NEWgenerator for recovery of nutrients, energy and water from human wastes

Purpose

The NEWgenerator is a hybrid anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) machine which is packaged in a small-footprint modular housing for off-grid deployment and can be paired with pit latrines, septic tanks, fecal sludge pits and self-standing toilets.

Activities

The NEWgenerator is a compact and robust resource recovery machine that is paired with pit latrines, septic tanks, fecal sludge pits and self-standing toilets to treat, recycle and harvest embedded nutrients, energy and water in human wastes. It is intended for “wet pits” from communities that utilize water for washing or flushing, which renders the fecal sludge too wet for combustion processes such as pyrolysis for biochar. The NEWgenerator is a hybrid anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) machine which is packaged in a small-footprint modular housing for off-grid deployment.

Unlike its more common aerobic (activated sludge) MBR counterpart, the AnMBR does not require aeration (less energy to operate), produces 90% less microbial biomass (less handling) and recovers (rather than remove) nutrients such as NPK. Key processes of the NEWgenerator include: high-rate anaerobic digestion for rapid waste solids disintegration and high-level pathogen destruction (e.g., against Giardia and Ascaris), membrane ultrafiltration (sub-micron) of reactor solids and colloids to liberate pathogen-safe clean water and nutrients, permeate (clean water) collection and storage, biogas collection and electricity generation, and associated ruggedized sensors, data loggers and micro-controllers.

Countries of activity

Location of main activity

Objectives

- Using our knowledge of the laboratory TRL5 system (simulated environment), to design, fabricate, field test and demonstrate the TRL6 version (relevant environment) of the NEWgenerator using real sewage.
- To demonstrate reuse potential of nutrients, energy and water recovered from waste biomass, in particularly for agriculture.
- Using knowledge gained from field tests of the TRL6 system, to design a TRL7 system for field demonstration in an actual environment (with country partner).
- To take the NEWgenerator technology to scale via the commercial marketplace.

Further information

Research or implementation partners:
Working with Eram Scientific Solutions (Kerala, India), we are targeting opportunities for field testing of a combined eToilet + NEWgenerator as an integrated system for human waste harvesting and conversion to nutrients, energy and water. The NEWgen can also be used for water cycling from public toilets, as well as dewatering of faecal sludge wet pits, to extend the operation run cycle.

Filter tags

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Biogas systems Community sanitation East Asia & Pacific Fundamental research and engineering Global Greywater or wastewater North America Product design and engineering Resource recovery Treatment of wastewater or greywater University, education or research institution Urban (entire city) Water (irrigation, process, other)

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