Water Tank Design
- Alison Thompson
- Megan Spee
Big Project | Project | Project Manager |
|---|---|---|
Comp 2025 | Payload | @Alison Thompson |
Task Description
In order to deliver water, we’ll need somewhere to store it, this task is to design what we use to do so. We’re open to ideas for how we do this, but it needs to be fully sealed other than the pump inlet and outlet.
The tank can be made by us somehow, or can be a modified existing water tank of some kind, but you’ll need to figure out how this mounts to the drone.
If you have ideas to be able to “dump” the water from this (ie don’t need an exit pump) that will not leak, please write them out and we can discuss, but the initial scope of this will be just a tank solution.
Constraints
Constraints | Written By | Append Date |
|---|---|---|
holds ~2.5L of water | @Alison Thompson | Sep 25, 2024 |
total weight (no water, no pumps), <=800g | @Alison Thompson | Sep 25, 2024 |
Tasks
Task Progression/Updates
Author: @Alison Thompson Date: Sep 25, 2024
Initial Ideas
We can experiment with how water-tight various 3D print materials are at different infills, then pick the lightest.
Ideally light weight PLA would work for this if we’re 3D printing, but off the shelf tanks should be investigated as well.
Prelim research
@Megan Spee
Really liking the idea of an OTS container because it’ll be more reliable than 3D printing things, from my first look. Amazon link that I’ve been searching: https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=plastic+water+storage+tank+2.5L&crid=2XY0SQTAAPRKO&sprefix=plastic+water+storage+tank+2+5l%2Caps%2C149&ref=nb_sb_noss. Uline also a good place to look.
Tank requirements
watertight
able to install a pump/valve
lightweight
Tank nice-to-haves
baffles in the interior to prevent sloshing
Some COTS options:
https://www.uline.ca/Product/Detail/S-22889/Jugs/Jerrican-1-1-4-Gallon-Natural (4.731765 litre, 410 g)
must buy 4x at a time, 13$ each. 52$ base
https://www.uline.ca/Product/Detail/S-22920/Jugs/Square-Utility-Jugs-1-Gallon-Natural (3.78541 litre, 440 g)
must buy 12x at a time, 3.80$ each. 46.60$ base
Could install baffles in a COTS jug by cutting a slit into the side, pushing a flat piece of plastic in (about 50-75% of the way), and sealing the base of this piece into the cut exterior with epoxy.
Re: Oct 3 mech meeting, will be trying out 3D printed tank before buying COTS tanks.
Calculations for tank volume in PLA: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13ZkewgjBpSqwBHvnumQ3UP_YPBGpoKL36r2nGgX6v9E/edit?usp=sharing
Assumptions for this tank:
Cylindrical
Fillet top and bottom 1 cm
full area filled-in top and bottom
thickness 4 mm
Tank option | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
PLA cylinder | cheap easy to prototype and change can set to specific max capacity | has to be water treated may be fragile |
Lightweight PLA cylinder |
|
|
COTS jerrican | designed for carrying water (watertight)
| expensive |
COTS jug | designed for carrying water (watertight) | expensive |
|
|
|
1/4” tube activity
tube <> aquarium pump (1/2” female BSP to 1/4” OD push) https://www.amazon.ca/uxcell-Straight-Connect-Purifiers-Connectors/dp/B07WGRLN3D
Status update oct 10
Printed ABS 0.20mm bambulabs prototype.