Eco-innovation success

SCFI has unveiled a fully functioning AquaCritox demonstrator unit following the award of funding under the EU’s Eco-innovation Initiative to develop commercial opportunities for its world-first sustainable waste treatment technology.

The portable unit is housed in three adapted shipping containers and can be taken to sites across the globe to demonstrate the effectiveness of the AquaCritox system in actual industrial environments and across a range of waste types.

This newly realised potential for real-time demonstration of AquaCritox technology in true operating conditions is a major step forward for SCFI in proving both technical and commercial effectiveness. The Eco-innovation funded project overcame a number of engineering and technological hurdles to create a demonstrator unit which is flexible enough to show hydrothermal oxidation (HTO) at various pressures and temperatures while handling different types of waste flow.

“When it comes to truly innovative technology, quite often seeing is believing,” commented SCFI’s John O’Regan, at an event to launch the demonstrator unit. “Thanks to the Eco-innovation initiative, we will be able to show many more people just how effectively AquaCritox works.”

What is Eco-innovation?

The Eco-innovation initiative helps SMEs with innovative, environmental products that have been previously piloted, overcome obstacles to commercial success. It’s part of the EU’s commitment to not only boost economic growth, but ensure Europe leads the way in helping meet the world’s sustainability challenges.

With wet waste destruction and disposal a notable commercial and environmental problem globally, SCFI’s AquaCritox technology was selected for grant funding – providing a safe, secure and sustainable solution that had not been realised before.

The project

The Eco-innovation grant supported SCFI’s mission to position AquaCritox technology at the forefront of the global waste treatment industry. The project provides evidence of its significant environmental and financial benefits, and also demonstrates the commercial feasibility of the technology, establishing a viable route to market for a range of applications.

The specifics

The project has seen the design, manufacture and building of an AquaCritox demonstrator unit in Cork, Ireland, which can carry out comprehensive testing of the technology’s treatment of municipal and industrial sludges wherever around the globe that a demonstration is required.

The partners

As well as SCFI, other partners involved in the Eco-innovation project included: Air Products (to meet all oxygen supply and equipment needs); Eras Eco (Ormonde Organics) (for demonstrator testing support), Ecuity Consulting (to address regulatory and certification activity) and Richmond & Towers (to coordinate all marketing and dissemination).

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