AeroThermal’s Solution: distributed all around the wor ld in cooperation with

VULCANES Ltd - FISSORE Agency Monte-Carlo

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.
Exhaustive trials and in-house analysis show the autoclave process modifies the cell structure of the waste and renders the material
suitable for a number of other processes.

For example, by employing Anaerobic Digestion (AD), an easily

accessible biogas is created, which can then be directly used to
feed gas powered generators, that will not only supply sufficient power
to operate the entire processing facility but also provide a surplus to
sell back to the national grid . As part of the AD process, the resultant
substrate can be further treated to derive even higher levels of energy
generation.

A subsidiary company within the AeroThermal Group, EnviroThermal, has

recently agreed worldwide technical and commercial development rights to
market an innovative fixed bed, multidirectional airflow, gasification unit, a
further example of the engineering expertise and range of complementary
products the group brings to the industry in which they operate.
AeroThermal’s engineering competencies, business acumen and wide
ranging experience ensures the Company is well positioned to deliver
bespoke turnkey, process engineering solutions that can be tailored to suit
individual customer’s requirements, designed and implemented to world
class standards.
AeroThermal’s engineering competencies, business acumen and wide ranging experience ensures the Company is
well positioned to deliver bespoke turnkey, process engineering solutions that can be tailored to suit
individual customer’s requirements, designed and implemented to world class standards.

All large scale manufacturing in Europe is handled by AeroThermal’s European partner, specialists in large-
scale fabrications that require high standards of tolerance and finish. The company is ISO9001 certified
and manufactures in accordance with the requirement of such classification societies as Lloyds Register,
TV and DNV. Their team of well-motivated and highly skilled people uses modern machinery in a
spaciously laid out production facility with a maximum hoist-capacity of 250 tonnes. The company is
situated on the banks of a major river in mainland Europe, so AeroThermal’s equipment can be easily
shipped anywhere in the world.

Plant destined for the US market is manufactured by AeroThermal’s

associate company, Thermal Equipment Corporation based in
Torrance, California. It has over forty years of design and fabrication
experience ensuring that our Group is able to maintain worldwide
service and customer support.

AeroThermal Waste Revolution ............. ...............the future is h ere!

How the AeroThermal Autoclave works

How the AeroThermal Autoclave Works

Example of 30,000 T p.a. MSW

There are three key size plants.

•30,000 T p.a. (suitable for food waste)
•90,000 / 100,000 T p.a. (suitable for MSW at local authority
level)
•150,000 / 200,000 T p.a. (suitable for large scale MSW
processing facilities)

With a single autoclave system, comprising two machines, the

installation becomes modular, so that 1, 2 or 3 systems could
be operated in tandem depending upon the specific annual
tonnage requirements of individual councils, unitary
authorities or commercial enterprises
Features & Benefits
Key Operational Features and B enefits of Autoclaving Waste
•2 autoclaves operating in parallel, capable of handling 15 tonnes MSW per load each (for this example only) means that with 24
hour operation the plant can handle up to 300 tonnes per day assuming the mass density to be 225 kg/m3.

•As steam is recycled between the 2 autoclaves it significantly reduces the amount of energy the system requires.

•The steam can be generated from waste heat from the electricity generation plant, powered by the production of methane gas.

•There is minimal operational noise, offensive odours are reduced and harmful toxins are not released into the atmosphere.

•Autoclaved waste has on average a 60% reduction in volume and with the liquid fraction separated at this point, the mass can
be greatly reduced.

•For a plant managing 100,000 tonnes per annum the site requirement is a minimal three acres. Land take should be considered
to be on a “sliding scale”, meaning that a 30,000 t.p.a plant will only require one acre.

•As the process can handle totally unsorted, black bag municipal solid waste at the same time as high organic fraction
supermarket waste and kitchen food waste, it is possible to combine industrial, commercial and residential waste management
strategies.

•The system will process the waste at conditions that satisfy the Clinical Waste Regulations and both Category Two and Three of
the Animal By-products Regulations. Category One is also obtainable, should the in-feed be pre-shredded, subject to site
approval.

•All recyclable materials will be gathered and sorted after the process and will be sterile and clean, therefore commanding a
better price within the open market.
Post Process Options

•Post process options are one of the key benefits of autoclaving. The output can be dried, and subject to the amount of
organic fraction present, the liquid used to produce sufficient biogas to meet the energy requirements of the plant. The
dried cellulose floc can then be sent for recycling within the paper and cardboard industry or it can be turned into a solid
biomass fuel for thermal treatment feed stock and used to produce further green electricity.

•As autoclaving produces a hydrolysed, homogenised waste stream it is perfect for use in anaerobic digestion systems.

•It will increase the potential gas volume by as much as 100% with a far faster rate of production.

•Peak gas flow can be attained in as little as a quarter of the time of a standard AD system.

Key Financial Features and Ben efits of our system are:

•DEFRA estimates that electricity output per tonne of waste is between 75 – 225 kw-hr, dependant on the quality of the
waste stream received (the higher the organic fraction, the higher the energy). With autoclaving the benefits are such that
the system will operate closer to the top of this range at about 200 kw-hr per tonne.
•With a feed rate of 12.5 tonne/hr we will generate 2.5Mw.

•With the allowances for green electricity, this is worth up to 15p/kw-hr or £24 per tonne of waste.
•The plant is totally self sufficient in its own energy needs.

•In 2009 England will see the introduction of the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme (LATS) charged at £150 per tonne over
and above the current cost of disposal. Thus potential revenues for those with a robust waste strategy in place can only be
beneficial.

•With an annual capacity of approximately 100,000 tonnes, this plant is well suited to service the needs of 200,000 people,
negating the requirement for any long distance transport or waste movement across local authority boundaries.
Photo’
Photo’ s of Post Process

Clean sterilised recyclables Clean sterilised recyclables

Non PET plastics Cellulose floc

Examples of Composite Curing A utoclaves