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The Living Machine

The Living Machine. Nita Ganguly and James Littrell. http://www.aiatopten.org/hpb/overview.cfm?ProjectID=18. http://www.toddecological.com/wastewatertreatment.html. Step 1. Sewage flows into a solar greenhouse Outdoor site that filled with rows of large open tanks

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The Living Machine

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  1. The Living Machine Nita Ganguly and James Littrell http://www.aiatopten.org/hpb/overview.cfm?ProjectID=18

  2. http://www.toddecological.com/wastewatertreatment.html

  3. Step 1 • Sewage flows into a solar greenhouse • Outdoor site that filled with rows of large open tanks • tanks are populated by a complex series of organisms • first tank holds aquatic plants (ex: water hyacinths, cattails, and bulrushes) • These organisms take up the nutrients produced when algae & microorganisms decompose organic wastes. After the water flows through a number of these natural purification tanks…

  4. http://www.enviroeducation.com/interviews/john-todd/

  5. Step 2 • It passes through an artificial marsh of sand, gravel, and bulrush plants which • filters out the algae and any remaining organic waste. • absorbs toxic metals (ex: lead, mercury) • secretes natural antibiotic compounds that kill pathogens.

  6. Step the 3rd • H2O flows into engineered ecosystems in aquarium tanks • Snails & zooplankton consume microorganisms in water… • …and in turn are eaten by crayfish, tilapia & variety of fish that can be eaten or used as bait

  7. Finally! • After 10 days H2O is clear • Flows through 2nd artificial marsh for final filtering & cleansing. • H2O made drinkable by passing through • ultraviolet light • ozone generator • Usually hidden out of sight in attractive pond or wetland habitat.

  8. General Info. • Invented by John Todd • Company called Living Technologies • 16 have been installed in U.S. & 8 other countries • Treat • Municipal waste • Industrial waste http://www.enviroeducation.com/interviews/john-todd/

  9. Success! • Largest system built for plant in Australia • Handles 100,000 gallons of waste per day • Vermont: Muncipal Sewage Treatment Plant a greenhouse where sewage from 1,600 residences is treated to a level of cleanliness surpassing federal EPA requirements.

  10. Main Goal • Use a “Natural Systems” approach to treat wastewater to advanced treatment standards

  11. Comparison To Conventional • Sludge Production • Environmentally Harmful Chemicals • Colloidal materials and fine suspended solids • Capital and Energy Intensive

  12. Advantages and Disadvantages • Chemical-, odor-, and noise-free • Small ecological footprint* • Aesthetically pleasing • Relatively low costs* • Little maintenance* • Micro-finance options for developing communties • Can attract • insects/rodents • Need to tailor to site • location

  13. Obstacles • Places for sunlight • Area for facility • Skilled Biologists

  14. Negative Environmental Impacts • There really are no negative environmental impact • Natural Balance • Biomass Waste

  15. Overall Potential • The Overall Scale • Economic Comparisons VS

  16. Bibliography • Miller, G. Tyler. Living in the Environment. 13. Canada: Thomson Brooks/Cole, 2004. • http://www.time.com/time/reports/environment/heroes/heroesgallery/0,2967,todd,00.html • http://www.enviroeducation.com/interviews/john-todd/ • http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC35/Guterson.htm • http://www.aiatopten.org/hpb/overview.cfm?ProjectID=18 • http://www.livingdesignsgroup.com/systems/

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