Our Technology

How it Works

Industrial, continuous flow, energy efficient engineering. Through highly disciplined development, which respects industry standard technology readiness levels (TRLs), Biowave was developed as a disruptive technology for the waste treatment sector.

Our early applied research and development focused on the fundamental interactions of microwave energy on organic feedstocks.

This research output provided the foundation for rigorous pilot scale and now, industrial, commercial scale deployment.

Microwave pre-treatment of organic waste for enhanced renewable gas production enables greater yields, in a faster time, for less cost.

Bolt-on, modular, industrial microwave pre-treatment of organic waste for AD plants

Applicable for multiple AD feedstocks

Bespoke remote control and monitoring

Patented technology

Advantages vs other pre-treatment technologies

Rapid pre-treatment (seconds)

Optimum microwave frequency field

Highly energy efficient

Small footprint

Scale from small to large scale AD plants

What are the AD plant benefits?

Improve rate-limiting hydrolysis step for AD

Increase in biomethane production

Lower hydraulic retention times – enables increased AD loading

Liberate the potential of energy dense, difficult to digest feedstocks

Where does Biowave pre-treatment fit?

Scalable Design

A compact, containerised unit (12m x 2.5m x 2.5m) that will integrate with various size anaerobic digestion plants. The modular design is fabricated off-site and does not require excessive on-site infrastructure redesign.

Our Sectors

Biowave™ is a flexible solution for multiple sectors. Find out more about how we apply the technology here.

Common Questions

Biowave can treat any kind of organic waste stream from 1 to 25% total solids content. We work with energy-dense, but poorly degrading organic wastes from municipal wastewater treatment plants, dairy processors, industrial, and food and beverage processors. Talk to us about your needs here.

Biowave™ thermal treatment is more energy efficient than conventional thermal methods because it uses microwaves absorbed by polar compounds on a molecular level to heat the feedstock. The resulting vibration of polar compounds generates heat in situ and uniformly across the feedstock material. This leads to rapid heating and faster chemical reactions.

By contrast, conventional heating relies on conduction and convection from an external heat source throughout the material and results in uneven heating and the formation of hotspots and cold spots. Microwave heating incurs lower energy losses than conventional heating and saves time and energy.

Biowave™ pre-treatment improves the hydrolysis of macromolecules like proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and polymeric substances, and reduces the particle size of solids. These effects make the feedstock more bioavailable to the microorganisms in AD. Results are accelerated gas production and higher methane gas yields. By facilitating the hydrolysis of the feedstock, shorter hydraulic retention times or higher organic loading rates are more accessible.

Biowave™ reduces the concentration of recalcitrant compounds, such as LCFAs and EPS. For example, we have demonstrated up to 66% reduction of LCFA in dairy fat waste. These compounds are inhibitory to AD. Breaking these compounds down using Biowave™ makes the energy-dense feedstock accessible to AD microbes with no inhibitive effects.