Why the Maltin® System

The Maltin® System has been developed as an entirely new concept for the digestion process based on a series of low energy shaped tanks. The system offers very significant advantages over existing anaerobic digestion technologies available in the market for treating organic wastes.

Mechanical advantages of the tank shape

  • mixing is thorough and complete
  • heating is applied only at the points where it increases circulation within the tank
  • simple to construct
  • no fixed or moving parts inside the tanks

Biological advantages of the tank shape

  • the minimum energy shape ensures that all the organic material is available for digestion, all the time
  • a series of tanks is used to facilitate the different families of bacteria establishing themselves more quickly
  • the fluid dynamics within each tank ensure plug flow through the system so that each stage of the process, with different bacteria, has time to be completed

The tanks are placed in a lagoon of water.

Lagoons are:

  • available worldwide
  • an established and well tried technology
  • can be dug using local labour
  • zero visual impact – no tall towers or industrial appearance
  • appeals to planners
  • appeals to farmers who are comfortable with lagoons, but not with industrial plant

Placing the tanks in a lagoon of water has many advantages:

  • No propensity for leakage:
    • no smell as any minute gas leaks or liquid seepages are immediately obvious
    • such minute leaks are invariably at joints, so simple to rectify, but almost impossible to find on a 'traditional' above ground system
    • very low stress on tanks and joints as the hydrostatic forces are all in balance
    • very safe as tanks cannot collapse, buckle or fall over
  • Heat retention and stabilisation
    • solar energy can be used to heat the lagoon
    • the lagoon acts as a large heat sink
    • temperature falls at only 0.7 degrees centigrade per day when the heat is turned off
    • energy requirements are minimal as the tanks are surrounded by warm lagoon water to reduce heat loss

The tanks and pipes are made of plastic, usually recycled high density polyethylene, which is fully recyclable.

Plastic:

  • is completely inert
  • has a very low life cycle impact
  • is available worldwide
  • is 100% recyclable
  • has very low heat conductivity
  • does not corrode
  • has a long life

Corrosion is mainly caused by hydrogen sulphide which is generated during anaerobic digestion.

This is a serious problem with digesters, corrosion affects not just the tanks but also:

  • electrical connections
  • pipe joints
  • gas meters
  • gas compressors
  • mixing paddles

Corrosion in the Maltin® System is virtually eliminated because:

  • the tanks are placed in a lagoon and there are no gas leaks which are the main cause of corrosion
  • the tanks are made of recycled plastic which does not corrode
  • Most other components are also made of plastic:
    • pipes and connectors
    • gas collection system
    • digester mixing system (no compressor or paddles)

Our low-energy shaped multi-tank system can be used for the treatment of a very wide range of organic wastes, either solid or liquid, including domestic and industrial organic wastes, food processing residues, agricultural slurries and energy crops and for cleaning process water.