Electrifying toilet could soon power buildings

The humble toilet could soon be powering the rest of the building, thanks to the latest development from Britain. HighDro Power harnesses the energy from falling waste in the soil pipes of high-rise buildings and converts it to electricity.

Every flush of a toilet fires a stream of pressurised water, or kinetic energy, to move the contents of the bowl into the sewer system. Tom Broadbent, an industrial design student at Leicester’s De Montfort University (DMU), says his inspiration for the device came when he emptied a bath in a hotel and found that it drained very quickly and with a large amount of force.

He then realised it would be possible to harness this energy in some way to create ‘green’ electricity. The device could have major implications for hotels and office blocks, for example, where hundreds or even thousands of flushes take place every day. Broadbent claims his device would save a seven-storey building US$1 400 a year in electrical costs, thanks to the offsets from his toilet generators.

"HighDro Power works by using the water discharged from appliances such as showers, toilets and sinks in high-rise apartments. The water goes down the pipe and hits four turbine blades that drive one generator,” he explains. “The whole thing was influenced by traditional waterwheels to ensure that any solids passing through had limited effects on whether they could function.”

To make a working prototype of the design, Broadbent used rapid prototyping techniques – laser sintering and CNC milling machinery – as well as vacuum forming. He sourced bearings, gears and other materials from companies supplying standard components. Broadbent now hopes to have his innovation fitted to a building for testing.