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

Filter / Tags

Product design and engineeringSpecific to one or several countriesTreatment of faecal sludgeFaecal sludge treatment processesFundamental research and engineeringOtherBill & Melinda Gates FoundationFaeces or faecal sludgeEnergy: electricity, hydrogen, fuel cellsPrivate sector, including social enterprises

Related Countries

IndiaUnited States

Downloads