Operation Gulliver International


WINNER: Most Innovative Approach

A group of engineering seniors conceptualized Operation Gulliver International, an extension of the Gulliver engineering department that would give a home to the students who wanted to make an impact on a global scale, starting with the country of Haiti and their idealized water purification system.

After numerous design modifications and construction improvements, the team arrived at their current design. Contaminated water is taken in by an intake hose connected to a mechanical hand pump, and then pushed through a quad-filtration system connected by PVC pipe. The water is then purified and stored in a fifteen-gallon tank that can be pressurized (via a second mechanically-powered air pump), to be released through three non-contact spigots, or released in large quantities by opening a dump valve. The whole system is mounted on a hand truck and thus allows individuals to gather dirty water, purify and store it, drink by a non-contact siphoning system and transport this vital resource from home to water source and back again.