BioFactory - Low-cost, sustainable biogas production, through self-contained, off-grid latrine/waste-processing systems

该项目由4个主要合作伙伴组成，包括The BioFactory Ltd（以下简称BF）、西英格兰大学健康技术中心（以下简称UWE）、ADEL Sofala（以下简称ADEL）和南部非洲资源中心（或Bristol Link to Beira -以下简称BLB）。每个合作伙伴都被选中在项目中利用他们的核心优势。目前正在进行这个项目，以了解和发展学校、非正式住区和难民营内沼气的使用。该项目包括研究、设计和开发BF的独立系统，用于离网废物管理，该系统极大地提高了厕所的质量，并通过处理成沼气和土壤调节剂来捕获和保留废物。沼气将被用作烹饪燃料，从而使社区对木炭和木柴的依赖减少40%。该系统是为120-200个全职用户之间的社区设计的。BF的系统作为一个整体，是通过具体部件的集成而创新的；通过现场处理废物，沼气可以通过公共厨房直接卖给用户，而不需要运输和储存（通常是废物管理的巨大成本）。围绕BF系统的商业计划也是创新的，通过沼气销售的成本回收，我们可以免费为那些没有厕所的社区提供改善的厕所。该项目将遵循厕所处理系统的发展阶段。第一个原型系统将在英国建造，用于制造测试，从机械和电气角度验证设计，并测试过程功能。UWE将为系统输出开发关键的生物测试方法，以确定处理过程的有效性。英国原型机将被用作执行过程灵敏度测试的试验台。由于预算变化和与covid相关的延误，我们将无法按计划在莫桑比克部署一个系统。这一部署无限期推迟，同时寻求其他供资安排，以便拟订新的计划。与此同时，生物工厂概念的技术发展以及关键的工程和生物安全创新将继续在英国进行。

This project consists of 4 major partners, including The BioFactory Ltd (herein BF), University of West of England's Health Tech Hub (herein UWE), ADEL Sofala (herein ADEL), and Southern African Resource Centre (or Bristol Link to Beira -- herein BLB). Each partner has been selected to utilise their core strengths within the project. This project is being undertaken to understand and develop biogas use within schools, informal settlements and refugee camps. The project includes the research, design and development of BF's standalone system for off-grid waste management, that dramatically improves quality of toilet access, capturing and retaining the waste through processing into biogas and soil conditioner. The biogas will be used as a cooking fuel to reduce charcoal and firewood dependency within the communities by a 40%. This system is designed for communities of between 120-200 full-time users. BF's system as a whole, is innovative through the integration of specific components; by treating the waste on site, the biogas can be sold directly back to the users through communal kitchens, without the need for transport & storage (often a very large cost in waste management). The business plan surrounding the use of BF's system is also innovative, through cost recovery from biogas sales, we can provide improved latrines for free to communities that otherwise don't have access. This project will follow the development phase of the latrine-processing system. A prototype first system will be built in the UK for the purpose of manufacture testing, validating the design from a mechanical and electrical perspective, and to test process functionality. UWE will be developing critical biotesting methods for the system outputs, to determine the effectiveness of the treatment process. The UK Prototype will be utilised as a test bed to perform process sensitivity testing. Due to budget changes and Covid-related delays we will not be able to undertake the planned deployment of a system to Mozambique. This deployment is indefinitely delayed while alternative funding arrangements are sought, such that new plans can be drawn up. In the meantime technical development of the BioFactory concept and the key engineering and bio-safety innovations will continue in the UK.