Commode Liner with Passive Urine Separation for Waterless Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current waste disposal systems, both traditional flush toilets and waterless alternatives, fail to effectively recover urine from bio-waste, leading to unnecessary water usage and resource wastage, as well as contamination of water supplies with pathogens.
Innovation Solution
A two-layer liner system for commodes that passively separates and collects urine from bio-waste, featuring a first layer with apertures for unidirectional liquid movement and a second layer to hold the liquid portion, allowing for the separation and retention of urine while restricting solid waste, enabling its subsequent recycling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If traditional flush toilets are used to dispose of bio-waste, then waterless bio-waste disposal technologies are adopted, but urine recovery capability is lost and valuable water resource is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The liner is divided into multiple functional layers: a first layer with apertures for liquid passage, a second layer for liquid collection, and a third layer for solid waste containment. This segmentation allows urine to be separated and recovered while solids are contained, resolving the contradiction between waterless disposal and urine recovery.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and removes liquid urine from the bio-waste mixture through the aperture-based filtration mechanism. The liquid portion passes through the first layer and is collected in the second layer, separating it from solid waste and enabling recovery of this valuable resource.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If waterless bio-waste disposal systems are used, then ecological friendliness is improved, but urine separation and recovery mechanisms are absent
Solution Approach 1:
The liner system operates passively using gravity and natural filtration principles. Liquid urine automatically passes through the apertures and is collected without requiring external power or complex mechanical components, maintaining ecological friendliness while enabling urine recovery.
Solution Approach 2:
The first layer incorporates apertures that function as a porous filtration structure, allowing liquid urine to pass through while retaining solid waste. This simple porous design enables separation without complex machinery, preserving the ecological benefits of waterless disposal.
3Ease of operation
If absorbent materials are used in commode liners, then liquid bio-waste is transformed into solid-like phase, but urine recovery in liquid state is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using absorbent materials to convert liquid to solid, the system inverts the approach by using aperture-based filtration to maintain liquid urine in its liquid state for recovery. The third layer contains solids while the second layer collects liquid urine separately.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts liquid urine from the waste mixture through the aperture filtration system before it can be absorbed or transformed. The collected liquid in the second layer can then be removed and reused, preventing loss of this valuable resource.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If urine is not recovered and is transported to distant reservoirs, then water supply contamination risk increases, but recovery infrastructure is lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The liner performs preliminary separation and collection of urine at the source (commode level) before waste is transported. This preliminary action prevents contamination risks associated with transporting mixed waste and eliminates the need for complex centralized recovery infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-layer liner acts as an intermediary device at the commode level, separating and containing urine and solids locally. This intermediary function prevents direct contamination of water supplies and simplifies downstream processing by delivering pre-separated waste streams.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system allows for the efficient and hygienic collection and recycling of urine, reducing water consumption, preventing contamination, and providing a valuable resource for fertilizer or potable water, while maintaining the separation of liquid and solid waste for easier processing.
Implementation Method 1
The first layer of the liner comprises a first top side configured to receive bio-waste, a first bottom side, and a plurality of apertures spanning the first top side and the first bottom side, wherein the plurality of apertures passively promote a unidirectional movement of a liquid portion of bio-waste material from the first top side to the first bottom side
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and apparatuses for allowing passive urine recovery are disclosed. An exemplary commode liner that allows for passive urine recovery comprises a first layer comprising a first top side configured to receive a bio-waste material, a first bottom side, and a plurality of apertures spanning the first top side and the first bottom side, wherein the plurality of apertures passively promote a unidirectional movement of a liquid portion of the bio-waste material from the first top side to the first bottom side. The liner further comprises a second layer attached to the first layer, wherein the second layer is attached to the first layer such that a space is created between a second top side of the second layer and the first bottom side of the first layer, wherein the space is configured to hold a liquid portion of the bio-waste material received at the first top side.