Here is a wind-powered graywater evaporation device for your Burning Man camp. It will eliminate, legally and responsibly, all the wastewater produced in a medium-size camp, or several small camps. (Except for what belongs in a porta-potty.)
Burners dispose of their graywater in many ways, from "pack it out" to black-plastic-lined evaporation ponds to fullblown water-purification systems designed by professionals (who make coffee using their secondhand water!)
This device, the Gray-B-Gon evapotron, is the result of many years of using and improving. With typical winds, it evaporates or disperses fifteen to twenty gallons of water a day. (Maximum measured: 2 gallons per hour in high wind. Don't try this at home.) The rotating drum design avoids two performance killers of passive evapotrons: loss of wick absorbency, and reduced performance due to accumulated playa dust. Dust just washes off the Gray-B-Gon's drum, in a single rotation.
It's useful, and it's attractive! The flashing propeller blades and the slow-moving drum catch people's attention. The (almost always) excess capacity lets you offer graywater disposal to nearby camps, forming a neighborhood center the way village wells have done for millennia, only backward.
There are five subassemblies: the tray, two masts, the drum, and the propeller. During construction, you will assemble a complete evapotron (except for the black plastic tray liner and the panty-hose filter.) Once you've tested it in some wind, and it works, you can dismantle it (dismount the propeller and masts, and collapse the drum) for transporting to the playa. There, setting it up and putting it into operation takes under an hour.
As you prepare to leave the playa you dismantle it again, then lift the muddy plastic liner from the tray and dump it into your trash bag. With a water-spray cleaning, another old towel and a new plastic liner, your evapotron should be ready to go next year.
A word of caution
While you're enjoying watching and using your evapotron, keep in mind that graywater is unsanitary and can be hazardous to your health. Step 32 describes periodic disinfection with chlorine bleach. The subassemblies you take home are unsanitary too; but so is a handshake, or sharing eating utensils. If thinking about this makes you want to wash your hands, do it.
Time and Money
On your own, construction takes about a day or three. It uses common tools that are probably in your garage or shop, plus two or three you might want to buy. Materials cost varies, depending on what you have on hand, up to about $200.
Alternatively, join a one-day construction workshop, where we provide most of the parts at cost (around $65 including wheels) and the wood parts are precut. The construction time is one full day, less if you have friends helping. You provide the bucket, used panty-hose, and, optionally, castoff bicycle wheels scrounged from basements, garages, recycling centers and bike repair shops.
Further Information
Please visit evapotrons.info , which contains discussions, workshop dates, and other useful information. 6/10/12
Burners dispose of their graywater in many ways, from "pack it out" to black-plastic-lined evaporation ponds to fullblown water-purification systems designed by professionals (who make coffee using their secondhand water!)
This device, the Gray-B-Gon evapotron, is the result of many years of using and improving. With typical winds, it evaporates or disperses fifteen to twenty gallons of water a day. (Maximum measured: 2 gallons per hour in high wind. Don't try this at home.) The rotating drum design avoids two performance killers of passive evapotrons: loss of wick absorbency, and reduced performance due to accumulated playa dust. Dust just washes off the Gray-B-Gon's drum, in a single rotation.
It's useful, and it's attractive! The flashing propeller blades and the slow-moving drum catch people's attention. The (almost always) excess capacity lets you offer graywater disposal to nearby camps, forming a neighborhood center the way village wells have done for millennia, only backward.
There are five subassemblies: the tray, two masts, the drum, and the propeller. During construction, you will assemble a complete evapotron (except for the black plastic tray liner and the panty-hose filter.) Once you've tested it in some wind, and it works, you can dismantle it (dismount the propeller and masts, and collapse the drum) for transporting to the playa. There, setting it up and putting it into operation takes under an hour.
As you prepare to leave the playa you dismantle it again, then lift the muddy plastic liner from the tray and dump it into your trash bag. With a water-spray cleaning, another old towel and a new plastic liner, your evapotron should be ready to go next year.
A word of caution
While you're enjoying watching and using your evapotron, keep in mind that graywater is unsanitary and can be hazardous to your health. Step 32 describes periodic disinfection with chlorine bleach. The subassemblies you take home are unsanitary too; but so is a handshake, or sharing eating utensils. If thinking about this makes you want to wash your hands, do it.
Time and Money
On your own, construction takes about a day or three. It uses common tools that are probably in your garage or shop, plus two or three you might want to buy. Materials cost varies, depending on what you have on hand, up to about $200.
Alternatively, join a one-day construction workshop, where we provide most of the parts at cost (around $65 including wheels) and the wood parts are precut. The construction time is one full day, less if you have friends helping. You provide the bucket, used panty-hose, and, optionally, castoff bicycle wheels scrounged from basements, garages, recycling centers and bike repair shops.
Further Information
Please visit evapotrons.info , which contains discussions, workshop dates, and other useful information. 6/10/12
Remove these ads by
Signing UpStep 1: Varnish -- the secret of long life
A coat of varnish on wood parts will greatly extend their lifetimes. The desert is tough on wood, especially end grain and plywood edges. Your evapotron will last years longer if, before it's assembled, every wood part is sealed inside a plastic skin.
The finish I use is a water-based exterior polyurethane with a matte or satin finish (non-glossy). Water-based Varathane is one such product; it costs about $17 for a quart can (enough to cover three evapotrons). It's easy to apply, and doesn't require a skilled hand. You can coat all sides of a piece at one go, resting the piece on points or edges (just not a face) to dry. It dries rapidly to the touch; if you do your varnishing just before lunch, when you return the surfaces will be dry and workable. Water-based polyurethane has very little odor, and brush cleaning is easy. Do rinse out the brush thoroughly, several times, in clear or soapy water. Or,if you're going to do more varnishing the same day, you can put an unrinsed brush in a plastic bag, squeeze out the air, and refrigerate it.
Newly coated pieces will feel even rougher than before; that's because the surface fibers of the wood are now stiffer. A few strokes with sandpaper or a sanding block will smooth them down nicely.
The finish I use is a water-based exterior polyurethane with a matte or satin finish (non-glossy). Water-based Varathane is one such product; it costs about $17 for a quart can (enough to cover three evapotrons). It's easy to apply, and doesn't require a skilled hand. You can coat all sides of a piece at one go, resting the piece on points or edges (just not a face) to dry. It dries rapidly to the touch; if you do your varnishing just before lunch, when you return the surfaces will be dry and workable. Water-based polyurethane has very little odor, and brush cleaning is easy. Do rinse out the brush thoroughly, several times, in clear or soapy water. Or,if you're going to do more varnishing the same day, you can put an unrinsed brush in a plastic bag, squeeze out the air, and refrigerate it.
Newly coated pieces will feel even rougher than before; that's because the surface fibers of the wood are now stiffer. A few strokes with sandpaper or a sanding block will smooth them down nicely.
Visit Our Store »
Go Pro Today »
How can it be that your note, dated 8/21/2012, just showed up on my comment list? Very strange.
Thanks! ChristopherO
I just built a 24-spoke propeller with widened blades. I used my standard blade pattern to draw one side, then slid the pattern about an inch sideways and drew the other side.
Make sure the blade's outer edge lies within the wheel rim. That helps keep blades from snagging during storage or shipping. The propeller in Step 7 looks great, but is also highly impractical.
Focusing on one wheel at a time, try putting wrenches on the axle nuts on both sides, and turn them counterclockwise a quarter-turn. If you're lucky, the cone nuts will turn with the lock nuts, and you've created some play. If you're not lucky, the cone nuts stay unmoving on the axle. Take the drum to a bike mechanic, who has cone wrenches, or invest in one yourself. (Cone wrenches look like very flat, thin open-end wrenches, and come in 4 widths.)
Try mounting the drum without using the "extra" axle nuts. The axle is (almost always) caged by the two metal angles, and can't fall out. The extra nuts were mostly to hold the wheels while you're building the drum.
So which is it?
mine too. What I try do do now is clamp the pieces I want to join, drill the pilot hole through both, separate them and then drill the body hole on just the one.
http://www.reuk.co.uk/Savonius-Wind-Turbines.htm
It does not matter which direction the wind comes from,it will always catch it, they are high torque and have a maximum built in speed. Keep up the good work!
The meters clearly mark, plus or minus 20% accuracy... he eventually noticed that shot, took a large chunk out of one of his 3 blades. His brake has been set ever since.
I like the idea and how you presented this potential, as I may use it myself if I return to a rural lifesyle. Nice job you have done here.
I'm working on one now that has 12 blades of flashing secured to a hub and an outer ring that is 3 ft. dia. The last one I built stood up to 70 mph winds, but when the micro burst hit us at 100 mph wind, the blade assembly came off and I found it two blocks away, undamaged. Needless to say I secured it stronger after that. I liked another guys 3 bladed design, but he used pvc and I don't believe it will take the stresses of storms we get here in Missouri. I can see that small section with only two bolts snapping under stress. I would be hard pressed to be able to bend stronger metal brackets in a shape that would strengthen them along the vertical axis of the blade assembly.