30
HEALTH AND SANITATION
One giant flush for mankind
By
Matt Chapuran
NASA ’ s Lunar Loo Challenge finds inventive new ways for astronauts to use the facilities , 750 million miles from earth .
NASA has set a goal to return to the moon by 2024 , not only landing , but this time establishing a lunar base . Among the logistical complexities will be solving the problem of using a bathroom in a low- or zero-gravity environment . During the summer of 2020 , NASA asked innovators from around the world to provide new designs for the Lunar Loo Challenge , envisioning toilets that could be used in both microgravity and lunar gravity , with the potential for adaptations to the new Artemis lunar landers .
The eight-week challenge promised a total of USD35 000 in prize money and included a junior category .
" We ’ re turning to the global network of problem solvers to design the next-generation lunar toilet ," said Mike Interbartolo , project manager for the Lunar Loo Challenge in the HLS Crew Compartment Office at NASA ' s Johnson Space Center . " As we prepare for this extraordinary event , we can ' t forget about the ordinary needs of our astronauts ."
While the current lavatories in use at the International Space Station ( ISS ) operate in microgravity , for this challenge , NASA was looking to up the ante . In addition to considering the different needs of a lunar gravity toilet , NASA engineers were hoping to find solutions that would miniaturize current facilities — and increase efficiency .
" It ' s always an honour helping solve ' number two ' challenges ,” said Christian Cotichini , CEO , HeroX , who launched the competition on behalf of NASA . In October , HeroX gathered winners in the junior and open divisions in Zoom chats . Official was able to catch up with finalists from both divisions .
“ Although we usually develop toilets for earth and the technology is different from what is needed in space , I thought that our knowledge of what is important when you use the toilet would help in the development of a space toilet ,” said Franziska Wuelker of designer bathroom manufacturer Duravit , an international company based in Hornberg , Germany . Walker , who studied mechanical engineering at Germany ’ s Karlsruhe Institute of Technology , is responsible for Duravit ’ s development of toilet flushing . “ I use computational fluid dynamics to ensure a good flushing performance of our toilets ,” she said .
Wuelker is the only non-American and only woman to place a design in the top-3 of the Lunar Loo contest . Her design uses a centrifuge to accelerate excrement into an 11-liter tank waiting below . A valve and filtration system respectively prevent any excretions or odors from escaping the tank . A seat belt holds the astronaut in place . The self-contained nature of the design protects the astronauts even in the event of a power outage .
David Viola , IAPMO CEO
In the spirit of the sharing of unique experiences that shape the plumbing industries in our respective nations , the following article looks at at the logistical complexities of solving the problem of using a bathroom in a low- or zero-gravity environment . Written for IAPMO by Matt Chapuran , it is the next in a regular series of similar articles that will run in this magazine .
www . plumbingafrica . co . za @ plumbingonline @ plumbingonline @ PlumbingAfricaOnline April 2021 Volume 27 I Number 2