A few months ago, I wrote about how AIDG is upgrading its R&D facilities in Guatemala. Woot. An extra benefit of this process is that we can collaborate with more groups who want to design for the BOP. Specifically, we can help them understand what additional material and other constraints they need to take into consideration during their design process. One of my favorite bloggers and head of the Appropriate Technology Collaborative, John Barrie, writes about 2 engineering student teams that came to AIDG-Guatemala recently.
I don’t know how we managed to put together such an incredible set of projects. Much credit goes to the student teams that worked nearly around the clock when in Xela.
Ben Connor Barrie and Jeff Tenza ran the show from our end. Karen and I had work in Nicaragua for much of the time so Ben and Jeff were on their own with the student teams. Ben started working with the student design teams for a few months prior to the build so he was familiar with the technologies and the materials needed for success. He also speaks Spanish and has had two years teaching experience with Teach for America.
Just as we got to Guatemala Ben commented “God I’m glad I don’t have to drive in Guatemala” as our driver cut off a truck and then was cut off by a chicken bus in rush hour traffic. The very next day we borrowed the AIDG truck with Jose Ordoñez to shop for materials. As we headed for the truck Jose gave Ben the keys and said Ben was driving. About half the student team from U of M went along for the experience. We ended up with 6 meters of steel on the roof in rush hour traffic hitting a round about - Jose giving directions in Spanish and Ben cursing in at least three languages. We all made it back ok.
University of Michigan BLUELab Team at AIDG-Guatemala
The BLUELab team has been working on an open source treadle pump design since the start of school 2008. They got as far as a prototype or proof of concept model in their workshop, drew up incredibly detailed and easy to read documents and arrived in Guatemala after a daylong delay due to weather in the US. They also had to cut their visit short by a day on the other end due to flight scheduling problems.
The BLUELab team made up for lost time by being very well organized. They formed working groups for each component of the assembly. The reality of building in the developing world was made clear early when certain types of plastic weren’t available, pipe sizes were different from standards in the US and steel parts were also different from standards we have in the shop back home. Much was redesigned on the fly.
BLUELab worked all day at the AIDG workshop (thank you very much!) and then reviewed the next day’s assignments over a late dinner every night. They were successful in proving their prototype works on the last day of the build, at the last hour, with their bags already packed and their shuttle waiting.
BLUELab posted their work on their website and within 3 days NGOs from Africa were already asking for copies of their drawings. We plan on posting the revised design on the ATC website at the end of the semester and BLUELab is considering returning to Guatemala to build the new design.
Guatemala is probably not the place where treadle pumps will make a good business sense, but it is a great place to learn what it is like to build with limited resources. The experience for the student team, working with people from Guatemala and living embedded in a new culture will change how they view their work.
The MSU Refrigerator project started as an idea “from out of the blue” when I was at XelaTeco one day in the middle of a hail storm. I figured if solar forces could freeze rain then they could be used to chill vaccines. Three years later we had a team of Engineers from Michigan State University in Xela working on a solar refrigerator.
The MSU team is a group of students working on their Capstone Design Project, a senior design course that brings together all they have learned in engineering school in one final big design. Working with Dr. Craig Somerton we hand selected a group of students with the right skill sets to create and build a solar refrigerator using only locally available materials.
The refrigerator uses activated charcoal (made from coconuts) and ethanol to cool or freeze an insulated box. The MSU team calculated the amounts of materials needed, the surface area required for solar input and the surface area needed to condense the ethanol from gas back into a liquid form. They prototyped their project in East Lansing, MI and then hit the road to Guatemala with drawings and specifications in hand.
The MSU team gathered some of their materials on bicycle but did use the AIDG truck to move some heavy steel parts. They had to settle for extra strong steel due to a lack of steel at the gauge they had specified in their design. At the end of the first day they took several parts of their project back to their hostel and continued to work in the street out front to keep the project on schedule.
On Thursday the design was complete and it chilled the cooler box to just above 1 degree Fahrenheit. They designed the refrigerator to run continuously without having to attend to it using a very clever arrangement of the solar collector, condenser and evaporator. Based on our work in Guatemala we have a new design idea that may reduce the price considerably if we can make our own activated charcoal and change several components of the design from copper to steel. We also found evidence of a source of methanol in Xela. If we switch the refrigerant from ethanol to methanol the cooler should reach about -10 degrees F using all the same components.
We (ATC) are now working with student teams from 7 schools with more schools asking to join the collaborative. We are, at the point, where we have to balance our commitments with our capacity to investigate, invent and create good designs that are in the range of student design teams. We can support multi-year projects with different faculty sponsors and different student teams.
We have a long list of potential design projects, some are very complicated and some are the simple technologies that can make a difference at low cost. ATC is starting two projects with Business students this year. We are creating business plans manufacture and sell some of our technologies based on local market conditions.
If anyone is interested in our designs, they are all going to be online at www.apptechdesign.org by the end of this semester.
Last fall we were very fortunate to get funding from the Lemelson Foundation to support our tech development and business incubation work. Lemelson is very interested in supporting new inventors in the US and developing countries and helping with the diffusion of technologies that improve people’s lives. Their grant is allowing us to form partnerships with companies and university groups designing for the bottom of the pyramid. Just a few weeks ago one such group from the Michigan State University came to work with us in Guatemala on solar refrigeration. Eric Tingwall, a mechanical engineer and freelance writer, writes about the team’s experience.
Mechanical Engineering team from Michigan State University at AIDG Guatemala working on a solar refrigerator
With unreliable or nonexistent electricity infrastructures, rural regions of developing countries often have high vaccine spoilage rates. With no way to keep vaccines cold over an extended period, these medicines sometimes must be administered within 48 hours from the time they’re put into a vaccine carrier for delivery.
On March 8, six mechanical engineering seniors from Michigan State University arrived at the AIDG Guatemala workshop as part of their work to address this problem. Working with the Appropriate Technology Design Collaborative, our goal is to develop an affordable, robust refrigerator that uses passive solar energy to maintain temperatures from 2°C to 8°C. The end goal is a set of clear manufacturing plans that will be posted online in an open-source format, free for anyone to access.
Filing Steel
Building the solar collector
Since we wouldn’t have electricity to power our fridge, previous Michigan State teams directed us away from compression refrigeration and pointed us to adsorption refrigeration. The Internet is stacked with academic knowledge on solar adsorption refrigeration, but our team has the goal of developing a system and assembly instructions that can be used by anybody. Our adsorption refrigerator design uses passive solar energy rather than electricity and has no moving parts. But before the adsorption process can be understood, it is necessary to understand the basics of refrigeration. All fridges operate on the principal that a liquid boiling to a gas takes heat away from its surroundings. It is also important to know that a liquid can be made to boil at a very low temperature by altering the pressure. While water boils at 100°C at atmospheric pressure, it can be boiled at 0°C under a very high vacuum.
A refrigerator operates by allowing the refrigerant to boil at temperatures as low as the desired cold space temperature. Eventually, the evaporated refrigerant must be condensed back to a liquid to repeat the cycle for continued cooling. While a typical home refrigerator relies on an electric condenser to turn the gaseous refrigerant back to our liquid, our system uses chemical processes to drive the evaporation and condensation of the refrigerant.
CAD drawing of solar fridge design
Previous Michigan State teams working on this project directed us to use ethanol as a refrigerant, since it is almost universally available and nontoxic. While pure ethanol may be difficult to find in developing countries, liquor with high alcohol content can be used in its place. As our ethanol boils, it is adsorbed by activated charcoal, a porous solid that is often used in fish tank and drinking water filters to remove impurities. In our refrigerator, the activated carbon allows the system to maintain a constant pressure as the ethanol evaporates. When the sun heats our solar collector and activated charcoal bed in the middle of the day, the heat causes the release of the adsorbed ethanol. The raised pressure and condenser cooling allow the ethanol to return to a liquid state so it can be evaporated again to cool the refrigerator.
Our trip to Guatemala was intended to be a learning experience – an opportunity for our team to understand what materials were available in developing areas and what challenges would slow manufacturing. The team faced issues with material availability, manufacturing capabilities and power outages, but was still able to complete the build in less than three days. Our final product uses a simple cooler fitted to a system of copper pipes and connected to a steel solar collector, held in a wood frame. With just one day to test the device, we recorded our lowest temperature at 1.3°C.
Back in East Lansing, Michigan, we still have several weeks of work to refine the design, complete testing and compile our final instructions for manufacturing. There is also significant room for this design to evolve, especially in regards to cost. Currently, the device costs in the range of $400 to $500 for one-unit manufacturing. One area for substantial cost reduction is the activated charcoal. While the team currently buys activated charcoal at a cost of $200 per fridge, it can be made simply by burning coconut shells in a controlled environment.
Michigan State University Team and AIDG crew
The solar adsorption refrigerator project is sponsored by the Appropriate Technology Design Collaborative with the financial support of the Lear Corporation and Chrysler Foundation. The project is part of the Michigan State University Mechanical Engineering senior capstone class. The spring 2009 team members are Nabeel Aslam, Kevin McPhail, Ryan McPhee, Brent Rowland and Eric Tingwall, guided by faculty advisor Dr. Craig W. Somerton.
Sam Redfield, Project Manager of AIDG’s pico-hydro program in Guatemala was just accepted for MIT’s International Development Design Summit in Ghana this summer! Here is an account of some of his work at our new facility in Guatemala. Keep an eye out for the build manual he is producing for the Five Gallon Bucket Generator!
Hi everyone. I’m back in Xela, home of AIDG’s offices and research facility in Central America. Big things are happening down here. This January we moved into a beautiful new compound. Rising above the neighboring buildings, the new office resembles a pagoda. Its red corrugated roof flanking three stories of golden clapboard walls is something of an enigma in a neighborhood dominated by low concrete block houses. In addition to much needed additional office space, we now have a new fabrication shop, electronics and water lab and, under construction, housing to accommodate several interns and visiting researchers. The new office is full of light and the staff and interns that work here are noticeably happier with the new work space. In what can be chilly mornings in a city perched at roughly 7000 ft., it’s nice to work in a place where the brilliant morning sun comes in through the windows and warms the space.
I have returned to Xela to continue my work on the pico-hydro system that I field tested in La Florida last year. Pico-hydro systems are small hydroelectric generators that produce less than one kilowatt of power. We are looking at using the generator to provide basic lighting, cell phone charging and ultra violet water purification in under served communities. Housed in a five gallon bucket, and employing a modified car alternator driven by a turbine, the generator promises the potential of cheap clean energy to those without access to the electricity grid.
Pico-hydro test in La Florida in 2008
The Permanent Magnet Alternator
Last year, we established that the generator was viable as a single point power source that could be installed quickly with limited resources and could produce consistent power with modest water usage. Still unresolved were issues of cost, longevity of service and overall performance for electrical output. The generator was built using a rather expensive modified GM alternator produced in the States for the home brew wind turbine market. This modified alternator, called a permanent magnet alternator (PMA) produces energy at low RPM’s and works well in small-scale hydroelectric systems. In addition to the price, (more that $300.00 U.S.), the alternator would have to be shipped to its destination country, adding additional cost. The PMA was by far the generator’s most expensive component and the only element in the system that would need to be imported, so we looked to it to reduce the generator’s overall cost.
My solution was to modify the Nippo Denso alternator produced for Toyota’s 22R engine. They key was using low-tech mods that could be cheaply and easily reproduced in a basic machine shop. The Nippo Denso alternator, found in most Toyota pickup trucks and many sedans in developing countries, might just be the most common alternator in the world. They are often shipped to developing countries to be rebuilt for the market in the US and other developed countries. Where in the States these alternators are simply replaced with rebuilt alternators when they fail, in developing countries there is extensive infrastructure to rebuild them. They are available in quantity in Guatemala and are cheap.
My design for the Toyota based PMA uses only the alternator casing and the stator (the wire coils that surround the rotor inside the alternator). For the conversion, the rotor is completely rebuilt with powerful neodymium magnets and the stator is rewound with thinner gage wire. Non-functioning Toyota alternators can be had for about $20.00 US in Guatemala if bought in bulk. The magnets are the only part of the new alternator that may need to be imported.
Left: Rebuilt permanent magnet rotor. Right: Toyota rotor.
Toyota based permanent magnet alternator
Our new hydro test bench
Last year we lacked the facilities to do extensive testing of the PMA and could only determine that, yes, it worked and that it produced energy at low RPM’s. But we couldn’t determine which gauge windings of the stator would produce the most power given the bucket generator’s RPM ranges. We needed more controlled study conditions, particularly as field tests were difficult to repeat (distance to test site, variability of water flow, etc.).
This past month, we set up both a hydro and a PMA test bench. The hydro test bench simulates the head and water flow rate that determine the output of a small hydroelectric system. By varying the head and flow in the test bench, we can simulate the various conditions under which the bucket generator operates and rate its performance under different loads.
Bucket generator connected to hydro test bench
We can’t directly measure the RPMs of the bucket generator when it is hooked up to the hydro test bench, but we can estimate this number using the PMA test bench. Simply put, we find the number of RPMs in the PMA test bench that replicates the current produced by our bucket generator in the hydro test bench, and thereby get an estimate of the bucket generator RPMs. Using the PMA test bench we can only investigate which windings offer us the highest current at the appropriate RPMs for the system.
PMA test bench
Direct comparison of the GM and Toyota PMAs is difficult due to differences in configuration, size and layout of the 2 systems. That said we were able to determine that the Toyota PMA offers performance in the same general range of the GM system and at a fraction of the cost. If manufactured in bulk, the Toyota PMA would come in at around $120.00 U.S. and the entire bucket generator could cost about $160.00 U.S.
Currently, we are trying to determine which wind of the Toyota PMA will give us the maximum current at the RPM ranges of the bucket generator system. At our maximum available head on the test bench, about 90’, we were able to produce over 1,200 RPMs and 90 watts. We expect to get more than 100 watts in the field at slightly higher heads. We don’t know yet what the maximum output will be.
This spring, we’ll be installing at least two of the bucket generators in Haiti to power ultra violet water purification equipment. A portion of the funding for this project was generously provided by St Peter’s Church in Weston. AIDG’s Haiti office is partnering with local NGOs, including our good friends at SOIL, to address the lack of clean potable water in their service areas. Each ultra violet purification device draws about 30 watts. With the generator, we expect to be able to power three or more UV devices at 100’ of head and 50 gallons a minute of flow. Currently, sites surveys are being conducted in Haiti to determine head and flow conditions and find suitable sites that provide year round consistent water. These long term test sites will provide data on performance as well as service and maintenance needs of the system.
Xela Teco, a small manufacturer in Guatemala, worked with the Boston-based nonprofit Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group to develop a better design for a wood burning stove that uses 50% less wood and funnels the smoke out of the home through a chimney. It sells for around $150; the payback on the stove is about one year, since it can cut in half the average $25 families spend per month for wood.
Extended Call for Applications: AIDG is Sponsoring a Business Plan Competition to Promote Biogas Development in Northern Haiti
US$50,000 in grants and early-stage financing is available for the winning proposal.
Boston, 12/30/08 – The Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group (AIDG), a technology R&D and small business development non-profit, is calling for innovative and dynamic ideas for its 1st business plan competition in Northern Haiti, KonKou Biznis Ayiti. The purpose of the competition is to help smart and passionate Haitian entrepreneurs solve some of the most pressing issues facing Haiti today.
This year’s contest focuses on biogas, a form of renewable energy that can hold an important place in the sustainable development of Haiti. This methane-rich carbon neutral biofuel can be substituted for charcoal, propane, kerosene and other combustible fuels for the purposes of cooking, heating or even electricity generation. The by-product of its production is a nutrient rich liquid fertilizer that can significantly increase yields of certain crops.
The team with the most promising idea for commercializing biogas in Northern Haiti will receive US$50,000 in grants and early-stage business financing for implementation over 2 years. In addition to the cash awards, the winning team with receive technical training on a number of biogas systems as well as training on the best practices of enterprise management.
Applications are accepted until March 6th. Five finalists will be announced March 16th and will compete in Cap Haitien for the grand prize March 29 - April 4.
To learn more about the business plan competition or to apply, visit http://konkoubiznisayiti.com/
Key Contest Dates
* March 6, 2009: Deadline for submission of all business plans (5PM EST).
* March 16, 2009: 5 Finalists announced.
* March 29 - April 4, 2009: Finalists compete in Cap Haitien, Haiti for the grand prize.
* April 14, 2009: Winner/winning team announced.
AIDG biogas intern, James Duncan recently wrote up a great guide on how to start up small-scale biodigesters. The guide includes information on how to start up and idle your simple biodigester, the effects of temperature, the role of nutrients and a few basic troubleshooting tips.
Currently, AIDG is seeking passionate and dedicated individuals to apply for a grant writing internship. This position will take place in our international office in Guatemala, but will include working closely with staff and projects in Boston, Guatemala, and Haiti.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS AN UNPAID INTERNSHIP. INTERNS RECEIVE A MONTHLY ROOM AND BOARD STIPEND IN GUATEMALA.
For more information on the offerings of the AIDG Guatemala Intern Program (such as work expectations, life in Guatemala, housing, etc.) visit http://www.aidg.org/education/internships.htm.
Organization: Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group (AIDG) Title: Grant-writing intern Location: Quetzaltenango, Guatemala Internship Duration: 6-12 months Hours: Approximately 8:30am-5:00pm Monday-Friday with some flexibility Salary: Unpaid, room and board stipend in Guatemala Reports to: Deputy and Executive Director
Internship Description
:
The successful candidate will be required to:
Work remotely with AIDG-Boston staff to formulate grant proposals and collect necessary documents
Work independently in Guatemala on research and writing reports
Act as the grant liason within AIDG staff, as well as some funding agencies and organizations
Develop proposals and supporting documents necessary for current grants as well as new solicitations
Implement and maintain a funding calendar to organize timely research, writing, and submission of proposals, as well as document the organizational or staff requirements needed to fulfill conditions of current and new grants
Support AIDG-Boston in coordinating documents, data, and meetings necessary to maintain current funder relationships and solicit new funding opportunities
This is a full-time position with a minimum commitment of 6 months, with preference given to candidates available for at least 12 months. The position will generally require the applicant to work from 8:30am-5:00pm Monday-Friday (flexibly).
Preferred Qualifications:
Applicants interested in this internship should possess the following skills:
Prior experience with grant writing, grant administration and/or fund raising
Exceptional computer skills that include: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.), and database applications.
A technical background or at least a basic understanding of sustainable, appropriate technologies
Spanish or French language skills are desirable, but not required
Prior international experience, particularly in developing countries
Adept research and organizational skills
All candidates should possess strong communication skills, be self-motivated, and willing to work hands-on. AIDG seeks versatile, mature, friendly, independent, and dedicated individuals, who also possess a good sense of humor.
Application Instructions
Qualified applicants should send their cover letter and resume or CV, as well as a writing sample, to internships {at] aidg [dot} org . Please include your potential arrival dates and duration availability.
New AIDG compound: 3 story office and training space. Not shown: intern housing, garden, storage and workshop space.
Current AIDG office. Pictured: Former intern Emily Freeh
Yesterday we did a walk-through of our new AIDG compound for training and design. Anyone who has been with us in Guatemala or has visited our current office knows that it’s on the small side with not enough space for experimentation and storage. The new compound will give us far better resources for training and design, including a Fab Lab style facility for BOP engineering.
Under construction: Intern and visiting researcher housing
Under construction: Intern and visiting researcher housing
Under construction: Fab-lab space
The overall compound will include a fully equipped machine shop/fabrication facility and a 3-story office and training space where we will have an electronics and water testing lab (2nd floor). Two side buildings will cover housing for interns, visiting research groups and entrepreneur teams coming in from other regions. Throughout the grounds will be technical training and experimental design stations focused on our technologies. We’ll also be moving our “Petting Zoo” into this space.
Part of the existing eco-roof buildout that we hope to port to the new space. More pics/info.
A chunk of the big move will happen within the next 2 weeks. We’re going to try to keep as much of the eco-roof buildout as we can. Much of AIDG’s board will be on deck to help.
Papa Carlos & Mama Coney with a UCB Batch Solar Water Heater installed on their roof in Guatemala
Take a tour through the world of the light-emitting diode and learn - who invented it, how to use it, and how to make your own.
A far more sciencey version
Duration: 5 min 19 sec
In this edition of Rad Science, Dr. Kiki explains the science inside the LED, or “light-emitting diode.”
LED Tutorial
How to Build an LED Light - Part 1
Duration: 4 min 20 sec
Casey gives step by step instruction on how to build your own light fixture of light emitting diodes. Check out the site at http://www.allenergies.net/ledlight.html
A lot of people in the tech community were moved by the recent 60 Minutes piece, the Electronic Wasteland, which showed how our toxic e-waste is being shipped to developing countries namely China. Tom Merritt from my favorite podcast, Buzz Out Loud, gives advice on “how to recycle responsibly or maybe even make some cash” from your old gadgets.
Duration: 3 min 26 sec
From making a few bucks to making sure you don’t poison people,we give you comprehensive tips on proper gadget disposal.
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