Clear Pressure

March 2017 | Clear Pressure INC | Thayer School of Engineering | Team of 4

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Overview

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.

BACK

ClearPressure began as an Introduction to Engineering project at Thayer. Our team of four students developed a works-like prototype that could move snow away from hydrants in seconds. Over the course of one year, two of us worked to develop the project into a startup company. Our goal in pursuing this opportunity was to learn what it takes to start a business and understand the process of bringing a product to market.

Skills

Design Thinking

Prototyping

Entrepreneurship

Testing & Analysis

Project Management

Teamwork

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.