Vortex bioreactors for the processing of fecal sludge and waste water

Purpose

Sterilizing pathogen contaminated water through bringing a destructive agent (e.g. a fully recyclable copper-alginate bead) into intense contact with the microbial fraction

Activities

Short description of the project:
The bioreactor will find application in a wide variety of sanitation systems in a large number of countries: it is an extremely versatile tool for water sterilization. In this project, we will be focusing on testing the bioreactor as a means of treating the effluent separated from high BOD load sludge before further treatment, reuse or discharge.

Countries of activity

Location of main activity

Objectives

The original goal of this project was to develop a low-cost, manually-driven vortex bioreactor which reduces the total viable count of faecal contaminated waste water through the intense mixing and subsequent separation of the wastewater into liquid and solids. WE HAVE CHANGED THIS GOAL TO FOCUS ON THE DISINFECTION OF SECONDARY EFFLUENT (LIQUID ONLY), BECAUSE THIS SEEMS TODAY THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT APPLICATION. Vortex separation systems are common within the sanitation industry to physically separate wastewater into distinct output streams which have the same biological and chemical properties than before.

Further information

The technology is being developed with partners Protein Technology Ltd, as well as with chemical engineering support from the Bouygues Group and fluidic engineering support from University College London.

Filter tags

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation East Asia & Pacific Europe & Central Asia Fundamental research and engineering Global Latin America & Caribbean Product design and engineering Treatment of wastewater or greywater University, education or research institution

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