Patent ID: 6399359
Filing Date: 2002-06-04
Classification: C05F,Y02P,Y02W

Abstract:
A method of operating an open air composting system including (a) an area having a base for holding and treating compostable material; (b) in use, a mass of compostable material located in the area; (c) a weatherproof cover having an outer surface which conforms during composting, to the mass of compostable material and being secured to said base of said area for defining with said base a composting environment; (d) means for securing the cover to the base for forming said composting environment; (e) aerating means including a gas inlet means for flowing moist oxygen containing gas to said composting environment and gas outlet means for collecting moist spent process gas from said composting environment, a portion of said moist spent process gas being recycled to the composting environment in combination with a portion of fresh oxygen containing gas; and (f) a control unit for controlling an operation of the aerating means during composting wherein a ratio of said portion of moist spent process gas recycled to said composting environment to said portion of fresh oxygen containing gas is controlled in accordance with a measured variable of said portion of said spent process gas recycled to said composting environment to control oxygen concentration and moisture content of said mass of compostable material, said method comprising delivering the mass of compostable material to the area for holding compostable material, the area and the weatherproof cover or structure for said area defining an environment in which composting occurs, an environment condition of which is controlled to promote the composting process.