Components and Rationale of the Proposed Design - Air Purifier

Hello Readers!

From our previous post, we have mentioned that the we see potential of mimicking the frog's skin into a component of an air purifier. One of the reason we find this feasible was because the skin of the frog is not only used for respiration (gaseous exchange), but at the same time, filtering the unwanted particulate matters and hazardous gaseous from the surrounding. 

Surprisingly, this idea can be incorporated to one of the group mate's previous project in the Design and Innovation module where an Air Purifier known as de-Hazer was innovated to purify the air in an enclosed area during hazy season by removing the hazardous components in haze without consuming electricity. 

Drawings of de-Hazer in Solidworks done by Toh Khai Liang

de-Hazer is designed to fit on top of a ceiling fan, it can be clamped on the rod of ceiling fan and thus sit on the triangular cap of the ceiling fan. As most of the current air purifiers in the market operates with an external source of electricity, de-Hazer is designed to maximize the usage of a normal ceiling fan by taking advantage of the air circulation generated by a ceiling fan for an enclosed system. The integration of the design allows the air cleanser to concentrate the air into the device without needing a fan on its own and hence minimizing cost of production.

Drawings of de-Hazer in Solidworks done by Toh Khai Liang

When a ceiling fan turns in a counter clock wise direction, the concentrated room air on the top of the room is forced to flow down to the bottom surface of the room. The air is then recirculated back upwards from the side to the top of the room. As the surrounding air circulates along with the turning blades before being force to flow downwards, the air cleanser attached on the ceiling fan will capture and purify the concentrated air.

de-Hazer is designed to a cylindrical perfection to be clamped onto the rod on top of a ceiling fan. The air will flow from the top flat surface and exit after purification at the bottom lower surface of the device. The filters in the device are arranged perpendicularly to the air flow in order increase the surface area of filtration and efficiency of the purifier.

There are two main components in this air purifier:

1. The HEPA filter which is used to trap and remove particulate matters from haze

High-efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter
Image source: http://www.ksairfilter.com/mini/

2. Potassium permanganate impregnated with activated alumina to adsorb sulphur dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, and nitrogen sulphides from haze.

Potassium permanganate impregnated with activated alumina
Image source: http://www.environmental-expert.com/products/proguard-300-removes-twice-as-much-toxic-corrosive-and-odorous-gases-from-air-streams-as-our-proguar-289915

Based on the components of the air purifier, we foresee a great potential of replacing the HEPA filter with filters made by mimicking the frog's skin. From our previous post regarding the first layer of skin, it is known that epithelium acts as a medium for gaseous exchange and filtration for frog's respiratory system. By studying the anatomy and the structure of the skin cell, discovery can be made on the effectiveness of the skin in filtering particulate matters and gaseous before entering the frog's body.

The epithelium skin of frog

Image source: http://www.pollywogsworldoffrogs.com/

If the filter invented from mimicking the frog skin is tested to be effective, hence this filter will not only be used in de-Hazer, but can be used in many other air purifiers in the market which are using HEPA filters to purify the surrounding air. 

Drawing of "Filter" slotted into de-Hazer drawn by Toh Khai Liang

Industry Application Suggestion

Hello readers!

This week, we are going to talk about our idea of an industrial application using our Jr.Roger for inspiration. As we said earlier, we know that frogs are able to:
1. Breath through their skin.
2. Absorb water through their skin.

With these 2 abilities of their skin, we know that H2O, CO2 and O2 are able to pass through the frog skin. To make sure the carbon dioxide and oxygen are able to pass through the skin, it should be kept moist.

There are blood vessels near the surface of the skin and when the frog is underwater, oxygen will diffuses into the blood directly. But when the frog is not submerged in the water, it will breathes by a process called buccal pumping. This process is the breathing process similar to human, but the chest muscles are not involved in the respiration. Besides that, the frogs have no rids or diaphragm to help move air in and out.

Thus, the frogs will puff out their throat and draw air in through the nostrils, which in many species can ten be closed by valves. When the floor of the mouth is compressed, air is forced into the lungs.

Within this week, we have decided to propose an idea of a AIR PURIFIER

In the diagram above, it shows that the first layer of the frog skin is
stratified epithelium.

As we know, the functions of epithelium are:

1. secretion

2. propulsion of mucus by ciliary action

As we know, this is located at the trachea of our lungs. But, it also located at the first layer of the frog skin.

It is located at the frog skin is because it consists of alveoli. This part is where the gas exchange take place. 

Besides gas exchange, it is also a protective layer to the air-born pathogens and toxic gases. Thus, we can have a air purifier for every processes that will release toxic gas.

Stay tuned for the next post regarding the components of the air purifier! :D

Biomimecry of Frogs

Hello readers,

This week, we have done some researches on the previous bio-mimicry frogs.

First, we talk about the swim fin that is easily found in the market.

This type of swim fin 1 of the bio-mimicry of the frogs. Frogs have a very good ability to swim with a very high speed. This not only because the power back legs, but also because of the fin on their legs.

This swim fin is to help human able to swim under the water very efficiently. It is made by plastic or rubber blade. For some swim fin, they have a split along the center line of the paddle. This is because this center line will cause a suction force into the pedal after the swimmer kicked the water. Then when the swimmer lifted his / her leg, it will have a lift force to push the swimmer further.

Now, lets talk about the breaststroke, which is also a bio-mimicry from frogs. This is the frog's swimming technique.

For a beginner swimmers they will first learn the breaststroke. Steps of the breaststroke are shown as below:
1. Balance your body horizontally under the surface of the water.
2. Keep the hands straight on top of your head and your palms should closed together.
3. Close your legs together like frog.
4. Kick the water.
5. Close back your legs and spread your hand to the side until you touch your waist.
6. Return to the original post and repeat steps 4 and 5.

The video link of the breaststroke are shown below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH4mV7rRBnE