Performance evaluation of an on-site volume reduction system with synthetic urine using a water transport model

Environ Technol. 2011 Jul;32(9-10):953-70. doi: 10.1080/09593330.2010.521954.

Abstract

The parameters of a model of the transport of water from a wet cloth sheet to the air, developed for deionized water, to establish design procedures of an on-site volume reduction system, were identified for high salt concentrations present in synthetic urine. The results showed that the water penetration was affected neither by the salts, urea or creatinine present in the synthetic urine nor by the salts accumulated on the surface of the vertical gauze sheet. However, the saturated vapour pressure decreased, leading to reduction in the evaporation rate, which occurred as a result of the salts accumulating on the surface of the vertical gauze sheet. Furthermore, a steady-state evaporation condition was established, illustrating salts falling back to the tank from the vertical gauze sheet. Accordingly, the existing design procedure was amended by incorporating the calculation procedure for the saturated vapour pressure using Raoult's law. Subsequently, the effective evaporation area of the vertical gauze sheet was estimated using the amended deign procedures to assess feasibility. This estimation showed that the arid, tropical, temperate and cold climates are suitable for the operation of this system, which require requires a small place at household level for 80% volume reduction of 10 L of urine per day for 12 hours' operation in the daytime.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Computer Simulation
  • Diffusion
  • Models, Chemical*
  • Salts / chemistry*
  • Urine / chemistry*
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid / methods*
  • Water / chemistry*

Substances

  • Salts
  • Water