Abstract: Provided is a septic tank for generating methane gas, including: a water-saving type toilet installed in a restroom of a building and discharging excreta of users, wherein high-density excreta is discharged from the water-saving type toilet by using a reduced amount of water to discharge the excreta; an excreta storage tank buried underground and connected to the water-saving type toilet to store the excreta discharged from the water-saving type toilet; a heating unit for heating the excreta storage tank so as to increase a fermentation speed of the excreta in the excreta storage tank; a methane gas supply unit for collecting and discharging methane gas generated as the excreta in the excreta storage tank is fermented; and a gas storage tank connected to the methane gas supply unit to store the methane gas discharged from the methane gas supply unit.

Abstract: A toilet that does not require water for use, which may be used in the home or which may be portable for use at locations outside the home, having a disposable, biodegradable bag for catching and storing human waste for disposal, and a method for disposing of said biodegradable bag.

Abstract: The international schedule of classes of goods and services appears to be (11) apparatus for sanitary purposes, including water supply, heating, steam generating, cooking, ventilating; and (7) a form of machine.

Abstract: A self-contained dehydration toilet having an odor-capturing steam and water recovery system. The dehydration toilet comprises a toilet bowl, a dehydration engine connected to the toilet bowl, a steam, gas and vapor conduit from the dehydrating engine, a water supply infusion tank which receives steam, gases and vapor from the dehydration engine to the infusion water tank, an ozone generator which supplies ozone to the water supply, a vacuum pump connected to the infusion water tank, and a power source supplying power to the dehydrating engine, the ozone generator, a control circuit and the vacuum pump. The dehydrating engine has a heating device and helical paddles to aid in the dehydration process. The dehydrating toilet reuses steam and captures odors and vapors with diffusion chambers in the infusion water tank.

Abstract: A floor level pumping system, that is non-disruptive to the existing flooring, including a conventional rear outlet toilet, a floor level tank for receiving waste and fluid from the outlet of the toilet including a tank chamber containing a designated area with a sensing system which activates a discharge pump when the level or quantity of the waste and fluid within the tank chamber reaches a predetermined level, wherein the chamber further includes one or more baffles extending upward from a floor of the tank chamber, which baffles at least partially segregate the designated area from the remaining area of the tank chamber, wherein at least one of said baffles contains a curved surface, and a discharge pump for pumping waste from the floor level tank out through a discharge pipe, wherein the discharge pump is secured to the floor level tank.

Abstract: A water efficient toilet includes a self pressurized tank connected to a water supply through conduits and includes a valve operatively connected to the conduits. The toilet assembly has a bowl with inner walls, the bowl having a lower reservoir connected to a trap way and an upper rim with a channel therein. The channel is provided with a plurality of openings and the lower reservoir of the bowl has through holes. The through holes of the lower reservoir and the channel of the upper rim of the bowl are connected to the valve by a first and second conduit. When flushing the toilet by opening the valve, a phased inflow of water in the toilet is induced. The phased inflow of water includes an initial and an intermediate inflow of water. The initial inflow of water passes into the first conduit and through the through holes of the lower reservoir to initiate the evacuation of the contents of the lower reservoir through the trap way into a drain pipe.

Abstract: In fuller detail, the present invention relates to a thermo-evaporative type toilet system designed so that the excrement collected from the toilet is treated with effective microorganisms and heated for evaporation to generate vapors, with the stench being removed from said vapors and the water recovered from the vapors being purified for reuse as purified water.

Abstract: A sanitary system for a locomotive wherein the treatment tank is protected from freezing by the use of the heat available in the exhaust air removed from the toilet compartment. A sealed and insulated compartment is formed around the treatment tank, and a vent is connected between the toilet room and the insulated compartment. A suction line located at an opposed position in the insulated compartment is used to direct the flow of air from the toilet room, through the insulated compartment around the treatment tank, to the locomotive exterior. By eliminating the need for heat tracing of the treatment tank, this invention reduces the cost and energy usage of the locomotive sanitary system.

Abstract: A sewage removal system for low water use toilets within an insulated building, the system comprising a transfer tank to collect sewage by gravity from the toilet, a holding tank remote from the transfer tank, a sewage discharge pipe extending between the transfer tank and the holding tank for fluid communication between the transfer tank and the holding tank, the sewage discharge pipe rising to a point, along its length, which is significantly above the fluid level in each of the transfer tank and the holding tank, a vent pipe for the interior of the holding tank and blower associated with the vent pipe, when activated to create a sufficient vacuum within the holding tank to draw sewage from the transfer tank, through the discharge pipe, into the holding tank, and a switch associated with the transfer tank and arranged so as to activate the blower, when the level of the sewage in the transfer tank rises to a predetermined height and to deactivate the blower when that level falls to a predetermined height.

Abstract: A system for treating human waste in remote or portable toilet facilities, including a holding tank that stores waste; a heat reservoir that receives waste from the holding tank, heats the waste to kill fecal coliform bacteria therein present, and routes the heated bacteria-free waste back through the holding tank. The holding tank maintains the heated bacteria-free waste separate from the contaminated waste but passes residual heat from the bacteria-free waste to the untreated waste. In one embodiment, a centrifuge receives the bacteria-free waste from the holding tank, separates the liquid waste from the solid waste, and discharges the liquid waste from the system. In one embodiment, the waste is pumped through the system to be heated in incremental portions.

Abstract: In the agitation chamber (11), the human waste and the flush water from the flush toilet (20) are mixed. A heat accumulator (12) is provided in the discharge path of the exhaust gas. The drying chamber (13) heats the discharge from the agitation chamber (11) using the heat of the heat accumulator (12). The moving device (18) moves the scraper (16) and the suction port of the suction device (17) in the drying chamber (13). The scraper (16) scrapes off the residual human waste stuck in the drying chamber (13). The suction device (17) suctions the residual human waste in the drying chamber (13). The water accumulation chamber (14) recovers the water vapor from the drying chamber (13). The recovered water is transported by the pump (15) to the flush tank (30) for the flush water, and thus recirculated. The space for holding the flush water can be reduced.

Abstract: A marine vessel waste treatment system includes a tank for receiving successive charges of liquid and solid waste material. A water conduit conducts heated water from the vessel's engine through the tank to heat the contents thereof above the level at which coliform bacteria can survive, thereby reducing the count of such bacteria to a level at which it is safe and acceptable to discharge the material into a waterway. A macerator pump is mounted in the tank for operation only after the temperature within the tank is sufficiently high. An electrically operated heating element is also mounted in the tank to accelerate the treatment of waste and can be used alone when desired. A thermal switch at the waste material input inhibits discharge if a fresh charge of material is received when the system is ready to discharge, thereby preventing discharge into the environment of untreated material.

Abstract: The temperature of liquid in a tank and of the environment adjacent the tank are measured and a heater in the tank is controlled to heat the liquid if its temperature is sufficiently below that of the environment to cause water vapor in the atmosphere to condense on the outer surface of the tank.

Abstract: An aerating system for faecal matter collected in a container in a vehicle which includes a pressurized air system for operating brakes, doors, ventilation flaps and the like. The pressurized air system includes a tank and a compressor which operates continuously during operation of the vehicle engine and a regulator which exhausts excess air to a bypass duct when the tank is at its operating pressure. A tube connects the container to the bypass duct so that faecal matter in the container is substantially continuously aerated during vehicle engine operation.

Abstract: A waste disposal system is disclosed which includes apparatus for treating water which has been used for cleaning, washing and for flushing toilets and for disposing of waste products by incineration. The total output of the system to the environment is then reclaimed wash water of tertiary treatment quality plus CO.sub.2 and the ash resulting from the incineration of solid wastes. In alternative embodiments, systems designed for ships, multiple unit dwellings or small communities can operate on a substantially continuous duty cycle with full utilization being made, if desired, of the heat energy required for the incineration process, and for substantially reducing fresh water quantity requirements in all such installations through the use of recirculating toilets.

Abstract: Disclosed is a refuse disposal apparatus in which refuse fed into a fermenting vat can be disposed by subjecting the refuse to methane fermentation, the fermenting vat including a heating device for heating the refuse in the fermenting vat to a proper temperature for accelerated methane fermentation, and the refuse being agitated by an agitating device in the fermenting vat, so that methane produced in the fermenting vat by the methane fermentation may be externally collected by means of a gas collecting pipe for use as an everlasting heat source, and that sludge produced by the methane fermentation of the refuse in the fermenting vat may be discharged to the outside through a discharge pipe for use as fertilizer.

Abstract: A system to be incorporated in new or in existing buildings where the waste lines of lavatory sinks, showers and clothes washing machines are connected to a storage reservoir for accumulation of water therein. This accumulated water is filtered and treated and thereafter used for the operation of water closets of toilets, the storage reservoir providing for the gravitational separation of solids from the water which are periodically flushed from the reservoir into the sewer. The pumping action which delivers the accumulated water to the water closets of toilets may be hydraulically operated by a portion of the water drained to the storage reservoir.

Abstract: The preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed in this application includes a building module having at least one compartment therein in which is contained a toilet system for bacteriologically breaking down solid waste and paper to provide a relatively pure liquid effluent. The toilet communicates with a flush tank into which the effluent is discharged and which communicates with a pump for pumping the effluent to an evaporator for removing excess effluent from the toilet system. Preferably the evaporator utilizes the effluent as a heat exchange medium for heating or cooling air discharged to each toilet compartment which air is circulated back to the atmosphere through a vent opening to help remove odors from the compartment. The evaporator may be arranged to aerate the effluent which is then discharged back to the flush tank so that it can be used to flush the toilet and enhance the biological breakdown of waste.