Water is one of the most precious but also the most wasted resource on the planet. A large quantity of fresh water is wasted while flushing toilets. In addition, during the process of treatment of sewage water, energy is also wasted. Plumbing and maintenance costs, loss of water from leaky flush tanks are an additional burden. Waterfree urinals are a green, eco-friendly, and economical option
What is a waterfree urinal?
A waterfree urinal functions without any water, flush valves or other controls. Instead it relies on disposable cartridges. It was invented in 1989. It can be mounted on any wall like conventional urinals. Only a drain is sufficient, no additional plumbing is required.
How does it work?
The cartridges placed in the waterfree urinals are cylindrical. They are filled with a liquid sealant that floats above the urine, creating an airtight barrier. The cartridge accumulates any uric sediment and disposes the remaining urine down the drain.
Another type of waterfree urinals use an odor blocking fluid that is added to the waste trap. This fluid floats on top of the urine to seal the odors. The advantage of this system is that there is no need to replace any cartridges. The blocking fluid, which is bio-degradable, is simply replaced after every 5000 -7000 uses.
What are the benefits of waterfree urinals?
These urinals have a wide range of benefits which are useful for public and commercial applications. Some of these benefits are:
Water conservation: The obvious benefit is the elimination of water for flushing which leads to large amounts of water conservation. As there is no running water, the possibility of accidental flooding or leaking is reduced.
Economical: The cost of water and sewer lines is eliminated. The installation cost of these urinals is also minimal as no additional plumbing or flushing controls are necessary...
Maintenance: These urinals require very little maintenance. The cartridge of the urinal needs to be changed periodically. The blocking fluid in the second type needs to be replenished roughly once in six months on an average. As there are no mechanical controls, the costs of pipe breakage or broken valves is no longer an issue.
Transportation: A large amount of water and energy is wasted in transporting water to and from the urinal. The cost of water transportation and energy is substantially lesser.
Bacteria-free: In comparison to conventional urinals, these urinals have little or no chance of any bacteria thriving on them. The liquid sealant in the cartridge also removes any odor that could possibly emanate after frequent use.
Drawbacks
Problems arise when extraction tools to remove the cartridge break. Also, these urinals create more odors than regular ones when the cartridge needs to be changed.
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