Development of a combustion system for fecal materials
Date
2017
Authors
Flagge, Maxwell, author
Marchese, Anthony, advisor
Mizia, John, committee member
Jathar, Shantanu, committee member
Magzamen, Sheryl, committee member
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract
CSU is working with Research Triangle Institute on the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge (RTTC) to develop a fecal matter combustion system. The proposed system will dry, pelletize and combust fecal matter from a community bathroom in a net zero energy consumption process. This technology has the potential to reduce disease by improving sanitation in rural villages that lack modern plumbing. This research is aimed at helping the 2.5 billion individuals in the world who lack modern plumbing and sanitation facilities. Many villages have nothing more than a concrete pit for defecation, and some individuals have no alternative to open defecation, which creates a huge potential for disease transmission. If individuals could safely burn away their fecal material without using any external energy or resources, the instances of sanitation-related disease could be greatly reduced. In this project, CSU's primary tasks are the optimization and automation of fecal combustion technology. The current combustor design is a modified continuous feed downdraft gasifier. Through a series of tests and measurements, several modifications and improvements have been made to the combustor and its control system, allowing the system to burn fecal materials cleanly and efficiently, while ensuring the destruction of any disease-causing pathogens or bacteria.
Description
Rights Access
Subject
fecal gasification
fecal combustion
Reinvent the Toilet Challenge