AD Operators Cut Energy Costs

Agrico helps AD operators cut energy costs with Wangen’s BIO-FEED

AD plant owners understand that to maximise operational efficiency and ensure a good return on their investment, it is vital that both solid and liquid substrates are accurately fed into the digester. To simplify the feeding process, reduce the energy required to process mixed substrates and speed up digestion in the tank, German pump manufacturer Wangen has developed the BIO-FEED.

Supplied to the UK market by Wangen’s UK agent Agrico, the BIO-FEED has been designed for biogas plant operators that want to combine existing screw technology at the solids dispenser with accurate liquid feeding. The combined liquid/solid substrate is premixed by the BIO-FEED’s specially developed milling screw within a large mixing chamber. This premixing stage allows the microbes within the digester to get to work immediately, breaking down the feedstock more efficiently and converting it into energy more rapidly, as well as relieving pressure on the agitators further downstream.

Easy to retrofit into existing AD systems, the pump body is equipped with 3 x DN150 and 1 x DN400 connections, which also provide easy access for cleaning. Comprising an innovative X-LIFT quick-change system, wear parts are simple to replace, reducing downtime.

A customer reported: “Now, we only need approximately 2 kWh/tonne of feed-in material, compared to 5 kWh/tonne with our previous screw feed system. The BIO-FEED works perfectly; after 10 months of operation and 13,500 tonnes of input, we’ve not had to replace any parts and are very happy with the energy savings we’re making.”

For more information on the Wangen BIO-FEED or any of Agrico’s range of leading pumping, mixing and agitating equipment, contact 01785 851240 or email office@agricopumps.co.uk