Not a great lunch read.
Give it a few hours!
Let's talk space toilets
51–60 of 63 posts
Re: Let's talk space toilets
#52made me think of zizek's hermeneutics of (gravity-based) toilets https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzXPyCY7jbs
Re: Let's talk space toilets
#53Is it simpler to build a better space toilet, or to build a ship with centrifugal gravity and use a regular toilet?
The centrifugal gravity approach requires a massive structure - you need something like 200+ meter radius to keep rotation rates low enough that Coriolis effects don't make people nauseous (which would create a whole different toilet problem). Building a better space toilet is orders of magnitude cheaper and lighter than spinning up a habitat.
You could just dangle the toilet on the end of a filament, and rotate the capsule and the outhouse around the centre of mass. No massive structure needed, just remember to take the farmer’s almanac with you before you head out.
Re: Let's talk space toilets
#54Is it simpler to build a better space toilet, or to build a ship with centrifugal gravity and use a regular toilet?
>Is it simpler to build a better space toilet, or to build a ship with centrifugal gravity and use a regular toilet?
!Spoilers ahead - from Daniel Suarez's dV and Critical Mass novels.
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The second volume (critical mass) talks a lot about exactly that problem.
Re: Let's talk space toilets
#55Is it simpler to build a better space toilet, or to build a ship with centrifugal gravity and use a regular toilet?
The centrifugal gravity approach requires a massive structure - you need something like 200+ meter radius to keep rotation rates low enough that Coriolis effects don't make people nauseous (which would create a whole different toilet problem). Building a better space toilet is orders of magnitude cheaper and lighter than spinning up a habitat.
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Re: Let's talk space toilets
#56Earlier quoted context omitted.
My degree is chemical engineering and thats pretty close to a degree in plumbing
Well regarded cardiac surgeon Barratt-Boyes supposedly had a brother who was a good plumber. This always made me happy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Barratt-Boyes
Oddly enough my department done work into heart replacement valves - the fluid mechanic element of blood flows as a non-newtonian fluid matched a lot of chemical plant calculations. The labs had lots of heart valves and simulators lying around
Re: Let's talk space toilets
#57Earlier quoted context omitted.
I had a major plumbing problem once, in a rented commercial space. The toilet simply clogged constantly and I had to snake it almost every time. The landlord finally relented and had an expert plumber come out. The guy apparently had a master's degree in plumbing somehow (I thought he was joking but he had indeed put himself all the way into a master's level engineering degree, mostly as a hobby). He first got out hi…
this feels like a chute diameter issue, many older (cheaper?) ones are 2in, but high flow are 3in I believe
Back in "the day" you could have a toilet that lazily filled up and you only really needed a mild flow rate to send everything for a ride because once that 5gal of water starts spinning it's taking everything with it no questions asked.
You need a big hole to dump the tank fast to get the maximum kick out of that federally regulated amount of water you're allowed to dump per flush.
Plumbing fixture and residential water consumption regulation in the US is a textbook example of "should be a states issue". The feds basically let the desert states dictate everything and then everywhere east of approx the Missouri river has to suffer through washers that don't wash clothes the first time, constantly clogging drain traps, sewer lines, municipal mains, reduced septic performance, etc, etc. None of this is necessary in the nearly universally surface water consuming east. They'd all be better off using more water and having to size their water treatment plants up a notch to handle it.
Re: Let's talk space toilets
#58If you like space toilets you may be interested in this [0] HN submission where you can track how full the ISS urine tank is from the comfort of your menu bar. [0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42505454
Dude, I just looked a picture of old socks and urine stuffed together in a waste bag. I think I need some time before I can feel the delight to get interested in any kind of toilet.
But thanks for the info.
Re: Let's talk space toilets
#59We can see how our daily lives are supported by public welfare
Re: Let's talk space toilets
#60Not a great lunch read.
I found it pretty easy to digest.