RE-SOLVE is a powerful dual-action additive that combines the enzymatic capabilities of products like ENERPLUS with the crust-busting effects of METHOGAS into one formula.
It is specifically engineered to tackle two common issues in anaerobic digesters: stubborn substrates that resist breakdown and floating layers (“crusts”) or sedimentation that interfere with mixing. By incorporating both a broad enzyme blend and special polymers, RE-SOLVE can aggressively break down organic matter while simultaneously homogenizing floating layers into the liquid.
This makes it particularly useful for digesters suffering from surface crusts, bottom sludge build-up, or recurring mixing dead zones, often due to fibrous feedstocks or suboptimal mixing regimes. In short, RE-SOLVE improves substrate degradability and digester mixing in one go, leading to better biogas yields and reduced maintenance hassle.
Crust and Sediment Elimination: RE-SOLVE effectively counteracts floating crusts and bottom sediments in the fermenter. It helps break up those solid layers and integrate them back into the liquid digestate, ensuring a more homogeneous mixture and eliminating gas-trapping scum.
Enhanced Fiber Breakdown: With an enzyme profile similar to ENERPLUS, RE-SOLVE improves the degradability of fibrous material in the feed. Even tough substrates that normally linger (like straw, hay, or thick skins) are broken down more completely, releasing additional biogas potential.
Combined Actions for Convenience: It combines the benefits of two products (ENERPLUS + METHOGAS), meaning you only have to use one additive instead of two. This simplifies operations and potentially lowers cost compared to buying separate solutions.
Restores Mixing Efficiency: By dissolving crusts and preventing their formation, RE-SOLVE ensures that mixers can operate efficiently, with no resistant layers causing drag. This leads to more uniform heating and digestion throughout the tank, and reduced risk of equipment strain or failure.
Improved Biogas Output: The dual effects (more substrate conversion and elimination of gas-blocking crusts) translate to higher biogas production and capture. Gas that would be trapped in a crust now gets released, and extra feed gets converted. The result is a boost in methane generation and overall plant performance.
RE-SOLVE’s mode of action has two main components working in synergy:
Enzymatic Hydrolysis: It contains a robust enzyme cocktail (like ENERPLUS) that targets organic polymers – cellulose, hemicellulose, starches, proteins, etc. These enzymes accelerate the breakdown of solid feed particles, converting them into soluble compounds that microbes can easily digest. By doing so, RE-SOLVE increases the fraction of the feedstock that is actually digested and reduces the fraction that would remain as indigestible residue or contribute to crust formation.
Polymeric Crust Disruption: In addition to enzymes, RE-SOLVE includes electrically charged polymers (akin to those in METHOGAS, such as polyamines) which have a flocculating or binding action. These polymers work by binding to floating solids and fibrous particles, altering their surface characteristics and causing them to either sink or disperse. They effectively break the cohesion of the crust layer. In other words, what once stuck together as a mat is now broken apart and wetted. They can also bring settled solids back into suspension by reducing their tendency to clump.
By combining these, RE-SOLVE first softens and breaks down the crust material enzymatically (making it less of a solid mass), and then the polymers pull it apart and mix it in with the rest of the digestate. The result is that a floating layer gets “dissolved” into the liquid. Similarly, sediments at the bottom that might harbor undigested matter are enzymatically attacked and then lifted into flow by polymer action and mixing.
Additionally, because it breaks crusts, RE-SOLVE prevents the formation of anaerobic pockets in the digester (a crust can create a dry zone where no mixing or gas escape happens). This ensures gas formed can escape easily and be captured.
Since RE-SOLVE addresses physical mixing issues and biochemical breakdown together, it’s particularly potent for systems that have either design limitations (e.g., an under-mixed digester or a high aspect ratio tank prone to crust) or feedstock that naturally forms crust (e.g., cattle manure with straw bedding). It’s like a one-two punch: chemically break the crust, biologically eat it up.
Applying RE-SOLVE will depend on the severity of the crust issue and the volume of the digester:
Initial "Shock" Treatment: If a significant crust or sediment layer is present, a higher dose might be recommended initially to break it up. This could mean dosing daily over a week or two at a robust rate to ensure the crust is fully resolved.
Maintenance Dosing: Once the digester is free of crusts, you might continue with a lower regular dose to prevent new crust formation and keep fiber digestion high.
RE-SOLVE comes in 2.5 kg and 5 kg biodegradable bags. Dosing is often in that range per interval, similar to ENERPLUS + METHOGAS combined:
As RE-SOLVE is an agressive blend of enzymes one should consult Realistic Agri for exact dosing, but as an indication to dose, many enzyme/crust products are dosed around 0.1–0.2% of feed or per volume. A 1 MW plant might use ~5 kg/day of RE-SOLVE (similar to ENERPLUS’s recommendation) or less, giving both enzyme and polymer needed.
Application method:
If in biodegradable bags, just add the bags into the digester/feeder.
If loose, you can dissolve it in water (especially if crust is present, pouring the solution over the crust through an access might help contact). In fact, to target a floating crust, open a top hatch and pour/drench the crust with RE-SOLVE solution. This direct application helps the product penetrate the crust.
For general dosing, putting it in with the feed or through an injection point works, since mixing will carry it around.
Focus on applying to where the crust or sediments are worst. If bottom sediments, maybe recirculate from bottom drain and mix RE-SOLVE into that.
Safety tip: Breaking a crust can release trapped biogas suddenly; ensure proper gas management and safety when applying shock doses to a closed digester with a big crust (gradual mixing recommended).
You should start to see the crust loosening (perhaps chunks breaking apart and sinking) in days. Gas production might temporarily spike due to trapped gas release. Over a couple of weeks, the goal is a completely liquid surface.
Monitor visually if possible, or monitor mixing power (if a crust breaks up, mixer power might drop or become more cyclic instead of stalled). Also, draw digestate samples to see if solids content evens out between top and bottom.
RE-SOLVE’s packaging in 2.5 kg or 5 kg bags means it’s easy to handle in portions. Those biodegradable bags mean you can toss them in whole without opening, which is very convenient and reduces contact with the product, although note the application guide above about pouring directly onto crusts.
Storage: Like other enzyme/polymer products, keep in a dry, cool place. Polymers and enzymes can both be moisture-sensitive. The product likely has a mix of dry ingredients, so preventing caking or pre-reaction is key. Keep bags sealed until use.
Handling: When handling open product:
Enzymes and fine powders -> wear a mask and gloves.
Polymers (polyamines) can be irritant if contacted; also they can be a bit sticky if wet. Avoid skin/eye contact; if mixing in water, maybe wear goggles as some polyamines can cause slight skin or eye irritation at concentration.
If you get it on you, wash with water. If a lot of dust is present, ensure ventilation.
When applying to crust:
Use caution; ideally have two people, with one following safety protocols for confined space (though you’re not entering, just opening hatch).
The biodegradable bag method: toss onto the crust and let it dissolve (slower effect) or tear bag and spread contents for faster action.
If the bag is dropped in, it might take a while for it to soak and break, but it ensures even distribution as the mixers churn it.
Because it contains polymer, any leftover solution (if mixed outside) can be slippery. Also, polymer solutions can foam slightly if agitated hard. Just be mindful when mixing outside.
Environmental: The components (enzymes and polymers) are chosen for digesters, so they biodegrade. Spills can be cleaned and thrown into the digester or disposed; small amounts won’t harm normal sewage.
RE-SOLVE’s ROI is seen in solving potentially very costly problems:
Avoids Manual Crust Removal: In plants without RE-SOLVE, a thick crust might require shutting down the digester, opening it, and mechanically removing the solids – a process that is extremely costly (lost production, labour, equipment hire, safety risks). By preventing that, RE-SOLVE can save tens of thousands of pounds and significant downtime in one go.
Maximises Active Volume: A crust or heavy sediment effectively reduces the working volume of a digester (gas can’t escape, mixing can’t reach, volume occupied by solids). By eliminating these, RE-SOLVE restores full digester capacity, which means you’re getting the throughput and gas yield that you paid for in your digester construction. In financial terms, if a crust was causing, say, a 10% drop in gas capture, removing it gives 10% more gas – that’s a revenue boost.
Consolidated Product Savings: Instead of buying a separate enzyme product and a separate polymer or chemical for crust control, RE-SOLVE combines them. Often, such combo products are priced favorably compared to buying two, and at least saves on handling two dosing regimes. The simplicity can reduce operator error or missed doses, which itself protects ROI by ensuring consistent treatment.
Efficiency and Output Gains: The enzyme side of RE-SOLVE yields similar benefits to ENERPLUS – better breakdown, more gas from feed, less residue. That alone can pay off (see ENERPLUS ROI). The crust removal ensures none of the produced gas is lost or flared (because a crust can cause irregular gas release or safety flaring events if not managed). Thus all the biogas is utilised, translating to maximum revenue from your feedstock.
Energy Savings: If mixers were struggling against a crust (drawing high amps) and after RE-SOLVE the crust is gone, the mixing power may drop or you can reduce mixing frequency. This saves on electricity. Also, if you had to run a separate agitator just to manage a crust, you might be able to turn it off after treatment.
Reduced Wear & Repair: Crusts can cause things like bent mixer blades, stalled motors, and such due to their resistance. Sediments can cause damage to pumps if drawn out suddenly. By preventing these stress conditions, RE-SOLVE indirectly extends equipment life, lowering maintenance and replacement costs.
Flexibility in Feedstock: Knowing that RE-SOLVE can handle crust formation might allow you to feed materials that you avoided before (like high fiber or high fat that cause scum). This could let you take on cheaper feed or waste, improving profit. E.g., a plant might avoid FOG (fats oils grease) because of scum, but with a solution at hand, they might co-digest it and get the energy benefit plus tipping fees.
Quantitatively, suppose a digester had a 20 cm crust that made mixing inefficient. With RE-SOLVE, gas output goes up 5% (from better fiber digestion) and another 5% from capturing trapped gas, total 10% more. For a 500 kW plant, 10% more is 50 kW ~ 1200 kWh per day. At 15p/kWh, that’s £180/day more revenue, or ~£65k/year. The cost of RE-SOLVE would be far less than that, yielding a great ROI. Even if these numbers vary, it's clear that solving crust issues and improving digestion has a major financial upside.