Cookie tracking notice
Are we allowed to crumble with cookies and anonymous tracking?

We use cookies on our website. Some of them are essential for the operation of the site (so called session cookies), while others help us to improve this site and the user experience (tracking cookies). We use the application Matomo and the external service etracker to analyze your behavior on our website anonymously. Because we value your privacy, we are here with asking your permission to use the following technologies. You can change your settings any time via this link or the menu item in footer menu. For more information visit our Data Policy

Combined heat and power stage 1 development plan

2015 - 2016 • Biomass Controls PBC

Purpose

To develop a system that can power an appliance for sanitation in areas where electricity is not available or economically feasible

Activities

Under this project, Biomass Controls PBC (Biomass Controls) of Woodstock, Connecticut will explore and develop micro-combined heat and power (mCHP) technology for off-grid resource recovery of human feces and/or other biogenic materials. This work shall be, initially, in conjunction with the Biomass Controls Biogenic Refinery being presently operated in India and the United States.

Biomass Controls shall investigate available thermal power generator technologies, develop metrics for determining compatibility to the energy balance, and finally work to integrate selected technologies into the Biogenic Refinery. Being a condition of the sustainable sanitation solution that it operates off-grid, Biomass Controls has already explored several options for power generation with biogenic fuels.

In 2013, under the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Reinvent the Toilet (RTT) Challenge a transportable system for the drying and refining of human solid feces to thermal energy and granulated carbon (biochar) was developed using control technology from Biomass Control’s and components from AgFuel Energy Systems.

This first prototype did not include a self-sustaining power solution that will be required for installation in locations such as Africa. The Biogenic Refinery project would be more widely adaptable if it contained a power solution to operate in rural areas where energy from fossil fuels is not financially feasible.

Update in Feb. 2017:
Thermal Power Generation Summary:

- Thermoacoustic: Not commercially available
- Thermoelectric: Limited generation potential
- Stirling: Not commercially available
- Steam: Viable option
- Organic Rankine Cycle: Viable option

Thermal Power Generation Conclusion:
- Eliminate Dryer
- Grinder for pre-processing supplemental fuel
- Smaller Footprint

Images

Image: Schematic of the process

Countries of activity

Location of main activity

Objectives

Goal: Identify technologies that can use thermal energy from fecal sludge to generate electrical power under 1 MW.

THE GOAL:
 - Off-grid pyrolysis unit
 - Economically viable
 - Treat faecal sludge from 500-10,000 individuals
 - No harmful pollutants, no safety hazards
 - Carbon neutral or negative

Objectives:
To develop a system that can power an appliance for sanitation in areas where electricity is not available or economically feasible, such as Africa or India, thus enabling self-sustaining technologies for use by the poor in the developing world. The power system will be fed either directly from fecal waste or the product of a fecal waste processing system.

Further information

Developing country where the research is being or will be tested: India (India initially, with various Africa countries later)

Research or implementation partners: Tide Technocrats, Bengaluru, India

Current state of affairs (Aug. 2017): Demonstrations are underway, with further iterative development ongoing. Framework for management of faecal sludges is in development with several partners in different areas of the sanitation service delivery chain.

Next steps:
- Energy, enthalpy, mass, and mass carbon balance
- Product Integration
- Exploring hybrid power options

Contact information

Jeffrey Hallowell
Login to see the e-mail-adress of the contact person.

Derek DeSouza
Login to see the e-mail-adress of the contact person.

Filter tags

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation East Asia & Pacific Energy: electricity, hydrogen, fuel cells Faecal sludge treatment processes Faeces or faecal sludge Fundamental research and engineering North America Private sector, including social enterprises Product design and engineering Specific to one or several countries Treatment of faecal sludge

Attached files

Short introduction sheet of project

Format: pdf file
Size: 0.2 MB

Presentation at FSM4 Conference (Feb 2017): Carbon Neutral Electrical Generation from Human Solid Waste

Format: pdf file
Size: 2.26 MB

Links

Biomass Controls PBC
Putnam
United States


Our mission is to offer transformative solutions in response to water and sanitation challenges around the world. Our Biogenic Refinery provides thermochemical treatment of high moisture materials such as manures, human excreta, agriculture residues and food waste. Our services provide Design, Technology Adoption Support, and Impact Measurement. Our decentralized technologies deliver improvements in health, the environment and quality of life while promoting gender equality. Our vision is to become a world leader in decentralized, community scale non-sewered thermal sanitation solutions that significantly impact quality of life and equality in served areas.

view profile page


Uploaded by:
danijela milosevic (milli)

Share this page on    


Networks Circle

 

Latest SuSanA Blog Articles

SuSanA Blog »

SuSanA newsletter

Stay informed about the activities of SuSanA and its partners. The SuSanA newsletter is sent out around four times per year. It contains information about news, events, new partners, projects, discussions and publications of the SuSanA network.

Subscribe to newsletter »

 


close  

 

Resources and publications

Our library has more than 3,000 publications, factsheets, presentations, drawings etc. from many different organisations. It continues to grow thanks to the contributions from our partners.

Add item to library »

The three links below take you to special groups of items in the library for more convenient access:

Projects

The project database contains nearly 400 sanitation projects of many different organizations dealing with research, implementation, advocacy, capacity development etc. Advanced filtering functions and a global map are also available. Information on how and why this database was created is here.

People working for SuSanA partners can add their own projects through their partner profile page. You might need your SuSanA login upgraded for this purpose. Please contact us if you would like to add a project.


Trainings, conference and events materials

Missed important conferences or courses? Catch up by using their materials for self study. These materials have been kindly provided by SuSanA partners.

Shit flow diagrams, excreta flow diagrams (310 SFDs worldwide)

Shit flow diagrams (SFDs) help to visualize excreta management in urban settings. Access SFDs and more through the SFD Portal.

Emersan eCompendium

Humanitarian Sanitation Hub

Sanitation Workers Knowledge and Learning Hub

 


close  

 

Discussion forum

Share knowledge, exchange experiences, discuss challenges, make announcements, ask questions and more. Hint: Your discussion forum login is the same as your SuSanA login. More about the forum's philosophy »


Integrated content

We are hosting content from some other communities of practice and information-sharing portals. This section also provides a link to SuSanA's Sanitation Wikipedia initiative.

Suggest content to add »

SuSanA partners

Not yet a SuSanA partner? Show your organisation's support to SuSanA's vision and engage in  knowledge sharing by becoming partners.

Apply to become a partner »


Individual membership

Register as an individual member of SuSanA free of charge. As a member you can interact with thousands of sanitation enthusiasts on the discussion forum.  You can also get engaged in one of our 13 working groups and our regional chapters. Our FAQs explain the benefits further.

By getting a SuSanA login you can fully participate in the SuSanA community!

Register as a member

Login


Forgot your password?
Forgot your username?

 


close