Synthetic Mangrove Roots Simulator Salt Water to Fresh Water.

I created a synthetic Mangrove Root simulator that filters salt water to Fresh water. I have made this based on Mangrove Roots and how they filter salt water. There is a layer of soil on top where the salt water enters. After that it goes into the Mangrove Roots that filter the salt water and turns it into fresh water that goes into the bottom of the container.

I first started my project by making rough sketches with a pencil. This helped me figure out my ideas and plan out the design before making the final version. Using pencil made it easy to erase mistakes and change things around while I was working. After that, I created the final paper draft using colored pencils and Sharpie. The colored pencils helped add color and detail to the project, while the Sharpie made the outlines darker and cleaner so everything stood out more. This made the final paper version look more neat and complete. For the final digital draft I used Tinkercad. I used it to turn my sketch into a digital design and create a more detailed version of the project. It also helped me see what the project would look like in a more realistic and professional way.

My first step was coming up with the idea for my project and creating a rough draft. I got my idea from another project I worked on earlier this year about filtering salt water. That project made me curious about how nature is able to filter water naturally, so I started researching different ways this happens in the environment. While researching, I learned that mangrove trees can help filter salt water. Their roots are able to separate salt from the water so the trees can use fresh water to survive. I thought this was really interesting because it showed how nature can solve problems in its own way.

After learning about mangrove roots, I decided to base my project on that idea. For my first draft, I planned out a model that would show how the filtering process works. I created fake mangrove roots at the top of the design and placed soil around and above the roots to make it look more realistic. The idea was that salt water would be poured in from the top, then travel through the roots and soil. As the water moved downward, the system would represent how mangroves naturally help filter salt water into fresh water.

Making the first draft helped me organize my ideas and figure out what changes I needed to make before creating the final version. It also helped me better understand how mangroves work and how nature can inspire solutions to real-world problems like water filtration.

For my second step, I created a more detailed and colored version of my model so it would be easier to understand and visualize. I used Sharpies and colored pencils to add color, label different parts, and make the design look more realistic and organized. Adding color also helped show how the water moves through the system step by step.

In this diagram, you can clearly see the filtered fresh water dripping down through the model and collecting at the bottom. First, the salt water passes through the mangrove roots, which act as the main filter. The roots help remove the salt from the water, similar to how real mangroves naturally filter water in the environment. After the water goes through the mangrove roots, it passes through a thinner filter layer that is meant to catch dirt, sand, or any other small particles that could still be in the water.

Once the water has gone through both filtering stages, the clean water slowly drips down into the collection area at the very bottom of the model. This drawing helped me better explain how my design works and gave a clearer picture of how each part of the filtration system connects together.

For my final step, I designed the model in Tinkercad. You can see the mangrove spikes and all the small details in the design. You can also scroll around, zoom in, and look at the model from different angles to get a better view of how everything fits together. This helped me see what the final project would look like and make small changes before finishing it. https://www.tinkercad.com/things/iN8c6yC9lc8-synthetic-mangrove-root-salt-to-fresh-water-device My tinkercad link