How does the toilet work in an airplane

Many people are wondering, is it true that in planes everything is the same as in trains, that is, all waste is thrown out? This is really an interesting question, since there is a hole in the toilet on the trains, and there are no airplanes in the aircraft. Does this mean that all waste remains on board?

Toilet in the airplane

First, you need to decide what is on board the aircraft for hygiene and cleanliness. The aircraft is equipped with a water supply and disposal system. Drinking liquid is refueled from a special machine, just before departure.

Water in the aircraft, what and how?

Cleaning in the airplane

On the water there is a passport of conformity and a control certificate. Believe me, it undergoes careful monitoring. At A-320, you need 200 liters of water, and shortly before departure, the car spills it into the tank. As a rule, fueling takes place until the end, in other words, until the water begins to pour out of the tank through a special drain hose. Then H2O is divided into sinks, wash basins and a boiler. Also in this model, a small amount of liquid is diverted to the toilet sink. In contrast to A-320, in the Tu-154 airplane, the flush water is separate. Although this fact and try to hide, but the water from the sink merges overboard. Washed or washed his hands - he let a little water in a vacant flight. At the bottom of the fuselage of the aircraft there is a special drain pipe, through which this process is carried out.

Tanks for collection of aircraft toilet waste

On older models Tu-154B and Tu-154M there are three tanks (front - entrance hall, middle of salon - kitchen-buffet, rear - toilets). Tanks are under the ceiling, and the liquid flows there by gravity. This is a fairly complex system and gives a lot of inconvenience. For example, in these models the tanks need to be refilled separately. In more modern aircraft, liquid directed to the tank is distributed over boilers, sinks and other items under pressure, which is created in the tank by means of air compressors.

And now back to the topic of the toilet. It is clear that with the scum everything is also wrong. For example, in A-320, the waste enters a separate tank at 170 l, but in Tu-154M, a slightly different picture.

About toilets in airplanes and related problems

Cleaning the toilet of the aircraft

Throughout the flight, waste is stored in a special tank. In A-320, the waste from the toilet bowl is removed using a vacuum. In other words, they are simply sucked into the tank. Do not experiment with this, because in theory you can stick to the toilet. The Tu-154 tank has a filter that retains large particles. Everything else is used for draining. During the flight, the concentration of evil spirits in the water is constantly increasing. To prevent this substance from emitting unpleasant odors, chemical reagents are added to it, or rather small bags that are dumped directly into the toilet. They have a similar principle of action with dry closets. In a Boeing 737, the system works on the same principle, and feces are chased in a circle throughout the flight. The liquid must be filled before each takeoff.

The whole system has one common problem - the human factor. For example, someone dropped a big thing in the toilet, and then technicians can have serious problems. If it's a lid from a kettle or a cosmetic bag, then the airplane can fail for a long time! This is not the bathroom that can be disassembled in a few minutes, as it is difficult to get to the pipes in the plane. If you accidentally drop it - it's understandable, it can happen to everyone, but when a tampon or diaper is put in there ... These things absorb water and swell, causing huge damage to the entire system.

Special transport for cleaning airplane toilets

As soon as the aircraft arrives at the destination, a car with a corrugated hose immediately approaches it, which is connected to a special hole. It is designed to empty the tank. At any time, the hose can tear and the contents pour out. There have already been occasions when the contents poured out on people.

In the event that something does not work out, stuck for unseen reasons or stuck to the walls of the tank - the contents of toilets and tanks are washed.

Where do the waste from the toilets go in airplanes?

With the aircraft, everything seems to be clear, but what happens to the waste later? A machine with a special tank carries all this to a place where not every technician was. Very few people know what it looks like, and it's good, because it's not a sight for the faint-hearted. A terrible stench, an inexperienced person will simply vomit. This is something like the 5 pool at 10 m, 1,5 m - depth. The car drives up to it, the dampers open, and all the contents from the tank pour into the pool. Often something gets stuck, so you have to push it into the pool with metal sticks and rods.