The project commenced in April 2016 with a partner meeting in Waterford, Ireland where the project coordinator Ashleigh Farms (Environmental) is based. The requirements for each work package were discussed i.e. who was responsible, who was the lead beneficiary, who were the contributing beneficiaries and sub-contractors, what was required and most importantly timescales agreed.
‘Formal’ technical meetings took place every three months where all beneficiaries and sub-contractors met. In addition to the formal technical meetings there have been a large number of bi-weekly and monthly meetings between the coordinator AFE and individual beneficiaries both in Ireland and the UK.
WP1 - The outline BioWave system has been specified. This specification can now be used to generate PFD and P&ID documentation, so that the system may be designed, component parts ordered and the prototype system built.
WP2 - The microwave system was modelled, designed, and manufactured.
WP3 – The AD unit was designed suitable for commercial validation and a complete Bill of Materials was produced itemizing: Item description, Material, Number required, Power, Supplier and any comments in the form of notes.
WP4 - The sensors have been chosen to support each of the sub-systems being monitored and are tailored to each of these systems, being an experimental unit this system has more sensors than a production unit would, in order to monitor the changes that are expected to be made to the operation of this system in order to optimise the system.
WP5 - The microwave system was built and tested in terms of microwave measurement, temperature regulation, endurance and pressure. All the tests gave satisfying results.
WP6 – The bespoke Anaerobic Digester was built and commissioned
WP7 - All planning and departmental approvals have been granted. The site was designed, prepared and completed for the test rig
WP8 - All commercialisation tasks including a fully developed business plan and dissemination and exploitation plan have been completed
WP9 - The project was managed from initiation right through to validation and completion.
The following deliverables were achieved:
D1.1 Requirements and specifications report
D2.1 CAD design of up-scaled rig
D2.2 Process flow diagram
D2.3 Production and Instrumentation Diagram
D2.4 System components ordered
D3.1 CAD design of AD system
D3.2 Process flow diagram
D3.3 Production and Instrumentation Diagram
D3.4 Bill of materials
D3.5 AD system components specified
D4.1 System sensor specification
D4.2 Microwave reactor and AD control algorithms specified and tested
D4.3 Conduct HAZOP
D5.1 Built microwave reactor with control software implemented
D5.2 Dry testing report
D5.3 Risk assessment report
D5.4 Standard operating procedures
D5.5 Construct containerised unit, carryout working trials, write operating and maintenance manual
D6.1 Built AD validation unit with installed control software
D6.2 Risk assessment report
D6.3 Standard operating procedures
D7.1 On site pig slurry treatment system
D7.2 Field trial report
D7.3 Optimised complete system
D8.1 Plan for dissemination and use of the technology
D8.2 Business plan
D9.1 Ethics requirements
As of end of the project a fully integrated pilot plant has been designed, manufactured, constructed and operated.
