1) What are the pressure and temperature differentials between the surface and the altitudes we're interested in sampling at?
2) What are the specifications for our button sampler vacuum pumps?
3) What are the specifications for the filters we've been using in the button samplers. Does the pore size change at low temperatures?
4) We should consider tiny altimeters used with models rockets! These could be useful for measuring altitude and as a switch for sampler. Check these out - http://www.sigmarockets.com/blog/2012/02/using-electronic-altimeters-for-model-rockets/
5) We need a way to sample a huge volume of air with no pressure differential. We should look into methods other than filtration for collecting cells, maybe impaction onto foams or other porous materials that particles could stick to. For example glass wool (but touch for bead beating), furnace for houses, 'open cell foam', or polyurethane foam. Think about difference between impingement & impaction.
6) Another way to avoid "sucking" is to explore "pushing" air through a filter. We would need 3-4 psi. What about using a cooling fan harvested from used computer can run off a 9V battery (see image below). Can we use this to move air through a filter? Or onto a surface? We could put these blowers in series. Another idea is a brushless DC blower (a larger) or a "squirrel cage blower" fan.
7) For power - what about using solar cells?
Max Green (11 years): can you manufacture a vault that opens 2 hours before hitting the highest altitude and closes 2 hours after hitting the highest altitude?
ReplyDeleteMauro Green (7 years): can you design a sampler that opens up in response to temperature? So that when the air gets cold enough then the sampler begins to pick up microbes, and when it gets warm again it stops sampling microbes.
Max Green: Can you take advantage of the pressure change with altitude and design a sampler that includes some type of material that expands at high altitude and contracts at low altitude? For example, maybe you could have a sponge-like material at the entry of the sampler. When it expands the top of the sampler will come off and start catching microbes. When it contracts the top of the sampler will go on again.