A new partnership will increase the sustainability potential of organic and food waste recycling, say the firms behind it. Bisviridi is a new company formed between anaerobic digestion (AD) operator the BioteCH4 group and Alfa Laval, a specialist in heat transfer, centrifugal separation, and fluid handling.
The partnership combines Alfa Laval’s Prodec Oil Plus decanter, said to be designed to maximise oil separation, and AD, to turn oil and fats waste into biofuel, using a process developed and patented by Bisviridi.
The product, Bio Crude, is described as a sustainable alternative to oil-based fuels, which can be produced as a separate revenue stream, cost-effectively and at scale.
There is potential for it to be further refined into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Bisviridi is an off-shoot from BioteCH4’s expertise in AD. The idea of finding a new use for the waste oils, fats, and grease fraction in AD organic waste inspired Bisviridi’s name – bis viridi means ‘twice green’ in Latin.
Lee Dobinson, Chief Commercial Officer of Bisviridi, said: “Not all fats, oils and greases are consumed by the AD process but can still be used for good.
“The fluctuation in oil prices over the last few years and the need for large biodiesel companies to find new sources of sustainable waste-oil streams has led us to develop a way of harnessing this waste material and diversify the output of the BioteCH4 business, increasing its revenues and sustainability.
“We are very excited to be entering into a new partnership with Alfa Laval, which will bring together our expertise in anaerobic digestion and their rich history and success in separation technology to develop this process even further, with a potential for large-scale production worldwide.”
“To ensure the success and longevity of the partnership, Alfa Laval’s comprehensive product knowledge and global service presence will fully support the entire lifecycle of the decanter skid,” said Carl Rehncrona, Business Unit President in Alfa Laval. “Together with Bisviridi, we are setting a new benchmark in AD, and we are confident that we can make significant positive impact on the industry transforming food waste, creating a more sustainable and resilient future.”
The Bisviridi process can be incorporated in any AD facility using the Alfa Laval Prodec Oil Plus decanter. The oil is removed from the organic waste going through the AD process prior to the methanogenesis stage. Once the oils, fats and grease content has been removed from the feedstock, the remaining solid and liquid content is seamlessly recombined, and continues back into the AD system with minimal impact on biogas production. The bio crude that has been separated can have a purity up to 99.5% and can then be sent to refineries to contribute to biofuel production and the SAF market. Using the Bisviridi process together with the Alfa Laval Prodec Oil Plus decanter, BioteCH4 produces up to, but not limited to 300 litres of oil per hour. This can be turned on and off with no interruption to the existing AD system at the operator’s discretion.
