The Portagester ® is a mobile and modular anaerobic fermenter, which can hygienically treat waste material in less than four days. This invention was developed by Bioplex Technologies Ltd as part of a process which digests solid waste materials. (See Fig. 1 below).
It uses the process of mesophilic or thermophilic fermentation (acid phase hydrolysis) to pasteurize feedstock and naturally separate it into solid and liquid fractions.
The Portagester ® can collect the feedstock from one location, travel to a central location where the contents (still in the Portagester ®) are treated and then transport the treated material to the end user. This reduces materials handling and the risk of spillages. The process can be carried out in a walled building to offer protection from the weather, or even in a clear walled building (e.g. polytunnel) to assist the heating process by solar gain.
At the end of the process period, the liquid is screened, drained out and used. The uses include liquid fertilizer, liquid for composting and for anaerobic digestion. The latter can produce biogas, which may be used in a boiler or an engine to generate electricity and heat - and which in a fully operational unit, can be used to help keep the Portagesters ® at the correct temperature. In addition, electricity generated can be used to provide power elsewhere on the site or, in the case of larger systems, exported.
The solid fraction is relatively odourless and can be safely spread onto farmland or composted, which breaks it down more effectively. The composted material is an excellent natural fertilizer and growing medium.
Fig. 1 - Process Flow Diagram A further development of the process is the use of multiple Portagesters ® operating in parallel, preventing cross contamination between feedstocks and aiding tracability of final products. The multiple units are mobile to reduce the amount of materials handling. This approach makes the system modular, so that it can be used in a range of sizes and expanded if the waste processing demand at one site is increased.
Patents have been granted in many countries to cover the process, demonstrating the innovative nature of the approach.
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