New Loo Converts Poo Into Power - Nanyang Technological University

In the face of growing depletion rates, scientists across the globe are searching for resources to produce energy. But, scientists from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University have sought after a resource most of us wouldn't have thought of. Even though thats a place where some people think about their best ideas. A toilet. These scientists have come up with a mechanism that converts the human waste that gets flushed down the toilet into power. This new toilet system uses 90% less water than current toilets, divides waste into liquids and solids and also generates energy. They call it the 'No-Mix Vacuum Toilet'.

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Assisting Assoc Prof Wang in the project are four other NTU researchers – Asst Prof Chang Wei-Chung, Dr Chen Chia-Lung, Dr Apostolos Giannis and Dr Rajinikanth Rajagopal.

How does it work you ask? Well, the liquid part of the waste is flowed down to a processing facility where useful material like nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, commonly used in fertilisers are recovered. Whereas the solid part of the waste is sent to a bioreactor where it will be digested to release bio-gas which contains methane. This next-gen toilet and resource recovery system took the team one and a half years to develop and will be showcased to the industry at the upcoming WasteMET Asia 2012. To test their system, these people have put up such toilet in two of the university’s restrooms. And we can hope to see such installed in our homes in the next three years. How do you like it? Share with us in comments.

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