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- ItemOpen AccessDesign and Manufacture a Murphy Bed Lock for Wood Products Unlimited (WPU)(2024-07-23) Lee, Michelle; Davis, Nicole; Patrick, Dylan; Kosasi, Marko; Petkau, Don; White, James; Jacobson, NatashaA Murphy bed is a foldable bed frame that can be vertically stored against a wall when not in use to save space. Wood Products Unlimited (WPU) is a Canadian-based manufacturer that makes and sells a Murphy bed product, the Embed. WPU wants a locking mechanism designed for the Embed that customers can choose to purchase with the Embed as an optional add-on. The purpose of the locking mechanism feature is to enhance overall safety and help avoid misuse of the Murphy bed. A few key features of the locking mechanism include a 12V DC power supply that will power a keypad and two solenoids. Each solenoid and its electrical circuit are protected by a steel case mounted at each corner of the bottom rear bed frame to increase the strength and durability of the attachment of the solenoids to the bed. The locking mechanism works by allowing authorized users of the bed to lock and unlock the Murphy bed using the keypad. When the bed is in the closed position, the extended solenoid pins restrict bed movement and lock it upward. The authorized user can use the keypad to control the solenoids and retract the pins so the Murphy bed can be lowered to the open position. If the authorized user wants the bed to be locked in the open position, they would have to reuse the keypad to re-extend the solenoid pins outward, which would lock the bed in the open position. Custom modifications will be made to both solenoids, such as a pin extension connected to the pin armature. A prototype testing rig was manufactured to simulate the forces that will be exerted on the locking mechanism and to observe the positioning of components during movement. The testing rig was used to ensure minimal force is experienced by the solenoid and to verify it will not be damaged at the armature or mounting point. The locking mechanism design had to be complete and functional within eight months and cost under $200 CAD to manufacture. The budget constraint was met but the validation results of the application of the locking mechanism onto an Embed were left unresolved due to time constraints. If the locking mechanism is successful, this design would position the Embed as the sole Murphy bed on the market with this unique capability, providing WPU with a competitive advantage over other manufacturers.
- ItemOpen AccessWin-Shield Combined Biometric and Chemical Sensor System(2024-07-23) Boticki, Luka; Alam, Anas; Arnold, Mathew; Luong, Hazel; Jacobson, NatashaThe Win-Shield combined biometric and chemical sensor system is a capstone and proof-of-concept project done by the Biosystems Engineering Students of the University of Manitoba over the course of 8 months. The project aims to enhance the safety of isolated industrial workers by providing simultaneous real-time monitoring of vital signs and exposure to hazardous chemicals to both the wearers and their supervisors. Currently, there are no commercially available products designed with these all of these functions for industrial purposes, as most are only intended for recreational or hospital purposes. The system comprises of three subsystems, including a comfort pad with biometric sensors, a chemical sensor unit, and an ESP32ESP32 Devkit microcontroller to process data from the sensors. It can integrate seamlessly into a universal headband to be worn under a welding mask. Key features include: • Having a light weight of 500 grams or under. • Broad applicability fitting 85% of the Canadian population. • Precise vital signs monitoring with temperature accuracy within 0.3°C and 2%. • Heart rate and blood oxygenation accuracy exceeding 97% and 98.85% respectively (Sari et al. 2021). • Alarming chemical exposure thresholds align with 15-minute short term exposure guidelines set by the Government of Manitoba. The design has been verified by various tests resembling CSA standard verification procedures as much as possible under the constraints of time, budget, and resources. For the temperature sensor, immersion in an ice water bath alongside a high-accuracy thermometer assessed accuracy and response time. The heart rate and blood oxygenation sensor has been benchmarked against a smartwatch due to its biometric accuracy. Humidity sensor testing involved controlled environments using salt mixtures to establish fixed relative humidity. Gas sensors have undergone calibration, followed by simple bump testing and limited time response tests, in which they were exposed to triggering gas concentrations within known environments to evaluate response times. The testing section of the report extends its focus to physical tests for the overall system. Environmental temperature, drop, and vibration tests were conducted to ascertain potential impacts on system operation. These tests collectively ensure a robust assessment of the sensor system's reliability and functionality in diverse conditions. Lastly, the limitations that were found to have impacted the design process have been summarized, along with suggestions for potential solutions to these limitations. Additionally, potential next steps for developing this project have been included should the project continue into further design iterations.
- ItemOpen AccessFinal design report for roof shingle made from ground tire rubber (GTR) fibres to withstand Winnipeg weather(2024-07-23) Tymchen, Cassandra; Zimberg-Collins, Corey; Oeltjenbruns, Kate; Slobodian, Hunter; Petkau, Don; Topping, Aidan; White, James; Jacobson, NatashaThe objective of this project was to design a shingle using recycled ground tire rubber capable of withstanding Winnipeg, MB weather conditions. Our team developed and tested various rubber and additive mixtures to assess their strength and durability under specific conditions. Of the mixtures that seemed promising during initial testing phases, they were then subjected to weather simulations representing 1 in 25-year storm conditions in Winnipeg. The final stage involved creating full-scale prototypes using a mold designed by the team, which ultimately determined the project’s success. Despite initial promising results, unexpected failures occurred during the full-scale production phase, resulting in inconclusive findings regarding shingle viability. Further testing and refinement are necessary to meet the client’s requirements and to address the challenges that were encountered during this project. Recommendations for future research and improvements include optimizing the materials used, enhancing the appearance of the shingles to better suit the aesthetic desires of the client, improve efficiency by manufacturing a different mold, process optimization such as incorporating an injection mold and exploring liquid mixture formulations, and researching the feasibility and economic factors in mass-producing shingles using the proposed materials.
- ItemOpen AccessTypha Growing Media(2024-07-23) Semenko, Kristen; Lubi, Hannah; Cockwell, Jayda; Calista, Kiara; Petkau, Don; White, James; Topping, Aidan; Jacobson, NatashaThe indoor floricultural industry faces increasing pressure to reduce its reliance on current unsustainable resources, such as peat and coco coir, for use in soilless potting mixes. Typha, commonly known as cattails, may represent a more sustainable alternative for the cultivation of ornamental plants and flowers. Its suitability is further justified by the local availability, quick grow time, and harvesting benefits of these wetland plants in Manitoba. Three distinct growing media have been designed by subjecting existing shredded Typha plants to specific combinations of three processing methods. These methods have individually been shown to mitigate the challenges with previously tested Typha-based media, as cited in literature, such as a low water holding capacity and high nitrogen immobilization. The benefits of each are as follows: • Composting, to increase the available nitrogen for plant uptake, • Milling, to reduce the particle size, and • Pasteurizing, to eliminate pathogens. The proposed Typha Media Designs incorporate these processing methods to investigate their unique benefits. The three Media Designs are as follows: 1. Media Design 1 (MD1): [REDACTED] 2. Media Design 2 (MD2): [REDACTED] 3. Media Design 3 (MD3): [REDACTED] Verification of the success of each Media Design was assessed by 11 passing criteria, or technical specifications, selected based on the properties of peat and other commonly used growing media. None of the three Media Designs passed all criteria; however, [REDACTED] showed the greatest overall improvement when compared to unprocessed, shredded Typha. Alongside the verification testing, germination and grow trials were performed to further validate the results, utilizing a peat-perlite mix as the control. In the germination trials, media containing [REDACTED] performed best with higher numbers of germinated plants. Varying trends were observed in the grow trials. The trial conducted in a vertical hydroponic wall, which accommodated the media in net cups with a diameter of two inches, exhibited the best results in [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] , while the other, conducted in a greenhouse, displayed better outcomes in [REDACTED]. Moving forward, further research into composted Typha-based media is recommended, including testing growth in larger commercial plant pots, [REDACTED], an assessment of a flower’s full growth cycle solely in Typha-based media, and a full project cost-benefit analysis to ensure economic viability. The results from technical specification testing, germination trials, and grow trials show that, while this Typha-based media does not entirely replicate peat, it may be a viable option for use as a soilless growing media. Testing based on the proposed recommendations will further the success of this media as it nears entry into the market as a local and sustainable growing media for floriculture growers.
- ItemOpen AccessInert Evaporation Process System(2024) Hall, Austin; Harvey, Jacob; Hawthorne, Katherine; Kum, Ryan; Petkau, Don; White, James; Topping, Aidan; Jacobson, NatashaThe National Research Council of Canada (NRC) conducts experiments that evaluate the biodegradation capabilities of anaerobic (oxygen-free) bacteria sourced from sewage sludge. These studies contribute towards a potential solution to the global plastic pollution crisis. A key step in these experiments is drying the sludge to the required solids content outlined in the experiments while maintaining the viability of the anaerobic bacteria in the sludge. The current drying process the NRC employs is inadequate as it is non-anaerobic and time-consuming. Team 2’s objective was to design, build and test a proof of concept (POC) design for an inert evaporation system in addition to designing a full-scale system that can anaerobically and efficiently evaporate sewage sludge. Both designs must be capable of drying municipal sewage sludge from 2% to 30% solids content under anaerobic, inert, and temperature-controlled conditions. The report details the POC design that was built and tested for the project. The POC prototype focuses on a single tray evaporation system. Using the POC to dry the sludge, an evaporation rate exceeding the target rate of 0.118 kg/hr was determined with key parameters measured throughout the process including oxygen and humidity content of the tray environment, gas flowrate, temperature, and tray weight. The report also recommends a full-scale inert evaporation system design that meets the NRC’s target specifications and constraints; however, the further testing using the POC is highly recommended to refine the design. Using nitrogen gas to maintain an anaerobic environment and dry the sludge, the full-scale design includes an insulated anaerobic chamber, dehumidification, nitrogen gas recycling, and PLC automation to conserve energy and efficiently evaporate sludge.