211 Timelapse prototype
The tiny clip below may need a little explaining to anyone who does not work with bioreactors that have a liquid seal.
It shows a bioreactor (conveniently filled with red liquid) which has been sealed apart from the central draft tube. The liquid has then deliberately been pushed up through the draft tube into the little catch pot at the top, simulating an increase in pressure in the reactor (or a pressure drop outside). Timelapse images were taken over a few hours during which the temperature first fell then rose slightly, making the gas trapped in the reactor shrink then expand, and causing the level of the catch pot liquid to fall then rise.
The video is only a protoype - our Prof Banks is clearly enjoying himself at home during the Covid-19 shut-down. As you can see, he over-egged this first demonstration, as the liquid actually overflows: he says he can get a visible movement simply by warming the reactor headspace in his hands for a moment, and the effect of changes in atmospheric pressure is also quite visible. The video was meant to show logged changes in temperature and pressure. Unfortunately the screen was too blurry on this first version, but he is working on a proper annotated one so we will add the link as a comment when it is available
Our sympathy to all our Environment Lab colleagues who are currently shutting down the lab - including 8 long-term experiments, where researchers who have been running their rigs for months now face losing all their final data. No doubt many other people are in the same situation: as a small consolation, we hope you now have time to work on data analysis, papers and grant proposals. But the main thing is to stay safe and protect others - and meanwhile carry on sharing scientific ideas and achievements.
209 AD launch and basics
209 AD launch and basics
This week, an unashamed plug for someone else's work in an area of great interest to our group.
Last week saw the launch of the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) report on Biomethane: the pathway to 2030. This sets out the vital role of biomethane in meeting climate change goals by helping to decarbonise some of the toughest industrial sectors - including transport, heating, agriculture and waste management. It is available from the ADBA website on the link below, so we will not attempt to summarise the arguments - you should read it. But it is full of the key phrases which motivate our research, and we are sure ADBA will forgive us for repeating some of them:
“There is no net zero without biogas” (EU); “It is a win-win-win-win-win industry” (UNFCCC); “A biogas plant is the hub in the future circular economy” (IEA).
The event was held in the House of Commons and hosted by Alan Whitehead, the Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change (who happens to be the local MP for the University of Southampton area). Angie Bywater and Sonia Heaven attended the launch, and listened to some excellent speeches from Dr Whitehead, ADBA's Chief Executive Charlotte Morton, author of the report and ADBA’s Senior Policy Manager Rebecca Thompson, and some of ADBA's leading industry members. An inspiring event, let's hope it raises the profile of this technology and its applications old and new
Photos of events tend to show people standing in front of things, so instead we are posting the video clip below. It is a beginners' introduction to AD that we sometimes use at Open Days, UCAS days etc. Many thanks to Dr Santiago Pacheco Ruiz who made the first version - it has certainly done a lot of outreach work since then
Links:
ADBA http://adbioresources.org
Biomethane: the pathway to 2030 - executive summaryhttp://adbioresources.org/docs/Biomethane_-_Pathway_to_2030_-_Executive_Summary.pdf
Biomethane: the pathway to 2030 - full repor
208 Composting toilet
208 Composting toilet
A short post with a fairly long video clip - but we believe you cannot fail to be fascinated. It shows a walk around a pair of composting toilets complete with view of superstructure, vent pipes and washwater collection system. Students on CENV6158 Wastewater Process Engineering had a brief introduction to these last week, although the lecture focused more on two brilliant pieces of sanitation technology - the ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrine, and the pour-flush toilet. (Maybe time for another post on these later).
The composting toilet video is one of several taken by Prof Charles Banks during his visit last summer to the University of Southern Queensland (see post 194, link below). The composting system seems to be favoured by the National Park authorities in both Queensland and New South Wales, and also popular with campsites and other locations. Makes sense in a dry country: interesting to compare the pros and cons with VIP latrines, but both are highly effective solutions.
We are spoilt for choice over which video to show, so may add another one or more in the comments for the real enthusiasts. Meanwhile our compliments and congratulations on the quality of build and of user experience in these units - and sincere commiseration for this region, part of which has been very hard hit by the recent fires
Links:
Sustainable Sanitation and Water Management https://sswm.info/sanitation-systems/sanitation-technologies/composting-chamber
Centre for Alternative Technology www.cat.org.uk/info-resources/free-information-service/water-and-sanitation/composting-toilets
USQ visit https://www.facebook.com/environmental.lab.university.of.southampton/posts/1310129225814865
The Environmental Laboratory at Southampton is a leading facility for experiments in biotechnology, bioenergy, waste and wastewater treatment.
