Tool/Machine

Arum Han, along with Choongho Yu and Paul de Figueiredo at Texas A&M University in the U.S., will attempt to develop a hybrid waste water treatment system that uses microbial fuel cells to generate energy from waste water, which is then used to power a microbial electrolysis cell to produce biogas as a clean combustible fuel.

Marc Deshusses and David Schaad of Duke University in the U.S. proposes to develop a bioreactor system which converts waste to biogas, which is then burned and the temperature amplified through a heat exchanger to sterilize the treated effluent. This system could capture and re-use greenhouse gases while providing effective sanitation in developing countries.

Steven Dentel of the University of Delaware in the U.S. will test the ability of a low-cost polymeric breathable membrane liner to accelerate the drying and disinfection of fecal waste in pit latrines, while protecting surrounding groundwater from being contaminated with pathogens and chemicals. Breathable membranes are hydrophobic, allowing only air or water vapor to pass through them.

Mike Allen of Plymouth Marine Laboratory in the United Kingdom proposes to develop a low cost, vortex-based bioreactor that is driven by hand or a bicycle to separate fecal matter from waste water and at the same time introduce bactericidal agents to decontaminate the waste for recycling or safe disposal. In Phase I they designed and built a desk-top vortex bioreactor to test different biocidal agents for their ability to kill bacteria, and to be physically immobilized to enable long term use.

Jing Ning of Beijing Sunnybreeze Technology Inc. in China will develop a human fecal waste disposal system that uses wind or solar power to load waste from septic tanks or cesspools into a column, where the waste dehydrates via solar energy, and then is combusted to kill remaining pathogens and reduce its volume. This system is designed to be affordable, durable, and low-maintenance, allowing for rapid, onsite waste disposal.

Chunlei Guo of the University of Rochester in the U.S. proposes to develop superhydrophobic materials that not only repel waste for use as a self-cleaning surface for latrines, but also can be used to capture and slough clean water into storage containers before it evaporates or is contaminated.

Naomi Halas and colleagues at Rice University in the U.S. will design and test a prototype sterilizer that employs metallic nanoparticles to absorb solar energy for converting water to steam sufficient for sterilization of human waste. Steam is a highly effective method of sterilization, but intensive energy and infrastructure requirements have limited its small-scale use. In Phase I, they successfully built and tested a solar steam generator-driven autoclave prototype that can quickly transfer and sterilize sufficient volumes of unprocessed human waste.

Jason Aramburu of re:char in the U.S. proposes to use low-cost pyrolysis reactors to convert human waste into biochar, which can be used as a replacement for wood charcoal or chemical fertilizers. This project will also assess the income-generating potential of this biocharcoal.

Steven Cobb and a team at the University of Durham in the United Kingdom proposes to develop a macroporous scaffold that can support bacterial cells and metal nanoparticles that work together to catalyze conversion of fecal sludge into hydrogen for electricity. This technology could be used as a stand-alone sanitation solution or integrated into existing sewage pipe networks.

Duvon McGuire of New Life International, Inc. in the U.S. will develop a low-pressure air compressor and air pump that can be used with simple, inexpensive small- scale windmill technologies to power waste water treatment systems in developing countries.