Dear Luiza

I am interested in your project and believe a tool like NewSan will be crucial for strategic decision making for reuse oriented wastewater management systems in particular as it also includes non-piped solutions. I tried to find out more on the current state of development of NewSan on the web but did not easily find something.

Are there any results (e.g. Beta Version) since Oct. 2012 that you could share with us?
You also mention that you will give information on the economic potential of waste reuse. I imagine this is highly site specific. Did you do this only for Durban or other cases? Can you share those results or is it too early.

Thank you and best regards

Dorothee

Dear Elisabeth

thanks for your prompt reply with useful information.

Thanks also for directing me to the "Search" link, this is very useful as I could not find it (sorry my ignorance!!).

We plan to model biochar production (from the collection point to the final disposal/use) within NewSan Simulator but for this we need data.

If people have data and would like to send us, they can contact me on my working email address (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Kind regards,

Luiza

Dear Luiza,

You mind find the research on biochar from another grantee interesting, see here:
forum.susana.org/forum/categories/105-pr...ni-colorado-usa#3960

Perhaps you can ask your questions to Karl Linden directly there? (please also explain where your interest stems from and what you want to do with the data?)

By the way, there are two more grants dealing with biochar questions (but they haven't yet introduced their grants on the forum):

- Conversion of human waste into biochar using pyrolysis at a community-scale facility in Kenya, Stanford University & The Climate Foundation, Brian Von Herzen and Laura Talsma (they presented at the FSM2 conference, see their paper here: www.susana.org/docs_ccbk/susana_download/2-1624-von-herzen.pdf)

- Conversion of Human Excreta to Energy and Biochar, re:char, Jason Aramburu

You might also find the forum search function useful, because biochar has come up a few times in our conversations so far:
forum.susana.org/forum/search

I hope this helps.

Regards,
Elisabeth

Hi there

I am interested in case studies that are producing biochar from fecal sludge.

My interest is on data regarding type of reactor/process, reactor volume, detention time, amount of biochar produced, final application of biochar, etc.

If you have an interesting publication on this, I will appreciate if you can send it to me.

Kind regards,

Luiza

Hi Madeleine

Many thanks for your interest in NewSan!

So far, we have developed only a prototype of the NewSan simulator, but are obviously working on its further development.

Perhaps we could have a skype chat or phone call? Please send me an email (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) for us to arrange this if you like.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Many regards

Luiza

Dear Luiza
Bom Dia & Greetings from Sweden!
I wonder if it would be possible to combine your modelling with some tools that SEI has developed and used as desicion making tools for a long period of time
I hardly know anything about modelling but I know that our tools are used all over the world . WE have one for energy LEAP sei-us.org/software/leap and one for WATER WEAP www.sei-international.org/weap-the-water...-and-planning-system.
It would absolutely great if we could initiate an dialogue with the people on our tools and even if we could do workshop together .
Currently due to our dedication and committment of finding working tool for the Nexus we are trying to combinbg WEAP and LEAP in lake Tana region in Ethiopia.
Looking forward to hear thoughts on this
KInd regards
madeleine

Dear all,

I would like to introduce to you a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that I am leading (I first mentioned it above on 29 March 2012):

Title of grant: Modelling the next generation of sanitation systems

Subtitle: NewSan Simulator

Name of lead organization: University College London

Primary contact at lead organization: Luiza Cintra Campos
Grantee location: London, United Kingdom

Developing country where the research is being or will be tested: South Africa

Some visual impressions:





Short description of the project:
The project develops a simulator for sanitation systems. The novelty of this project lies in the adaptation of an existing resource-flux simulation methodology used on networked systems to calculate nutrient and energy fluxes specifically for on-site sanitation systems. The simulation methodology has been already applied successfully by ifak in several networked sanitation contexts in developing countries. However, the concept is currently being extended to cater for non-networked sanitation systems. The model outputs are the main fluxes of energy and nutrients and, thus, their available amount for recovery, volume/quality of treated waste for reuse; and monetary value of the waste reuse. Demonstration of systems which have increasing commercial viability due to waste reuse/nutrients recovery can be used to explore business opportunities for sanitation. The flexibility of the simulator also allows to include in the future modules for sanitation technologies developed in the future. Once further developed, the model will have the potential to aid city-managers to evaluate alternative sanitation technologies and to select the most sustainable and cost-effective solution. Significant cost-savings and improved utilization of resource streams, thus increasing revenue, are expected by application of this simulator.

Goal(s):
The goal of this project is to develop an easy-to-apply simulation tool set up to enable local city managers to assess the implications of adopting alternative sanitation strategies at scale.

Objectives:
The main aim of Phase-I is to develop a simulation tool to model flux of residual wastes from streams in the sanitation service delivery chain, focusing on nutrient and energy fluxes.

Start and end date: November 2011 - October 2013

Grant type: Grand Challenges Explorations Round 7 (GCE R7)

Funding for this research currently ongoing (yes/no): Yes

Research or implementation partners:
UCL is working in collaboration with ifak which is a non-profit institute for applied research at Otto-von-Guericke University in Magdeburg/Germany that develops simulation models for water and wastewater applications.

Links, further readings – results to date:

www.susana.org/en/resources/library/details/1797
(this link includes the presentation and paper at the FSM-2 Conference, Oct. 2012)

Video from Manfred's presentation at the FSM2 Conference:

We don't have any other publications at the moment. We will have soon a paper.

Current state of affairs:
UCL has got an extension for 6 months more of Phase-I and this will allow the development of two additional MSc projects on further development and application of the NewSan simulator (draft version). For Phase-II, our idea is to further develop and apply the NewSan simulator to a number of cities worldwide to demonstrate at scale the economic benefits of nutrient and energy recovery associated with the next generation of sanitation technologies.

Biggest successes so far:
Our biggest success is that the NewSan simulator (draft version) is very flexible and simple tool that can assist city engineers to choose sanitation technologies/chain in relation to nutrients/energy recovery and costs, considering the locally prevailing boundary conditions which are case-specific. We also consider the initial partnership between our research group (ifak, UCL) with UKZN, EWS – eThekwini Water and Sanitation Unit and IWA as another great achievement.

Main challenges / frustration:
Because we are proposing the setup of a simulator, the biggest challenge was to gather data for model input and setup. We are, in particular, in need of local data such as capex and opex costs and energy consumption/generation of new sanitation technologies. Unfortunately, this information is not always available/easily accessible. Therefore, lack of data is our main challenge.

If you have such data, please do reply to this post.
I look forward to receiving comments and questions.

Kind regards,
Luiza

Dear Chris

Greetings from London!!

Thanks for giving us more details about data collected in South Africa.

We will review the documents you mentioned.

One of my MSc students may contact your group asking for more information.

Kind regards,

Luiza

Greetings Luiza

Studies have been undertaken in South Africa by Partners in Development and University of KwaZulu-Natal to determine the filling rates (volumetric) of VIP latrines. They are being prepared for a Water Research Commission, Report K5/1745 (When the pits are full …) and K5/1829 (Deep row entrenchment of VIP sludges). Watch www.wrc.org.za for the documents.

Data are available on filling rates (volumetric) in presentations from the Durban Faecal Sludge Management Conference (March 2011) – see www.wrc.org.za for presentations.

Papers and dissertations on these studies are in preparation.

A study on the composition and filling rates of urine diversion toilet vaults in Durban is being planned.

Urine collection rates from urine diversion toilets in Durban is being obtained by the Liz Tilley for the Vuna project.

Chris

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Note by moderators: This post was made by a former user with the login name ChrisBuckley who is no longer a member of this discussion forum.

We are developing a model to simulate flux of residual wastes from streams in the sanitation service delivery chain, focussing on nutrient and energy fluxes. The model aims to compare conventional sanitation systems (i.e. flush toilet & pit latrines) with “new technologies” (e.g. urine diversion, vacuum toilet. We are looking for data!! If you think you can help please have a look at the 2 page description of next generation of sanitation technologies below to see more information on what we are looking for. Thanks.