Biogas facilities
Our biogas facilities enable new/potential users of anaerobic digestion (AD) and biohydrogen to characterise their feedstock to establish its suitability for production of high gas yields.
Pretreatment Vessels
Universal Process Machine
The RoboQbo 15-4 is a Universal Process Machine capable of processing high solid loading slurries up to 30% w/w (dependent on feedstock). The vessel is capable of rapid heating and cooling rates, being able to reach 90 °C within 10 minutes and can be used for a wide range of applications.
This unit has a working volume of 10 litres and a process developed in this unit is scalable up to 550 litres. The vessel is heated via an external steam jacket and if required direct steam injection within the bowl is available. We currently have three types of blades that can be used on this unit these being cutting, mixing and aerating.
Fibre Expansion Unit
We have a range of pre-processing equipment capable of processing a variety of biomass materials. Our custom-made pre-treatment vessel is used for biomass pre-treatments and enzymatic hydrolysis.
The vessel is a 100 L stainless steel vessel grade 316L capable of operating at up to 12 bar and around 180 °C, thereby allowing acid, base, peroxide, enzyme, heat, pressure and fibre expansion (aka steam explosion) treatments to be carried out. A variable speed agitator allows for good mixing of the solid and liquid fractions.
The vessel is jacketed and heated with Texotherm HT22 oil from an external HTF250e Tricool Thermal Heater. This vessel can be used for the pre-treatment of different types of biomass (e.g. wheat straw, wood and Miscanthus) and the fibre expansion vessel is also capable of doing explosion (i.e. rapid release of the pressure inside the vessel to open the structure of biomass).
This is a pressurised vessel which allows us to pretreat biomass in a range of alkaline and acid conditions at high temperatures and pressures.
To use the RoboQbo 15-4 or find out more about its capabilities, please contact us.
We have an extensive range of processing equipment, see below.
Processing
Chromatography systems
Used for purification and separation of complex organic mixtures.
Fermentation facilities
We have several bioreactor systems, which allow the development and scale up of fermentation processes from 500 mL to 30 L.
Filter drier
Our Guedu filter drier is used for separating solids and liquids from each other, before drying the products.
Gas chromatography
Gas chromatography (GC) is a flexible technique that allows separation and quantification of chemical substances found within a complex mixture.
Glass stirred tank reactors
The Buchi Kilo Suite (ATEX Rated 65 L vessel) pilot scale glass reactor suite has a 65 L capacity, capable of operating under various modes including reaction, distillation, crystallisation and extraction.
Thermochemical Equipment
Our pyrolysis microwave allows heating up organic materials in the absence of oxygen (pyrolysis) for a wide range of industrial applications such as energy and chemicals production.
Microwave hydrothermal equipment
The RoboQbo 15-4 is a Universal Process Machine capable of processing high solid loading slurries upto 30% w/w (dependent on feedstock).
Microbiology facilities
Our microbiology laboratory offers a range of equipment allowing users to safely handle, store and work with a variety of aerobic and anaerobic microbes, at ACDP hazard category II level.
QIAcube HT nucleic acid purification
Qiagen QIAcube HT is an instrument for an automated mid- to high-throughput nucleic acid purification in 96-well format using silica membrane technology.
Supercritical carbon dioxide system
Our supercritical fluid extraction system at can extract chemical compounds from biomass materials.
Let's work together
We have worked on 1,500 bio-based projects to date
We have several ways to work with us, including business advisory programmes and self-funded commercial options. We even have the option for you to hire our state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and office space.
