Solar Thermal Processing to Disinfect Human Waste

Richard P. Fisher, Allan Lewandowski, Tesfayohanes W. Yacob, Barbara J. Ward, Lauren M. Hafford, Ryan B. Mahoney, Cori J. Oversby, Dragan Mejic, Dana H. Hauschulz, R. Scott Summers, Karl G. Linden and Alan W. Weimer
Additional contact information
Richard P. Fisher: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, 3415 Colorado Ave, UCB 596, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USA
Allan Lewandowski: Solar Consulting, LLC, 505 Madison Street, Denver, CO 80206, USA
Tesfayohanes W. Yacob: Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, 4001 Discovery Drive, UCB 607, Boulder, CO 80309-0607, USA
Barbara J. Ward: Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, 4001 Discovery Drive, UCB 607, Boulder, CO 80309-0607, USA
Lauren M. Hafford: Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, 4001 Discovery Drive, UCB 607, Boulder, CO 80309-0607, USA
Ryan B. Mahoney: Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, 4001 Discovery Drive, UCB 607, Boulder, CO 80309-0607, USA
Cori J. Oversby: Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, 4001 Discovery Drive, UCB 607, Boulder, CO 80309-0607, USA
Dragan Mejic: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, 3415 Colorado Ave, UCB 596, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USA
Dana H. Hauschulz: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, 3415 Colorado Ave, UCB 596, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USA
R. Scott Summers: Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, 4001 Discovery Drive, UCB 607, Boulder, CO 80309-0607, USA
Karl G. Linden: Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, 4001 Discovery Drive, UCB 607, Boulder, CO 80309-0607, USA
Alan W. Weimer: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, 3415 Colorado Ave, UCB 596, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USA

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 9, 1-16

Abstract: Almost half of the world’s population is living without access to sanitation services that are safe, reliable, and minimize public health risk of human waste exposure. Modern flush-based sanitation networks are unsustainable: substantial resources, namely water and fuel, are required to bring human waste to centralized treatment facilities. Moving toward sustainable sanitation requires the implementation of innovative renewable energy technologies for stabilization and disinfection of waste, at the local or household scale, where minimal inputs of water, electricity or chemicals are required. A novel solar thermal disinfection toilet prototype has been constructed and is assessed for overall solar to receiver efficiency in treating waste without electrical, chemical, or water inputs from municipal supply. The measured solar to receiver efficiency is 28%, incorporating the capturing and concentration of sunlight and transmission of the energy to the receiver. For a typical sunny day, the current system can achieve thermal treatment of 0.8 kg human waste in roughly 100 min. The novel toilet is available for any location in the world with sufficient sunlight and irradiance data, and is scalable by adding solar collectors for sizes from single dwellings to communities.

Keywords: sanitation; solar thermal; fiber optics; disinfection; human waste (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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