Page 38 - Gi flipbook March 2018

IGEM NEWS | Young Persons Paper Competition 2017

strength. When gas and water
pressures are exerted on the plate, FIGURE 10 Cantilever and counter rods FIGURE 12 Aquashield fabrication
stress analysis simulation results show
it is able to withstand these without
failure or deformation.
The permanent magnet is made of
neodymium N35. The adhesive force
of each magnet is about 4.6N and the
total magnetic force of the plate is
around 92N. (See Figure 9)

Cantilever system and counter rods
The back of the shut-off plate is FIGURE 13 Aquashield in-house testing
attached to a cantilever system, which
ensures the plates move in a vertical COUNTER RODS Water ingress in one side of Aquashield
direction. The cantilever is made of
lightweight, high stiffness, low friction
POM, which has excellent dimensional
stability.
The counter rod hits on the
cantilever and pushes the plate
outward. No matter how much water
ingress comes from either side of the
Aquashield, the plate can effectively
block it from getting downstream of
the gas network. (See Figure 10)
The buoy rises gradually and brings the
FIGURE 11 Buoy and guide rod shut-off plates to the metal seats

FIGURE 9 Stress analysis of shut-off plate
Gas pressure

The shut-off plates block the water flowing
to the other side effectively

Water pressure + rod force

direction, a pair of guiding rods is
used. (See Figure 11)

FUNCTIONAL TEST reduce the chances of gas
Once the Aquashield was fabricated interruption.
and pre-assembled in a factory, the Aquashield is an innovative product
mechanism was tested in-house by that can immediately react to water
Buoy and guide rods simulating water ingress from either ingress before it becomes a serious
The buoy is made of expanded side of the network. The test results problem. It reduces the impact of
polystyrene (EPS), which has strong showed that Aquashield could be ingress water by blocking it from
floating properties due to its low triggered immediately whenever water spreading out into other parts of the
density and weight. Its strong accumulates, successfully blocking the gas network and quickly confining the
buoyancy force lifts the moving path of water into the gas network. incident area. Its simple mechanism
mechanical components of the (See Figures 12 and 13) ensures reliability throughout its
Aquashield. design life.
The buoy is used to lift up and CONCLUSION The next generation of Aquashield
trigger the Aquashield once water Maintaining a reliable gas supply to will have a 50-design life and be
accumulates within the device. To customers is our mission and we will available to the whole industry. ■
ensure it floats up in a vertical always do everything in our power to

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