Critical Reflection on Module

At the beginning of this module, I set the goal for myself to polish my technical writing skills and cultivate the habit of spotting mistake in all my work. After 13 weeks of tutelage under Professor Brad and the help of my peers, I feel that I have achieved what I set out to do and learnt numerous applicable communications skills that can be extremely useful in my final year project or in fact, any required information that needs to be properly translated in a form of reports or presentations. I feel that the module was very well paced and throughout each assignment, there was ample guidance and feedback that allowed me to understand and internalise my mistakes and areas of improvements. The feedback methodology used during this module was crafted in a remarkable convention, which allowed the students to help critique their peers work. This forces us to automatically self-reflect on our work and think about any oversights we might have missed out. One area of improvement I may highlight is the emphasise on meeting minutes. I felt that even though it was briefly touched on during the class, more emphasise could be put onto it as minutes writing will be a very important skillset when we enter the workforce, not only to write them but to know how to vet and approve them as well.

During this module, the final group assignment was to select a product to research on and propose improvements/modifications in the form of a proposal report and present our ideas to the cohort. Our group decided to build on a previous assignment idea – the Seabin. During this project, even though our team had one less member as compared to other teams, with the right delegation of work load, we were able to complete the assignment smoothly and properly. The constant meet ups and dedicated team discussion time allocated during class helped ensure the individual portions integrate well with one another and in turn, maintain a good “flow” within the report. We also had well formulated sessions during class to help condition us to speaking in front of a crowd. From pitching to a buddy, having a mock presentation to a small group and finally the presentation to the class. This helped me to foster up more courage each time I overcome a small hurdle and slowly be more comfortable with public speaking.

Overall, I feel that I have greatly benefited from the group project assignment and the module. As compared to other similar modules like “GenEd” in polytechnic, the modus operandi of this module allowed for much better learning and takeaways. It was a pleasure to attend this module and I hope to be able to have the privilege to learn from Professor Brad again.

Report Draft 2

Executive Summary

This report is written in response to a letter of authorization dated January 15, 2020, and aims to advise the Seabin Project team to integrate the recommended modification to the Seabin as it will play a crucial part in increasing the adaptability of the product.

Over the years, the Seabin has been effective in filtering out trash from marinas and ports. However, the device is still unable to tackle the dangers of microplastics effectively. As microplastics can travel up the food chain by being ingested by marine life, these pollutants pose a serious threat to both the human and marine populations. This report discusses the potential area of enhancements of the Seabin by introducing adaptations to the current design and how these adaptations can better equip the device to reduce the microplastic concentration in our waters.

Through our research, the team found that the Seabin is heavily reliant on an electrical power supply to power its suction mechanism, confining the device to places such as marinas and ports where electricity is readily available. The device is therefore unable to tackle the dangers of microplastics effectively as the majority of the marine population that consumes these pollutants is in the ocean. To tackle these limitations, the team proposes a modification to improve the Seabin’s adaptability and allow it to have a greater impact on reducing microplastics in our water bodies.

The proposed modification is to incorporate an underwater turbine to the Seabin’s design which will allow the device to be brought offshore, using the waterbody’s natural tide and current to power the device’s suction mechanism rather than relying on an electrical socket. Integrating this modification will not only allow the Seabin to be implemented in the ocean but in any waterbody with an active current, increasing its adaptability immensely.

Personal Statements

Keith Chua	Keith personally feels that working on the modifications for this product is crucial as the Seabin has so much potential to be the most efficient micro plastic filtering device on the market. However, due to some limitations and constraints in its design, the product is unable to deliver its effectiveness to more parts of the world.
Chua Jarl	As a student who pursued a diploma in Clean Energy, Jarl was able to broaden his knowledge of renewable energy by taking up projects that would benefit the environment. One such project required him to work in a team to build an autonomous watercraft that helped to reduce the waste in Singapore’s water bodies. This is one of the reasons why Jarl felt that this project was the right fit for him.
Jonathan Chan	Jonathan finds this project especially meaningful to him as he loves all sorts of water sports like surfing and diving. By improving the ocean cleaning devices currently available in the market, he can do his part in conserving the marine environment for future generations. Also, with his background in engineering composites, he will be able to advise the team on the right materials to be implemented on the project.

1.          Introduction

1.1.      Background.

As stated in the Seabin Project website (n.d.), the main purpose of the V5 Seabin is to accomplish the goal of the Seabin team, which is to live in a world where water pollution is non-existent. The primary function of the V5 Seabin is to remove waste from calm water bodies. By teaming up with various ports such as Poralu Marine and Safe Harbour Marina, the Seabin team was able to rapidly distribute its product to all corners of the earth (Seabin Project, n.d.).

The Seabin is a microplastic-filtering device that is deployed mainly in marinas and ports to remove waste from the water body. It is a device “considerably smaller than the average municipal garbage bin” and can hold a maximum of 20 kg of waste (Hicks, 2018). A submersible water pump that is attached to the Seabin sucks water in from the surface and as water passes through, any waste larger than 2mm is left behind in the device’s catch bag. Additionally, the Seabin requires little attention to maintain it as the catch bag only needs to be emptied as needed. According to the Seabin Project under its frequently asked questions, the coating of the device also uses a “non toxic and highly durable anti-fouling system” reducing its cleaning interval to a period of six to eight weeks. 

However, when it comes to the problem of marine and micro plastics pollution in water bodies, the main complication that directly affects the ecosystem develops when the wildlife in the waters ingest micro plastics, one of the three main categories of plastic pollutants. These micropollutants can rapidly climb up the food chain and be eaten by humans as well. As the Seabin is currently situated where wildlife is minimal (Seabin Project, n.d.), its effectiveness in tackling the main problem of micro plastics is vastly limited.

Seabins are currently limited to marinas and ports because of its power source. According to the Seabin’s website (n.d.), the Seabin has to be plugged into a constant power supply of 110/220V and that the “Maximum distance to an electric energy supply point is 6 meters”. The current Seabin is limited to areas where a wired power source is located within the product’s vicinity like marinas and ports. With that said, by implementing modifications to the power supply of the Seabin, the Seabin Project can bring its product offshore to rivers or seas where it can have the highest impact on reducing pollutants on the earth's waters.

An ideal microplastic-filtering device is equipped with an underwater turbine to make use of the tidal motion to power the suction mechanism and pull micro-pollutants into an in-built filter, preventing the pollutants from spilling back out into the waterbody.

1.2.      Problem statement.

However, one of the most viable products currently in the market, the Seabin, still needs to be permanently plugged into a 110/220V power outlet to power its suction mechanism (Seabin Project, n.d.) and is thus confined to places where electricity is readily available such as marinas and ports. With the implementation of an underwater turbine, the suction mechanism in the filtering device can be sustained as long as there is a constant current flow in the water body, allowing devices such as the Seabin to be brought offshore to remote water bodies in the world.

1.3.      Purpose statement.

The purpose of this report is to advise the Seabin Project team to integrate the recommended modifications to their products as it will play a crucial part in strengthening the adaptability of the Seabin.

2.          Current and Proposed Solution

2.1.      Current.

The existing Seabin has to be connected to an electric energy supply point of 110/220V, 500W to operate (Seabin Project, n.d.). The default Seabin comes with a 6m long electrical cable and any extension needs to be modified by the user manually. This limits the Seabin to ports and marinas and vastly reduces its effectiveness. There have also been trials on adapting Solar panels onto the Seabin to allow the product to be implemented offshore as seen in Image 1 (Calleja, 2019). However, factors like shading, instability, battery infrastructure (Ahmad, 2016) and occupancy space make this solution cumbersome and suboptimal in the long run.

Image 1: Seabin with Solar panel adaptation.

2.2.      Proposed.

The team’s proposed solution is to make use of a hydro turbine to power the Seabin. A hydro turbine produces electricity with the help of the natural tide of the water (Donev, 2018). As the Seabin is deployed in the water, changing the source of power to a hydro turbine instead of a power socket would be the ideal solution. Hydro turbines come in a myriad of sizes and variations, which makes finding a compatible hydro turbine challenging. The best plan for the Seabin team would be to design a small prototype, test it and develop it. The final design would be able to produce 110/220V, anchor the Seabin and run effortlessly without any major issues. One good example of an ideal solution would be the use of the SeaUrchin Tidal Turbine, shown in Image 2, to generate power for the Seabin. This product features two hydro turbines with each turbine generating 2kw of power, which is enough power to operate four Seabins concurrently.

 

 Image 2: SeaUrchin Tidal Turbine

The SeaUrchin Tidal Turbine will be attached to the Seabed as shown in the image below, preventing the Seabin from moving out of the designated space. The power is then transmitted using waterproof electrical cables that will run from the hydro turbines to the Seabin. This allows the Seabin to run continuously without the need for a power socket, increasing its deployability.

Image 3: Illustration of Seabin with adaptation of Hydro turbines

3.          Benefits

The incorporation of an underwater turbine as a power source replacement will significantly increase the Seabin’s adaptability as it will allow the device to be brought out of marinas and ports and into seas and other water bodies.

Firstly, having an underwater turbine means that the device will not have to rely on a power socket to power its suction mechanism. Rather, it will take advantage of its environment and use the water body’s tide to generate its own self-sustaining energy. Drawing energy from the water is also more dependable compared to other natural sources of energy like solar energy, which is affected by the sun’s positions, and wind energy, which is unpredictable especially if the device is deployed in places with no open space. Water is also denser than air, allowing the underwater turbine to generate the same amount of energy as a windmill “but at slower speeds and over less area” (Clark, n.d.).

Secondly, the underwater turbine powering the Seabin is of a small scale and does not require as much space as a solar panel or windmill as the suction mechanism only requires “2.5amps @ 500 watts” (Seabin Project, n.d.), making its deployment in remote locations more convenient. In addition, the small space taken up by the underwater turbine could allow for multiple devices to be installed in the same location, increasing the filtration’s area of effect greatly.

4.          Limitations

The main challenges of adapting a hydro turbine onto the Seabin are the increase in weight, cost and the corrosive seawater environment (Ahmad. 2016). The addition of a hydro turbine with the required power rating would add approximately 57kg (Kojima, 2014) onto the product and as the Seabin operates at the surface of the water, the increase in weight would require the Seabin to increase its buoyancy devices in order to remain at the surface of the water. Harsh sea conditions and the environment is the nemesis of any hydro turbine as seawater, which is very corrosive, is constantly exerted onto the moving parts of the hydro-generator like the turbine blades causing the components to corrode and rust rapidly (Ahmad, 2016). Particles like sand carried in the water also quickly erode the components in the hydro turbines. The adaptation of hydro turbines onto the Seabin will definitely increase the cost of the product. This is because hydro turbine components are relatively expensive as they have to be durable enough to withstand the harsh sea conditions.

However, improvements in engineering composite materials like carbon fiber will help tackle the challenge of the corrosive seawater conditions and allow underwater turbines to operate even in low tidal currents, increasing the Seabin’s operational ability once the turbine has been incorporated into the Seabin’s design. Although this modification would result in a price increase for the Seabin (estimated 1.5 - 2 times of its current cost), the operational cost of the device as a whole, which currently runs at 3USD per day (Seabin Project, n.d.), would be significantly reduced. Additionally, the Seabin would still remain as one of the most affordable marine cleaning devices available on the market.

5.          Methodology

The team decided to use secondary research to source information that is crucial and relevant for the report.

5.1.      Secondary Research

To begin with, the team decided to use the information found in the Seabin project website as a reference for elaborating on the benefits and functionality of the Seabin. Following that, the team used the google search engine to find sources regarding any modification made onto the Seabin. This would help to show the efforts made by the Seabin team to improve the current model. Lastly, along with google search engine, ScienceDirect was also used to source for online technical reports and articles regarding hydro turbines and its benefits.

6.          Conclusion

As the dangers of micro plastics continue to grow and with micro pollutants finding more ways to enter our water bodies, the micro plastic filtering products on the market have to be just as adaptive as well. Even though the Seabin does not have an area of effect as large or the adaptive ability as complex as other micro plastic filtering products, it is still one of the most cost-effective devices on the market. With the Seabin’s endless modification possibilities, it’s potential to grow is also immense.

The team believes that with the incorporation of the underwater turbine, the Seabin will not only be a groundbreaking micro plastic filtering device but a key solution to the world’s water pollution problem.

Annotated Summary on Tidal energy (Final)

Ahmad K. (2016). Tidal power technology review with potential applications in Gulf Stream. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 69, 435-441. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2016.11.150

This article discusses the benefits and feasibility of tidal energy as a clean power source to meet the world's electricity demands, highlighting that tidal energy is a more reliable energy source as compared to other existing solutions like solar, wind or nuclear energy. The article deduced this because of the estimated tidal energy dissipated from the earth of 3.5TWatts, which is significantly higher than most clean energy sources. The article also states that tidal energy is “induced from the gravitational and centrifugal forces between the earth, moon and sun”, this allows the energy source to be analysed, making it predictable and reliable. In this article, the benefits, challenges and solutions of hydro power generators were discussed. Challenges include mainly corrosive seawater environment and low current speeds. The solutions to overcome these challenges, if implemented correctly, can result in tidal energy becoming the main power supply to the world.

The article also provides useful insights for our research project on enhancing a Seabin with the use of hydro turbines. For the Seabin to function on its own and to be implemented offshore, a sustainable energy source has to be added to its design. The article justifies that hydro power would be the optimal power adaptation for the Seabin to function as compared to other sources like solar or wind because of its predictability and reliability. Also, as the aim of the Seabin is to be located at rivers or oceans where tidal current is abundant, the hydro turbines will be able to function efficiently. The article also helps us understand the possible challenges that comes along with hydro turbines and suggests solutions to overcome them.

Technical Report Draft 1

Background

As stated in the Seabin Project website (n.d.), the main purpose of the V5 Seabin is to accomplish the goal of the Seabin team, which is to live in a world where water pollution is non-existent. The primary function of the V5 Seabin is to remove waste from calm water bodies. By teaming up with various ports such as Poralu Marine and Safe Harbour Marina, the Seabin team was able to rapidly distribute its product to all corners of the earth (Seabin Project, n.d.).

The Seabin is a microplastic-filtering device that is deployed mainly in marinas and ports to remove waste from the water body. It is a device “considerably smaller than the average municipal garbage bin” and can hold a maximum of 20 kg of waste (Hicks, 2018). A submersible water pump that is attached to the Seabin sucks water in from the surface and as water passes through, any waste larger than 2mm is left behind in the device’s catch bag. Additionally, the Seabin requires little attention to maintain it as the catch bag only needs to be emptied as needed. According to the Seabin Project under its Frequently Asked Questions, the coating of the device also uses a “non toxic and highly durable anti-fouling system” reducing its cleaning interval to a period of six to eight weeks.  

However, when it comes to the problem of marine and micro plastics pollution in water bodies, the main complication that directly affects the ecosystem develops when the wildlife in the waters ingest micro plastics, one of the three main categories of plastic pollutants. These micropollutants can rapidly climb up the food chain and be eaten by humans as well. As the Seabin is currently situated where wildlife is minimal (Seabin Project, n.d.), its effectiveness in tackling the main problem of micro plastics is vastly limited.

Seabins are currently limited to marinas and ports because of its power source. According to the Seabin’s website (n.d.), the Seabin has to be plugged into a constant power supply of 110/220V and that the “Maximum distance to an electric energy supply point is 6 meters”. The current Seabin is limited to areas where a wired power source is located within the product’s vicinity like marinas and ports. With that said, by implementing modifications to the power supply of the Seabin, the Seabin Project can bring its product offshore to rivers or seas where it can have the highest impact on reducing pollutants on the earth's waters.

An ideal microplastic-filtering device is equipped with an underwater turbine to make use of the tidal motion to power the suction mechanism and pull micro-pollutants into an in-built filter, preventing the pollutants from spilling back out into the waterbody.

Problem statement 

However, one of the most viable products currently in the market, the Seabin, still needs to be permanently plugged into a 110/220V power outlet to power its suction mechanism (Seabin Project, n.d.) and is thus confined to places where electricity is readily available such as marinas and ports. With the implementation of an underwater turbine, the suction mechanism in the filtering device can be sustained as long as there is a constant current flow in the water body, allowing devices such as the Seabin to be brought offshore to remote water bodies in the world.

Purpose statement

The purpose of this report is to advise the Seabin Project team to integrate the recommended modifications to their products as it will play a crucial part in strengthening the adaptability of the Seabin.

Current and Proposed Solution

Current

The existing Seabin has to be connected to an electric energy supply point of 110/220V, 500W to operate (Seabin Project, n.d.). The default Seabin comes with a 6m long electrical cable and any extension needs to be modified by the user manually. This limits the Seabin to ports and marinas and vastly reduces its effectiveness. There have also been trials on adapting Solar panels onto the Seabin to allow the product to be implemented offshore as seen in Image 1 (Calleja, 2019). However, factors like shading, instability, battery infrastructure (Ahmad, 2016) and occupancy space make this solution cumbersome and suboptimal in the long run.

Image 1: Seabin with Solar panel adaptation.

Proposed

A hydro turbine produces electricity with the help of the natural tide of the water (Donev, J. et al, 2018). As the Seabin is deployed in the water, changing the source of power to a hydro turbine instead of a power socket would be the ideal solution. Hydro turbines come in a myriad of sizes and variations, which makes finding a compatible hydro turbine challenging. The best plan for the Seabin team would be to design a small prototype, test it and develop it. The final design would be able to produce 110/220V, anchor the Seabin and run effortlessly without any major issues. One product that the Seabin team can take reference from while building their hydro turbine is the SeaUrchin Tidal Turbine, shown in image 2. 

 Image 2: SeaUrchin Tidal Turbine

Benefits

The incorporation of an underwater turbine as a power source replacement will significantly increase the Seabin’s adaptability as it will allow the device to be brought out of marinas and ports and into seas and other water bodies.

For starters, having an underwater turbine means that the device will not have to rely on a power socket to power its suction mechanism. Rather, it will take advantage of its environment and use the water body’s tide to generate its own self-sustaining energy. Drawing energy from the water is also more dependable compared to other natural sources of energy like solar energy, which is affected by the sun’s positions, and wind energy, which is unpredictable especially if the device is deployed in places with no open space. Water is also denser than air, allowing the underwater turbine to generate the same amount of energy as a windmill “but at slower speeds and over less area” (Clark, n.d.).

Secondly, the underwater turbine powering the Seabin is of a small scale and does not require as much space as a solar panel or windmill as the suction mechanism only requires “2.5amps @ 500 watts” (Seabin Project, n.d.), making its deployment in remote locations more convenient. In addition, the small space taken up by the underwater turbine could allow for multiple devices to be installed in the same location, increasing the filtration’s area of the effect greatly.

Limitations

The main challenges of adapting a hydro turbine onto the Seabin are the increase in weight, cost and the corrosive seawater environment (Ahmad. 2016). The addition of a hydro turbine with the required power rating would add approximately 57kg (Kojima, 2014) onto the product and as the Seabin operates at the surface of the water, the increase in weight would require the Seabin to increase its buoyancy devices in order to remain at the surface of the water. 

One of the main challenges faced by all hydro energy power sources is the harsh sea condition and environment. Seawater, which is very corrosive, is constantly exerted onto the moving parts of the hydro-generator like the turbine blades causing the components to corrode and rust rapidly (Ahmad, 2016). Particles like sand carried in the water also quickly erode the components in the hydro turbines. The adaptation of hydro turbines onto the Seabin will definitely increase the cost of the product. This is because hydro turbine components are relatively expensive as they have to be durable enough to withstand the harsh sea conditions. 

Research Methods

Methodology

The team decided to use secondary research to source information that is crucial and relevant for the report.

Secondary Research

To begin with, the team decided to use the information found in the Seabin project website as a reference for elaborating on the benefits and functionality of the Seabin. Following that, the team used the google search engine to find sources regarding any modification made onto the Seabin. This would help to show the efforts made by the Seabin team to improve the current model. Lastly, along with google search engine, ScienceDirect was also used to find online technical reports and articles regarding hydro turbines and its benefits. 

Conclusion

As the dangers of micro plastics continue to grow and with micro pollutants finding more ways to enter our water bodies, the micro plastic filtering products on the market have to be just as adaptive as well. Even though the Seabin does not have an area of effect as large, or the adaptive ability as complex as other micro plastic filtering products, it is still one of the most cost-effective devices on the market. With the Seabin’s endless modification possibilities, it’s potential to grow is also immense. 

Improvements in engineering composite materials like carbon fiber will help tackle the challenge of the corrosive seawater conditions and allow underwater turbines to operate even in low tidal currents, increasing the Seabin’s operational ability once the turbine has been incorporated into the Seabin’s design. Although this modification would result in a price increase for the Seabin (estimated 1.5 - 2 times of its current cost), the operational cost of the device as a whole, which currently runs at 3USD per day (Seabin Project, n.d.), would be significantly reduced. Additionally, the Seabin would still remain as one of the most affordable marine cleaning devices available on the market. 

The team believes that with the incorporation of the underwater turbine, the Seabin will not only be a groundbreaking micro plastic filtering device but a key solution to the world’s water pollution problem.

Design Summary with Analysis (Final Draft)

According to the article “Seabin Using Plastic to Fight Plastics” (2019), The Seabin Project highlights the consequences of micro plastics (2-5mm) in the ecosystem and discusses the benefits of the Seabin as a holistic solution to the pollutants in the sea. The article mentions that many sea-creatures ingest micro plastics as they resemble their food sources in terms of size and appearance. Micro plastics also gather organic waste at an accelerated rate compared to other inorganic particles, which have acute detrimental effects on the marine environment. The article explains that Seabin functions by ingesting water within its vicinity and traps any detritus through its filtration system to counter pollution. The article also claims that by integrating sensors onto the Seabin, it can double up as a monitoring device, allowing more comprehensive studies on its effectiveness and potential improvements. While the Seabin is a cost-efficient solution for small-scale marine pollution in lakes and rivers, it is not suitable for countering larger-scale pollution because of its limited storage capacity and is reliant on a wired power source.

One important aspect of any marine-filtering device is its storage capacity. “The Interceptor” is a similar product to the Seabin in terms of usage and functionality. Both products are automated and are capable of monitoring its surrounding waters. The Seabin functions by using a suction at the bottom of the bin, allowing pollutants to flow into the opening and get trapped in its filter. The Interceptor, in contrast, works by “funnelling debris into the vessel’s mouth, where a conveyor belt ferries the trash into onboard containers” (Simon, 2019). According to the Ocean Cleanup’s website (n.d.), the conveyor system of the Interceptor allows it to collect 50,000kg or more garbage daily with a maximum capacity of 50 cubic meters. Comparatively, the Seabin collects an estimated 3.9kg of debris daily and has a maximum capacity of 20kg which would require emptying thereafter. Thus, The Interceptor is far superior in terms of capacity.

Another important aspect of marine-filtering devices is its power supply to operate. According to the Seabin’s webpage on technical specifications (n.d), a constant power supply of 110/220V is required to operate the product, also, the electrical cable that comes along with the Seabin is only 6 meters long. Thus, the Seabin would require a power source within its vicinity to operate. When dealing with pollution in vast areas, it would be nearly impossible to provide power to the required amount of Seabins. The Interceptor, in contrast, runs on solar energy, allowing the device to be deployed far into the ocean. Arguably, even if the Seabin is improved and can run on its own without a power source, one would need approximately 10000 Seabins to match the collection rate of the Interceptor which would become impractical.

However, the Interceptor costs 700,000 Euros (Marchese, 2019) which makes it difficult for most consumers to afford. According to the Seabin Project’s website, its product can be acquired for 6300 Euros which is relatively cheaper than most of the counter pollution products on the market. This allows the general public to be able to afford the Seabin and start small, subsequently scaling up if required. The Seabin is also open to purchase by any consumer as compared to other products like the Interceptor which is only available to certain organisations. Thus, allowing the Seabin to be used extensively in private owned marinas and small water bodies.

In conclusion, because of the low cost, limited capacity and power supply of the Seabin, it would be a suitable product for countering marine pollution in small areas. However, to deal with pollution in larger areas, putting numerous Seabins would not be the optimal solution as there are more suitable products in the market.

References

Marchese K. (2019, Oct 30). The ocean cleanup unveils floating garbage truck that catches plastic in rivers. Retrieved from https://www.designboom.com/technology/the-ocean-cleanup-interceptor-river-plastic-pollution-10-30-2019/

Seabin Project. (2019). Seabin using plastic to fight plastics. Retrieved from https://seabinproject.com/seabin-using-plastic-to-fight-plastics/

Seabin Project. (n.d.) Retrieved February 08, 2019 from https://seabinproject.com/the-seabin-v5/technical-specs/

Simon M. (2019, Oct 26). Ocean Cleanup’s New Plastic-Catcher… Kinda Already Exists. Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/story/ocean-cleanup-interceptor/

The Ocean Cleanup. (n.d.) Retrieved February 08, 2019 from https://theoceancleanup.com/rivers/

Design Summary with Analysis (DRAFT 2)

According to the article “Seabin Using Plastic to Fight Plastics” (2019), The Seabin Project highlights the consequences of micro plastics (2-5mm) in the ecosystem and discusses the benefits of the Seabin as a holistic solution to the pollutants in the sea. The article mentions that many sea-creatures ingest micro plastics as they resemble their food sources in terms of size and appearance. Micro plastics also gather organic waste at an accelerated rate compared to other inorganic particles, which have acute detrimental effects on the marine environment. The article explains that Seabin functions by ingesting water within its vicinity and traps any detritus through its filtration system to counter pollution. The article also claims that by integrating sensors onto the Seabin, it can double up as a monitoring device, allowing more comprehensive studies on its effectiveness and potential improvements. While the Seabin is a prime solution for small-scale marine pollution in lakes and rivers, it is not suitable for countering larger-scale pollution because of its limited maximum capacity and currently runs on a wired power source.

One similar product to the Seabin is “The Interceptor”. Both products are automated and are capable of monitoring its surrounding waters. The Seabin functions by using a suction at the bottom of the bin, allowing pollutants to flow into the opening and get trapped in its filter. The Interceptor on the other hand works by “funnelling debris into the vessel’s mouth, where a conveyor belt ferries the trash into onboard containers” (Simon, 2019). According to The Interceptor’s website (“Rivers”), the conveyor system allows its product to be able to collect 50,000kg or more of garbage daily with a maximum capacity of 50 cubic meters. Comparatively, the Seabin collects an estimated 3.9kg of debris daily and has a maximum capacity of 20kg which would require emptying thereafter. Thus, The Interceptor is far superior on terms of capacity.

According to the Seabin’s website section (“Technical Specifications”), a constant power supply of 110/220V is required to operate the product, also, the electrical cable that comes along with the Seabin is only 6 meters long. Thus, the Seabin would require a power source within its vicinity to operate. When dealing with pollution in vast areas, it would be nearly impossible to provide power to the required amount of Seabins. The Interceptor on the other hand, runs on solar energy, allowing the device to be deployed far into the ocean. Arguably, even if the Seabin is improved and can run on its own without a power source, one would need approximately 10000 Seabins to match the collection rate of the Interceptor which would become impractical.

However, the Interceptor cost 700,000 Euros (Marchese, 2019) which makes it difficult for most consumers to afford. According to the Seabin Project’s website, its product can be acquired for 6300 Euros which is relatively cheaper than most of the counter pollution products on the market. This allows the general public to be able to afford the Seabin and start small, subsequently scaling up if required. The Seabin is also open to purchase by any consumer as compared to other products like the Interceptor which is only available to certain organisations. Thus, allowing the Seabin to be used extensively in private owned marinas and small water bodies.

In conclusion, because of the low cost, limited capacity and power supply of the Seabin, it would be a suitable product for countering marine pollution in small areas. However, to deal with pollution in larger areas, putting numerous Seabins would not be the optimal solution as there are more suitable products in the market.

References

Marchese, Kieron. (2019, Oct 30). The ocean cleanup unveils floating garbage truck that catches plastic in rivers. Retrieved from https://www.designboom.com/technology/the-ocean-cleanup-interceptor-river-plastic-pollution-10-30-2019/

Seabin Project. (2019). Seabin using plastic to fight plastics. Retrieved from https://seabinproject.com/seabin-using-plastic-to-fight-plastics/

Seabin Project. (n.d.) Retrieved February 08, 2019 from https://seabinproject.com/the-seabin-v5/technical-specs/

Simon, Matt. (2019, Oct 26). Ocean Cleanup’s New Plastic-Catcher… Kinda Already Exists. Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/story/ocean-cleanup-interceptor/

The Ocean Cleanup. (n.d.) Retrieved February 08, 2019 from https://theoceancleanup.com/rivers/

Design Summary with Analysis (DRAFT 1)

According to the article “Seabin Using Plastic to Fight Plastics” (2019), The Seabin Project highlights the consequences of micro plastics (2-5mm) in the ecosystem and discusses the benefits of the Seabin as a holistic solution to the pollutants in the sea. The article mentions that many sea-creatures ingest micro plastics as they resemble their food sources in terms of size and appearance. Micro plastics also gather organic waste at an accelerated rate compared to other inorganic particles, which have acute detrimental effects on the marine environment. The article explains that Seabin functions by ingesting water within its vicinity and traps any detritus through its filtration system to counter pollution. The article also claims that by integrating sensors onto the Seabin, it can double up as a monitoring device, allowing more comprehensive studies on its effectiveness and potential improvements. While the Seabin is a prime solution for small-scale marine pollution in lakes and rivers, it is not suitable for countering larger-scale pollution as the Seabin currently runs on a wired power source and hundreds of units would be necessary for a large area like the ocean.

One similar product to the Seabin is “The Interceptor”. Both products are automated and are capable of monitoring its surrounding waters. The Seabin functions by using a suction at the bottom of the bin, allowing pollutants to flow into the opening and get trapped in its filter. The Interceptor on the other hand works by “funnelling debris into the vessel’s mouth, where a conveyor belt ferries the trash into onboard containers” (Simon, 2019). According to The Interceptor’s website, the conveyor system allows its product to be able to collect 50,000kg or more of garbage daily with a maximum capacity of 50 cubic meters. Comparatively, the Seabin collects an estimated 3.9kg of debris daily has a maximum capacity of 20kg and requires emptying thereafter. Thus, The Interceptor is far superior in terms of capacity.

According to the Seabin’s technical specifications stated on its website, a constant power supply of 110/220V is required to operate the product, also, the electrical cable that comes along with the Seabin is only 6 meters long. Thus, the Seabin would require a power source within its vicinity to operate. When dealing with pollution in vast areas, it would be nearly impossible to provide power to the required amount of Seabins. The Interceptor on the other hand, runs on solar energy, allowing the device to be deployed far into the ocean. Arguably, even if the Seabin is improved and can run on its own without a power source, one would need approximately 10000 Seabins to match the collection rate of the Interceptor which would become impractical.

However, the Interceptor cost 700,000 Euros which makes it difficult for most consumers to afford. According to the Seabin Project’s website, the product can be acquired for 6300 Euros which is relatively cheaper than most of the counter pollution products on the market. This allows the general public to be able to afford the Seabin and start small, subsequently scaling up if required. The Seabin is also open to purchase by any consumer as compared to other products like “The Interceptor” which is only available to certain organizations. Thus, allowing the Seabin to be used extensively in private owned marinas and small water bodies.

In conclusion, because of the low cost and limited capacity of the Seabin, it would be a suitable product for countering marine pollution in small areas. However, to deal with pollution in larger areas, putting numerous Seabins would not be an optimal solution as there are more suitable products in the market.

References

Seabin Project. (2019). Seabin using plastic to fight plastics. Retrieved from https://seabinproject.com/seabin-using-plastic-to-fight-plastics/

Seabin Project. (n.d.) Retrieved February 08, 2019 from https://seabinproject.com/the-seabin-v5/technical-specs/

The Ocean Cleanup. (n.d.) Retrieved February 08, 2019 from https://theoceancleanup.com/rivers/

Matt Simon. (2019, Oct 26). Ocean Cleanup’s New Plastic-Catcher… Kinda Already Exists. Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/story/ocean-cleanup-interceptor/