Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Toilet Fan

Vent unpleasant smells through the toilet itself
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The unpleasent smells manufactured during the human waste-disposal process originate between the horizontal surface of the human in question and the bottom of the toilet bowl itself. In this volume, there is often a mix of air and water.

The water, and associated U-bend acts as an effective seal, it's there to prevent sewer smells coming into the house, but in this case it can be viewed as PREVENTING the smell leaving. The air volume above the water is where the most concentrated smells are to be found. While the human is present, this is actually quite well sealed, however, it may be displaced and spread around the place by movement, diffusion and ultimately dumping a few gallons of water into it. If we can vent the smelly air between water and human when it's at it's most concentrated then we will have an effective strategy toward preventing the smell diffusing about the place.

To do this we need an air intake, this should be at the back under that rim thing toilets tend to have. This should lead to an air pump. In the circumstances, it should be at least tolerant of water, so a diaphragm pump might fit the bill. We are moving the most concentrated air, so we don't need big volumes. This should pump air from the toilet bowl past the U-bend water trap into the air space that occupies the waste pipe most of the time*. Add a couple of non-return valves for obvious reasons and we're good.

This pump could be switched with a lid/weight on seat switch, but I propose it be left on continuously. That way the toilet will gradually attract and dispose of dust etc. And, the net influx of air into the toilet might encourage any errant male-generated droplets to land in, rather than near the toilet.

*domestic waste pipes are usually vented outside the house. In the UK this is vented high up in the air at the top of the roof. Here in Philadelphia, it's vented on the sidewalk 5ft from the front door. Which is why the whole place stinks of shit for the entire summer.

bs0u0155, May 20 2021


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Annotation:







       Reading that Idea, it mentions that the fan in a bathroom is, at least in building regulations, for damp rather than smell. This would also work for that, since the permanent pool of water in the toilet is likely a big contributor to damp, and the most humid air will be in exactly the same spot, right above the water in the bowl.
bs0u0155, May 20 2021
  

       //The WKTE option for all of these issues is the vacuum toilet <link>//   

       But that can't be done with domestic plumbing, 12" of tubing and a $4 pump. It could be a good idea to at least partially evacuate the air volume from the sewer network, you could remove methane build up, the gas would be high in CO2, a rich source if you were interested in capture/use. Leaks would involve material moving INTO rather than out of the sewer, which is probably preferable.
bs0u0155, May 20 2021
  

       //vacuum toilet //   

       Ahh, the infamous Vac-u-flush found on many powerboats. While not especially effective on hardened waste it will clear the bowl of everything else. If the vacuum were sufficiently high it could also clean the bowel.
whatrock, May 20 2021
  

       I think I prefer my insides to stay inside.
Voice, May 20 2021
  

       Suppose a bathroom exhaust fan blew in the other direction? With a sealed doorway and no windows how much pressure would be needed to displace the water in the sink p-trap and the similar water puddle in the toilet bowl, summarily forcing all room odors down the urinals/toilets/pipes and into that special stinky underground area where a little more stink would never be noticed?
whatrock, May 20 2021
  

       So my kids could get suctioned to the toilet? This could be interesting.
RayfordSteele, May 21 2021
  

       //Enough that you’d want to leave the room first?//   

       Say 10" water equivalent pressure, 0.3psi, or 1/50th of an atm. Not dreadful, but your ears would pop and the fan would be pretty noisy/expensive.
bs0u0155, May 21 2021
  

       From the title I thought this was going to be an idea about someone who was very enthusiastic about toilets
hippo, May 21 2021
  

       If you were enthusiastic about extraction systems in roof spaces, would you be called a fanatic?
xenzag, May 21 2021
  

       ba dum - tishhh...!
hippo, May 21 2021
  

       That's an offansive pun.
pocmloc, May 21 2021
  

       fantastic
pertinax, May 21 2021
  

       Childishly blowing air across a glazed ceramic surface.... infantile
xenzag, May 21 2021
  

       Have we all fanished yet?
pocmloc, May 21 2021
  

       It's a fan club now.
xenzag, May 21 2021
  

       Should I be the person toilet this happen?
bs0u0155, May 21 2021
  

       Don't be a blowhard.
Voice, May 23 2021
  

       All this talk of fans has made me exhausted.
blissmiss, May 23 2021
  

       Its OK, everyone needs to vent their feelings sometimes.
pocmloc, May 24 2021
  


 

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