Tûranor planetsolar
Using electricity from sunlight as the only power source for propulsion, other systems on board need to draw as little current as possible from the electrical system.
The solar powered vessel Tûranor’s name comes from the book “Lord of the Rings”, and means “power of the sun” - which in the case of this magnificent ship equates to about 93 kW.
With a highly limited supply of electric power available, the toilet system onboard the Tûranor PlanetSolar has to be as energy efficient as possible.
The challenges
Water may also be limited, though some vessels have desalination facilities. The $10 million vessel was built from a foam core sandwiched between layers of carbon fiber and resin to keep the weight at a bare minimum, so care had to be taken in selecting lightweight components inside as well. With a cruising speed of just 7.5 knots crossing an ocean takes a long time, requiring plenty of space on board for water, food, and other supplies. Having completed its circumnavigation of the globe, the vessel may now be converted into a 40-passenger luxury yacht for people who require a comfortable like-home restroom experience even at sea.
Jets® solution
In small systems, our Vacuumarator® pumps can be configured to run only when a toilet is flushed, generating vacuum on demand (VOD™) and thereby minimizing power use.
Using just 1 litre of water per flush (less in VOD™ systems), Jets® systems ensure water consumption for toilet flushing is kept low.
Lightweight Jets® products were ideal for Tûranor’s weight requirements, and the small footprint of a Jets® system provides more space for supplies.
Jets® vacuum toilets provide the comfort of home to even the most demanding of passengers, and are routinely used in superyachts.
The use of a Jets® system on board the Tûranor PlanetSolar documents our technology’s ability to be configured for, and to operate reliably in highly specialized applications, sometimes under extremely demanding operational conditions.