Observing and influencing nutrient movement within human urine for application to Ecological Sanitation
Rosanna SandersonUniversity of Queensland, 2009
Research Summary:
To examine the ideal conditions under which to store and concentrate nutrients in urine collected from an ecological sanitation (EcoSan) design toilet, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus due to their importance in the plant growth cycle. The techniques used to concentrate the nutrients were chosen in the context of a decentralised community, with limited access to technology and energy, such as the peri-urban area of Kathmandu, Nepal. The techniques were relatively “low-tech”, namely evaporation and freezing. Experimentation and modelling was used to track nutrient concentrations and losses, and methods of inhibiting nutrient loss were investigated.
Key Issue Addressed:
Previous research on and implementation of EcoSan toilets in Nepal conducted by WaterAid Nepal indicated that the urine stream from the toilets was not being efficiently exploited. There appeared to be a specific lack of data available to quantitatively make a decision on the best conditions under which to collect, store, and apply urine within this developing world context and thus the research intended to add to the body of knowledge being collected in this area.
Emerging Technologies for Sanitation and Human Waste Disposal in Developing Communities (Tonle Sap, Cambodia)
Katrina BukauskasQueensland University of Technology, 2009
Research Summary:
This project aimed to firstly identify potential innovations for sanitation and human waste disposal in developing countries and secondly propose a decision making framework that could be used to structure decisions around these issues. The overarching goal was to increase sanitation coverage in Cambodia.
Key Issue Addressed:
Current lack of suitable sanitation in Tonle Sap, issues posed by floating and stilted households, human contact with waste, issues of cultural significance (i.e. anal cleansing methods)
Project Summary
Presentation
An assessment of community-level pre-treatment and filtration technologies for water treatment and their suitability for developing nations
Nathan Cocks
University of Western Australia, 2009
Research Summary:
Conducted a review of pre-treatment and filtration technologies for water treatment and assessed their suitability for the Tenganan Water Supply Project currently being undertaken by EWB.
The appropriateness of pre-treatment and filtration technologies for water treatment in Tenganan, Indonesia (and secondly developing nations) The considerations needed to successfully implement a community scale water treatment system in Tenganan, Indonesia (and secondly developing nations).
Project Summary
Alternative Energy Storage Systems for Remote Photovoltaic Panels
Marina Bradley-MeyersUniversity of Western Australia, 2009
Research Summary:
This project evaluates the feasibility of a remote stand-alone photovoltaic system in which battery energy storage is replaced with pumped water storage.
Subject Areas:
- Humla, Nepal
- Alternative energy storage literature review
- Energy storage system requirements
- Preliminary pumped water storage design
- Life-cycle cost of pumped water storage and battery energy storage
Project Summary
Those who can, do.
Monitoring, Management and Maintenance of the Tenganan Water Supply Project, Indonesia
Prema BhautooUniversity of Western Australia, 2009
Research Summary:
This project aims to develop a framework for the proper monitoring, management and maintenance of the Tenganan Water Supply Project (TWS), currently underway in Bali, Indonesia. The TWS, a water supply and treatment initiative, is a collaboration between the Tenganan community, EWB and their Indonesian partner organisation, Yayasan Wisnu.
Key Issue Addressed:
This dissertation aims to develop a framework for capacity development which will enable the residents of Tenganan to adequately operate and maintain the water supply and treatment system currently being upgraded. Its main objective is to act as a basis on which the preliminary capacity development program developed within can be expanded by the Tenganan Project Team (PT) in conjunction with the community, specifically the UPSAB who are the current managing body of the water supply system.
Decision Framework to Aid Implementation of Ecosan Toilets in Nepal
Jessica ThompsonAustralian National University, 2009
Abstract:
This thesis reviews the current extent of ecological sanitation in Nepal and provides a
framework to aid in furthering the implementation of ecosan in Nepal and potentially other
locations. The framework provides a ranked list of the most significant factors that
influence the success of ecosan.
Ecosan toilets are an important technology that work best in rural communities where
water supply is limited and there is no existing community infrastructure to support
sanitation. The introduction of ecosan into new areas will work best with financial aid in
combination with increased community awareness. Small adjustments to the current
construction method are recommended, including the use of sealants on exposed masonry
and insulation of pipes and the urine tank in cold weather environments, as these
environments are identified as a specific concern. Long term sustainability is an important
issue, but the issues discussed in this report are insignificant when compared to the need
for safe and hygienic sanitation. Ecosan toilets are an appropriate technology for rural
Nepal, providing a solution to low sanitation levels and helping to ease the need for
commercial fertilizer in peri-urban areas.
Presentation
Improved design of a solar cooker for use in rural Africa
Alexandra RadulovichAustralian National University, 2009
Abstract:
In many regions throughout Africa, technology is severely underdeveloped. Such
communities’ primary means of cooking are open fires with biomass and stove tops using low
grade fuels such as kerosene and paraffin (Bailis et al., 2005). These forms of cooking present
health dangers from air pollution and the collection of biomass (WHO 2009). They are also
contributing to climate change through deforestations and greenhouse gas emissions (FAO,
2008). To help reduce these dangers and contributions to climate change, this project investigated the
use of solar cookers in place of traditional methods. This project also attempted to design a
model that is suitable for developing regions and refugee camps in Africa. This design was
developed from customer requirements and engineering metrics that were identified through
the Author’s experience in a developing community in South Africa, previous work done by
Melbourne Rotary in South Sudan and research conducted during this project.
The design process in this project had a strong focus on the cultural considerations of
implementing solar cookers in Africa. It should be noted, that past literature fails to take
cultural specific information into consideration. This is a major flaw in past research as solar
cookers are most suited for use in developing communities and cultural considerations are
crucial to a successful and ethical technology transfer.
While this project is targeted for use in South Africa and South Sudan an engineering
framework is presented which may be used and modified accordingly to suit other regions.
Before this design can be implemented, further work is necessary, including the building and
testing of a prototype and the development of an implementation plan.
Developing Transfer: A model for improving knowledge and technology transfer in a developing world context
Chris BrowneAustralian National University 2009
Abstract:
Clean water is a requirement of life. In locations where no centralised water system exists,
household-level ceramic filtration has been used as a method of accessing clean water. It has
been reported that this innovation experiences disuse over time, even though the innovation
provides a fundamental service. This thesis will assert that this disuse is a breakdown in the
transfer process, primarily at the technology application level. Transfer occurs by sharing
technology and knowledge about techniques and methodologies, not only through documentation
and instruction but also through sharing experiential and intangible knowledge.
By embedding a mechanism to reinforce usage of the filter innovation, the usable life span
can potentially increase. The proposed reinforcement mechanism views the product as an
essential service, which has potential benefits for both the manufacturer and consumers.
Approaches for Disability Inclusive Development Engineering
Huy NguyenAustralian National University,2009
Abstract:
Disability issues can arise from the individual and/or the environment in which they live. Development engineering organisations are capable of providing solutions for each of those interpretations, through their various specialisations. That is, Biomedical engineering can provide prosthetic limbs for the individual. Civil engineering can address the physical environment to eliminate a person’s disability, such as width of entry points to venues or build ramps as opposed to stairs.
However, technical engineering solutions often neglect the social effects or even produce social barriers, which are also a cause of a person’s disability. This thesis discusses the different types of perspective on disability, and the models of disability that were developed to address disability. The social model of disability and the social approaches to disability were used as foundations of this thesis.
Development of these models took a long path in history; however, it has been only 3 years since the UN Conventions on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was ratified in Australia. As a result of this, this thesis found that there was a lack of information and uniform view on disability. This can be seen in the spectrum of perspective on disability from developing countries, such as Cambodia and Vietnam, to Australia, the 4th most developed country in the world. This lack is even more pronounced when the subject of disability is combined with engineering, despite their close relationship.
This combination was the main challenge of this thesis. It was overcome by exploring and further developing role-play methodologies for engineers to create better requirements for solutions to disability problems. This thesis develops evaluation frameworks that are recommended for use at different levels of an Engineering Non-Government Organisation to incorporate a disability sector into its programs.
Finally, this thesis is an exercise in the concept of ‘disability inclusive’, the leading method of resolving disability. This was done by the simple act of taking on the challenges of producing this thesis, from the perspective of an engineering student, using a wheelchair as a solution for my ‘disability’ in Australia, a developed country.
Presentation
Investigation of Passive cooling options for the VSeEC in southern India
Trent RigneyRoyal Melbourne Institute of Technology, 2009
Abstract:
The Vicki Standish eâ€Education Centre (VSeEC) is located in rural India and is a part of the Uluru
children’s home. This give’s the children and local community a chance of an education in computer
systems. Due to the climate and design this building is over heating in the hot months of the year
causing the room to be uncomfortable. Power black outs are common in this area so conventional active
cooling systems will not be effective. This paper aims to design options of passive cooling methods to
increase the comfort of the VSeEC. The options will have a minimum running cost and be cheap to
install. The literature review distinguished appropriate methods which can be applied retrospectively to
the VSeEC using natural energies. It was found that cross ventilation of the building was not effective
due to the building being protected from the wind during the months of April May and June from the SE
to SW winds. Also it was seen that hot air pooled in the roof as there was no ventilation for this air to
escape, hanging fans were used which recycles the warm air pooled in the roof. It was found that the
area needed for a solar chimney would be too large for the appropriate roof space available. It is
recommended that 3 wind turbines with vegetation planed around the east, west and north walls would
be appropriate. The wind driven turbines will induce ventilation and the surrounding vegetation will cool
the microclimate which can reduce the temperature by 6â€10 degrees F.