h a l f b a k e r yA riddle wrapped in a mystery inside a rich, flaky crust
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Toilet Fan
Vent unpleasant smells through the toilet itself | |
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.
[link]
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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. |
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//The WKTE option for all of these issues is the vacuum
toilet <link>// |
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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. |
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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. |
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I think I prefer my insides to stay inside. |
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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? |
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So my kids could get suctioned to the toilet? This
could be interesting. |
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//Enough that youd want to leave the room first?// |
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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. |
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From the title I thought this was going to be an idea about
someone who was very enthusiastic about toilets |
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If you were enthusiastic about extraction systems
in roof spaces, would you be called a fanatic? |
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Childishly blowing air across a glazed ceramic
surface.... infantile |
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Have we all fanished yet? |
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Should I be the person toilet this happen? |
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All this talk of fans has made me exhausted. |
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Its OK, everyone needs to vent their feelings sometimes. |
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