Finite element modeling of flow through ceramic pot filters

[摘要] Pure Home Water (PHW) is an organization based in Tamale, Ghana that manufactures and distributes ceramic water filters. While many ceramic filter factories manufacture flowerpot-shaped filters, PHW has transitioned from the flowerpot shape, to a paraboloid shape, and finally to a hemispheric filter shape. The PHW factory conducts flow-rate testing as part of their quality control process and has documented a wide range of flow rates for the hemispheric filter as compared to the global standard. This thesis uses finite-element groundwater-flow modeling software to develop models of flow through three different ceramic filter shapes: flowerpot, paraboloid, and hemispheric filters. A sensitivity analysis was then conducted for each filter shape by simulating flow through the filter for a range of hydraulic conductivities. It was found that the hemispheric filter shape produces a higher flow rate than the flowerpot filter for a given hydraulic conductivity, and that the flow rate through the hemispheric filter is more sensitive to changes in hydraulic conductivity.

[发布机构] Massachusetts Institute of Technology