Project Information
Project Introduction:
This project was to design and build an enclosure covering one lane of the NAU Aquatic Center pool. The purpose of the enclosure is to provide a sea-level training environment for competitive swimmers. The benefits of living in Flagstaff, AZ and being able to train at sea-level atmospheric conditions are enhanced muscle performance, stamina, and better strength training. This is due to the body’s physiology, when living at higher altitudes such as Flagstaff (~7000 ft) more oxygen carrying red blood cells are produced to accommodate for the thinner air. At sea-level conditions working muscles receive boosted oxygen levels increasing efficiency and performance. The enclosure will only be used a few days out of the week, meaning set up and break down must be easy. Additionally, since this will have to be moved frequently, the weight was minimized. For safety reasons the material chosen is see through because the enclosure will be covering a section of the pool. Lastly, when not in use the enclosure will be stored in the Aquatic Centers’ supply closet, so the design is highly compactable and fits into the space provided. These criteria were each analyzed and evaluated to find the best design that would meet customer’s needs. The swimmers will be able to enter the enclosure from underneath while the coach can use an entrance to access the bulkhead to help train/instruct the swimmers. The high-quality parts used will ensure the enclosure last for several years.
Project Location: The NAU Wall Aquatic Center
The photo above is the NAU Wall Aquatic Center- The black and yellow flags are above the last two lanes of the pool. This section is where our group is focusing on creating the enclosure for. The map below shows it location at 821 S San Francisco St, Flagstaff, AZ 86011.
Design Goals:
Cover one lane of pool and bulk head, allowing for 2-3 swimmers and coach
Enclosure must be air tight and have minimal leakage
Oxygenation will be provided by 3rd party company
Assembly/disassembly times must be less than 30mins
Compacted space must not exceed 5 m3
Total weight of any single component can not exceed 136 Kg
Covering material must have 70% or greater transmittance(mostly see through)
How We Meting Our Goals :
Enclosure covers one lane and bulkhead, with zipper style entrance for coach
Design completely seals around all sides
Assembly time: 25mins
Disassembly time: 15mins
Collapsed volume: 3 m3
Heaviest single component: 84 Kg
Transmittance of vinyl covering: ~80%
Total Cost :
