1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a system for producing the natural aerobic biological decomposition of human waste by controlling the distribution of air and liquid within a conversion tank where waste is subjected to aerobic bacteria, moisture and oxygen.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the installation of restrooms in parks and recreational areas, the disposal of human waste is often a serious problem. It may be necessary to locate the restroom where electric power is not available, or the terrain and subsoil may be such as to prevent the installation of septic tanks or more conventional waste disposal systems. Restrooms in mountain areas built upon rock cannot utilize a septic tank system, and the disposal of the waste by direct discharge may violate environmental regulations. "Dry" toilets and similar waste conversion systems are known, and some systems utilize chemicals and other catalysts for breaking down the waste and facilitating decomposition. However, chemical dry toilets require considerable attention and maintenance, and are not suitable for use in remote locations, such as recreational parks and hiking areas. As environmental regulations become increasingly stringent, the need for waterless on-site waste conversion systems capable of meeting environmental standards increases, and the advantages of natural aerobic biological decomposition systems using dehydration and evaporation becomes important.
It is knownto devise "dry" toilets by atmospheric venting, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,136,608, and it is also known to use a plurality of evaporating tanks with a waste conversion system such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,624,665. However, such disclosures have a number of drawbacks, and require considerable maintenance and attention to properly function.
Forced hot air is commonly used in dry toilets to augment evaporation and decomposition, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,196,477 and 4,313,234, but such units require energy to heat air and are not suitable for remote installations.