Technology

THE HERU PUTS THE DECISION-MAKING POWER OF RESOURCE MANAGEMENT INTO YOUR HANDS, GIVING YOU THE CHOICE TO REDUCE YOUR ENERGY BILLS AND STOP WASTE ARISING

How it works

The HERU converts many everyday materials, such as paper and card, packaging, plastics, garden clippings, and uneaten food into fuel for domestic and commercial heating applications.

As a user, you simply lift the lid, put in the resource (such as coffee cups and nappies) close the lid, set it to go using the touch screen controls and leave it to work.

By converting everyday materials into energy, avoiding the creation of waste, means the useful outputs (heat energy) are used where they are needed most. This is a highly efficient process. Nothing is lost in transportation or requires processing in carbon-intensive infrastructure. This massively reduces the amount of carbon generated.

Inside the HERU

What happens when you leave it to work is the genius aspect of the HERU technology.

The HERU utilises a well known industrial heat treatment technique known as pyrolysis, but doing it at very low temperatures (up to 300°C) using our patented heat pipe technology.

What is Pyrolysis?

Pyrolysis is a thermochemical decomposition process, which converts substances in the absence of oxygen into:

• Oil
• Synthesised gas (syngas)
• Char

Our Breakthrough Heat Pipe Technology

The breakthrough heat pipe technology was engineered and patented by the team and Brunel University London, making the pyrolysis chamber the most effective ever developed.

The benefit of the patented heat pipes are that they enable an even heat distribution throughout the chamber. This reduces the energy required to heat the chamber and provides better control of the pyrolysis process.

How it works
Items are placed in the chamber and undergo three process stages:

Stage 1: Drying
Stage 2: Pyrolysis
Stage 3: Combustion

The HERU is a highly efficient energy production system with outputs that have been thoroughly tested as being clean and safe to release to air and sewer.

How safe is the HERU?

The HERU has been rigorously tested to ensure it can handle anything that is placed in there.

We know sometimes items may get into the HERU by mistake (such as an aerosol can), and we have safety mechanisms to ensure this will not cause harm.

However, as with all technology, there are some do’s and don’ts. Restricted items, that are not designed to go into the HERU as they provide no benefit or may produce harmful emissions includes batteries, chemicals, pharmaceuticals. Items such as these should be recycled or disposed of appropriately.

The HERU does not process metals and glass, as these require much hotter temperatures to impact their structures. If an object containing mixed metal and plastic were inserted, the plastic would be converted to syngas, oil and char and the metal would simply remain in the unit. Any remaining metal and glass will be cleaned and ready to be sent for recycling.

THE HERU PROCESS CAN GENERATE UP TO 2 TIMES THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY REQUIRED TO OPERATE IT