CA1077289A

CA1077289A - Process for converting waste material into compost

Info

Publication number: CA1077289A
Application number: CA244,797A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Pierre M. Philippe
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1976-02-02
Filing date: 1976-02-02
Publication date: 1980-05-13

Abstract

A B S T R A C T
This invention consists of an aerobic windrow fermentation process for converting treated sewage sludge into compost. It is made up primarily of three main ingre-dients i.e. a catalyst, a bio-starter, and the sludge from municipal sewage treatment plants. The catalyst consists of a mixture bird droppings which are high in protein with citrus waste; the bio-starter consists of a fermented mix-ture of the catalyst with sawdust; and the final compost is made up of a fermented mixture of the bio-starter and the treated sewage sludge which, when fermentation is completed, is shredded to make it suitable for storage packaging, and use.

Description

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S P E C I F I C A T I O N
Tis invention consists generally of a process for the conversion of waste material into a compost for restoring or enriching soil, and particularly with such a process which is referred to as Aerobic Windrow Composting.
Hitherto, for many years, it has been the practice to spread raw or inadequately treated waste such as garbage, food preparation waste, and human and animal waste on land used for growing various crops. This material is usually ac-companie~ by highly D~jectionable odors, ana in recent years scientists have began to suspect that this practice may be the cause of transmitting d sease, particularly so in the case involving the use of human waste.
The conversion of waste material into a compost substantially overcomes the above objectionable conditions while at the same time, through metamorphosis, increases the nutrient value of the waste, and converts it into an easily handled and saleable con-modity.
Generally, the above-mentioned conversion is a fer-mentation process which can be carried out under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. During the process of anaerobic compos-ting, a number of intermediate malodorous products are formed this would, of course, interfere with the desireability and saleability of the product, so that the aerobic process is preferred. There is also a choice of two ways of accomplish-ing the aerobic system, i. e. the windrow system, or a me-chanical system which involves a very high cost of equipment and manufacture. This invention therefore consists of an aerobic windrow composting process which is the best selection based on economic and other practical reasons as described above.
In describing the process reference will be made to the attached drawings in which,-,' 1. ~

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Figure 1 is an isometric view of a typical windrowof the compost in the process of fermentation, and Figure 2 shows a ~ariation in the diagram shown in Figure 1.
The ingredients which constitute the chief cvmpon-ents of the process are partially dewatered sludge which re-sults from urban sewage treatment and which contains about 30%
solids; sawdust which is a product of manufacture and which is essential to the production of compost being a convenient source of carbon to adjust the C/N ratio and to provide perme-ability to thè mixture ~or the entry and passage of air there-through; and air, the oxygen of which is necessary to support the various bacterial reactions.
The manufacture of the final compost consists of the blending of three major components and the ultimate reaction betwe~n them. These components are a catalyst, a bio-starter, and the above mentioned sludge.
The catalyst consists-of one part to one part of chicken or other bird droppings which normally contain a high percentage of protein; and citrus waste which is a good source of cellulose. These two ingredients are blended together by repeated shovelling and piling into a conical pile. This blen-ding process is repeated about five times.
To make the bio-starter, the above mentioned catalyst is mixed with sawdust in the proportion of one part of catalyst to ten parts oY sawdust. The mixture is -then moistened to the extent that when a handful of the mixture is squeezed, the resulting patty crumbles rather than remaining in tact. If necessary, additional water and or catalyst can be added to meet the abo~e requirements. The mixture is then piled into a conical shaped pile whicg is ready for fermen-tation. A properly prepared bio-starter should begin fermen-ta-tion within 48 hours during summer temperatures, and within 96 hours during winter

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~ r 1077'~9 conditions~
Any excessive delay in the ~tart of the f~rmentation as indicated above may be due to either an exces~ or shortage o~
moisture in the pile, this can be corrected by breakln~ up and rebu~lding the pile. The fermentation is complete in one month.
The conlcal piles referred to above mu~t not exceed a di~neter o~ 12 feet at the base nor be higher than 9 feet at the peak.
Various standard tests are applied at predeter,nined intervals ~or temperature rise and fall, and mould growth ~hich i~ usually accompanied by an ammonia-like odor~
A preferred way of blending the blo-starte~ with the ~a~te sludge i8 to use a quantity o~ ten ton, whl¢h ls 0quivalent to ten ¢ubic yards of sludge. The proportion used is one part of bio-starter to ~our parts of sludge~ and the tests and control are the same as applied to the blending of the catalyst with the sawdust in the makin~ o~ the bio~starter. In addition, the temperature is check0d every three days. When the temperature drops, the pile is turned. After the second turning a fungus growth appears all over the p~le and continues to do so until the acidity of the pile has dropped to a PH of a~proximately 7.05.
The fungu~ gro~rth appear~ in the form of mushroomq which gro~
during the night and fade in the daylight. A new crop o~ mush-rooms appears every night, and as soon as this gro~th decreases markedly the compost is shredded in a suitable shredding machine for the purpose of activating and generating more heat whereby the growth of the fungus is terminated~ and the process is com-pleted. The entire process usually lasts a period of about t~elve weeks. For the purpose of storing and shipping, the product is ar~a~ and packed in plastic bags.
The conical structure of the pile as described above and sho~n in Figure l of the drawings is used for processing quantitles up to lO ton. For larger quantities, it is necessary to pile the various materials in long piles having a triangular

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10'7 7'~9 cross-se¢tion as shown in Figure 2 o~ the dra~ings, also having a 12 ~oot~max~mum ba~e dlmsnsion ~nd a maximum 9 ~oot height.
There is no l~mit to the length Or the plle, ~ince the length does not affect the fermentation proce~s. me walls o~ the pile must have an even and smooth ~ur~ace, and any o~ the material scattered on the gr~und n0ar the base has ~o be remo~ed~
Where more than one row of piles are used, they are located side by side for the conservation of spa¢e and more con-venient handling, and to prevent bacteria from one pile from penetrating an adjacent pile, the said piles are spaced a mini-mum o~ two ~eet apart.
The fore~oing des¢ription covers the process using ingredient~ whi¢h are easily available in large quantities in the area in which the inventor's plant i9 located. However~
there are many materials available in other locations which can be substituted ~or the ones mentioned abo~e. For instance, in the making of the catalyst, man~ substitute ingredients can be used as ~ollows:-~ a) Syrup ~r~m distilleries and ground sunflower seed hulls.
(b) Wine pumus with any one of the ~ollowing,- spoiled sunflower~, spoiled bran, or ground grain in any condition.
(¢) Cotton gin residue and citru~ waste.
(d) Horse manure with one o~ the following,- ground sunflower seed hulls, ground corn cobs, or grain dust.
Various tests and analyses o~ the ~inished product done by reliable qcientific organizations show the produ¢t to contain anly minute traceæ o~ some harmless inor~an~c materials and no desease carying bacteria o~ any kind~ which can possibly be transmitted to grains,~ruits,or vegetables grown in this compost.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclu-sive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:-

1. An aerobic windrow fermentation process for converting waste material into compost by combining treated urban sewage sludge with a catalyst, a bio-starter, and sawdust to provide an adjusted C/N ratio and air permeability to the mixture, in the proportion of one part of bio-starter to four parts of sludge; piling the mixture into a conical pile having a maximum weight of ten ton, or into a pile of any length, having a trian-gular cross-section, the base of said cross-section being a maximum of twelve feet in length and having a maximum height of nine feet, where the total weight of the pile is greater than ten ton; said triangular cross-section piles being located on the ground in parallel rows, spaced a minimum of two feet apart;
and said mixture being subjected to temperature, moisture, and time controlled fermentation.

2. The process in claim 1 wherein the catalyst is com-posed of equal parts of chicken or other bird droppings which are rich in protein, and citrus waste which is a good source of cellulose; both of these ingredients being blended together by piling and repeated shovelling.

3. The process in claim 1 wherein the bio-starter con-sists of a mixture of the catalyst and sawdust in the propor-tion of one part of catalyst and ten parts of sawdust; moisten-ing the said mixture with water to the extent where a hand squeezed pad of the mixture still has a tendency to crumble;
the mixture is then piled intoconical piles, not to exceed ten tons in weight, not to exceed twelve feet in diameter of the base, nor nine feet in the height of the cone; and subjected to controlled fermentation for a period of one month.

4. The process in claim 1 wherein the catalyst consists of equal parts of syrup from distilleries, and ground up sunflower seed hulls.

5. The process in claim 1 wherein the catalyst consists of wine pumus with spoiled sunflowers, or bran, or spoiled ground up grain, in equal parts.

6. The process in claim 1 wherein the catalyst consists of cotton gin byproducts and citrus waste, in equal parts.

7. The process in claim 1 wherein the catalyst consists of equal parts of horse manure and ground sunflower seed hulls, or with ground peanut hulls, or with ground corn cobs, or with grain dust.