Back to results
US 11,111,824 B2Granted
Multi-functional fecal waste and garbage processor and associated methods
AssigneeBill & Melinda Gates Foundation
InventorPeter Janicki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
At least one aspect of the technology provides a self-contained processing facility configured to convert organic, high water-content waste, such as fecal sludge and garbage, into electricity while also generating and collecting potable water.
Claims9
A method of processing wet sludge with a multifunctional waste processing system for electricity and clean generation, comprising:
- directing a flow of wet organic-based sludge to an inlet of a fuel path of a fuel dryer assembly, wherein the sludge comprises a mixture of water and solid fuel material,
- directing the flow of sludge along the fuel path through a heater portion of the fuel dryer assembly and boiling the wet fecal sludge and thermally separating the water from the solid fuel material to provide dried fuel, the fuel dryer having a first steam outlet, a dry fuel outlet;
- condensing in a condenser steam liberated from the wet fecal sludge, wherein the condenser has a fresh water condenser assembly coupled to the first steam outlet and configured to condense the steam liberated from the wet fecal sludge for use as potable water;
- receiving in a dry fuel combustor assembly dried fuel the dry fuel outlet of the fuel dryer assembly, the dry fuel combustor assembly having a combustor portion and having a boiler configured to receive heat from the combustor portion, the boiler having a water inlet and a second steam outlet;
- directing steam from the boiler to a steam inlet of a fluid path of a condenser portion of the fuel dryer assembly, wherein the fluid path through the condenser is isolated from the fuel path and has a fluid outlet;
- combusting the dried fuel in the combustor portion to generate heat that boils water in the boiler to generate steam;
- generating electricity with a steam powered generator via the steam received from the second steam outlet of the boiler, the steam powered generator having a third steam outlet coupled to the steam inlet of the condenser portion;
- directing the condensed steam from the fresh water condenser assembly through a water treatment system that receives the condensed steam in either vapor phase or liquid phase or both, wherein the condensed steam as liquid water is passed through a purifier and filter to provide the potable water;
- and
- pumping with a water pump a flow of water from the fluid outlet of the condenser portion of the fuel dryer;
- wherein the flow of water is pumped from a water outlet of the water pump to the water inlet of the boiler;
- wherein the boiler converts a flow of water entering the boiler to a flow of steam to power the steam-powered generator.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.