A9 - final poject akuaippa

Akuaippa

 Resume: The Akuaippa (meaning life and water in the wayuu language) is a response to the intensive draughts suffer by the people of the Guajira Colombia. We have created a device that responds to the region's characteristics to generate potable water and aliviate the humanitarian crisis. By destillating salt water from the sea, this experiment has the potential of saving many lives, and by creating a sensible, region base devise we assure it can get to as much people as possible. 

 
  Location: 
La Guajira, Colombia

  

La Guajira is a department of Colombia. It occupies most of the Guajira Peninsula in the northeast region of the country, on the Caribbean Sea and bordering Venezuela, at the northernmost tip of South America. The capital city of the department is Riohacha.

The economy of the department is mostly based on royalties from the coal mining at Cerrejón (producing 24.9 million tons of export coal in 2004), Natural gas exploitation and salt mines.

2. Climate:  

Its climate stands out in possessing all the characteristics of the intertropical zone with average temperatures between 22 and 40 ° C. In its ecological characteristics is variety of terrestrial ecosystems, among the most prevalent are the desert, the dry jungle and wet mountain.

In its hydrological characteristics, it counts on water tanks like aquifer wells and little lakes or “jagüeyes” that provide water to the communities. The main rivers are the Ranchería and the Cesar.
It only rains between September and December, it is the driest region in Colombia.

3. Draught in la Guajira  

 In 2014, La Guajira was declared in state of emergency because of the drought. The indigenous wayuu representatives denounced the isolation and oblivion they’ve been suffering by the Colombian government.

Referents:

We based this prototype in two referents from which we took what we foun was better and merge them into a new thing. The first one is the Desalinisateur solaire. This experiment works by heating a cloth between two sheets of plastic. Water condenses and falls into a collection recipient. The problem it has is that by having such a small area vapor quickly create a layer which blocks the sun.

The second project we took from was the Elio Domestico, This one worked by heating water in a metal container and conducting the vapor into an inferior container. We found very interesting the use of ceramic in this project but by our own experience a closed container doesn't work as good as a transparent one wich generates a green house effect. We conserved the basic system but added what we learned from the other project. 

 

Our device could be considered a merger between the two, taking the best of each one and leaving out what we consider less suited. By doing this we have created a new device one designed specially for the area of the Guajira and its specific problems.

Previous prototypes: 

1.  

    

   Our first prototype used solar energy to evaporate and destillate water. We found two crucial problems which made us change it. The first was the fact that the materials did not last long. Made from recycled water bottles and cardboard, it resulted in a very easy to make prototype, however it would not withstand many uses forcing the client to constantly create new ones.

   The second problem was with its limited capacity. Because of its size it could not collect much water, not even enough for a person. Because of the type of work we thought this was a good short-term solution but would create more chaos for the long run. 

   We learned from this prototypes that it was necessary to find a valance between cost and durability. This because a low-cost with low efficiency might give quick solutions but when you have to constantly create the object over and over the cost rises. Also that size needed to find a proportion between the needs of the person or group of persons and its usability.

   2.  

    

   In the second prototype we experimented with the capilarity and how to help water condense in a coler surface. This can still be seen in our prototupe which uses a diferrence in temperature between the top and bottom. Also we replaced the cloth for sponges which have longer durability. The problem in this prototype was its sise and its verticality. Because of Colombias potition in the globe sun comes mostly in a vertical way, so the best way to capt solar energy is by working horizontaly.

   3. 

    

   The third prototype is very similar to the one we have now. This one proposed using a plastic bag for a lid but as we found out in our first prototype going cheap is not always the best solution. Plastic bags even though they are very easy to find the can easily dammage and let vapor scape loosing a whole day of work. Also the sponges where just vertical but as we found in the second prototype this is not really the best solution. Aditionally we added more ergonomical functions like the handles and proposed different ways to create them.  

    

   

Desalinating Prototype:

  How it works:

 

 

Our prototype works by the distillation of salt water from the sea and converting it into drinkablewater. The device works with solar energy and takes advantage of the physical properties of the materials that compose it. First of all the salty water is placed in a metal or ceramic  recipient, on top of this water floats a sponge which function is to absorb and facilitate the evaporation. The form of the sponge is designed to maximize the amount of solar energy according to the solar positions in that part of the ecuador.

The sponge absorbs the water by capillarity, this helps as water will lose its heat resistance, due to the waters circulation. Once vapor is being produce it will be collected in two different ways. First of all it will condensate on the upper lid, from this point it will be conducted to the center by gravity and eventually fallin the base on the bottom. The second one is when vapor starts to augment pressure it will descend through the openings and condensate in the colder ceramic surface of the jar. It's in this jar precisely where the newly drinkable water will be stored. Thanks to the effect of the upper plate which generates shadow on the bottom, this container will manage a lower temperature. Water in the tank will later be mineralized using special rocks.

 

Physical characteristics  

  

how much water?

JAR:

• Collects up to 6’5 L
• Weight: 1’85 kg – 8’35 (with water)

PLATE:

• Contains 5 L
• Weight: 10’5KG – 15’5 kg (with water)

Dimensions: 

The prototype is 51 cm width for 26cm tall, this dimensions where calculated in proportion to the weight people had to carry and the water it had to destillate.

 Tools and materials:

Materials: 

•  Clay rocks 
•  Mud, hay and dried canes, for the pressed soil. 
• Sponges 
•  Rubber tape 
•  Plastic cover 

Tools: 

•  Potter's wheel 
•  Mould to make ceramic plate 
•  Hammer and other traditional tools for ceramic

We propose a mixed program in which both the government and the locals can contribute in the creation of the dispositiv.

On the first hand the locals would create the ceramic parts, this because in this colombian region and in the culture of the Wayuu (local indigenous group) there is a very strong tradition of ceramics and are consider experts. This will not only help the population preserve their traditions but also have a feeling of pertenence. 

 

 

On the other hand the government would provide the industrial materials like the sponge and the plastic lid. This is very easy because barranquilla, one of colombias most industrial cities is not far away. It wouldn't be expensive to use the already existing facilities and materials and transport them by sea or land to the neighboring guajira. 

We propose a system in which there would be an exchange of goods, the government providing some materials and in exchange receiving the ceramics from the locals. This way it will recuperate part of the resources invested by re selling or implementing new prototypes in social programs. By doing so we assure there is  motivation in the making of this product, not only for the people who make it but investors as well. This make our project specialized for this context, understanding and utilizing its strong and weak points. 

 

Link to the tutorial:

Tutorial akuaipa

Thank you!