(271g) Got Water? : A Filtration Experiment for the Material and Energy Balance Course

In Material and Energy Balances (MEB) students often learn about MEB but do not have opportunities to apply material balances concurrently with the class. With this hands-on project, students are presented with a simulated real-world problem and are challenged to create a water filter that purifies water contaminated with food coloring. Students are provided a 3-hour experimental session to test a variety of materials including charcoal of different grain sizes, steel wool and coffee filters to investigate their effects on creating clean water. A week after experimenting students return for a 30-minute demonstration session to produce the highest quantity and purity of water. Students are judged on the amount of water produced, the purity of the water and the cost of their filter.