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Section title
Reactive Balloon
by Hsuan Chen
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Reactive Balloon
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CSA Research Report
Project Details Project Lead:
Hsuan Chen
Design Participants:
Lucy Alice Jones Owain Caruana-Davies
Title:
Reactive Balloon
Type:
Responsive Architectural Installation
Location:
UCA Canterbury campus Kirk lecture theatre
Project Dates:
31 July 2018 - 20 August 2018 On-site Construction 24 August 2018 - 31 August 2018 Installation open to public
Design Period:
May 2018 - August 2018
Budget:
ÂŁ600
Scale:
3m x 3m x 3m
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Reactive Balloon
Section title
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Reactive Balloon
Research Agenda and Process Overview This project explores passive water cooling as a means of chilling space. The energy consumed by air conditioning is a major cause of pollution and carbon dioxide emission. The project aims to ensure that the cooling process is visible. Users will be able to see refrigeration occurring, altering how they perceive the temperature of the space. The rationale for the project is to explore the possible solutions to air pollution. In particular, looking at energy consumption and temperature change in the human’s body, when presented with air conditioning. The project uses visual stimulus as people may feel refreshed if they can see or even touch a specific variable of changing temperature. Moreover, our behaviour is closely related to the environment. To attract, even more, to replace the existing active cooling products. Human behaviour can be affected by colour and environmental conditions. (Steg, 2013) (Dam, 1974) To understand the effects of temperature on the human body, I have developed a passive cooling system by pumping water into several flexible receptacles. When the sensor reaches a specific degree, the receptacle will be mimicking the contours of the human skin. This will be very similar to the physical reaction of the human skin. This project develops these ideas by creating an installation, which makes visible the reaction human bodies have to temperature. Research Questions 1.
How can the design prompt people to think about the harm to the environment?
2. How can artificial materials represent human skin and react to temperature? 3. How do we use water evaporation to build a system which reduces the environmental temperature?
Fig.01 (previous page) The Reactive Balloon, constructed in the Kirk lecture theatre at the UCA Canterbury campus
Research Statement
Significance and Contribution Trying to intervene in people’s perception of the visual impact. The project raises people’s consciousness regarding pollution and protecting the environment as a starting point. To bring down the temperature by a renewable energy source. The alternative energy source can reduce the energy consumption (electric etc.). It can also lower the exhaust gas emission. The flexible receptacle can provoke the participant’s visual sense, informing them what temperature they are experiencing. Visible cooling could be used more widely in architecture to reduce the demand for other electrical cooling systems.
Methodologies 1.
Investigate the differences and effects of passive cooling types.
2. Develop an installation which responds to temperature change, with a comparison between human beings and architecture. 3. Determine the physical reaction of how water absorbs the heat during evaporation.
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Reactive Balloon
Design Proposal 'Reactive balloon' is a project that helps in understanding the effects of changing temperatures on human skin and architecture. By pumping the renewable resource - water into flexible receptacles, the receptacle will contour in forms similar human’s limbs and trunk skin. when experiencing lower temperature the hairs on skin stand up, as well as goose pumps and protrusion of nipples. When people pass by the installation. The average temperature increases as the sensor reach 18 degrees, causing the pump to become active. After this, the water molecules during evaporation will absorb the environmental heat and bring down the temperature again. The installation utilizes the evaporation of water to achieve
heat absorption, taking advantage of the effect of replacement air conditioning. When the air’s water content is unsaturated, water will transfer into vapour, ingesting the heat from the air while lowering the temperature. Normally, a kilogram of water when evaporated can reduce up to 2.46 degrees in temperature. (Babcock, 2007) Furthermore, due to the replacement air conditioning, the need for energy and carbon emissions is reduced. As a result, air quality will be improved. Besides, except for physical experience of temperature changing, provoke human’s visual sense, hearing and tactile can help people easier to blend into the installation.
Key technological outcomes of proposal 1.
Balloon: Using casting and 3D printing to make a particular shape.
2. Pumping system: Needs to be powerful enough to fill the balloon quickly.
Fig.02 (right) Mist Encounter, 2017 (LING-LI TSENG)
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Proposal & Context
Design Research Context Field of Work This research is based on air pollutants which are a result of air conditioning. There are a few design projects which are also working on passive water cooling systems. The projects have similar practice values and principles but are executed in different ways. The projects inspired me to think more ambitiously and creatively on visual presenting as well as the material used in the water cooling’s function.
Work by others BMDesign Studios designed a concave roof to collect rainwater in hot and dry areas, not only to lower indoor temperature but also to produce a sustainable water source. (Mairs, 2017) Mist Encounter is another artwork influenced by the architecture which stands in front of Taipei Fine Art Museum. It creates body awareness with mist and creates awareness of air conditioning renovations in the Museum. (Tseng, 2017) These two precedents took advantage of water evaporation in totally different ways. Moreover, both of them have developed its own water recycling system and succeed in reducing the high temperature.
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Reactive Balloon
Design Methodologies The reactive balloon’s design process has several stages. Research, organize, diagram, search for inspirations, framing the concept, material and technical engagement and testing, producing models and lastly producing the final model.
4. Investigated and developed a water recycling system to simultaneously fill the balloons and echoed the process of human skin with changing temperature. 5. Experimented different volt pumps to connect with output, sensor, delay and Arduino code. 6. Tested 3D printing with a new 1. Understand the cause of air flexible material to make my own pollution. Find out a factor that balloon. can be improved from the site and release the concept of 7. Tested latex and silicone to passive cooling. make a balloon by cover it on the 3D printed mold. 2. Took advantage of the condition of the river below the 8. Tried to used 3D printed mold site and experiment the basic to do vacuum forming to build a passive cooling. mold for liquid silicone. 3. Built a diagram then discovered the corresponding reaction of changing temperature between human body and water balloon. Critical Design Elements 1.
Balloon Design: Vacuum forming the balloon’s base with 3D printed mold. Cover two layers of silicone on the vacuum formed the plastic sheet. Make a silicone paper and stick it with the skin shaped one with silicone.
2. Pumping System Design: When the sensor starts, the first pump will pump the water and expand the balloon. And then the second pump will pump out the water through the T shape valve to avoid the water going into the water inlet and lead back to the water jar.
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Process & Methods
Prototyping and testing Challenges and Solutions:
b. Water recycling system
a. Balloon
1. In order to connect the wires of pump, sensor and power switch, the pump needs to change from 220V to 12V. However, the pump in 12V is too low to pumps the water into a balloon. It will take too long to fill one. Moreover, all the pumps are one direction and water’s pressure cannot discharge all the water from the balloon to cycle the water. A Tshaped tube is needed and needs to install a valve to stock the water inlet. And install another pump to pumps the water back to the water jar.
1. Test the soft material by 3D printing which is still testing to produce the flexible receptacle. However, the production’s density is too high that it still retaining the hardness result in a bad flexibility. 2. Tried to make a flat and flexible paper by 3D print and put it together to make a balloon. But this material rejected the connection glue.
3. Used the production of 3D print as a mold and pour the silicone on 2. Tried to use siphonage to fill it to cast a balloon. up the balloon. However, it is 4. Used silicone to cast a flat and not easy to control the amounts flexible paper and assemble into of balloons then replaced it by water pumps. a balloon.
Fig.03 (left) Flexible new materail testing by 3D printing
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Reactive Balloon
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Process & Methods
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Reactive Balloon
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Process & Methods
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Reactive Balloon
Fig.06 (left) Balloon making silicone in layers
by
Fig.07 (right) Mend the aperture by silicone and catalyst mixture
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Process & Methods
Fabrication Techniques a. 3D printing forming:
and
Vacuum 3. Repeat the procedure to make sure there is no aperture on it.
1. To make a balloon’s mold needs to print out a solid model by 3D printing and sticks them on a MDF cardboard.
4. Take it out after dried and sticks the two parts together with the same mixture and wait for another four hours.
2. Then heat up a plastic sheet by c. Laser cutting and Setting: 26 degrees in 25 seconds. 1. Laser cuts two irregular 3. After that, cover it on the plywood panels. (one solid and model and sucks it into vacuum. one flexible) b. Casting and Balloon making:
2. Set the silicone balloon between two panels and fixes it 1. Mix with silicone and catalyst’s with nuts. proportion (10:1). 3. Install the tube on the balloon 2. Evenly cover the mixture on and the solid panel. both flat and balloon’s mold and wait for four hours to dry.
18 Fig.08 Typical form proposal drawing
Reactive Balloon
Process & Methods
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Reactive Balloon
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Process & Methods
Control Systems When the sensor detects the preset temperature the four water pumps will turn on and pump the water from the sump into the balloon for 30 seconds. (The whole system is controlled by the Arduino code) Each drainage outlet has installed a one-way inline check valve to prevent water from going back to the source. To avoid water seeping out to retrofit the hose barb coupler on every connection. After all the balloons filled up, the fifth water pump will pump the water from the balloon through the T-shaped tube and the water valve back to the sump.
Fig.09 (far left) Sorting and preparing for water recycling system Fig.10 (left) Diagram of whole water recycling system
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Reactive Balloon
Occupation and Interaction This passive cooling is installed indoor, occupying three meters by three meters. When people walk into the room, the temperature reached a specific degree, it will automatically turn on the water recycling system which is controlled by Arduino code with five pumps (four for out and one for in) and a delay for continually supply water for a setting second. Cooling down space by lightening coloured lights, producing sounds of a river flowing and a water evaporation effect from pumping water into
the skin silicone balloon. People will experience the temperature reducing by feeling, visual, hearing and touch stimulus.
Review of Outcomes
Fig.11 (left) Speculative occupation drawing Figs.12, 13 & 14 (right and continued overleaf) Completed Reactive Balloons
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Reactive Balloon
Section title
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Reactive Balloon
Review of Outcomes
Dissemination and Future Work Using less electricity and renewable power to replace air-conditioning will spur less power consumption and carbon emission and improve air quality. I want to improve the water recycling system to achieve zero consumption with the same result as a typical normal air conditioner.
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Reactive Balloon
Fig.15 (left) Imagination and performance of space
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Appendix
Appendix Annotated Code Excerpts // Demo code for Grove - Temperature Sensor V1.1/1.2 // Loovee @ 2015-8-26 #include <math.h> const int B = 4275; // B value of the thermistor const int R0 = 100000; // R0 = 100k const int pinTempSensor = A0; // Grove - Temperature Sensor connect to A0 int thermPin = A1; int relayPin = 2; void setup() { pinMode(thermPin, INPUT); pinMode(relayPin, OUTPUT); Serial.begin(9600); } void loop() { int a = analogRead(pinTempSensor); float R = 1023.0 / a - 1.0; R = R0 * R; float temperature = 1.0 / (log(R / R0) / B + 1 / 298.15) - 273.15; // convert to temperature via datasheet Serial.print(â&#x20AC;&#x153;temperature = â&#x20AC;&#x153;); Serial.println(temperature); if (temperature >= 18){ // temperature at which the relay and pump are triggered digitalWrite(relayPin, HIGH); delay(10000); //ammount of time to run pump when high temperature is detected. 1 second = 1000 } else{ digitalWrite(relayPin, LOW); } delay(100); }
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Reactive Balloon
Materials and Suppliers List Timber (from Timberite, Canterbury, 01227 765011) 9no x 3 x 841 x 1189 FLP3 Flexible plywood 4no x 4 x 841 x 1189 Laser plywood Silicone (from Notcutt, www.notcutt.co.uk) Xiameter RTV-3481 Base 9.45KG Fast silicone catalyst 1.05KG Other sundries: 20m Clear air pump airhose 8mm pipe, B&Q UK 20no. 8mm T piece tubing connector, Amazon UK 2no. Water solenoid valve, Amazon UK 5no. 12V Water pump, Amazon UK 4no. One direction inline check valve, eBay UK 4no. 8mm hose, eBay UK
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Appendix
Bibliography Steg, L., Environmental psychology (2013) Gerrit Van Dam, Joan Peeck, Michèle Brinkerink, Usmar Gorter ‘The Isolation Effect in Free Recall and Recognition’ In: The American Journal of Psychology (1974) Babcock & Wilcox Co., Steam, Its Generation and Use (Project Gutenberg, 2007) Jessicas Mairs, Concave roofs collect rainwater for arid areas in proposal by BMDesign Studios (Dezeen, 2017) Ling-Li Tseng, Mist Encounter (LING-LI TSENG, 2017)
Image Credits All figures are copyright the author unless noted as follows: Figure 01: copyright LING-LI TSENG
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Reactive Balloon
Credits MA Architecture Course Leader: Lucy Alice Jones MA Architecture Design Tutor: Lucy Alice Jones Owain Caruana-Davies Kim Trogal Anna Holder Luke Jones Technique Support John Joe Brophy
Section title
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Reactive Balloon