The SoWaDi team could only dream of a SoWaDi device in Darmstadt where long-term measurement data can be collected and change ideas can be quickly tested. Thanks to the TU Darmstadt, which kindly provided us with a place on the experimental field at campus Lichtwiese, we were able to fulfil our wish on the weekend of June 14th to June 16th (exactly one year after the last setup).
The project team met on Friday to check the previously purchased materials and to discuss the course of the weekend. On Saturday morning the construction started energetically. In order for everything to go smoothly, groups were formed in advance to take care of various parts of the system. So, the team started working parallel on the stand, the absorber box and the pipe bending. In the afternoon, pipes and aluminium sheets were joined and sprayed black. Sunday was reserved for the construction of the intermediate and upper frames as well as the final assembly.
One of the additional goals for this setup was, to examine the improved version of the instructions and test it in practice so that any further adjustments could be made. All suggestions for improvement were therefore noted diligently and evaluated in the subsequent meetings. Especially the filling of the pipe with sand and the following emptying led to problems again and raised a discussion concerning other possibilities.
In contrast to the previous systems, it was decided not to place the copper pipe in deep-drawn sheet metal this time, but only to place the copper pipe on the surface of the sheet metal. This is to test whether the very time-consuming deep-drawing of the sheets is worthwhile in terms of water output. In addition, a measuring technique designed by the team was attached to the system. The measurement targets include the energy input, the maximum achievable output quantity and the influence of short-term clouds on the output. In the future, verifiable predictions about possible output quantities and times should be possible.
Thanks to the 15 motivated helpers, the construction was successfully completed. Many new faces at SoWaDi were also able to get to know the device and the instructions properly for the first time and observe how the first surge of disinfected water flows from the specially built device. The setup and recording of the measurement data was very informative and opened up new work packages for our project work.
The finished system is located on the Lichtwiese campus between the buildings of the Architecture Department and the Darmstadt Climbing Centre. Interested parties are warmly invited to peer through the fence and find out more about the research project here on the homepage.
