Built to Last: Custom 2-Drum Oven Tackles Heat, Humidity, and Rhizome Recycling
Rugged construction meets biological precision in glasshouse-ready thermal processing unit.
Date: 10.6.2026
Our most recent bespoke drum oven build has now been completed for Cardiff University. Designed to operate reliably in one of the most challenging environments in research – a glasshouse where summer temperatures regularly exceed 50°C and winter dampness is a given.
The unit will play a key role in the university’s perennial plant research, specifically for heat treating rhizomes of plants like mint prior to composting. Without this thermal step, the rhizomes can regrow – but the new oven enables fast, effective deactivation at higher temperatures, speeding up the overall process.
Designed for awkward loads and rough conditions
The research team needed a solution for processing rhizome material (roughly 20 cm in all dimensions) and 3-gallon steel buckets. Standard ovens offered poor space utilisation, so we responded with a custom 2-drum oven featuring deep internal trays to accommodate bulky, irregular loads efficiently.
But the real challenge was the environment.
“We weren’t worried about precise temperature control – ±10°C is fine – but the oven had to be very rugged,” a spokesperson for Cardiff University explained. “It’s going into a glasshouse. Summer ambient temps exceed 50°C, and winters are damp. It also needed to be safe and simple to operate.”
Spec highlights: built for resilience
The finished unit delivers on every front:
Max temperature: 120°C
Control: Digital control with integrated digital overheat protection
Construction: Heavy-duty box section steel throughout
External dimensions: H1500 × W1490 × D1100 mm
Internal dimensions: H1200 × W1390 × D900 mm
Power supply: 415V, 3-phase, 6kW
The box section frame provides the mechanical strength needed for daily loading of steel buckets and deep trays, while the digital overheat protection adds a critical safety layer – especially important in a humid, high-ambient-temperature glasshouse where control systems are often pushed to their limits.
Reliable performance where standard ovens struggle
Standard ovens would struggle with the combination of high ambient start temperatures, damp winter conditions, and the need for rapid rhizome heat treatment. By prioritising rugged build quality over unnecessary precision, we have delivered a solution that is both cost-effective and exceptionally durable.
Looking ahead
Cardiff University’s glasshouse team is now using the oven to streamline their composting workflows, turning what was once a regrowth risk into a fast, one-pass thermal process. The deep internal trays and 3-gallon bucket compatibility have already improved space utilisation significantly compared to their previous setup.
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