1. #adrdforum @adbioresources
DAVID VAUGHAN
SENIOR TECHNOLOGIST, BIORENEWABLES DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
BRIDGING THE GAP
BETWEEN ACADEMIA AND
INDUSTRY

2. Bridging the gap between Academia
and Industry
Dr David Vaughan
Biorenewables Development Centre
(BDC)
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3. • The Bio-renewables Development Centre (BDC)
• Issues of Interaction Between Academia and Industry
• BDC Structure
• Facilities
• Case Studies
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• 2010-2012. Collaboration
between CNAP and CEGC (UoY)
• The BDC is a not for profit/open
access facility.
• limited by guarantee (UoY).
• Funding ERDF, BIS.
• BDC 1 (2m ERDF) BDC 2 (7.5m
ERDF 2.5m BIS).
Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC)

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http://adbiogas.co.uk/about-ad/
• Approach
Academia SMEs
Long term projects Immediate problems
Fundamental problems Not just research assistance needed
• Scale
• Funding
Issues

6. 6
BDC Ltd Board
CNAP/CEGC/University of York
BDC Director
Feedstock Development
Unit Manager
Business Development
Unit Manager
Research Development
Unit Manager
Process Development Unit
Manager
Administrator/PA
Communications and Marketing
Business Development Officer
Business Development
Manager
ERDF Project Manager
Senior Technologist (x3)
Technologist (x3)
Research Development
Manager (x2)
Research development officer
Senior Technologist (x3)
Technologist (x3)
Year in Industry Student
Intern

7. Facilities
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Pre-treatment
– Mills
– Macerator

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– Fibre Expansion
– Microwave

10. AD Lab
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Design, James Chong /Clearfleau (SSPP)
• 30Liter Scale
• Gas volume and composition analysis
• pH control
• Integral dewatering
• Off line VFA analysis
• Analysis equipment
COD
BOD
BMP
FOS/TAC
Nutrient analysis

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Molecular/ Microbiology
• Category 2 microbiology facility
• Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine
• MiSeq platform
James Chong and Henry Nicholls (UoY)

12. Downstream processing/ Analytical Technology
• Dewatering
Filter press
Centrifuge
• HPLC, GC, ICPMS
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Case Studies
Microwave pre-treatment
Feed Worldwide

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• Novel pressurised microwave hydrolysis
• Rapid internal heating
• Uniform heating
• Instant control
• Acceleration of reaction rate
• Selective interaction with active groups
Microwave pre-treatment

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• Aqua Enviro are AD consultants based in Wakefield
• Initial, self funded work showed a 340% increase in
biogas yield in maize silage
• Microwave pre-treatment of anaerobic digester feeds
– 1 Year TSB proof of concept funding
Microwave

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• Pre-treatment should break down complex sugars into
simple sugars
• Increase methane production and reduce retention time
• Turn poor, marginal, and currently unsuitable feedstocks
into prime AD substrate
• Potential for technology to be retrofitted

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Feed Worldwide
• Demonstrate behaviour of a novel, biodegradable,
bag in digester.
• Improve source segregation of food waste
• Proven to be compostable over 180 days
• EU funding £6000

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Bag Shredded Post Digestion
• Can be shredded
• Combined with food waste
• Using food waste digestate as seed
• 20% volume reduction

19. Summary
• BDC
-Not for profit/Open Access
-Grant funding
-Commercial work
-Business assists
• Multifaceted team combining
-Biology
-Chemistry
-Business and Research Development
• Bring together skills and expertise from industry and academia
• david.vaughan@york.ac.uk
• www.biorenewables.org
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