Experimentation Update

We're looking forward to spring weather's arrival in Austin because this means better testing conditions for our ovens! Though our testing has been delayed by cold and rainy conditions in Austin as well as challenges with our oven construction and material choices, we are starting to get some interesting data. We have been measuring the temperature in our ovens while testing different variables like insulation type, vent size and glazing location. One of our ovens even reached a temperature of 170 degrees Fahrenheit, well above the temperature requirements for drying the pods!

We are continuing to experiment with actual mesquite pods graciously donated by the mother of Richard, our NGO partner, to see how well our ovens reduce moisture content in the pods. Additionally, we are completing basic mass balance calculations to determine how many pods we can expect to dry given a certain time and oven volume. These experimentation results, calculations, and lessons learned from construction are being incorporated into our design for our next round of prototypes.

In addition to experimentation, we also have a lot going on this week - including our Milestone 3 presentation to get approved for travel by the Service Learning Advisory Board and the International Office. We also have a profit share with Chipotle from 6-9pm tonight to raise funds for the project. If we can sell 50 burritos in that time, we get 50% of the profits!! Hope to see you there!