Phytoremediation of Wastewater in Kenya

Project Overview:
The Omiflo Phytofix System is designed to provide a sustainable and cost-effective wastewater treatment solution in areas with limited sewer access, particularly in urban Africa. Leveraging the natural filtration ability of Typha roots within a compact, odor-free, and energy-efficient design, the system uses passive biofiltration to clean water.

Challenges and Innovations:
One of the primary engineering challenges involved improving the buoyancy and connection reliability of the floating lattice system. Through meticulous testing and iterative design, we developed two key innovations:

Flotation Cup: A snap-fit accessory designed to increase buoyancy by displacing water with a hollow, high-volume design. Made from HDPE, the flotation cup is both cost-effective and easy to install, integrating seamlessly into the existing lattice structure.

X-Connect: A robust connectivity solution that significantly increases the decoupling force between lattice units, ensuring stable and reliable assembly across varied conditions. The X-Connect features a unique ridge-and-rib design for enhanced durability and ease of installation.

Process:
After initially narrowing down our scope, we decided to move forward with designing accessories for the pre-existing product.

I spearheaded the buoyancy accessory design and testing methods.

This involved making our own CAD model of the existing structure and measuring the size of the cups to take advantage of unused cups. We then 3d printed a first iteration of the cup, with an open lid. Based on feedback from our project partner, we moved on to a second iteration.
Results:

Our solutions achieved a 35% reduction in material costs and cut down installation times by 65-75%, considerably lowering labor costs. The enhanced system allows for the use of heavier, more efficient plant species for filtration, broadening the potential applications of the Phytofix System and facilitating expansion into new regions.

Future Directions:
Further development will focus on optimizing manufacturing processes, specifically transitioning from prototyping to injection molding to enhance scalability and cost-efficiency. The continued partnership with Omiflo aims to pilot these innovations on customer sites, with a view towards full-scale commercial implementation.

Additional:
In addition to our class, we also spent two weeks learning to weld our own jig and create our own hangers. We then created instruction manuals to supplement our design.