FR2722810A1 - Biological toilet with no liquid effluent - Google Patents

Abstract

The toilet has a seat (1) connected by a falling pipe (3) to a lower tank (4) that has screens to separate liquids from solids. The liquids are heated (6) to evaporate them, and air is extracted (7) from the space above the solid waste. The waste falls onto the high end of a diagonal screen (5) that allows liquids to fall through and collect in a chamber (8) below. The liquids are thus retained in the lower part (9, 12) of the tank and the solids in the upper part (11). The lowest part (14) of the screen is above the level of the liquid. The end of the tank (15) has a door for access to the solid waste compartment. The air extractor (7) is placed in the space above the liquid and is connected to an extractor duct with an extraction fan.

Description

ORGANIC TOILETS
The present invention relates to a toilet installation allowing the treatment of human excrement, and intended to be placed in natural areas devoid of means for discharging liquid effluents.

 Usually, the toilet facilities are connected to drainage pipes, allowing the evacuation of effluents composed of the mixture of urine and faeces, as well as the papers and other objects thrown in the toilets.

 The discharge of solid and liquid effluents is however not desirable in natural areas where pollution should be absolutely avoided, for example drinking water catchment areas.

 Such situations are found, for example, in mountain areas, in the vicinity of winter sports resorts: the increase in population in the resorts requires an increased collection of drinking water, and this same population moves during the day. in these same catchment areas for skiing. There is then a need for toilets in which no liquid effluent is produced which is liable to spread in the ground of the catchment area.

 Document FR-A-2 S81 105 describes a device for composting human excrement, comprising a seat block connected by a vertical tube connecting to a lower space provided with means for separating urine and faeces urine and faeces fall through a pierced tank placed below the vertical connecting tube. Faeces pile up in the tank. The urine flows to a separate tank in which it is evaporated by solar heating. A ventilation draws air into the lower space containing the tank and into the space above the urine tank. The tank is moved laterally when full, and replaced by an empty tank. In the full tank, the excreta decompose and dry gradually.

it appears difficult to dry the urine sufficiently 'with such a device with solar heating. In addition, the faeces piled up in the tanks continue biological composting transformations, and fail to dry quickly. They thus occupy a significant volume, requiring relatively frequent handling to invert the tanks and empty them. Thus, such an installation is not suitable for use such as toilets placed in natural areas for the practice of winter sports.
The problem proposed by the present invention is to design a new structure of biological toilets producing no liquid effluent, or any unpleasant odor detectable in the portion of premises occupied by the users, having an efficient and reliable operation, and requiring only one reduced maintenance during a winter season period during which the toilets are not easily accessible to motorized vehicles.

 The inventicn aims to facilitate the conditions of access to the functional parts of the toilets, for maintenance.

 The invention also aims to facilitate the establishment and integration of such toilets in natural areas, by avoiding excessive earthworks.

 It is also sought that the installation of toilets has the smallest possible footprint, for a given capacity.

 To achieve these and other objects, the toilets according to 1 invention comprise at least one seat block connected by a downward connecting tube to a lower space provided with means for separating urine and faeces, means for heating and evaporating. urine, and air extraction means to extract the air contained in the lower compartment. In addition, according to the invention - the lower space is the interior of a tank with a liquid-tight wall, shaped to retain and contain in its lower part a suitable maximum volume of urine, - the tank comprises a filtering wall inclined separation of urine and faeces, delimiting in the tank an upper compartment and a lower compartment, the upper part of the filtering wall being placed under the descending connecting tube, the lower part of filtering wall being at a higher level as the maximum level occupied by said appropriate maximum volume of urine, the filtering wall being structured to retain the faeces while letting the urine which is collected in the lower part of the tank, - the tank comprises a front opening of access closed by a door and giving access to the upper compartment, - the means for heating the urine include a therm immersion heater ostatic, supplied by an external source of electrical energy, and arranged in the lower part of the lower compartment, - the air extraction means comprise at least one air outlet orifice formed in the side wall of the tank in the valve lower, connected to an extraction and exhaust air duct fitted with an extraction turbine, so that the air is sucked in through the connection tube of the seat block, crosses the filtering wall, licks the urine present in the lower compartment and is evacuated by the extraction pipe which releases it into the atmosphere.

Preferably, the filtering wall includes a first inclined part below the connecting tube, extended by a second part with reduced or zero inclination for storing faeces
The filtering wall can advantageously be a fiberglass grid stretched in a rigid frame and supporting a layer of non-woven glass fiber, of geotextile type.

 Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the following description of particular embodiments, made in relation to the attached figures, which include: - Figure 1 is a schematic side view in longitudinal section of a toilet installation according to an embodiment of the present invention - Figure 2 is a top view of a toilet installation according to an embodiment of the invention with two cabins; and - Figure 3 is a front view from the outside, illustrating the distribution between the upper space accessible to the user and the lower space containing the technical elements of the invention.

 As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a toilet installation according to the invention comprises at least one seat block 1, located in an upper space 2, and connected by a downward link tube 3, for example vertical, to a space lower 4 provided with means 5 for separating urine and faeces, means 6 for heating and evaporating urine, and air extraction means 7 for extracting the air contained in the lower space 4.

 The lower space 4 is the interior of a tank 8 with a liquid-tight wall, shaped to retain and contain in the lower part 8a a suitable maximum volume of urine. This appropriate maximum volume of urine is contained below the maximum level indicated by the dashed line 10, in FIG. 1.

 The tank 8 comprises an inclined filter wall 5 for separating urine and faeces, delimiting in the tank 8 an upper compartment 11 and a lower compartment 12.

 The upper part 13 of the filter wall 5 is placed under the downward connecting tube 3. The lower part 14 of the filter wall 5 is at a level higher than the maximum level 10 CCcUpF By said appropriate maximum volume of urine.

 The filtering wall 5 is structured to retain the faeces while letting the urine which is collected in the lower part 9 of the tank 8 pass. For example, the filtering wall ri is a fiberglass grid stretched in a rigid and supporting frame a layer of non-woven glass fiber of the geotextile type.

 The tank 8 comprises a front access opening 15 closed by a door, above the maximum level 10 of the urine. The front opening 15 gives access to the upper compartment 11 of the tank 8.

 The filtering wall 5 may advantageously comprise a first upper part 13 inclined below the connecting tube 3, extended by a second lower part 14 with produced or zero inclination. In this way, the faeces slowly slide over the upper part 13, drying out, and are stored on the lower part 14 of the filtering wall 5, permanently leaving the passage at the outlet of the connecting tube 3.

 In addition, according to an advantageous embodiment, the filter wall 5, stretched in a rigid frame, is articulated along a transverse axis along the upper side 16 of the frame, to allow the pivoting of the filter wall 5 and access to lower compartment 12 through the front opening 15.

 The means for heating and evaporating the urine comprise a thermostatic immersion heater 6, supplied by an external source of electrical energy, and disposed in the lower part 9 of the lower compartment 12.

 The immersion heater 6 advantageously has a coded shape, as illustrated in FIG. 1, with the heating part 17 close to the bottom 18 of the tank S from which it is separated by spacers 19, and being connected by an elbow 20 to an upper part of connection 21.

 The immersion heater 6 is advantageously sized to maintain the urine at a temperature in the region of 60 C. The immersion heater 6 is thermostatically controlled, so as to limit its temperature to a value below 900C in the absence of urine. This prevents damage to the tank 8, which can be made of a plastic material.

 The immersion heater 6 is advantageously supplied via a control device, not shown in the figures, making it possible to interrupt its daytime operation and to authorize its nighttime operation. This reduces gaseous effluents during the daytime periods of use.

 The air extraction means 7 comprise at least one air outlet orifice 7, formed in the side wall of the tank 8 in the lower compartment 12. The air outlet orifice 7 is connected to a pipe d extraction and evacuation of air 22, illustrated in FIG. 2, provided with an extraction turbine 23.

 By the fact that the filtering wall 5 determines in the tank 8 two upper 11 and lower 12 compartments, the filtering wall 5 being for this practically in contact with the wall of the CuYe on all its circumference, the air is sucked by the tube 3 of the seat block 1, crosses the filtering wall 5 by accelerating the drying of the faeces retained on the filtering wall 5, licks the urine contained and heated in the lower part 9 of the tank 8, and is evacuated by the pipe of extraction 22 which releases it into the atmosphere, preferably by an upper rear outlet 24.

 As illustrated in the figures, the seat block 1 is placed on the intermediate floor 25 of a chalet 26 with two floors, the lower floor 27 containing the tank 8, the upper floor 28 containing the seat block 1, the pipe d 'air extraction 22 partially rejecting the air)> upper upper stage 28.

 The chalet 26 is simply placed on the ground 29, with a staircase 30 for access to the upper floor 28 in front by a door 31, and with a lateral access door 32 to the lower floor 27 for access at the front opening 15 of the tank 8.

 In a structure with two cabins, as illustrated in FIG. 2, each cabin has a seat such as the seat 1 and a tank such as the tank 8.

 The lower wall 18 of the tank 8 can advantageously be placed on a wall with thermal insulation, participating in maintaining the urine at a temperature suitable for their evaporation.

 In each cabin, a grazing light 33 is placed on the side of the seat 1, to avoid lighting the interior of the installation through the downward connecting tube 3.

 The present invention is not limited to the embodiments which have been explicitly described, but it includes the various variants and generalizations thereof contained in the field of claims below.

Claims (10)

 1 - Toilets comprising at least one seat block (1) connected by a downward connecting tube (3) to a lower space (4) provided with means (5) for separating urine and faeces, means {6} for heating and evaporating the urine, and air extraction means (7) for extracting the air contained in the lower space (4), characterized in that - the lower space (4) is the interior of a tank (8) with liquid-tight wall, shaped to retain and contain in its lower part (9) a suitable maximum volume of urine, - the tank (8) comprises a filtering wall (5) inclined to separate the urine and faeces, delimiting in the tank (8) an upper compartment (11) and a lower compartment (12), the upper part (13) of the filtering wall (5) being placed under the downward connecting tube (3), the lower part (14) of the filtering wall (5) being at a level higher than the maximum level (10) cocupX pa r said appropriate maximum volume of urine, the filtering wall (51 being structured to retain the faeces while letting the urine which is collected in the lower part (9) of the tank 18f, - the tank (8) include an opening front access (15) closed by a door and giving access to the upper compartment (11), - the means for heating the urine comprise an immersion heater (6), supplied by an external source of electrical energy, and arranged in the lower part (9) of the lower compartment (12), - the air extraction means (7) comprise at least one air outlet orifice (7), formed in the side wall of the fsf tank in the lower compartment (12 ), connected to an air extraction and evacuation pipe (22) provided with an extraction turbine (23), so that the air is sucked in through the connection tube (3) of the seat block (1), passes through the filtering wall (5), licks the urine and is evacuated by the channel extraction ation (22) which releases it into the atmosphere.  2 - Toilets according to claim 1, characterized in that the filtering wall (5) comprises a first supr portion, eur '(13) inclined below the connecting tube (3), extended by a second lower portion (14) with reduced or no inclination for storing faeces.  3 Toilets according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the filtering wall (5) is a fiberglass grid stretched in a rigid frame and supporting a layer of non-woven fiberglass.  4 - Toilet according to claim 3, characterized in that the filtering wall (5) is articulated at its upper side (lE). to allow pivoting of the filter wall (5) and the battery in the lower compartment (12).  5 - Toilet according to any one of claims 1 to 4. characterized in that the bottom wall (18) of the tank is placed on a wall with thermal insulation.  6 - Toilets according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the immersion heater (6) is supplied via a control device making it possible to interrupt its daytime operation and to authorize its nighttime operation.  7 - Toilets according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the immersion heater (6) is dimensioned to maintain the urine at a temperature close to 600C.  8 - Toilet according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the immersion heater (6) is thermostatically controlled so as to limit its temperature to a value less than 90 C.  9 - Toilet according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the seat block (1) is placed on the intermediate floor (25) of a two-storey chalet (26), the lower floor (27 ) containing the tank (8), the upper stage (28) containing the seat block (1), the air extraction duct (22) rejecting the air in the upper rear part of the upper stage (28) .  10 - Toilets according to claim 9, characterized in that they are contained in a chalet (26) placed on the ground {29), M mid of an access staircase (30) to the upper floor (28) on the front, and provided with a lateral access door (32) giving access to the lower stage (27) for access to the front opening (15) of the tank (8).