Speaker: Dr. Daniel Yeh
Abstract:
This presentation is part of the AAEES Kappe Lecture series
Billions of people worldwide suffer from poor sanitation due to a lack of wastewater infrastructure. With high capital expenditure and operational expenditure, the conventional approach of centralized wastewater treatment plants served by an extensive sewer system is not an option for many communities. A new classification of modular and pre-fabricated non-sewered sanitation systems (NSSS, ISO 30500) has been introduced as an onsite micro-infrastructure alternative. Developed at the University of South Florida, the NEWgenerator is a solar-powered, modular, automated wastewater treatment and recycling system capable of operating independently from grid power, piped water, and sewer. The core technology within the NEWgenerator is the anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR), capable of handling a wide range of wastewater strengths, intermittent flows, and prolonged shutdowns. The value proposition of the NEWgenerator is that it makes flush toilets possible in off-grid, remote locations. The NEWgenerator was a recipient of the 5th Cade Museum Prize for Innovation and the 2020 USPTO Patents for Humanity Award. This presentation will follow the two-decade journey of the NEWgenerator from concept to development to commercialization, including extended field trials in India (Kerala) and South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal). The presentation will also highlight potential use of the NEWgenerator to help tackle cesspool conversion in Hawaii and other islands.
August 18, 2023 recording (click here)
May 6, 2022 Transcript (download here)
May 6, 2022 Recording (click here)