing tools

to environment
$40 $49.99
3
4
4
Health Standards
Table 7: Metric scores of the Frame design.


1
The Bottom Line:

We concluded that while this is a viable option for improving the durability of the filters
during transportation, it does not necessarily ease portability and is not a sophisticated design
idea on its own. We therefore decided to implement it as an addition to another design if extra
durability during transportation was needed.
Composition Refinement Design: Fly ash

Description
This design concept introduces the idea of increasing structural integrity of the existing
Biosand Filter by adding a readily available alternative to its composition. Based on
research, one such material was fly ash that had the potential to increase strength [6, 7].
There has to be caution and an attention to detail during the research phases of this design
to ensure the addition of the new component(s) to the composition does not cause harmful
side effects to the water, actually contributes to the structural integrity of the Biosand
Filter, and keep in perspective its consequential impact on weight.
Figure 12: Fly Ash powder [7]
Advantages
Could increase the durability of the Biosand Filter

The existing Biosand Filter dimensions and mold remain unchanged from a
production perspective to the glee of existing manufacturers and developers of its
user manual
The increased strength allows the potential to reduce thickness of walls if deemed
feasible to change the molds
Can be used in junction with the frame design
Can reduce material cost
Disadvantages
Not readily available in certain areas; so for different areas it has to be imported or
an alternate sought if this solution is to be implemented.
Composition and water percentage is very important in durability performance
Slightly increase density
How did it score?

General Objective
Portability
Evaluation Criteria
Mass of total unit
Performance
>95 kg
>95 kg
+3 filters
Points
0
0
3
Durability
Drop Test Height

15 to 20 cm *
After 2 hour *
4
5
0
Cost Effective-ness

manufacturing tools

$50 $59.99
2
2
Health Standards

to environment
Some parts are imported but

not rare
1
Table 8: Metric scores of the Fly Ash design.

The Bottom Line:

After consulting with Dr. Lynne Cowe Falls, a professor in the department of civil
engineering, it was made evident that getting the right composition of fly ash to increase
strength significantly was very challenging and required extensive testing. Based on her
suggestion for developing an effective mix, 2 months of intensive testing was required.
Furthermore, such testing and analysis was more geared towards civil engineers and was
unreasonable for the scope of our project. Therefor this design concept was eliminated.
Sheet Metal Design

Description
This design implements the use of sheet metal for the body of the Biosand filter, allowing
for drastic weight reduction and increased strength due to the ductile nature of sheet metal
vs. the brittle nature of concrete. In order to ensure the ability to be constructed anywhere,
the design does not implement welding and rather seals joints using non-toxic heavy-duty
silicon. This design was in a way inspired by the brick design in taking the construction phase
to the end users home, eliminating the chance of failure during transportation. At the same
time, it offers an easy construction process that ensures users can build working models
with little difficulty.
Advantages
Drastic total weight reduction
Does not need molds
Unassembled mode during transportation minimizes chance of failure
Relatively cheap and available material
Ease of construction
Unassembled mode of transportation allows for multiple unit transportation per trip
Disadvantages
Requires importing of specialized premade parts

Not in one piece and therefore must be sealed
Cannot be moved after initial construction and operation
How did it score?

General Objective
Portability
Evaluation Criteria
Mass of total unit
Performance
M 10 kg
M 10 kg
+5 filters
Points
5
5
5
Durability
Drop Test Height

Over 20 cm *
Intact After 2 hour *
First timers are capable
5
5
5
Cost Effective-ness
No need for molds, need

new diffuser plates
>$80
to environment
Some parts are imported

1
2
4
Health Standards
Table 9: Metric scores of the Sheet Metal design.

The Bottom Line:

The sheet metal design clearly performed superior than all the other design
alternatives by scoring a perfect score in both portability and durability. To make a more
clear comparison, we constructed table 10 that shows the metric scores of all design
alternatives side by side. In each category, the highest scores are circles. It is seen that the
sheet metal design wins in 7 of the possible 10 categories. More importantly, it scores the
highest in the most important category, namely portability as determined using the Pairwise
Comparison Chart earlier. The one area in which the design performs less superior to others
is in cost effectiveness. However, this had less priority than portability. Table 10 also shows
that after the sheet metal design, the frame design is superior to the rest. However,
because durability was already addressed by the sheet metal design, we did not feel the
need to also implement the frame design.
Conclusion:
The Sheet metal design was chosen as the final design.
General
Objective
Portability
Evaluation Criteria
Mass of each separate
component
Mass of total unit
Cost
Effectiveness
Health
Standards
Brick
Design
Frame
Design
Fly Ash
Design
Sheet Metal
Design
0
3
0
2
0
2
0
3
5
5
1
2
5
5
2
5
4
5
5
5
Design Uses existing

infrastructure
Total material cost (CAD$/

unit)
4
1
4
1
4
4
2
4
2
4

Durability
Modular
Design
Drop Test Height
Number of exposure
opportunities to
environment
Table 10: Metric scores of all design concepts in side-by-side comparison. The circles indicate winners in each category.
Final Design: Sheet Metal Design

Overview
For our Final Design Concept we choose a cylindrical sheet metal design. The
selection of this design as opposed to all of the preliminary design concepts considered can
be attributed to the substantial weight reduction, ease in assembly, and structural integrity
during and after transport of this new design.
In this section we will first look at the components of the final design and some of the
design decision. We will then take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages in the
finalization of this design concept.
Design Details
Figure 13 shows the unassembled and assembled illustrations of this design and the
parts it encompasses. It should be noted that in the unassembled design the sheet metal is
flat and not roller. Figure 14 outlines the description and cost of each component of the
design.
Figure 13. The components of the final Sheet Metal design
Figure 14. Description and Cost of different parts used in the Sheet Metal Design
Design Decisions
Height:
The height of the sheet metal was chosen at 851 cm to accommodate the required height
for the filter layers, allow for 5 cm of standing water depth and incorporate a diffuser plate.
The height of the compression fitting placement with reference to the bottom of the gravel
layer is kept the same as the current concrete model as specified.
Surface Area:
The choice of the surface area in our prototype was decided by the diffuser plate that we
were able to obtain, namely a round container purchased at a local store. This eliminated
the need to make a custom made diffuser plate. Having said this, we made sure that the
surface area was equal to or larger than the current concrete model to ensure the flow rate
is not reduced from 0.4 L/hr.
Tubing:
The tube is placed on the inside of the filter rather than the outside for two main reasons.
One is that the tube on the outside is more vulnerable to damage. The other is that having a
hole placement on the side of the filter is much easier than a hole in the bottom of the
filter. If a hole is to be placed on the bottom of the filter it would require the base to be
raised to make room for the tube outlet. With the tube running on the inside it was
important to reduce the chance of slip streaming happening and therefore an exaggerated
spiral was used rather than a vertical tube.
Base plate:
The base plate is an important piece in handling the stresses present in the filter. It requires
a rim to ensure proper construction and hold the bottom of the sheet metal in place. The
presence of this rim requires this plate to be pre manufactured by punching a sheet metal
and imported to their destination spot.
Sealing:
After assembling the Biosand filter by hand rolling the sheet metal and applying the hose
clamps and baseplate, our team was faced with a difficult decision: how to seal the sheet
metal design so it wont leak. An immediate solution was to weld the baseplate and
overlapping sheet metal, but this could have been a luxury in some developing countries.
Hence after much research our team settled on a simple tried and tested solution; silicon as
a sealant. Silicon has for years been used in many bake ware, cookware and kitchen
appliances. By using an appropriate silicon that is applicable to metal, heavy-duty water
resistant and non toxic, we could inexpensively and effectively seal our sheet metal Biosand
filter design.
Sheet Metal Material selection:
By choosing a sheet metal design our team sought to address one of the most common
issues when dealing with metals; rusting. After exploring several options, even aluminum,
our team selected stainless steel as our build material of choice. The key rationale behind
this decision was that stainless steel will not undergo corrosion unless it is exposed to a
chlorine rich environment (in which it would undergo pitting corrosion due to a chlorine
attack). Also the cost for higher gauge stainless steel metal was not worlds apart from some
other sheet metal choices and hence not a prohibitive factor in the decision to use it as our
Biosand filter metal of choice.
Compression Tube Fitting Material Selection:
Acknowledging that a stainless steel compression tube fitting would not be the most
cost effective and readily available solution for securing the Biosand filter tubing, and having
witnessed firsthand the galvanic corrosion that can occur if a more active metal is chosen
than the stainless steel, our team successfully sought and found plastic compression tube
fittings to be the most effective and readily available solution to securing the tubing in the
Biosand filter whilst keeping water intact. It is a solution that could be implemented in the
sandstorm filter as well to address their difficulties surrounding galvanic corrosion due to
their selection of two metals directly in contact with contrasting potentials.
Please Note: The Material Selection process is described in detail in Appendix A
Unrolled Sheet Metal:
Although pre-rolling the sheet metal decreases the stresses on it and eases the assembly, it
will take up more space during transportation, both internationally and locally. The increase
in international shipping cost alone renders pre-rolling a bad idea. Pre-rolling can also
increase the chance of denting and deformation during transportation. It is therefore
desired to keep sheet metal flat during all phases of transportation and roll it up on the
assembly site.
Gage of sheet metal:
After consulting with the machinists at the University of Calgary Machine Shop, it was
decided that the lowest stainless steal metal gage that is still able to be hand rolled in place
is gage 26 with the thickness of 0.455 mm. This gage was therefor used to build the
prototype.
Utilizing hose clamps:
Hose clamps will be used to keep the sheet metal and its contents together in their
cylindrical configuration. Other than the base plate, the hose clamps are the only
components designed to carry the hydrostatic pressure of the water and the bending
moment of the sheet metal. Based on the chosen thickness of the sheet metal, stress
analysis using ANSYS was used to determine a total of 5 hose clamps necessary to ensure
stresses on the silicone will be kept small and manageable and that the sheet metal and its
contents are safely kept in their configuration.
Please Note: The Stress Analysis using ANSYS is described in detail in Appendix B
Advantages of Design:
Weight Reduction:
One of the greatest advantages of this design concept is its drastic weight reduction.
Taking into consideration the weight of the original Biosand filter was 95kg, the new
sheet metal Biosand filter design concept has an 87% weight reduction sitting at only 5.7
kg when fully assembled. Not only is it easier to transport in parts, the low total weight
allows for many filters to be transported at one time behind a truck without exceeding
the recommended capacity.
Stress Concentrations:
By choosing a cylindrical body as opposed to the original rectangular design; any

stress concentrations that previously existed at the edges of the concrete Biosand filter
will have been addressed. Thus the cylindrical body of the stainless steel Biosand filter is
more robust geometrically in terms of more even stress allocation in contrast to its
predecessor.
Ease in Transport:
The sheet metal Biosand filter has been designed in a manner so that it is
remarkably ease to assemble. As a matter of fact, it is so easy to assemble that its
intended to be constructed at its final destination. With just a few stacks of sheet metal,
a bucket of compression pipe fittings, custom punched baseplates, the diffuser plate,
lid, tubing and silicon needed for assembly, its no longer a matter of how many filters
youre capable of transporting; its now a matter of how many filters you desire to
transport. With these drastic improvements in ease of transport without damaging the
filter, people to whom obtaining the concrete Biosand filter was impractical will have a
realistic alternative to finally obtain potable water!
Ease in Assembly:
The stainless steel Biosand filter assembly is as easy as hand rolling the stainless
steel sheet metal into a cylinder, securing the shape with the hose clamps and the base
plate, and applying silicon to seal the base and inner sheet metal overlap. After the
silicon has dried, one can secure the tubing through the sheet metal with the
compression tube fitting, put in the bio filter contents followed by the diffuser plate
and start producing potable water!
With only nine simple components (including the lid), the sheet metal Biosand filter can be
quickly and easily assembled with two people. That is not to say it cant be done leisurely by
one (as giddily proven by our Machine shop technician Larry).
Disadvantages:
The drawback of the stainless steel Biosand filter largely has to do with the
availability of the raw materials required for its production. Because the availability of
stainless steel sheet metal, silicone and plastic is dependent on the facilities and natural
resources of any given area; there is a possibility that most of the components for the
Biosand filter will have to be imported. On the upside, due to the low weight of each of
components that make up the entirety of the filter, large quantities of the desired materials
being imported should not be impractical due to cost.
Furthermore, the baseplates will have to be punched out and mass produced for the
greatest cost efficiency. Similarly the sheet metal will have to be cut to the appropriate
dimensions with correctly sized hole at the appropriate height. Both the baseplate and cut
stainless steel will have to be imported unless the destination has a facility capable of
punching and cutting stainless steel.
Prototyping and Testing
Figure 15: Sheet Metal Design Prototype
Figure 15 shows the picture of the final prototype. The assembly of the prototype is
described in our video, but can be summarized in the following steps:
1) Secure the compression fitting on the sheet metal in the pre punched hole.
2) Punch holes into the diffuser plate if not already done so. Make sure to
disperse the holes evenly
3) Roll the sheet metal and place it inside the rim of the base plate. Allow the
sheet metal to completely attach itself to the rim of the base plate
4) While one person is holding the sheet metal in place, the second person
secures 5 hose clamps around the cylinder. Do not tighten the hose clamps
all the way. At this stage the cylinder is slightly bulged and the second
person is still required to hold the body in place
5) Take the diffuser plate and place it on the body where it is intended to sit.
6) With the diffuser in place, tighten the hose clamps to their required level so
that there is no more bulge in the sheet metal. Before securing each clamp
tight move it to the desired location so that the clamps are roughly evenly
spaced out. At this point the second person can stop holding the body
7) Remove the diffuser plate. This may require loosening the very top hose
clamp slightly.
8) Apply silicone to the joint at the base of the model on the inside, where the
base plate meets the rolled sheet metal. This is the most crucial step and
requires patience and slow movements. Make sure there are no gaps.
9) Apply silicone to the vertical joint where the sheet metal overlaps, on the
inside of the model. This is the most crucial step and requires patience and
slow movements. Make sure there are no gaps.
10) Allow up to 7 days for the silicon to completely cure. In this time make sure
not to disturb the filter in any way
11) After the silicon is cured, attach the tube to the compression fitting. The
fitting ensures this joint is water tight
12) Fill up the filter with gravel, sand, and a biolayer as specified by CAWST
13) Fill the unit with water until the biolayer is completely submerged and there
is a 5 cm standing water depth.
14) Place the diffuser and the lid on
15) Allow one month for the development of the biolayer. In this time make sure
to monitor the height of the water to make sure the biolayer is completely
submerged
16) Enjoy your Biosand filter!
Performance
Table 11 shows how our final prototype performs in terms of the constraints we
were bounded to. Most of the constraints were met because we designed the Biosand filter
specifically to meet them. However, some specifications had to be tested. After using
silicone, we left the Biosand Filter filled with water over night, and verified that no water
leaked 24 hours. It was concluded that the silicone was able to seal the design as long as it is
stationary. However, when subject to harsh movements, such as being tipped over to empty
contents, the silicon did fail and the filter leaked water. With the use of a meter stick, during
the testing phase we properly measured the depth of each layer. During the design fair, we
maintained a flow rate visibly higher than 0.4L/hr, due to our increase surface area.
Client Requirement (Constrains)
Performance
Meets the desired height

Standing water depth of 5 cm
0.4 L/m flow rate
Water sealed
Does not rust
Does not leak contaminants into water
Does not allow dirty water to bypass the filter
Table 11: The performance of the final prototype in terms of constraints.
In addition to the general constraints put forth by CAWST, our design needed to
adhere to the following two specifications:
Maximum deformation of sheet metal < 0.5 mm: the maximum deformation that
the silicon joints could handle before failure divided by a factor of 2
Maximum tension on hose clamps < 4.5 kN: 90% of the rated maximum tension that
can safely be handled by the hose clamps
To adhere to the above two specifications, ANSYS modeling was used to determine
the appropriate number of hose clamps needed, with the conclusion that 5 hose clamps
should be used. The detailed analysis is included in Appendix B.
Table 12 shows how our final prototype performs when compared to the current
Biosand filter. This was a way to measure design successes in terms of the objectives. The
chance of mechanical failure during transportation is speculated to be very low because our
design is unassembled when transported and non of the pieces are brittle. We didnt feel
the need to drive on a rough road for two hours with the components behind a truck to
know that this design is able to pass that test.
The chance of mechanical failure during construction is low mainly due to the ease of
construction and the fact that special skill is not required to ensure structural integrity.
Once again, it can be seen that the only area where our design is a setback to the current
concrete filter is in the cost of material, as well as any additional cost associated with
manufacturing and shipping of specialized parts. The breakdown of cost of both the current
concrete filter and the Sheet Metal design can be found in tables 12 and 13 in the next
section.
Feature
Weight (kg)
Ductility of main material
Mode of transportation
Chance of mechanical failure during
CAWST Concrete Model
Sheet Metal Design
95
5.71
brittle
ductile
In one piece
unassembled
High
Very low
Difficult
Easy
High
low
45
92
transportation
Ease of construction
Chance of mechanical failure during
construction
Cost of material (CAD $)
Table 11: The performance of the final prototype in terms of objectives.
Cost Analysis
The Following tables show the detailed comparison between the cost of the current concrete
Biosand filter and the Sheet Metal Biosand filter.
Price of CAWST Concrete Biosand Filter

24 liters of < 1mm sand
$20
12 liters of cement
$12
12 liters of gravel
$10
1.05 meters of 1/4 x 3/8 tubing
$3
Total Cost
$45
Table 12: price of current CAWST concrete Biosand Filter
Price of Sheet Metal Biosand Filter

24 liters of < 1mm sand
$20
1 sheets of 26 gauge sheet metal
$30
1 liter of gravel
$1
5 Hose clamps
$30
2 bottle of silicon
$8
1.05 meters of 1/4 x 3/8 tubing
$3
Total Cost
$92
Table 13: price the Sheet Metal Biosand filter design
Feasibility of Implementation
In order to measure the level of feasibility this design has, our team decided to
compare its advantages and disadvantages to the previous concrete design. This helped us
benchmark the level of feasibility that we can expect from the sheet metal biosand filter.
Firstly from an economical point of view, we can tell that on paper, this design was
going to be a little more expensive than the concrete design. The model that we made cost
$92 whereas the concrete design cost around $40 - $45 not including the cost for the precast metal mold that is estimated to be around $500 - $1000. This got the team thinking.
How many times are these pre-cast molds reused? If they arent used much, it can
significantly increase the cost of the concrete mold but as we investigated further, this was
hard to put a finger on. This gave us the idea of looking at the intangibles, the metrics and
other factors that would not be able to be measured accurately or even at all.
We have estimated that there will be a reduction in construction time, training time
and resources / manpower required. The sheet metal design will eliminate the need to
source out any material required to build the filter which may take time. The silicon in
particular will need a curing time, but not as extensive as the curing time required for the
concrete and it comes with a higher chance of success. Secondly, we believe that this design
will have a higher success rate in surviving the construction and subsequent transportation
phase of the project. It is estimated that about 30% of filters fail due to cracks incurred from
transportation and the curing process during the construction of the filter. Making it out of
sheet metal will not only eliminate the brittle property of concrete which will eliminate the
risk of it breaking during transport, it eliminates the need for a very picky curing process.
We concluded that this design is much more feasible, economical and practical than the
concrete design if the intangibles are added to the equation.
Lastly from a practical point of view, the team understood that there will be many
instances where sheet metal and other materials required for the filter would not be able to
be sourced from the areas where these filters would be installed. We are considering and
moving forward with this design by leveraging off the fact that manpower and resources (ie.
pre-cast metal mold, etc.) are required to travel to these sites. This change in the process
will allow CAWST to source out materials that are more readily available in Canada at a
cheaper price.
Risk Assessment
Item
1
2
3
4
Risk
Silicon does not make the filter water tight
(bad application)
Materials are damaged during
transportation prior to the manufacturing
of the filter
Adding the gravel and sand into the filter
will damage the silicon
Diffuser plate (bowl / circular object) does
not fit (too big / too small)
Probability
(%)
10%
Severity
(H/M/L)
M
3%
5%
50%
Mitigation Plan
Scrape off silicon and
reapply
Materials must be
repurchased
Scrape off silicon and
reapply
Source another diffuser
plate that will fit
Table 13: Risk Matrix Table
As we were finalizing our design, we understood that along with many of the
advantages it had as well as some of the solutions it provides in comparison with the previous
design, the design also has risks associated with it. Refer to the above table for this discussion.
The risk we identified that would have the highest probability of happening is not having
the correct size of bowl / circular object to be used as the diffuser plate. Considering that the
amount of the material being shipped to the location of interest is fixed, the size of the diffuser
plate must be constant wherever a Biosand filter is being installed. If the dimensions, it will
either decrease (limit the volume of the filter) or increase (reduce the size of the overlap of the
sheet metal) the diameter of the filter which may cause unwanted consequences. It is necessary
to find the correct size to eliminate any unnecessary headache. If a diffuser plate is first chosen
but is later found to not fit, another one can simply be found that has the correct dimensions.
We concluded that as a result of our decision to avoid welding to simplify the
manufacturing as well as the cost of the filter, we needed another way to join the metal
together. We decided to use silicon or caulking which is used in many kitchen and bathroom
applications to make the filter watertight. This comes with its risks. First, it is obvious that silicon
will be less durable and will have a lower probability of making the casing watertight if the
silicon is not applied right. As such the risks with regards silicon is that the silicon will not make
the casing watertight and due to its relative lack of durability, when adding gravel, it may
damage the silicon. If any of these situations happen, the remaining silicon must be scraped off
and a new layer must be applied. Care must be taken to apply it along the seams and along the
base plate perfectly and time is put aside for the silicon to cure well before gravel / sand and
water is added to the casing. Also when adding the gravel / sand, add it into the casing at the
lowest elevation possible. For example, when adding the bottom gravel layer, put your arm
within the casing before letting go / placing the gravel.
The last risk that we identified which is not specific to our design is the damage of the materials
on the way to the site during flight or other means of transportation. For example, since the
gauge of the sheet metal is high to ease the process of hand rolling the sheet metal into the
initial circular shape, it is more prone to damage such as denting and possible creasing. If this is
the case, the only possible mitigation plan is to ship more material suitable for the
manufacturing process. Although this has a very small chance of occurring, the cost and time
wasted will be significant and all measures should be taken for this to not happen.
Recommendations
Using hose-clamps or zip-ties instead of welded rings
The prototype was made using welded rings to hold the sheet metal in place. This
was an easy proof of concept, however, the true vision of the team for the Sheet Metal
design is utilizing hose clamps to hold the rings together. There are multiple benefits to
using hose-clamps or zip-ties rather than the welded rings. The most obvious one is that it
makes the construction a lot easier. The hose clamps are easily adjustable and very sturdy
when set to the desired circumference. They also come in a wide range of sizes so they can
be applicable to filters of various diameters. They are also very inexpensive and take up
minimal room. The same benefits can be found using zip ties. However over time, the zipties may lose their strength if constantly exposed to sunlight or hot environments. An added
benefit of zip-ties over hose clamps is that they are even cheaper.
Increase Gauge of sheet metal

The current gauge thickness of the design is 26, which corresponds to 0.455 mm in
thickness. The gauge selected is extremely important. It must be strong enough to resist
some of the internal forces, as well as external physical damage that could puncture the
filter. At the same time, the sheet metal should be thin enough to be hand rolled into a
cylinder. This allows for extremely fast and easy construction. After analyzing the internal
forces, the thickness of 26 is overdesigned and can be increased to a thinner gauge of 28,
corresponding to the thickness of 0.378 mm. This will reduce the amount of force needed to
hand roll the sheet metal. The sheet metal should not be further increased in gage because
doing so will require additional hose clamps to ensure water tightness and also increase the
risk of dents during transportation.
Increase the overlap of the sheet metal

The current overlap of the design is 3 inches. By increasing the overlap slightly to 5
inches, the design will be more cylindrical and the forces on the zip-ties or the hose clamps
will be reduced. One thing to keep in mind is that as the overlap increases, so does the
amount of sheet metal that must be used, increasing the cost of each unit. We believe that
an increase to 5 inches will offer enough benefits in ease of construction and construction
time reduction to justify the additional cost. Having said this the 3 inches of overlap still
deliver a functional prototype.
Use a mass production method of manufacturing for the bottom plate

Our current design uses a circular piece of sheet metal with another strip of sheet
metal welded around it. The idea is that the base plate would be assembled here, and
shipped to the desired location. A more efficient way would be to use a manufacturing
process known as stamping. This is the process where a flat piece of sheet metal is placed in
a stamping press where a tool and die surface forms the metal into a shape. This would
allow for reduced cost as well as time saved when making multiple base plates.
Appendix A: Detailed Material Selection

This section will explore a variety of areas in which three metals were compared to
determine the most suitable for our application in the Biosand casing. Further details on
each area are described in section 4.1 Preliminary Calculation of the design binder. The
following metals were chosen for the material analysis; Aluminum 5052 for its common
usage and formability, 304 Stainless Steel as it is very widely used, and Brass C26000 due to
being the most commonly used copper alloy.
Corrosion Resistance
The first property we analyzed was corrosion resistance. While all sections have
their own merit, this is perhaps the most important or heavily weighted. This is due to the
fact that corroded areas on the casing have the potential to contaminate the water.
Reducing the number of contaminants in the water is the main function of the Biosand
water filter, thus reducing performance in this area would jeopardize the project. As such
the corrosion resistant properties of each was investigated for our specific use case.
Aluminum is known as a naturally passive metal, this means that it will produce a
protective oxide layer without the need to negatively, or anodically, polarize the material.
This compact and stable oxide layer protects the metal below and inhibits any further
corrosion form taking place. The following formula illustrates how this occurs.
4 + 32 22 3
As can be seen from the reaction formula high concentrations of oxygen are
required for the reaction to move forward. However, when the material isnt regularly dried
and its exposed to stagnant water for long periods of time the possibility of damage
increases as the layer becomes unstable. Should the layer become unstable, corrosion is
very likely due to the relatively low electrode potential making it more likely to be oxidized.
3+ +
= 1.706 ()
The most likely cause of attack is pitting corrosion, which occurs if the potential is
above the pitting potential and is usually initiated by defects in the metal. In air, pitting
corrosion has little effect on the material strength, however it has far more potential for
damage in water. Due to the nature of the water filter, and the requirement for a certain
amount of standing water to be present at all times, the sheet metal will be continuously
exposed to water. The sheet metal will also be in contact with the filter material that
includes rocks, gravel, sand, and a biolayer. These materials have the potential to abrade
the surface of the aluminum and further damage the oxide layer, which would again
increase the possibility for corrosion.
Stainless steels are renowned for their anti-corrosive properties, which are one of
the key reasons for their use in medical devices, food processing, shipping containers, and
many more high wear environments. The anti-corrosive nature of stainless steels is a
result of their relatively high chromium content. Unlike aluminum, even in very weak
oxidizing environments a chromium oxide layer is able to form, protecting the metal
underneath. For our application where the metal will be continually submerged in water,
the oxide layer will be able to regenerate easily should it damaged. Below is the chemical
formula for the production of the chromium oxide layer.
4() + 32 () 22 3 ()
A breakdown of passivity can occur in the presence of anions, such as chloride ions.
Should this occur the oxide layer would become unstable, external molecules could then
penetrate allowing corrosion to occur. However, the likelihood of these being present in any
significant quantity for our use case is small.
Brass generally has good corrosion resistance due to the base metal being copper. In
the case of Brass C26000 the composition breakdown is as follows; 70% copper, 30% Zinc.
Copper has relatively good corrosion resistance, and is due in part to its high
electrode potential meaning it is less likely to oxidize.
+ +
= 0.522 ()
Its corrosion resistant properties can also be related to the formation of an (semipermeable) oxide layer on the surface. The formation and stability of this layer are
dependent on the environment in which the metal is situated. In water with low oxygen
content, obviously corrosion is unlikely. In water with higher oxygen content the more
stable product is pH dependent. For our use case the water is expected to be pH neutral
with varying levels of dissolved oxygen content due to the removal aerobic bacteria and
organics throughout the filter. Form this we can deduce that Cu2O is favored; a semiprotective film is formed limiting corrosion.
However, with the addition of the alloying element zinc the corrosion properties are
changed. In general higher levels of zinc are related to a reduction in corrosion resistance.
This is due to an effect known as dezincification; the formation of zinc free layers or areas
that are mechanically compromised. This often leads to related problems including stress
corrosion cracking (SCC).
Weight
The next area of concern is weight. The dimensions from the CAD model and the relative
densities of each metal were used to calculate the weight of the casing. As will be evident in
the results, while the differing densities were able to provide distinguishable difference
between the three metals, even the heaviest was more than 85kg lighter than the existing
casing. Below is the table outlining the respective material densities and weights.
Material
Aluminum
Stainless Steel - Grade
304
Copper
Density (g/cm3)
2.70
8.06
Size (cm3)
763.5
763.5
Weight (kg)
2.06
6.15
8.96
763.5
6.84
Table 15: Material Analysis Weight Comparison
As mentioned we can see that utilizing any of the three metals in our design would yield a
significantly lighter casing than the current design, which has total weight of 95kg. However
as our purpose is to optimize the design through engineering methods the difference
between the three must be taken into account.
Strength
Another important aspect when considering different alloys for the casing is the strength of
the material. The lifetime for the filter indefinite and is dictated by damage inflicted during
construction, transportation, and daily use. Simplifying the construction process and
altering the transportation by moving the basic materials as opposed to complete filters will
help to reduce the damage sustained in these stages. However, we must also consider the
abuse the filter will experience in day-to-day use, such as children and pets knocking into it.
In order to optimize the metal for such scenarios we wish to have a high hardness rating to
improve the resistance to scratches, chips, and dents. This will also help to maintain the
aesthetic appearance of the casing. We are also interested in a high modulus of elasticity to
provide sufficient structural rigidity to the casing prior to the filtering media being installed.
This enables the user to effectively apply silicone to the internal seam. Below is the table
outlining the mechanical properties for the respective metals.
Material
Aluminum (5052)
Stainless Steel (Grade
304)
Hardness (HRB)
60
92
Youngs Modulus (106 psi)

69
193
91
110
Brass (C26000)
Table 16: Material Analysis Strength Comparison
From the comparison chart we can see that both the stainless steel and the brass sheet
metal have the highest values in both sections ratings. This is expected, as aluminum is
known to be prone to dents and scratches.
Cost
The final aspect we analyzed was the relative cost of each material. The nature of our
project means that cost effectiveness is imperative. A large portion of the cost is
supplemented by organizations, including CAWST. Generally only a small contribution is
made by the user.
In order to implement a fair comparison a metal superstore was used to provide an applesto-apples evaluation. A thickness close to that which we are using was chosen to generate
a sample cost for each metal. Below is the table providing the comparison.
Material
Aluminum (5052)
Stainless Steel (Grade 304)
Brass (C26000)
MetalsDepot.com
(1x2ft, 3/64)
$6.84
$29.02
$70.24
Table 17: Material Analysis Cost Comparison
From the table we can see that Brass is significantly more expensive than Stainless Steel and
Aluminum.
Note: The material dimensions used were merely selected to provide a common size
between the different metals.
Appendix B- Solid Analysis

Calculating Tension of the Hose Clamps
In the interest of saving space, the sheet metal from which the body of the filter is made of is
not pre-rolled. Thus a force is required to bend it and keep it in a cylindrical configuration. In
addition, the hydrostatic pressure of the water also exerts a force on the walls of the cylinder. In
our prototype, we use metal rings around the rolled sheet metal cylinder to hold it in place.
These are slender strips of thicker sheet metal that have been rolled and welded at the ends to
construct a ring. These rings are more than enough to handle the tensile force exerted by the
bent sheet metal and the hydrostatic pressure. However, in the final design we wish to
implement metal or plastic cable ties to hold the sheet metal in a cylindrical shape. We need to
find out exactly how much tension is acting on these cables and how many we need according
to their maximum allowable tensile force.
Figure 16. Stainless steel cable tie. Picture from SHEETSDB Cable Type Reference.
Calculating Structural Loads:

To simplify the analysis, we initially assume that the sheet metal will bend elastically, i.e. the
yield strength will not be exceeded. This assumption is justifiable because the thickness of the
sheet metal is much smaller than the radius of curvature.
In the assumed elastic range, this stress varies linearly with the distance from the neutral
surface as seen in the following figure:
Figure 17 Stress distribution during elastic bending [8]
The elastic bending moment on the sheet metal can be found from the following calculation:
(Equation 1)
where M is the bending moment

E is the youngs modulus
I is the cross sectional moment of inertia with respect to the centroidal axis
perpendicular to the plane of the couple M
is the radius of curvature
The stainless steel sheet metal, gage 26 has the following properties:
Youngs Modulus
Yield Tensile Strength
Thickness
Height
Cross Sectional Moment of Inertia
Radius of Curvature
Table 18: Properties of gage 26 Stainless Steel
E
Y
h
b
1
= 3
12
200 GPa
215 MPa
0.000455 m
0.851 m
6.68 1012 4
0.154 m
Using the values in table 18, the bending moment can be found from equation 1:
200 109 6.68 1012 4

= 8.68
0.154
Assuming purely elastic bending, the maximum stresses on the surface of the sheet metal can
be found from the following formula:
(Equation 2)
where c is the distance from the neutral surface to the surface bearing the maximum tension. In
this case because the cross sectional area is rectangular, c is half the thickness of the sheet
metal.
8.68 0.0002275
= 296
6.68 1012 4
This stress is higher than the yield stress, indicating that the bending moment is higher than the
yielding moment and our initial assumption about elastic bending was wrong.
We therefor assume an elasto-plastic model. In this model when the bending moment exceeds
the yielding moment, plastic bending sets in on the outer surfaces of sheet metal (where stress
is maximum) and moves to the center with increased bending. The stress distribution diagram
can be seen in the following figure:
Figure 18 Stress distribution during elasto-plastic bending [8]
The total bending moment in this model is given by:
3
1 2
= (1
)
2
3 2
(Equation 3)
Where MY is the bending moment at the onset of yield

YY is half the thickness of the elastic core
(Equation 4)
6.68 1012 4 215

= 6.31 Nm
2.275 104
215
0.154 = 1.66 104
200
(Equation 5)
Using the values obtained from equations 4 and 5, the bending moment can be found from
equation 3:
3
1 (1.66 104 )2
= (6.31) (1
) = 7.79
2
3 (2.275 104 )2
This moment is present at each point of the bent sheet metal about the axis parallel to the cylinder. The
force Fbm that is needed to hold the sheet metal in this shape is represented in the following figure:
Figure 19. Diagram illustrating the force needed to bend the sheet metal.
This force can be calculated from the force-moment relationship:
where d is the moment arm, that is the diameter in this scenario.
7.79
0.308
= 25.3 N
Thus a compressive force of 25.3 N is needed to keep an empty biosand filter together.
Hydrostatic Pressure
There is an added force Fh on the walls of the cylinder due to the hydrostatic pressure of the water on
the inside. At each height, this hydrostatic pressure can be found from:
where is the density of the fluid

g is the gravitational constant
h is the height of the fluid above the point of measurement
It is important to note that the presence of sand or gravel does not effect the hydrostatic pressure
because hydrostatic pressure carries through the porosity of the media.
To visualize what force should balance this effect, consider half of the cylinder and the pressure it exerts
on the walls, as shown in figure 20.
Figure 20. Hydrostatic Pressure
This force is equal to the compressive force that is needed to hold a cylinder full of water together if
there was no bending moment.
From this diagram, it is evident that Fh can be found by integrating the component of pressure acting in
the parallel direction, through degrees and height of the cylinder.
= 2
0
where H is the total height of the water equal to 0.7 m.
= 2
0
This integration simplifies to:
= 2
= 1000
9.81
0.308 0.7 = 2115
3
2
ANSYS Modeling- Finite Elements Method Stress Analysis

The sheet metal design was modeled on ANSYS based on the true geometry of the prototype. To
ensure that the hose clamps were able to adequately support the bending moment of the sheet
metal the analysis was conducted with increasing number of hose clamps until the following two
conditions were met:
Maximum deformation of sheet metal < 0.5 mm
Maximum tension on hose clamps < 4.5 kN
The hose clamps were represented as rings of stainless steel of the same width and thickness. The
only difference between the ANSYS model and the real model is the absence of an overlap, which
significantly simplified the analysis without much impact on the results. Meshed was done using a
simple technique for thin sheet metal. Due to the extremely thin gages, the mesh is one cell thick in
most places. However, this assumption is acceptable for thin sheet analysis. The meshing can be
seen in figures 21 and 22.
Figure 21: Overview of the mesh
Figure 22: Detailed view of the mesh
Next the structural loads that were established in the previous section were applied to the model.
To represent the bending moment on the sheet metal, the equivalent force to generate that
moment was applied to the edge of the sheet metal as outlined in figure 23. The hydrostatic
pressure did not need to be included in this force as ANSYS has a built in tool for calculating
hydrostatic force. The modeling of the hydrostatic force using this built in tool is illustrated in figure
24.
Figure 23: The equivalent force to cause the calculated bending moment was applied at the edge of sheet metal
Figure 24: Hydrostatic pressure was applied using the built in ANSYS tool
Next the model was ran with different number of hose clamps and the maximum tension in the
hose clamps as well as the maximum deformation were recorded. The aim was to find the smallest
number of hose clamps that would maintain deformation of the body to less than 0.5 mm while
keeping the maximum tension in the hose clamps below 4.5 kN.
Figure 25 and 26 show the total deformation and stress analysis on a filter with only 2 hose clamps.
This design does not meet the required specifications, and therefore additional runs were
performed with increasing number of hose clamps. Figures 27 and 28 show the total deformation
and stress analysis results with 5 hose clamps. Based on these results 5 hose clamps are sufficient in
meeting the required specifications and were therefore chosen for the final design.
Figure 25: The calculated deformation using only two hose clamps.
Figure 26: The stress distribution using only two hose clamps.
As can be seen from the top two figures, using two hose clamps result in close to 3 mm of deformation
in the sheet metal, at which point silicon sealing will definitely fail. Also, the stress on the hose clamps
are as high as 110 MPa, corresponding to a tension of 11 kN. It is quite clear that using 2 hose clamps
will result in mechanical failure of the hose clamps and the silicon sealed joints
Figure 27. : The calculated deformation using five hose clamps.
Figure 28: The calculated stress using 5 hose clamps
As can be seen from the top two figures, when using 5 hose clamps the maximum deformation to
the sheet metal is only 0.3 mm, causing a small manageable strain on the silicon only. Also, the
maximum stress in the hose clamps are rated as 42 kPa, corresponding to a tension of 4.2 kN which
is quite manageable by the hose clamps. As a result the final design was chosen to implement 5
hose clamps.
References
[1] Moe, C., Gangarosa, E. J., (2009) Improving Water and Sanitation Access in Developing Countries:
Progress and Challenges. Center for Global Safe Water. Retrieved from:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK50770/
[2] Unicef, (2014) Water Sanitation and Hygene (WASH). Retrieved from:
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_45481.html
[3] Center for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology. (2012). Biosand Filter Construction
Manual. Retrieved form:
http://resources.cawst.org/system/files/BSF%20PI_Construction%20Manual_2012-08_en.pdf
[4] Center for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology. (n.d.) Biosand Filter. Retreieved from:
(http://www.cawst.org/resources/Biosand-filter
[5] United States Environmental Protection Agency (2013) Standards and Risk Management.
Retrieved from: http://water.epa.gov/drink/standardsriskmanagement.cfm
[6] Separation Technologies LLC (2008) Why Use Fly Ash. Retrieved from:
http://www.proash.com/wordpress/?page_id=95
[7] Thomas, M., (2007) Optimizing the Use of Fly Ash in Concrete. Portland Cement Association.
Retrieved from: http://www.cement.org/docs/default-source/fc_concrete_technology/is548optimizing-the-use-of-fly-ash-concrete.pdf?sfvrsn=4
[7] Thomas, M., (2007) Optimizing
[8] Beer, F. P., Johnston, E. R., Dewolf, J. T., Mazurek, D. F., (2009) Mechanics of Materials, fifth edition in
SI units, MacGraw-Hill Companis, Inc,.

Group 17 - Final Report

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2014/2015

Project 17: Improving

CAWST - Center for Affordable Water and Sanitation

Dr. Simon Li,

Key Words and Abbreviations:

The biological layer present in Biosand filters containing micro-organisms

Center for Affordable Water and Sanitary Technologies

Improved Water Source

A water source that is adequately protected from outside contamination, in

Advantages ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

The Concrete Biosand Filter

Figure 1: Components and Operation of the Biosand Filter [3]

Overall Goals and Scope

Kickoff Team Meeting

Figure 2: Gantt chart overview of the project schedule

Mechanical Failure during

Mechanical Failure due to

The casing for the current model weighs ~95kg

Table 1. Challenges of the current concrete Biosand Filter

At least 0.4 L/min

The order of filtering material

Figure 4: Figure of Biosand Filter [3]

Figure 5: Tree of Objectives

Concept Generation and Selection

Functions and Means

Table 2: Morphological Chart

Mass of each separate

Stacking ability behind

Drop Test Height

Total material cost

Rough Terrain Road Test

Design Uses existing

Table 3: Decision metrics used to evaluate design concepts

Cost Portability Durability Material

Table 4: Pairwise Comparison Chart of Priorities / Objectives

Figure 7: Modular Design Concept

The construction / manufacturing process will be more complex and difficult

How did it score?

Drop Test Height

Design Uses existing infrastructure

Molds, diffuser plate and

Total material cost (CAD$/ unit)

Table 5: Metric scores of the Modular design.

The Bottom Line:

Figure 9: Brick Design using Original Biosand Filter dimensions

Eliminate the transportation of the whole filter

How did it score?

Drop Test Height

Design Uses existing infrastructure

Diffuser plate only

Total material cost (CAD$/ unit)

Table 6: Metric scores of the Brick design.

The Bottom Line:

Figure 11: Frame Concept Design

Drop Test Height

Design Uses existing infrastructure

Molds, diffuser plate and

Total material cost (CAD$/ unit)

Table 7: Metric scores of the Frame design.

Diffuser plate imported only

The Bottom Line:

Composition Refinement Design: Fly ash