Author Archive

Raw Materials

November 28, 2010
By
Raw Materials

Raw Materials is part of the EDF Evaluation Matrix for our design. It deals with Proximity, Recycled Origin, Renewable & Plentiful, and Limited Quantity. Proximity EDF Evaluation Matrix doesn’t provide a definition for this item. The D.R.I.P.S. will be manufactured in the proximity of where they will be deployed. Recycled Origin “ISO 14021 defines recycled content as...
Read more »

Tags: , ,
Posted in Project Updates | No Comments »

Delivery and Installation

November 28, 2010
By
Delivery and Installation

Delivery and Installation is part of the EDF Evaluation Matrix for our design. It deals with Pack and Logistics Optimization, Storage Time and Space Reduction, and Low Impact Installation. Pack and Logistics Optimization “Weight, volume, distance and means of transportation.” —EDF Evaluation Matrix We hope that the D.R.I.P.S. will be manufactured in the geographic proximity...
Read more »

Tags: , ,
Posted in Project Updates | No Comments »

Production

November 28, 2010
By
Production

Production is part of the EDF Evaluation Matrix for our design. It deals with Clean and Economical Technology and Production Management. Clean and Economical Technology “Regarding water, air and soil pollution emissions.” —EDF Evaluation Matrix A D.R.I.P.S. model produces no pollution whatsoever. Production Management “Environment management — ISO 14001. Reduction of the production cycle.”—EDF Evaluation Matrix...
Read more »

Tags: , ,
Posted in Project Updates | No Comments »

End of Life

November 28, 2010
By
End of Life

End of Life deals with questions about Reuse, Repair, Recycle, and Economic Benefits. EDF provided a rubric to judge End of Life properties of our product—D.R.I.P.S. Reuse “The product or some components can be reused for the same and/or a new application.”—EDF Evaluation Tool The individual D.R.I.P.S. models can be moved around to different...
Read more »

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Project Updates | No Comments »

Use

November 28, 2010
By
Use

Use is part of the EDF Evaluation Matrix for our design. It deals with Low Impact Maintenance, Use Savings, and Limited Nuisances. Low Impact Maintenance “Maintenance that doesn’t require tools and working force that could generate indirect impacts like high consumption of energy (due to electrical devices or transportation) or raw materials depletion (due...
Read more »

Tags: , ,
Posted in Project Updates | No Comments »

Original Illustration of D.R.I.P.S.

November 27, 2010
By
DRIPS_Diagram

D.R.I.P.S. is a simple idea. It’s a large funnel, made from recycled plastic, that collects dew and precipitation during the night and transports it directly to the roots of a plant. The wide part of the funnel is about the size of a dinner plate and is fairly flat. The tube part is about...
Read more »

Tags:
Posted in Project Updates | No Comments »

“The Big Potential of Small Farms”—Scientific American Article

November 24, 2010
By

In September 2005 issue of Scientific American Journal, there was an article: “The Big Potential of Small Farms” by Paul Polak (August 22, 2005). Paul Polak started IDE—International Development Enterprises—in 1981 to come up with good solutions to water problems. The article describes IDE’s work and the problems they are trying to solve. There’s...
Read more »

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Background Research | No Comments »

Environmental Conditions of the Soil

November 22, 2010
By
DRIPS Illustration of Environmental Conditions

The illustration above shows two soil levels: Water Penetration Level—the depth at which surface water no longer seep through and Evaporation water Level—the depth at which water that is in the soil can’t be evaporated by the day time heat of the surface weather above These levels can be ordered as shown or an...
Read more »

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Project Updates | No Comments »

Map of World Rainfall

November 21, 2010
By
Map of World Rainfall

This is map of total rainfall around the world. Source: NOAA.
Read more »

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Background Research | No Comments »

Evapotranspiration

November 21, 2010
By

Information on evapotranspiration from Wikipedia: “Potential evapotranspiration supplements the measurement of rainfall in providing a scientific measurement-based definition of a desert. The water budget of an area can be calculated using the formula P − PE ± S, wherein P is precipitation, PE is potential evapotranspiration rates and S is amount of surface storage...
Read more »

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Background Research | No Comments »

Encyclopedia of Deserts

November 21, 2010
By

“Encyclopedia of Deserts” by Michael A. Mares, Oklahoma Museum of Natural History (Norman, Okla.) is a good source of information on dew formation in the desert. Here’s a quote from page 177: “It is not exactly known how much dew forms on plants in desert areas, although it rage from 10 millimeters in cold...
Read more »

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Background Research | No Comments »

Dew and Fog Deposition in the Desert

November 21, 2010
By

“Desert Meteorology” by Thomas T. Warner provides information on dew quantities in the desert environments. It gives a table that compares the amount water accumulated from fog as opposed to rainfall. Since our project focuses on dew and collection of water from dew, this is an important source.
Read more »

Tags: ,
Posted in Background Research | No Comments »

Definition of a Desert

November 21, 2010
By

Here’s a link to wikipedia’s definition of a desert. Here you can learn about precipitation averages in a desert environment.
Read more »

Tags: , ,
Posted in Background Research | No Comments »

Nicholas Werby

November 21, 2010
By
Nicholas Werby

Nicholas Werby is a 12th grader at Lowell High School in San Francisco.
Read more »

Tags: , ,
Posted in Project Participants | No Comments »

Lowell High School

November 21, 2010
By
Lowell High School

Lowell High School is the best high school in San Francisco! We are working with our science teacher, Ms. Lisa Seawell Cole. She is part of Lowell High School Science Department and teaches Biology, Ecology, and Health Science.
Read more »

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Project Participants | No Comments »