Week Four

     For the project this week, Sandy and Rich met up earlier in the week to discuss the boat design. The design that was agreed upon is a flat bottomed boat that will allow for maximum storage space. A photo is included below. The basics of the boat were built, and it will be waterproofed during class week five.

     Later in the week, Jessica and Rich met up to discuss the design of the electrochemical cells. Many ideas were discussed, but the two strongest ideas were as follows: 1. we use thin box-like cells and stack them on top of each other, or 2. we make straw-like pipes and uses corks to keep the water in.

1. Stacking Boxes
    This design, pictured below, take up some space, but would increase surface are of the cells and be very stackable. The issue that this plan poses is the process of making it. We would have to come up with some sort of polymer or composite that is an insulator and then figure out a way to make this out of that material.

2. Pipes
     This design, pictured below, would be stackable in the x and y direction. We could stand them up long ways or lay them down under the deck. They could easily be picked up and dumped by someone on the boat to replenish their water (so the cell does not erode as fast). A cork could keep the water in the tubes, and there could be a wire through the cork connecting the lead to the metal, connecting the system.

We will discuss both of these ideas in lab during week 5 with the whole team.