In week four we finalized our decisions on the dimensions of the cyclone separator we have been working on. We wrote an excel sheet to do all the complex calculations automatically to make it easier for us. With the help of this Excel sheet we managed to come up with the dimensions that would theoretically give us the required values of pressure drop and efficiency. Then from the dimensions, we proceeded to making the adjustments in our previous Solid works model. After the adjustments were done, we moved to 3-D printing the Alpha models for practical testing adjustments started on Friday of week 4 up to Friday of week 5. We wouldn’t test directly using an expensive oxygen concentrator so we had to tune a vacuum cleaner to have parameters like those of an oxygen concentrator for testing. Most of our time was spent doing research on other ways of reducing pressure drop as we were waiting for the 3-D printing to finish.

 

First model 3-D printing

 

At the Bioscience Research Collaborative, we are working with professional engineers every week day, this has made us aware of the real ground scenarios other than the theory we learn in school. The people working at this institute are from different areas and countries and I have learnt from them some of their cultural habits, styles of dressing, and how they interact with others, and also some phrases and words in there languages. Apart from this, the project has challenged us to come up with creative ideas on how to deal with the problems faced. For example, we were not comfortable with using an oxygen concentrator to do the testing because it is an expensive piece of equipment. We had to find an alternative means, we settled with using a vacuum cleaner but vacuum cleaners gave a very high pressure as compared to an oxygen concentrator. We therefore had to come up with a way of reducing the pressure to the required one but we had no pressure regulator, we there came up with the idea of connecting a pipe to the hose of the vacuum cleaner and drill holes until we had the pressure and floe rate we wanted.

The daily huddles with our mentors and frequent presentations happening every two weeks relived some of the nerves I used to get when speaking in a meeting prior to working here. It has been an eye opening experience seeing how professional engineers do their work and see their work flow and problem solving techniques. It has also taught me not to be narrow minded in terms of profession. Just because I am a Civil Engineering student, it doesn’t mean I should just focus on construction, I can also help in other fields and also even pursue education in them in the future not limiting myself to one field of study. I have also become more acquainted with the process of designing and fabrication in engineering and also how to present and make pitches, this will definitely help in my final year project.