Pipe 'o' Pollution

Prototype for a testing environment. It is made of piping and plumbing fixtures. A wide PVC pipe is capped at both ends, and has 2 smaller pipes entering from the top, both with ball stop valves.

Components made to build the prototype on a wooden workshop table. Included: 2 lengths of different width PVC piping, a metal funnel, plastic caps, threaded pipe ends, ball stop valves, thread-maker, pipe ends, adhesives and silicone.

This is one of a number of prototypes that was integral to the development of my Masters thesis project. The idea was to build a chamber capable of testing hyper polluted air samples. A custom sensor unit was also built, using Adafruit Feather with a data-logging breakout board and C02 sensor, capable of recording CO2, TVOC and Temperature. Due to the nature of the testing environment, the chamber had to be airtight - which required custom seals, which were created using standard plumbing seals, bonding adhesive and silicone.

Top-down view of some of the components on a table. Including pipe caps, threaded ends, ball stop valves, thread maker, adhesive and silicone.

Work-in-progress of the construction. PVC pip with fitted thread caps, is clamped to a workshop table. There are tools on the table, including a wooden mallet, a ruler and a file.

Work-in-progress of the prototype. Someone is sealing the threaded pipe-end onto the pipe with silicone.