FR2958523A1 - Dry toilet, has directing unit directing flow of suitable air in superimposed stages to evaporate liquid waste contained in each stage, and chamber equipped with device to separate liquid waste from solid waste supplied from seat block - Google Patents

Abstract

The dry toilet has a seat block (1) formed in a chamber (2) that is equipped with a device to separate liquid waste i.e. urine, from solid waste e.g. toilet paper, supplied from the seat block. An inducing unit induces flow (F1, F2) of suitable air in the chamber so as to evaporate the liquid waste and to dry the solid waste. A directing unit is utilized for directing the flow of suitable air in superimposed stages (51, 52) so as to evaporate the liquid waste contained in each superimposed stage. The chamber is equipped with air inlets (E) and an unloading outlet. An independent claim is also included for a method for processing solid and liquid wastes in a dry toilet.

Description

DRY TOILETS AND METHOD FOR TREATING WASTE FROM SUCH TOILETS Description Technical field of the invention.

The invention relates to dry toilets and a method for naturally treating solid waste and liquid waste.

The invention relates to the technical field of evaporation and dehydration toilets (also called dry toilets) that do not require water, electricity, chemicals or connection to networks for the treatment of waste.

State of the art Human waste is largely composed of water. Although the average man generates about half a tonne of waste per year, if we remove the water, it remains as little as 25 kg of solid matter. The purpose of dry toilets is to remove water from human waste. Dry toilets are well known to those skilled in the art and for example described in the following patent documents: AU 57517 (ENVIRONMENT EQUIPMENT), FR 2.722.810 (SATNA), GB 628.307 (ROEC), US 2005/0246829 (LA). TROBE), US 4,174,371 (BELL), US 5,171,690 (YLÔSJOKI), US 5,342,516 (RACHAK), EP 0,879,576 (LA TROBE) or else 20 - 2

ZA 990346 (ENVIRO OPTION). The toilets described in these documents comprise a seat block opening into a lower chamber. The latter is equipped with a device for separating liquid waste from solid waste from the seat block. A flow of convection air is induced in the chamber so as to evaporate the liquid waste and dry the solid waste.

The dry toilets of the prior art (see AU 57517) may comprise a specific reservoir for the evaporation of liquid waste. However, depending on the volume of the latter, their evaporation can be relatively long and generate bad smells.

Faced with this state of affairs, the main objective of the invention is to provide dry toilets for evaporating faster and more efficiently liquid waste. Another object of the invention is to provide dry toilets of simple design and which are compact. Yet another object of the invention is to provide a method of effectively treating waste in dry toilets.

Disclosure of the invention. The solution proposed by the invention is dry toilets comprising: - a seat block opening into a chamber, - said chamber being equipped with a device for separating liquid waste from solid waste from the seat block. means for inducing at least one convective airflow into the chamber so as to evaporate the liquid waste and dry the solid waste, 2958523 -3

These toilets are remarkable in that the chamber is further provided with: - several superimposed layers in which the liquid waste is distributed, 5 - means for directing a convective air flow in each of the floors so as to evaporating the liquid waste contained in each of said stages. The fact of using several superposed stages makes it possible to increase the total evaporation surface of the liquid waste received in the chamber, while limiting the bulk of the latter. The convection airflow will thus evaporate faster and more efficiently the reduced amounts of liquid waste stored at each stage.

The chamber is provided with at least one air inlet and at least one unloading outlet, a convection airflow being induced between said inlet and said outlet.

In a first embodiment, the chamber is provided with a single air inlet (which preferably consists of the waste discharge port of the seat block) through which a main convection air flow enters a chamber. deflector being disposed opposite said inlet, said deflector being configured to divide said main flow and direct a portion of said flow to each of the liquid waste receiving stages.

In a second embodiment, the chamber is provided with a plurality of air inlets through which each convective air flow enters, each of said inlets communicating with one of the liquid waste receiving stages so that each said flow is directed to one of said stages. And advantageously, the chamber comprises: - 4

a first air inlet consisting of the waste discharge orifice of the seat block, said first inlet making it possible to direct a part of the convective air flow towards a first liquid waste reception stage, one or more second air inlets for directing a portion of the convection airflow to each of the other liquid waste receiving stages.

According to another advantageous characteristic of the invention, the chamber is provided with a baffle disposed opposite the unloading outlet, said baffle being configured so as to channel, towards said outlet, the convective air flows coming from each receiving stages of liquid waste.

Waste from the seat block is preferably received in perforated tanks so that only solid waste remains in said bins and liquid waste flows and is distributed in the liquid waste receiving stages.

The liquid waste receiving stages may contain an absorbent material whose particle size increases the exchange surface with the convection airflow.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a method of treating waste from dry toilets comprising a seat block opening into a chamber, said method consisting in: separating, in the chamber, the liquid waste from the solid waste coming from said seat block, - induce at least one convective air flow in the chamber so as to evaporate the liquid waste and dry the solid waste, - distribute the liquid waste on several superposed levels, - 5

directing a flow of convection air in each of the stages so as to evaporate the liquid waste contained in each of said stages.

For an effective treatment of solid waste, the method further comprises the steps of: - receiving waste from the seat block in a first perforated tank so that only solid waste remains in said tank and liquid waste is' flow and are distributed in the liquid waste receiving stages, - as soon as the first bin is filled, said first bin is moved into the chamber so that a second empty bin is put in its place, - as soon as the second bin is filled: o said second bin is moved into the chamber so that a third empty bin is put in its place, o the first bin is moved so as to suspend or stack it in a drying chimney in which the convective air flows from each of the stages are discharged, - as soon as the third tank is filled: o said third tank is moved in the chamber so that a fourth empty bin is it is put in its place, where the second bin is moved so as to suspend or stack it in the drying chimney, where the first bin is removed from the drying chimney and emptied.

Description of the figures.

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear better on reading the description of a preferred embodiment which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings, made by way of indicative and non-limiting examples and in which: 6 - Figure 1 illustrates the operation of the toilet objects of the invention according to a first embodiment, - Figure 2 is a sectional view AA of the toilet of Figure 1, - Figure 3 illustrates the operation of the toilet objects of the invention 5 according to a second embodiment. Embodiments of the invention Referring to Figures 1 and 3, the dry toilet object of the invention comprises a seat block 1 whose bowl opens into a chamber 2. The seat block 1 does not need to include a water tank or a shot-hunting. Chamber 2 is liquid tight. It is composed of a lower tank 21 located below the seat block 1 and a chimney 22 disposed at the rear of the toilet, above said tank, the assembly forming a space for drying and evaporation of waste. In practice, the tank 21 and the chimney 22 are two separate plastic parts obtained by molding or roto-molding and assembled together.

The tank 21 may be partially or completely buried in the soil. It is equipped with a device for separating liquid waste (urine, ...) solid waste (organic materials, toilet paper, ...) from the seat block 1. This separation device will be described in more detail in the following the description. The chamber 2 is further equipped with means for inducing at least one convection airflow F so as to evaporate the liquid waste and dry the solid waste. In practice, the chamber 2 is provided with at least one air inlet E, E1, E2 opening into the tank 21 and allowing the entry of fresh air and at least one unloading outlet S located in the chamber. end of the chimney 22. The 2958523 -7

outer walls of the chamber 2 (and in particular those of the chimney 22) are preferably made of a dark material (for example black plastic) capable of absorbing the heat energy of the sun and transferring it inside said chamber. The pressure change created inside the chimney naturally induces a flow of air F1, F2 between the inlet E, El, E2 and the outlet S, thus eliminating any rise of odor at the seat block 1. An extractor 220 can be provided at the upper end of the chimney 22. When there is wind, the extractor 220 rotates and draws the air flow F1, F2. In fact, the circulation of the air flow F1, F2 in the chamber 2 is accelerated.

In an alternative embodiment, it is possible to forcefully induce the flow of air F1, F2 in the chamber 2 by means of one or more blowers disposed in the tank 21 and / or one or more extractors arranged at the end of the chimney 22.

Referring to the embodiment shown in the accompanying figures, trays 4a, 4b, 4c are positioned in the tank 21. At least one of the trays 4a is disposed below the bowl of the seat block 1, so that the waste falls in it. The bins 4a, 4b, 4c are perforated so that only the solid waste remains in said bins, the liquid waste flowing naturally through the openings. In practice, the bins 4a, 4b, 4c consist of wire baskets. However, other devices for separating waste could be provided, for example of the type described in document US 2005/0246829 (LA TROBE).

According to the invention, the tank 21 is provided with at least two superimposed stages 51, 52 in which are distributed the liquid waste flowing from the tanks 4a, 4b, 4c or any other separation device. A higher number of floors can obviously be provided according to the frequency of use of toilets, the amount of liquid waste produced and / or climatic conditions likely to generate evaporation more or less fast. 2958523 -8

In the embodiment shown schematically in the appended figures, the upper stage 51 consists of a plate, for example plastic, kept high in the tank 21. The tanks 4a, 4b, 4c are initially positioned on this plate, under the waste outlet of the seat block 1. The plate preferably rests on projecting molded elements 510 arranged inside the tank 21. Any other means of maintenance or equivalent attachment can be used by the skilled person. Referring more particularly to Figure 2, the plate forming the upper stage 51 has over its entire periphery a rim 511 raised to form a receptacle 10 capable of storing a specific volume of liquid waste. The flange 511 may for example have a height of between 10 mm and 40 mm. When the amount of liquid waste exceeds the flange 511, said waste flows and is distributed (homogeneously or not) to a lower stage 52. Equivalently, a specific drainage duct made in the plate could also be provided. forming the upper stage 51, for the discharge of liquid waste to the lower stage (s) 52. In the embodiment shown diagrammatically in the appended figures, the lower stage 52 is formed by the bottom of the tank 21. It could be however, use one or more other plates as described in paragraph 20 above.

Each stage 51, 52 may contain an absorbent material whose particle size increases the exchange surface with the convection air flow. For example, each stage 51, 52 may be covered with sawdust and / or wood chips. Fine sawdust is very absorbent and wood chips have the advantage of good ventilation, which plays an important role in evaporation and odor control. Other equivalent materials may be used, such as: cereal and hemp bales, ground paperboard, straw, dry hay or dead leaves, etc. 30 - 9

To accelerate the evaporation of the liquid waste, the chamber 2 is further provided with means for directing at least one convection air flow F1, F2 in each of the stages 51, 52. In the first embodiment shown schematically on In FIG. 1, the chamber 2 is provided with a single air inlet E through which a main convection air flow F enters. The inlet E preferably consists of the waste discharge orifice of the seat block 1 A deflector D1 is arranged opposite the inlet E. This deflector D1 consists of a plastic molded part, disposed inside the tank 21, in front of the latter. Its curved shape makes it possible to direct part of the main flow F entering through the inlet E inside the tank 21, to each of the stages 51, 52. In fact, the deflector D1 makes it possible to divide the main flow F in two a first stream F1 circulates in the first stage 51, evaporating the liquid waste stored in said first stage and passes through the tanks 4a, 4b, 4c, drying the solid waste contained in said tanks, and a second stream F2 circulates in the first stage; lower stage 52 for evaporating the liquid waste stored in the latter. The main stream F could be divided into a number of other streams if other stages are provided in the tank 21.

In the second embodiment shown diagrammatically in FIG. 3, a main stream is not created, which is then divided inside the tank 21, but several streams are created directly, each of which is directed to a reception stage of the liquid waste. To do this, the chamber 2 is provided with several air inlets E1, E2 through which each enters a flow of convection air F1, F2. Each of the inputs E1, E2 communicate with one of the stages 51, 52 so that each of the streams F1, F2 is directed towards one of said stages. In practice, the tank 21 comprises a first inlet configured to direct the first air flow F1 to the first stage 51. This first inlet E1 preferably consists of the waste disposal port of the seat block 1. The tank 21 comprises also a second entry 2958523 - 10-

of air E2 configured to direct the second air flow F2 to the second stage 52. This second input E2 can be arranged on the ground, next to the seat block 1. In the case where other stages of receiving waste Other secondary inlets may be provided so that a flow of air is directed to each of said stages.

In the case of a use greater than the evaporation capacity, the liquid waste can be pumped, for example as soon as their level in the lower stage 52 approaches or reaches that of the upper stage 51. 10 Whatever the embodiment, the chamber 2 is preferably provided with a deflector D2 disposed opposite the outlet S discharge. This deflector D2 is configured so as to channel, towards the outlet S, and in particular in the chimney 22, the air flows F1, F2 coming from each of the stages 51, 52. This ducting is in particular generated by the difference of pressure on the one hand of the air located between the deflector D2 and the wall of the chimney 22 heated by the sun and on the other hand air located in the tank 21, upstream of said deflector. In the absence of sun, and therefore without any difference in air pressure, the extractor 220 ensures the channelization of the flow at the deflector D2. The latter consists of a molded plastic curved piece disposed inside the tank 21, at the rear of the latter.

Thanks to the openings made in the tanks 4a, 4b, 4c, the solid waste is dried by the stream F1. As soon as a first pan, initially placed under the pan of the seat block 1, is filled, it is moved into the chamber 2 so that a second empty pan is put in its place. In practice, this first tray is moved to the rear of the plate forming the first stage 51 (the first tray takes the place of the tray 4b in Figures 1 and 3 and the second tray takes the place of the tray 4a). Then, as soon as the second bin is filled, it is moved so that a third empty bin is put in its place (the second bin takes the place of the second one).

tray 4b in Figures 1 and 3 and the third tray takes the place of the tray 4a). At the same time, the first tray is moved so as to suspend or stack it in the chimney 22 (the first tray takes the place of the tray 4c in Figures 1 and 3).

Finally, as soon as the third bin is filled, it is moved so that a fourth empty bin is put in its place (the third bin takes the place of the bin 4b in FIGS. 1 and 3 and the fourth bin takes the place of the tray 4a). The second bin is moved so as to suspend or stack it in the drying chimney (the second bin takes the place of the tank 4c in Figures 1 10 and 3) and the first tank is removed from said chimney by a hatch 222 Indeed, after having stayed between 1 month and 6 months in room 2, the solid waste contained in the first tank is transformed into a healthy, neutral and odorless material that can be handled without risk. The sequence can then be restarted.

Depending on the dimensions of the chamber 2, the bins 4a, 4b, 4c can provide a greater or smaller number of positions so that said bins stay longer or shorter in said chamber. The trays 4a, 4b, 4c can be moved inside the chamber 2 either manually or automatically. 20

Claims (6)

Revendications1. Dry toilet comprising: - a seat block (1) opening into a chamber (2), - said chamber being equipped with a device for separating liquid waste from solid waste from the seat block (1), - a means for inducing least one convection air flow in the chamber (2) so as to evaporate the liquid waste and dry the solid waste, characterized in that the chamber (2) is provided with: - several stages (51, 52) superimposed in which distribute the liquid waste, - means for directing a flow of convection air (F1, F2) in each of the stages (51, 52) so as to evaporate the liquid waste contained in each of said stages. 2. Toilet according to claim 1, wherein the chamber (2) is provided with at least one air inlet (E, E1, E2) and at least one unloading outlet (S), a flow of convection air (F1, F2) being induced between said inlet and said outlet. 3. Toilets according to claim 2, wherein the chamber (2) is provided with a single air inlet (E) through which a main convection air flow (F) enters, a deflector (Dl) being disposed facing said inlet, said deflector being configured to divide said main flow and direct a portion (F1, F2) of said flow to each of the liquid waste receiving stages (51, 52). 4. Toilets according to claim 3, wherein the single air inlet (E) consists of the waste discharge port of the seat block (1). 5. Toilet according to claim 2, wherein the chamber (2) is provided with several air inlets (E1, E2) through which each enters a flow of convection air (F1, F2), each of said inputs communicating. with one of the liquid waste receiving stages (51, 52) so that each of said streams is directed towards one of said stages. 6. Toilet according to claim 5, wherein the chamber (2) comprises: a first air inlet (El) consisting of the waste discharge orifice of the seat block (1), said first inlet allowing to direct a convection air flow (F1) to a liquid waste receiving first stage (51), - one or more second air inlets (E2) for directing a convection air flow (F2) to each other stages (52) for receiving liquid waste. 9. Toilets according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the chamber (2) is provided with a deflector (D2) disposed opposite the unloading outlet (S), said deflector being configured to channel, to said outlet, the convection air flows (F1, F2) from each of the liquid waste receiving stages (51, 52). 10. Toilet according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the waste from the seat block (1) are received in trays (4a, 4b, 4c) perforated so that only the solid waste remains in said tanks and that the liquid waste flows and is distributed in the stages (51, 52) for receiving the liquid waste. 9. A toilet according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the stages (51, 52) for receiving liquid waste contain an absorbent material whose particle size increases the exchange surface with the air flow. convection (F1, F2). 10. A method of treating waste from dry toilets comprising a seat block (1) opening into a chamber (2), said method comprising: separating, in the chamber (2), the liquid waste from the solid waste coming from said seat block (1), - inducing at least one convective air flow in the chamber so as to evaporate the liquid waste and dry the solid waste, characterized in that said method also consists in: - distributing the waste multi-stage liquids (51, 52) superimposed, - direct a flow of convection air (F1, F2) in each of the stages (51, 52) so as to evaporate the liquid waste contained in each of said stages. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of: - receiving waste from the seat block (1) in a first perforated tank so that only solid waste remains in said bin and liquid waste flow and are distributed in the stages (51, 522) for receiving the liquid waste, - as soon as the first tank is filled, said first tank is moved into the chamber (2) so that a second bin When the second bin is filled, the empty bin is placed in its place: the said second bin is moved into the chamber (2) so that a third empty bin is put in its place, 2958523 -15- the first bin is moved to suspend or stack it in a drying chimney (22) into which the convective air flows (F1, F2) from each of the stages (51, 52) are discharged, - as soon as the third bin is filled: o said third bin is moved in the chamber (2) so that a fourth empty bin is put in its place, o the second bin is moved so as to suspend or stack it in the drying chimney (22), where the first bin is extracted from the drying chimney (22) and emptied.