Cleaning the Air
Engineers design methods of removing particulate matter from industrial sources to minimize negative effects of air pollution. In this activity, students undertake a similar engineering challenge as they design and build a filter to remove pepper from an air stream without blocking more than 50% of the air.
Industrial air pollutionCopyright Alfred Palmer. Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AlfedPalmersmokestacks.jpg
One of the biggest challenges engineers face is devising new techniques to prevent industrial air pollution. Engineers are creative in designing modern pollutant recovery methods and industrial technologies that remove particulate matter from industrial sources to minimize negative effects of air pollution. Mechanical and environmental engineers develop new technologies to control the problems old technologies have created. For example, engineers create air filtration systems that are commonly used in homes and businesses.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Describe several causes and health effects of air pollution.
- Use the engineering design process to create a model indoor air filter.
- Count and calculate the average number of particles collected in one area.
- Understand how engineers construct air filters to clean air pollution.