ClearPressure Inc.
Hydrant Clearing Solutions
Overview
Key Challenges
4 Day time constraint
Completed during onboarding
Fixing components during tests
My Role
Co-Founder - Team of 2
ClearPressure Inc.
Hanover, NH
Skills Applied
Entrepreneurship
Project Management
Design Thinking
Iterative Design
Year
January 2020
About
After a snowstorm in Hanover, NH it takes 2-3 days for water technicians and firefighters to clear hydrants for operation. This poses a serious threat to public safety. We created “ClearPressure”, a pneumatic mat that decreases the time it takes to clear fire hydrants of snow by 10 times. It ensures firefighters can respond to a fire immediately.
How Does it Work?
The fire hydrants are “clear” by firefighter parameters when there is no snow in a three-foot radius around the base and 16 inches around each outlet. The covers are installed around the base of hydrants as a winterizing operation, and are inflated with a portable air compressor to displace the snow after snowfall.
The cover can be left to deflate around the hydrant until its next use. It speeds up the clearing process by 10 times. Our concept would be used primarily for preventative clearing, but can also be used in case of emergencies. After inflation, the device can be removed or slashed for emergency access.
Design Iterations
Works-Like Prototype
A stack of tire tubes are connected by valves and hoses. An air compressor is attached to the top valve to inflate tubes uniformly and displace snow.
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Conceptual Sketches
The cover is installed before snowfall. In an emergency, the cover is inflated with each shell filling up with air to displace snow.
Final Prototype
A cylinder that is installed as a cover with only one air compartment. It can lift heavy loads and break ice upon inflation and expansion.
Business Model
