Other Projects
VSAT - Vertical Settling Aerosol Tube
The Vertical Settling Aerosol Tube or VSAT is an instrument designed to measure the equivalent aerodynamic diameter of material. It can accomodate material that has been collected using the BSNE sampler, material that has accumulated in house attics, or material collected from the soil surface. The major difference between the VSAT and other analytical methods is that the VSAT will not destroy the sample; therefore, the same sample can be used for chemical as well as physical analysis. Most other settling instruments use fluid, whereas the VSAT uses natural air. Measuring particle diameters with liquid rather than air may modify the particle size and give questionable data. Another common method of determining particle size distribution of a sample is to sieve the sample on an ultrasonic sieve. Again, the sieving process may be modifying the particle diameters. Both difficulties are eliminated with the VSAT.
With the VSAT, the sample (normally 0.1 gm of material) is gently dropped in a tube. The particles will fall through the still air much like they would be transported by wind. There will be interparticle contacts, but the time required for the particles to fall the specified distance will reflect their true equivalent aerodynamic diameter.
Portable Wind Tunnel
Donald Fryrear has designed a portable wind tunnel for Tunisia that can be moved with animal, tractor, or truck power. The tunnel has a diesel powered fan with hydraulic controls to raise the tunnel for transport. The tunnel was designed to be used either in the field or to be located in a laboratory. The tunnel test section is 0.6 m wide, 0.9 m high and 6 m long. Mr. Fryrear has also designed and constructed 4 laboratory wind tunnels, including one within his own home research facility.
Portable Soil Roughness Meter and Weather Stations
A portable soil roughness meter was developed that will collect 1600 surface height readings in 10 minutes, and can be set up and operated by one individual. A self-contained weather station that will collect all weather data was developed that can be prewired and tested prior to shipping. When received at the selected site, the station can be set up and will be collecting data within 30 minutes.
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Construction
Mr. Fryrear designed and supervised the construction of an 8400 square foot church sanctuary/office/classroom building. Years later, he designed and supervised the construction of an additional 15000 square foot fellowship hall/classroom facility. Much of the labor was volunteer, but total cost was $26/square foot. He has also recently completed the construction of a 350 square foot office for his personal use, complete with wind tunnel and VSAT.
