Human-powered water purification filter

This filtering system is human-powered through a lever mechanism that is optimized for minimal material use but that does not compromise integrity. The lever mechanism has a 2 to 1 force amplification ratio to ease pumping water through the filter. Dirty water is sucked in from the bottom side when the lever is lifted and the bottom is put directly in water, or is connected with an easily attachable cable. A plunger sucks in the dirty water through a one way valve (small ball with spring, spring not represented on pictures). The air that was initially in the loading tube can escape through 4 small holes on the top of the device, otherwise the air would be compressed and thoughen the process of sucking up water. The plunger with a rubber suction piece has a moving distance of 90mm, and the inner diameter of the tube is 45mm, what makes a stroke contain approximately 0.143Liters. This means one can have a full glass of clean drinking water with two strokes. When the plunger is pushed down, the dirty water goes through a filter and comes out at the top of the device were it can be collected. The filter is a standard filter that can clean up to 1000liters of water, and can be easily removed and replaced since it is just screwed into the bottom of the device.

The lever mechanism is designed to be 3D printed, and is optimized for minimal material use, and thus minimal strain on the environment. The longest lever is computed to witstand bending forces, when the maximal pressure in the waterloading tube is 3bar, or approximately 45 psi for the Americans reading. Also are the lenghts of the linkages calculated, so that radial forces on the plunger stay relatively low. This meant that the longest lever could not make an angle with the horizontal that was bigger than 30 degrees, since larger angles mean more radial forces on the plunger, which could make it become blocked due to excessive friction forces with the top piece. This 30 degree rule is a handy rule of thumb I learned this semester in a course on cam design. The short connecting piece between the long lever and the tube is also computed with generative design in Solid Edge. This piece is mostly under axial pressure, and therfore can be thinner than the longest lever. Both pieces which geometries are computed by the Solid Edge generative design tool have a 50 % mass reduction compared to the original design, which was the maximum mass reduction to still ensure strenght and functionality.

In conclusion: ...