Stephen Roe, CEO of AMT, sets out how to generate more biogas from AD feedstocks.

1. Making Waves in the World of Liquid Thermal Processing
Innovative AD pre-treatment
Unlocking the potential of microwaves
Originated by: Stephen Roe, CEO
stephen@amt.bio

2. Making Waves in the World of Liquid Thermal Processing
Contents
• Background
• Imperatives for the industry
• Innovation for AD
• Programme of work
• How to accelerate results

3. Background
Signing of the Paris Climate agreement: Imperative
the world acts on decarbonising
Withdrawal of subsidies. Threatens expansion and
markedly increases the payback period for new
installations.
ADBA Research and Innovation Forum in York (April
2016):
“Challenge to increase biogas
yields by 30%

4. Making Waves in the World of Liquid Thermal Processing
Food vs Energy Crops
“Global rush to energy crops threatens to
bring food shortages and increase poverty,
says UN”
Courtesy: The Guardian, 2007
We can do better and find abundant
feedstocks waiting needing R&D to solve
process problems

5. Making Waves in the World of Liquid Thermal Processing
Dilemma
Grow the industry globally

6. Making Waves in the World of Liquid Thermal Processing
Dilemma
Reduce food competition

7. Making Waves in the World of Liquid Thermal Processing
Dilemma
Succeed without FIT

8. Making Waves in the World of Liquid Thermal Processing
The need
30% more CH4

9. Making Waves in the World of Liquid Thermal Processing
Innovation for AD
100s of technical papers describe positive impact of
microwave pre-treatment on biomass feedstocks in
laboaratories
Most conclude with:
“ …the global outlook is positive for the use of MW irradiation
for the pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass, sludge or
biodiesel feedstock.”

10. Making Waves in the World of Liquid Thermal Processing
Innovation for AD
To overcome the limitations for scaling up MW-assisted
technology for pretreatment, development of a
continuous process offers numerous advantages, but
still poses several challenges that require detailed
investigation especially when working with high
temperature and high pressure”
Armando T. Quitain, Mitsuru Sasaki and Motonobu Goto,
Chapter 6
• AMT technology overcome these
limitations
• Continuousmicrowave pre-treatment is
now available at industrial-scale

11. Making Waves in the World of Liquid Thermal Processing
Microwave Volumetric Heating
AMT’s design of microwave system
heats flowing liquids to a uniform
and precise temperature within ±1°C
without hot or cold spots
The entire volume of the flowing
liquid is heated
This is called Microwave Volumetric
Heating

12. Making Waves in the World of Liquid Thermal Processing
Profound impacts of MVH
# 1.Cell lysis provides access to contents for AD
bacteriaProcess intensification: Microwave
Solvent-free
extraction
Anaerobic digestion is accelerated because the cell wall
has been destroyed allowing the AD bacteria to act much
more quickly

13. Making Waves in the World of Liquid Thermal Processing
Profound impacts of MVH
#2. Rapid bacteria kill, no competition for AD bacteria
AMT sterilises the feedstock eliminating bacteria that would
otherwise compete with the anaerobic bacteria, allowing them to
grow more quickly
It also complies with EU Animal by Products Regulations
Making Waves in the World of Liquid Thermal Processing
Vegetative cells
E coli in PBS
Listeria in PBSMVH appears to kill microbes 10°-12°Clower than
conventional and almostinstantaneously
Test results from
independent research

14. Making Waves in the World of Liquid Thermal Processing
Programme of work underway
Testing on large range of
feedstocks
Process parameters
optimised for maximum BMP
No capacity limitations,
system can be extended
Energy recuperation to
maximise efficiency
Temperature
Pressure
Cellulosic
Protein rich
Feedstock T°C P bar Time sec
2nd sludge
ABP cat 2
Mixed food
& veg
Cellulosic
Rice straw

15. Making Waves in the World of Liquid Thermal Processing
Early results are transformational
• Generates 30% more total biogas
• Retention time reduced by 50%
• Total 60% more biogas from
same facility
• Equipment payback in <2 years
and in some cases <1 year
Data is for animal by-products category 2 specifically
AMT’s pre-treatment technology directly addresses the stated need of the
industry for 30% more methane to make installed AD plants more profitable
after removal of feed-in-tarrifs

16. Making Waves in the World of Liquid Thermal Processing
How to accelerate results and benefits
for the industry
Enter into discussions with AMT
Contribute to research programme
AMT will pre-treat your feedstocks
Get involved, get ahead, take the lead

17. Making Waves in the World of Liquid Thermal Processing
Contact details
Stephen Roe, CEO
stephen@amt.bio
07802 616188
www.amt.bio