AeroThermal Group

Waste Autoclaves

AeroThermal's autoclave is a pressure vessel that steam treats its contents at a constant temperature and pressure, serving to sterilise, clean, break-down lignin structures and reduce waste volume by approximately 60%. Then, by applying a secondary process the true added value of the autoclave can be realised. These qualities can not only serve to increase landfill diversion rates, but if the process by-product, cellulose floc, is used to its full advantage, clean, green energy can be derived from waste.

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Gasification

The EnviroThermal fixed bed gasifier is an innovative design that utilises a revolutionary multidirectional airflow. The system is currently being rigorously tested under University conditions and a small demonstration prototype will soon be available in Poole, Dorset.

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Anaerobic Digestion

Anaerobic Digestion (AD) is the preferred stabilisation process for the treatment of wastewater sludge and organic wastes. The process provides volume and mass reduction and delivers valuable renewable energy with biogas production. Anaerobic digestion is a simple process that can greatly reduce the amount of organic matter that might otherwise be destined for landfill or burnt in an incinerator.

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Handling System

vulcanes Sorting

  • All materials exiting the autoclave are initially sized through a course screen grid to remove oversize objects above 180 mm.
  • The balance of the material is automatically conveyed to the first Starscreen separator which removes materials sized between 0 – 12 mm, this is followed by an –
  • Air separator to remove light materials and a –
  • Second line rotating drum magnet to remove any ferrous content. (Please note: optional water bath separation is also available at this stage, should a particularly high level of separation be required).
  • The balance of the material stream is passed to a second Starscreen sizing items between 12-50mm, which is again fitted with an additional air separator.
  • The material is then passed through two further magnetic fields via a drum magnet and an overhead band magnet.
  • The waste stream is also subjected to eddy current separation for the removal of any aluminium materials.
  • Optional additional separation is also available for the removal of brass and copper, plus infrared detection for the removal of specifically selected plastics.

The benefits of separation at this point include:

Financial

  • This innovative sorting system eliminates the requirement to source segregate Municipal Solid Waste thus reducing collection, transport and contractual costs.
  • Removes the need for costly hand picking lines for recyclables.
  • Produces an organic fraction ready for secondary processing and sterilised, clean recyclables that command a higher market price.

Recyclates

  • Post process the vast majority of plastics are reduced in volume and rolled up into easily removable balls.   Metal cans have their labelling and any residual food contents removed and aluminium and glass are sorted, cleaned and sterilised.
  • The autoclave process does not destroy any material with a potential recyclable value.  It simply changes their form to facilitate separate collection thus allowing recycling of the cellulose floc for cardboard or re-use as a feed stock for AD or thermal processing.

Time

With an individual vessel process time of 144 minutes per cycle, a pair of autoclaves can deliver 20 operational cycles per 24 hours.  When combined with an efficient organic digestion facility, this ensures the system has the ability to be energy self sustainable, permitting a fast low cost and highly efficient method for the processing of municipal solid waste.