GreyLess designers hiked to Valldaura for a pre-installation site visit to determine an ideal location to place the phytodepuration system. The ideal location would be adjacent to: crops that need to be irrigated, water tank, and visible from the house. After the site visit we acquired more information about the tanks that can be accessed. Currently, two rain water basins about 2 meters from the back end of house provide the house with clean water. Farther into the forest resides a black and gray water tank that are combined and unaccessable. In the future, the residents of Valldaura plan to separate black and grey water tanks. For this installation we will use the existing water tank to simulate grey water that will flow through our system.

Final Form:
The 4th prototype was a single, linear form incorporating the slow sand filter, algae slide within the high and low pools to create one coherent system. Arriving to our final form, we depart from the single slope design we have used in our past prototypes to developing it in section, giving us a more refined geometry to optimize the water vectors as they flow through the system. In the past each prototype was developed based on discrete paramaters and developments and changes in those parameters. In this prototype we will fully integrate all of the lessons learned from previous prototypes as well as the full scope of parameters into eachother.

[Image below depicts the mapping of parameters for the final prototype, prior to integration and site strategy.]

Parameters:
Post Midterm Review, we stepped back from the prototype to analyze which parameters were successful, need to be improved, and new parameters to be implemented.

What was successfull?
-Increase surface area for hosting biofilm: after extracting contour lines from the digital model surface, the contours of each tooth are distorted from each other by increasing the apex point offset from the centerline of the tooth.

What needs to be improved?
-Using diameter of the teeth to replicate effective aggregate size instead of depending on the Venturi effect to drive the perimeter of the flumes.

-Improve entrance/exit curve oscillation in perimeter of the flumes in order to get the water to reach the outer extents of the slide. This will be done by developing each flume in section.

-Ensure that the profiles of the final contouring of the form doesn’t negatively effect the water pathways.

-Centerline of the water flow in each row needs to be offset from those of the row before and after instead of being aligned. In the upcoming prototype enhanced by using curved interruption vector lines rather than straight lines, this is something we did in the 2nd prototype, and want to re-incorporate in our new form.

New Parameters:
modular structure strategy
water flow vectors superimposed with interruption (curved) vectors as was done in our 2nd prototype.

-Arduino Outputs

Output Ranges:
Converting outputs in ardruino code to get the numerical data in a form we can translate to a projection. In order to do this, we will send the arduino translations to grasshopper via firefly where we will use the data to manipulate the geometry of the water flow vectors for the projection data visualization before being visualized in processing.

Design Approach

An interactive water diversion system, linking Valldaura’s plants and residents to its grey water.  The interactive system will, via the GreyLess App, allow users to make decisions based on real information of their plants soil humidity levels.  The model will also be used as a screen to project live data on the soil conditions.  Combining experiments, research, and lessons learned from previous prototypes, the GreyLess system is ready to clean grey water and turn it into irrigation water.

Prototype

The midterm Greyless prototype is a 1:1 object scaled phyto-depuration system ideal for low volumes of water.  This is a formal version of a slow sand filter, maximizing surface area for future bio-film (algae) build up and aeration two things that are critical when cleaning water.  The GreyLess system will communicate the needs of Valldaura’s plants using a wifi application available to residents and guests as well as creating energy.

The 4th prototype is made up of  a high and low pool with a algae slide in between.

The high pool is a mixing and circulating pool.  The high pool is attached to the algae tank where algae is exposed to light and photosynthesis allows it to grow.  Once this water enters the high pool the algae-grey water slowly circulate and the mixture is evenly distributed as biofilms are deposited on the pools teeth, before flowing down the slide and into the settling pond.

The GreyLess system works similar to a sand filter, as water passes through the system it travels through various sized sand particles.  This change in size of the sand particles as well as the change in water flow and pressure drove our design for the algae slide walls.  The algae slide connects the two pools, accelerating water, creating turbulence while orthogonal tooth tessellations interrupt water flows creating more oxygenated water.  Within the algae slide there are 4 flumes, these are oxygenating forms that boost water aeration as it flows through each pond.  The flume form has been designed to mimic venturi tunnels, where pressure changes as water flows from higher speeds to lower speeds through constricted areas.  The 4 flumes each have gradual water flow entrance and a sharp more orthagonal water flow exit with protruding teeth to break up the water vectors.    The first flume’s teeth are exaggerated, heightened, and reed-like in order to catch debris before it goes through the rest of the slide and flows to the settling pool.

The settling pool is an essential step for cleaning water.  The algae-water needs about 2 hours to separate before the now clean water can put into the irrigation system and the algae can be recycled back into the algae tank.

A Phytodepuration system cleans water.  Hydroelectric generation is one of the “greenest” energy alternatives will create a more dynamic system.  Using graphite, we installed 3 separate anodes and cathodes at different locations to produce energy as water flows through the system.  These pairs protrude similar to the vector interrupting teeth as seen throughout the rest of the prototype.  In the future the energy collected will be used to power a motor to mix algae within the algae tank.

Projection

A 2D animation will be projected on our GreyLess system showing a map of vectors representing the water flow through the slide.  The projection will help the residents of Valldaura understand what is going on within the system.  From the 2D animation the users will see: 1) The flow through the system, 2)Water Levels in the Grey and Rain water tanks, 3) Soil Humidity Levels; low water levels = agitated lines and 4) Water is present on slide.  The users will be able to understand all of this information and view actual data using the application, but over time, they will also be able to understand the system using the projection.

https://vimeo.com/80735582

Application

Connecting a phytodepuration system to Valldaura residents.  First, water diversion: GreyLessconverts existing grey water to irrigation water through an interactive system connecting the house and its residents to the plant network.  The app will facilitate the re-scheduling of occupants habits  through learning about the system.  Next, because of the re-allocation of grey water as well as the users schedule optimization, the irrigation system does not need exterior sources of water or water from rain water tanks.  Through the use of this system, users can better plan for the future, not only can their actions can adjust due to the needs of the plant network, but changes and/or additions to the plan network can be incorporated easily.

Our Design Approach to the Scientific System

Phytodepuration systems are most effective at a large scale. The system’s treatment of water is intrinsically cumulative, and therefore is most advantageous if it includes many iterations in a repetitive module. This repetitive technique will help us reach the level of potability we are aiming for, so our design investigation is focusing on finding one discrete and efficient module for phytodepuration that can be repeated with slight variations (to accommodate different macrophyte varieties). The generation of energy will also be included in the module, in an integrated, nimble technique that requires only lightweight infrastructure.

Balancing Macrophytes + Flowforms: To design a module that takes advantage of a technically efficient system, it is crucial for us to understand the correct process of phytodepuration. A successful system is one that oxygenates water, removes toxins, heavy metals, phosphates, nitrates, and filters out any unwanted fragments while maintaining a neutral ph balance and cool temperature. Certain macrophytes–aquatic plants that grow submerged or partially submerged water–are able to absorb C02 during photosynthesis and give off oxygen simultaneously reducing algae growth. Valldaura’s varied topography, and frequency of steep grade, will allow us to create a site-specific system that incorporates water oxygenation via flowforms. We need to consult a biologist to determine whether we can achieve full oxygenation using only flowforms, and might thereby be able to concentrate primarily on macrophytes that filter and remove toxins.

Our Objective

To construct a “circuit” of modules, comprised of several oscillations between flowforms and macrophyte retention ponds. The system will simultaneously clean water, using macrophytes and flowforms, and intrinsically generate lightweight energy. It is important to create a module system that can repeat, with slight variations to macrophyte type and specific site grade. We would like to create a system that is capable of giving the Valldaura house potable water. We believe a solution can be found that gives the user control over the cleanliness of the water (and the volume of water taken from the site) depending on their needs, in order to create an intelligent system that can save water and generate energy.

First Prototype of the Aeration Form

After completing the first prototype, the team made a series of observations about the effectiveness and design, and analyzed them. The results of this analysis, in the diagrams below, were used to develop the ideas into a second prototype

Prototype 1 & Prototype 2

Prototype 1 & Prototype 2

Moire Patern & Prototype 2

Prototype 1 & Prototype 2

Prototype 2 

Patern & Prototype 2 Details

The following are microscopic images of water, and then for comparison, microscopic images of water with florescence lit beneath a UV lamp. This florescent water was used to visually analyze the movement of water through the second prototype.

Glowing Water Microscope

Some captures from the videos recorded, below, show the differences between how water passes through the different gradients of “tooth” height at different volumes/speeds.

After completing these tests, the team analyzed the form (shown in the diagrams below) to isolate variables affecting the final outcome, and how to proceed with each of those variables in the third prototype. The team also began thinking about how to integrate an overall branching organization in the system.

The third prototype uses these considerations. It embodies a small detail of the system, at 1:1 scale. The detail chosen includes energy collection via lightweight piezoelectric movement in the flow of the water.