Image capture of video by DNews via YouTube Account - A team of scientists from the University of Ghent has made a solar energy powered machine that turns urine into a safe drinkable water and fertilizer
- The system uses a special membrane, which is said to be energy-efficient and applicable in areas without electricity grid
- The aim of the team is to install larger versions of the machine in sports venues or airports, and moreover, bring the machine into a rural community in the developing world
GHENT, Belgium – A team of scientists from a university in Belgium had made a solar energy powered machine that turns urine into a safe drinkable water and fertilizer, a technique that is said to help people from rural areas and developing countries.
An article by Robert-Jan Bartunek for Reuters said the system was developed by a team of scientists from the University of Ghent and uses a special membrane, which is said to be energy-efficient and applicable in areas without electricity grid.
“We’re able to recover fertilizer and drinking water from urine using just a simple process and solar energy,” said Sebastiaan Derese, University of Ghent researcher.
The urine will be first collected in a big tank which is heated in a solar-powered boiler, and then passed through the membrane. It is from the membrane where the water is recovered and nutrients such as potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus are separated.
The team, under the slogan #peeforscience, recently deployed the machine at a 10-day music and theater festival in central Ghent, recovering 1,000 liters of water from the urine of partygoers.
An article by Engineering and Technology Magazine said the aim of the team is to install larger versions of the machine in sports venues or airports, and moreover, bring the machine into a rural community in the developing world where fertilizers and reliable drinking water are limited.
As for 1,000 liters they recovered from the music and theater festival, the team said they will be using the water to make one of Belgium’s most coveted beer.
“We call it from sewer to brewer,” Derese said.
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