Vacuum toilet systems
The vacuum toilet is the obvious choice for a toilet system on a long or medium distance train. The amount of water used for each flush is only about 0.5 liters, so the tank capacity, both for the fresh water and the waste, can be kept small.
Besides fresh water and electrical supply (24VDC), the vacuum toilet also requires an air supply, which should be free from oil or water contamination.
A more detailed description of the function of a typical vacuum toilet can be found here: Vacuum toilets for trains
Complete vacuum toilet systems
BAS Rail & Electrical has many years experience of working with vacuum toilet systems. We installed the Semvac Mini toilet system on the Xplorer railcar fleet in 2001 and have been providing repair and overhaul support for the customer ever since.
We are the local distributor for Glova Rail in Australia and NZ and we can offer Glova's range of complete vacuum toilet solutions for trains.
Glova Rail is a leading European manufacturer of vacuum toilets and can supply various configurations of vacuum toilets with the main difference being the type of interface valve used (orbital, toggle or pinch type).
This document highlights some of the advantages and drawbacks of the different types of interface valves Comparison Glova toilets
Spare parts for vacuum toilets
In addition to complete vacuum toilet systems, Glova also manufactures/supplies spare parts for most vacuum toilet brands/types.
To ensure the reliability of the vacuum toilet system, it is vital that parts, which are exposed to wear or degradation, are replaced or refurbished at regular intervals. Examples of such parts are:
- Interface valves (slide, orbital, pinch or toggle type)
- Water pressuriser
- Hose valve (pinch valve)
- Flush valve
- Solenoid valves
- Pressure/vacuum transmitter
- Hoses
As a testament of the quality of the Glova parts, the German Railway's (DB) technical department did an evaluation of different manufacturers slide valves (a vital part in the toilet) and the Glova manufactured valve came out as the preferred option, both in terms of quality, as well as price. Since then, Glova Rail has supplied many thousands of the slide valve to DB and other railway authorities, such as SNCF in France.
Considering the overall life-cycle cost of a vacuum toilet system, the cost for the spare parts plays a vital, if not dominant role. The toilet might be in service for 15-20 years and over this time, most of the parts will be replaced a number of times. The use of Glova Rail parts will ensure the optimum reliability and economy of the system
BAS Rail & Electrical can supply a complete range of spare parts from Glova Rail for most brands of vacuum toilet systems at competitive prices and lead times.
Vacuum toilet overhaul and repair
Our workshop is fully equipped for all the tasks related to the troubleshooting, repair and/or overhaul of most common types of vacuum toilets and we also carry required spare parts.
Initially, irrespectively if it is a repair or overhaul, the toilet is sanitized and cleaned in a dedicated parts washer
The next step is to perform a functional test of the toilet to determine if there are any obvious malfunctions. Any customer fault report is studied and acted upon.
If the toilet is to be overhauled (2, 3 or 6 yearly), it is completely disassembled, certain parts are de-scaled overnight and all pipework and orifices are thouroughly cleaned. Components are replaced, as per the manufacturer's specifications or on condition.
After assembly, the toilet is tested at least 30 cycles and during this test, the vacuum is recorded and the toilet is inspected for any leaks.
After a repair, a detailed report is issued, showing the nature of any detected faults, what action was taken to rectify the faults and any spare parts used.
If the toilet has been overhauled, a detailed overhaul report is issued, listing the extent of the the work which has been performed and all the parts that have been replaced.
Furthermore, after an overhaul, the toilet is put through a computerized test to objectively verify the various functions of the toilet. This test will also generate a detailed test report.
