Solar sanitary system (SOL-SAN)

Conference · Fri Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:390251

Cobb, J C

Ordinary composting toilets, because of cooling by evaporation, do not heat the product (humus) hot enough to kill all pathogenic viruses, bacteria, or parasite eggs and cysts. The SOL-SAN system uses direct radiation to pasteurize incoming river water for drinking and also, separately, to pasteurize and dry the humus, and to pasteurize the effluent gray/brown water. Work is in progress on simple fool-proof methods of insuring that the water will not flow out unless it has been pasteurized. Heat exchangers recapture the heat from these very hot pasteurized liquids, thereby warming more in-coming water for washing, which is important for preventing transmission of pathogenic microbes. When pasteurized, the humus and gray/brown water can safely be recycled to fertilize and water the family vegetable garden. Thus no sewer would be needed, and the vegetables or fish would grow well. Widespread use of the SOL-SAN system would save water and nutrients, reduce the prevalence of infectious diseases, improve the nutrition and vitality of the population, and save the large fraction of human food now consumed by parasites.

• OSTI ID: 390251
• Report Number(s): CONF-960430--; ISBN 0-89553-168-2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
COMPOSTING
CONTROL SYSTEMS
DESIGN
DRINKING WATER
FECES
FERTILIZERS
REMOTE AREAS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR HEATING
SOLAR WATER HEATING
STERILIZATION
SURFACE WATERS
THERMOSYPHONS
TOILETS
WASTE WATER
WATER TREATMENT