Jobs: AD Process Technician Needed by Malaby Biogas, Warminster, Somerset UK

Malaby Biogas are approaching the operational phase of their state-of-the-art Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plant in Warminster, close to Frome and on the Wiltshire/Somerset border.

As a result they are keen to grow the existing team and recruit an AD Process Technician. With the plant approaching the operational phase, this is an exciting opportunity to join a small and innovative company in an increasingly popular industry, which offers a sustainable alternative to landfill waste.

Malaby Biogas is Warminster's newest greentech business

The role:

To efficiently assist with the day-to-day operations of a new AD plant. The plant operates automatically 24/7 but the role will be mainly normal working hours with scheduled weekend duties. This is both a technical and compliance-focused role, as well as an activity which will require physical exertion and some manual work. The AD Process Technican will control the flow and processing of food waste, in a state-of-the-art facility.

You will be responsible for diagnosing operational issues and undertaking corrective action where necessary. You will use initiative and an analytical approach to monitor gauges, meters and control panels, using your judgement to ensure an efficient and effective process. The role will also involve being responsible for loaders, hoppers, pumps, engines and generators, ensuring safe and continuous operations. Record-keeping is critical, and you will keep accurate and detailed records of plant settings and outputs, as well as adhering to health and safety and environmental compliance. The role will have a degree of responsibility for the critical control points within the process.

The person:

We are looking for someone with a fairly unique set of skills, but who principally has a flexible approach to working within a small and focused team in a "start-up" environment. You will be comfortable working autonomously in a responsible and technical role, with a high degree of initiative and a "can do" attitude. A meticulous approach to operations, monitoring and records is essential. At the same time, a willingness to get your hands dirty is also important as without your input on a day-to-day basis the plant will not function effectively.

Educated to a minimum of GCSE or equivalent in Maths and English, the ideal candidate will also be able to demonstrate a strong analytical mind and good IT skills.

The ideal candidate might come from a waste management, engineering or sciences background having worked in a similar process-driven role. Alternatively, the role might also suit someone from a farming or agricultural background looking for a more technically-challenging opportunity.

Due to the growth of this innovative sector, this role offers real and rapid career progression for the right candidate.

To apply please send your CV to: recruitment@malabybiogascom or call Thomas Minter for an informal chat on 01985 211216.

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PROjEN hails Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas exhibition a huge success

PROjEN's attendance at the recent ADBA exhibition and conference at Birmingham's NEC has been hailed a great success by PROjEN BioEnergy Manager Shane Pugh. As well as exhibiting their wide range of services supplied to the AD/Biogas and the Process industries, the Company also contributed a number of papers to the conference and chaired some of the technical sessions.

Shane commented "we knew that we could offer clients a different and more pragmatic approach to AD/Biogas solutions but I was amazed at both the speed and the number of people who have recognised how our approach can help them. Project Management is our day job and our 30 plus years of process plant design and build, coupled with our market leading AD and Biogas knowledge and our lack of ties to any particular technology has really touched a nerve with many. The act of completing the project on time,to budget, safely and utilising the best and most suitable technology available has been shown on many projects to be not as easy as many have claimed".

During the show the Company was able to discuss with clients all aspects of the design and build process including planning and permitting, detailed design,construction, commissioning and training aspects. As well as Project Managementand Design and Build services the company exhibited supplementary services such as DSEAR/ATEX support, Functional Safety, Laser Scanning/3D Visualisations and Hazop Chairing.

John Taylor, PROjEN's Chairman who attended both days of the exhibition, commented "Since 1978 we have been involved in thousands of projects and our reputation is second to none in both project delivery and health and safety. We were delighted to be at the show and found the number and quality of enquiries to be better than most other exhibitions we've experienced. The AD and Biogas industry has really raised its profile in the last couple of years and the number of installations is set to increase rapidly and justify those in ABDA, such as our Dr Les Gornall, who have worked so tirelessly over the years to establish AD as the 'no-brainer' solution to our energy and waste treatment needs".

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Why Farmers Choose the Anaerobic Digestion Process

The farming community will invest to improve their farms and ultimately to improve yield and profit, but there has to be a very good reason for doing so, and when it comes to shelling out hard-earned revenue, or going for additional borrowing, agricultural businesses usually look for dead certain investment winners, or nothing at all.




Yet, many farms are now going into Anaerobic Digestion plant installation and operation, investing in a process which is fairly new, at least for farming applications, and which they would expect to be operating on their farms for at least the next twenty years once installed. On the face of it this is a highly risky investment, and a surprise.

Well actually, there is good reason for this and it has very little to do with improving their crops, although the fertilizer it produces will be very useful there, it is to avoid environmental problems caused by the success of industrial farming methods, and particularly for dairy farmers who over-winter large numbers of stock in barns.

Let's not get too "down to earth" and talk about the brass tacks too much here, so shall we say that the problem is one of waste management, and leave as much as possible to your imagination!

Yes, the run-off from these barns and the effect this can have on pollution of rivers, in dairy farming and beef cattle rearing areas, can be and often is, very serious. So much enteric bacteria (stomach organism) type pollution has been occurring in in some estuarial areas of the UK that the quality of the sea on bathing beaches has failed to meet European Union Green Flag standards after heavy rainstorms.

These farms really have to reduce the pollutants in their run-off, and Anaerobic Digestion of their farm waste using a Biogas Digester is proving to be the top solution, once the problem is recognised. They are having to spend to reduce pollution because not cutting back massively on the quantities of organic waste being washed off their farms will increasingly mean that they will be prosecuted for the water pollution caused. Thus, this is a necessary spend for them, just to keep their farms operating on the right side of the law.

However, a biogas digester also can be used to generate renewable energy and provide fuel to run farm vehicles. So, many are finding it a great way to diversify away from solely food crop income dependence. In fact we would suggest that nowadays every farmer should be aware of the benefits of Anaerobic Digestion for its multiple benefits and great sustainability credentials.

Space is limited here so we recommend that you visit the Anaerobic Digestion community web site. It is well worth a visit for EVERYONE involved in a farm business. Much invaluable additional reading about the Biogas Digester's process, is available on that site.

The Basics Of The Anaerobic Digestion Process

It is, therefore necessary to contain and treat these wastes so that the treated waste sludge is stable; the offensive odour is removed; the quantity of pathogenic bacteria is reduced; the mass and volume of sludge is reduced and the sludge can be readily dewatered and dried.




Anaerobic digestion is the most common method in use today for treating waste water sludges. Its attractiveness comes from it being a relatively stable process if properly controlled, with low operating costs and the production of a useful by-product, a combustible gas, which can be used as a source of energy.

The advantages of this process:

The organic content of the sludges is significantly reduced by conversion into gaseous end-products; the obnoxious odour of the sludge is removed and the final digested sludge has a characteristic 'tarry' odour; fats and greases are broken down by the process; there is a significant reduction in the quality of pathogenic bacteria; there is a marked chemical change after digestion. The liquid fraction (supernatant) contains increased levels of ammonia as a result of the breakdown of organic nitrogen (proteins). This makes the digested sludge liquor potentially suitable for agricultural use; the biogas that is formed is a mixture of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) that can be used for digester heating or to generate power.

The disadvantages of this process:

A relatively high initial capital cost is involved, which tends to limit the process to medium to large size waste water works. The slow rate of bacterial growth requires long periods of time for start-up and limits the flexibility of the process to adjust to changing feed loads, temperatures and other environmental conditions. The process is prone to upsets if not regularly monitored and if corrective action is not taken in time.

Anaerobic digestion is a multi-stage biological waste treatment process whereby bacteria, in the absence of oxygen, decompose organic matter to carbon dioxide, methane and water. In this way, the waste sludge is stabilised and the obnoxious odour is removed. The process can, however be described adequately and simply as occurring in two stages, involving two different types of bacteria. The first stage, the organic material present in the feed sludge is converted into organic acids (also called volatile fatty acids) by acid forming bacteria. In the second stage, these organic acids serve as the substrate (food) for the strictly anaerobic methane-producing bacteria, which converts the acids into methane and carbon dioxide. The end result of the process is a well-established sludge in which 40 to 60% of the volatile solids are destroyed. Finally, a combustible gas consisting of 60 to 75% methane and the remainder largely being carbon dioxide.

The digestion process is continuous. Fresh feed sludge must be added continuously or at frequent intervals. The gas formed during digestion is removed continuously. In high-rate digestion, stabilised sludge is displaced from the digester during feeding. In low-rate digestion, sludge 'supernatant' is normally removed as the feed sludge is added, stabilised sludge is removed at less frequent intervals.

It is essential that the organic acids formed in the first stage of the waste treatment process are converted to methane at the same rate at which they are formed. If not, they accumulate and ultimately lower the pH, leading to inhibition of the second stage of the digestion process and digester failure. Temperature must be maintained within certain ranges - heating increases the activity of the anaerobic bacteria reducing the required digestion time. A pH of 7,0 to 7,5 is recommended to encourage the methane-producing stage. A correctly operating digester will have sufficient buffer capacity (alkalinity) introduced from the breakdown of organic matter.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Waste Treatments [http://waste-treatments.com]