Fecal Sludge Omni-Ingestor (FSOI) suite of technologies for fecal sludge emptying and transport

Purpose

The Fecal Sludge Omni-Ingestor (FSOI) suite of technologies includes pumping, debris extraction, heavies extraction, sludge thickening, and disinfection sub-systems

Activities

The FSOI Project is developing a number of devices to improve On-site Sanitation.

FSOI Mechanical Pump will pump waste 50-100 meters, much further than vacuum trucks, enabling it to access 92-97% of the vaults in unplanned settlements in Africa. The pump is also capable of pumping waste from wet and dry vaults*, (0-40% TS) permitting mechanical emptying of nearly all sludge types. The pump is a stand-alone system that can fill a variety of sludge transporters, including vacuum trucks, tank trucks, and trailers. Because it is not attached to a sludge transporter, the pump is free to continuously fill one transport vehicle after another—increasing operational efficiency.

FSOI Mobile Pre-Processor is used to process sludge from wet vaults (0-5% TS). It will remove debris and grit from incoming sludge and render it safe for on-site disposal. The sludge will be thickened and the liquid effluent will be clarified, deodorized, and sanitized so that it can be discharged onsite. Only thickened sludge will be transported to a disposal site, significantly reducing transportation costs.

Two inexpensive oxidant generators. One oxidant is NaCl; the system uses water and easily sourced salt (table salt is fine) and produces batches of chlorine large enough to treat all of the heavies (grit, glass, metal) removed from influent. The other system generates inexpensive ferrate that can be used to treat the effluent from a sludge thickener.

Countries of activity

Location of main activity

Objectives

Goal(s) of the Project: Empty wet and dry vaults, Access vaults that couldn’t be reached before, Pump all contents not just the liquid fraction, Cut emptying costs

Further information

Research and implementation partners include:
AGI Engineering – AGI Engineering, Inc. specializes in the design, construction and testing of custom, specialized tank cleaning, pumping and automated manufacturing equipment (Stockton, CA, USA) ( www.agieng.com/ ).
Beaumont – Beaumont provides industrial design, mechanical engineering, systems architecture, and project management services (Honolulu, HI, USA) ( beaumontdesign.com/ ).
DCI Automation – DCI Engineering has become the product development and prototyping arm of Columbia Tech (Worcester, MA, USA) ( www.dciautomation.com/ ).
Synapse Product Development – Synapse Product Development is a product development, product design, and technology development consultancy company (Seattle, WA, USA) ( www.synapse.com/home-page ).
FloHawks Plumbing & Septic – FloHawks provides residential and commercial plumbing and septic services (Puyallup, WA, USA) ( www.flohawks.com/ ).
Cascade Designs, Inc, - (Seattle, WA, USA) ( www.cascadedesigns.com/ )
Ferrate Treatment Technologies – FTT aims “to be the global provider of water treatment solutions based on Ferrate, the most powerful, multi-use, and environmentally friendly water treatment chemistry known. FTT will commercialize Ferrate to purify water, improve human health and clean up industrial contamination worldwide”. (Orlando, FL, USA) ( www.ferratetreatment.com/ ).

Filter tags

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation East Asia & Pacific Emptying and transport (non sewered) Faecal sludge treatment processes Fundamental research and engineering Global North America Peri-urban Private sector, including social enterprises Product design and engineering Sub-Saharan Africa Technology comparisons Urban informal settlements (slums)

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