Digestion of waste in biocells (2012-2015)
Abstract
This goal of this proposal is to demonstrate and tune a concept for rapidly degrading solid organic waste in polyethylene bladders called biocells. Fundamental research at UQ has demonstrated that the degradation of organic solids is facilitated by microbial biofilms that grow on the surface of the waste. These biofilms are not tenacious and easily disrupted. Following on from this, Thiess Services and UQ have demonstrated that organic waste can be degraded in simple bladders at rates that match the rates achieved in current commercial digester designs, without the expense and complexity of these continuous processes.
