Researchers in the UK have created a urinal that converts pee directly into electricity. The technology uses a set of microbial fuel cells (MFC), which contain tiny organisms that survive by breaking down urine and producing electricity as a byproduct.
An earlier model of the urinal was shown to successfully charge up a mobile phone, a stunt that made headlines back in 2013. But the team from the University of the West of England in Bristol, UK, wanted to find a more practical use for the technology, and is now working with Oxfam with the aim of lighting up refugee camps at night using nothing but urine.
Currently many refugee camps or camps for displaced people don’t have electricity, which makes residents, particularly women, vulnerable to abuse while walking at night from their bed to the toilet. The team hopes that the urinal will generate enough power to light up not only the toilet cubicles, but also other areas of the camps, making them safer for people around the world who have been forced from their homes as a result of war, natural disaster or famine. It would also help these camps reduce the amount of waste and pollution, which often isn’t hygienically disposed of in the absence of proper plumbing.
“The microbial fuel cells work by employing live microbes which feed on urine (fuel) for their own growth and maintenance. The MFC is in effect a system which taps a portion of that biochemical energy used for microbial growth, and converts that directly into electricity – what we are calling urine-tricity or pee power,” Ioannis Ieropoulos, the project leader, said in a press release.
“This technology is about as green as it gets, as we do not need to utilise fossil fuels and we are effectively using a waste product that will be in plentiful supply.”
Right now it costs around US$1.50 to produce each MFC, and the current prototype would be around US$900 to set-up, which is pretty cheap as far as plumbing installations go. Even better, the technology will essentially last forever. So as long as people need to pee, there will be electricity.
The university is now trialling the urinal’s ability to keep lights on on campus, using staff and student’s pee. Conveniently, they’ve set it up right near the campus pub, so they have no shortage of willing participants.
You can find out more about the set-up in the video below. And next time you flush the toilet, think about how valuable your pee really is.
Read Full Article: http://www.sciencealert.com/this-urinal-converts-your-pee-into-electricity
New Scientists Discoveries in Electricity and Electrical Repair
Scientists in the united kingdom have produced a urinal that changes urine straight into oceanside electrician. The technology runs on the group of microbial fuel cells (MFC), that have small creatures that survive by wearing down urine and generating energy like a consequence.
An early on type of the urinal was proven to effectively charge-up a stop that made statements in 2013, a cell phone. However the group in the University of the Northwest of England in Bristol, UK, it is currently dealing using the purpose of illuminating refugee camps during the night using only urine with Oxfam, and desired to look for a more sensible use for that engineering.
Currently camps or several refugee camps for homeless persons do not have energy, making citizens, especially girls, susceptible to neglect while walking from their sleep during the night towards the bathroom. The group hopes the urinal will create enough capacity to illuminate not just the bathroom compartments, but also the areas of the camps, making them better for individuals all over the world who’ve been pushed from their houses consequently of conflict, natural disaster or famine. It’d also assist these camps decrease the quantity of pollution and waste, which frequently is not hygienically discarded within the lack of suitable plumbing. Find a Poway Electrician Over Here, we are certified for electrical repair in poway.
Huge Amounts of Electricity Producing Massive Energy
The huge place may include 100 megawatts in San Diego electrician here contractor producing enough energy for about 80, towards the national grid,000 homes, and certainly will assist the requirements of around 400,000 South Africans. Each year it’ll also avoid 300,000 a lot of carbon dioxide emissions.
Three pipes located just beneath the stand enable fine changes within the middle of the tire as well as the stress across the internal and external shoulders. An interior pump moves atmosphere between the three pipes as well as the primary chamber to alter Electricity visit El Cajon Electrician tire’s contact area onthefly. The green/ maximum stress is used by security situation in most three pipes for reduced rolling resistance. the measurement of the contact area advances by lowering the stress of the inboard tv.
“The microbial fuel cells function by using live bacteria which feast upon urine (gas) due to their own development and maintenance. The MFC is essentially something which taps on some of this biochemical energy employed for microbial growth, and changes that straight into energy – what we’re calling urine-tricity or pee energy,” Ioannis Ieropoulos, the project leader
Related Links:
- http://energy.gov/oe/office-electricity-delivery-and-energy-reliability
- http://www.sdge.com/
- https://www.gforceelectric.com/electricity-price-index-hit-record-again-in-january/