Spring 2018 Pre-Trip Review and Expertise
Before our teams go on their trips in late February, they would love to have some advice from experts on their designs and travel plans. For Spring 2018, the NicarAGUA and Biogas International teams are traveling. Find out more about the expertise they need below and contact us at bluelab-contact@umich.edu if you are able to meet with the team!
NicarAGUA
Travel Destination: Jicaral, Leon, Nicaragua
Travel Dates: 2/24/18-3/3/18
NicarAGUA’s mission is to work with members and leaders of the communities throughout Jicaral, as well as our partner FNE, to design and test a lower-cost and replicable rainwater catchment system. We will empower team members to innovate and engage in BLUElab’s design process throughout our projects with access to educational resources and experiential opportunities to advance members’ skills in this field of work.
The first trip of the year, over spring break, is the scouting trip that sets up the implementation trip in May. We will assemble a water committee. The water committee will recruit skilled laborers and motivated residents to build the tanks and oversee future construction and operations of the water tanks. We will also gather more data on community perception of the tank and new system of implementation. From there, we will select the sites we will be constructing tanks in May. This will also provide an opportunity to meet with our partners, Nuevas Esperanzas, to plan for the training workshop in May.
Areas we need your expertise:
Travel Dates: 2/24/18-3/3/18
NicarAGUA’s mission is to work with members and leaders of the communities throughout Jicaral, as well as our partner FNE, to design and test a lower-cost and replicable rainwater catchment system. We will empower team members to innovate and engage in BLUElab’s design process throughout our projects with access to educational resources and experiential opportunities to advance members’ skills in this field of work.
The first trip of the year, over spring break, is the scouting trip that sets up the implementation trip in May. We will assemble a water committee. The water committee will recruit skilled laborers and motivated residents to build the tanks and oversee future construction and operations of the water tanks. We will also gather more data on community perception of the tank and new system of implementation. From there, we will select the sites we will be constructing tanks in May. This will also provide an opportunity to meet with our partners, Nuevas Esperanzas, to plan for the training workshop in May.
Areas we need your expertise:
- Technical Expertise:
- Water Infrastructure
- Water Resource Development
- Background building with Ferrocement
- Experience prototyping with water storage tanks
- Hosting a technical training workshop abroad
- Embedding a product in an emerging market
- Microfinance
Biogas International
Travel Destination: Mexico City D.F., Mexico
Travel Dates: 2/24-3/3
Biogas International is currently working on new biogas technologies to improve the lives of farmers in the Mexico City area. These technologies include biogas sensing, filtration, and purification. These technologies aim to improve farmer health outcomes and the usefulness of their biogas systems.
The purpose of this trip is to comparatively test design prototypes of gas sensors and perform in-country tests of water vapor and carbon dioxide removal systems to improve biogas utility to rural farmers. This will provide a launching pad for potential manufacturing testing and second cycle developments in the summer.
Areas we need your expertise:
Travel Dates: 2/24-3/3
Biogas International is currently working on new biogas technologies to improve the lives of farmers in the Mexico City area. These technologies include biogas sensing, filtration, and purification. These technologies aim to improve farmer health outcomes and the usefulness of their biogas systems.
The purpose of this trip is to comparatively test design prototypes of gas sensors and perform in-country tests of water vapor and carbon dioxide removal systems to improve biogas utility to rural farmers. This will provide a launching pad for potential manufacturing testing and second cycle developments in the summer.
Areas we need your expertise:
- Gas Sensing
- Sensor and Circuit Design
- Anaerobic digestion
- Gas Purification
- Adsorption