Poole-based AeroThermal (www.aerothermalgroup.com) has completed a 65m³ Thermo-Pressure Hydrolysis (TPH) vessel for a new bio-waste anaerobic digestion site in the Midlands. This is a key component of the new facility, and it has been provided in partnership with Jones Celtic Bioenergy.

The vessel left Poole at the end of November in four sections. It will be used to pre-treat food waste and other bio-waste organics prior to anaerobic digestion.

The TPH operates in cycles of 2-2.5hr, processing over 20 tonnes of bio-waste each time. AeroThermal has demonstrated that pre-treating food and packaging waste in the TPH vessel before anaerobic digestion significantly increases methane generation and reduces the amount of material requiring disposal.

Christian Toll, AeroThermal’s CEO, said: “In our in-house lab, we have conclusively proved that there are significant advantages in applying thermal hydrolysis to a wide range of municipal organics.

"We are proud to have developed this system in partnership with Jones Celtic, and we are looking forward to our autoclave generating significant quantities of ‘green’ energy from food waste.”