PROCEDURE FOR THE FORCED MATURING OF THE ORGANIC SUBSTANCES IN COMPOST

Abstract: The invention concerns a procedure for the forced maturing of the organic substances in compost, whereby the maturing is obtained by blowing and aspirating air within heaps (10) of any kind disposed in a suitably equipped area, and also concerns a device employing said procedure and a compost thus matured, the invention being characterized by the fact that one single machine (15) which produces a stream of air and which is connected to suitably joined pipes (22) serves both to aspirate and to blow air whereby the control of said operating variations in relation to the maturing compost (10) is achieved by the actuation of valves (17-18-19-20-21).

Description: Description of the invention entitled: . "PROCEDURE FOR THE FORCED MATURING OF THE ORGANIC SUBSTANCES IN COMPOST" The subiect of this invention is a procedure for the forced maturing of the organic substances in compost. To be more exact, the subject of this invention is a Dfirocedure for the forced maturing of the organic substances .in compost by blowing and aspirating air within heaps of any type disposed in a suitably equipped area. A further subject of the invention is a plant which em -ploys said procedure. The compost also which is obtained with said procedure .is a variant and another subject or the invention. There exist various trials and system for accelerating. the process of composting the organic fraction in wastes and sledges by aspirating or blowing air within the fermenting material, but it seems that heretofore no methods have been. .employed which envisage the combination of the two systems .and which obtain cycles of blowing and aspirating air with - the use of only one machine producing the stream of air,whe- reby said machine can equally well be a fan, blower or any h desired ventilating unit. The procedure of the invention enables some unusual characteristics to be obtained such as: the obtaining of blowing and aspirating phases with only one machine produc ing the stream of air, whether said machine be a fan or blower or ventilating unit, and with a suitable system of - pipes: the system of valves of the untt and the control . system, which is, for instance, of an electropneumatic type or the like, enables the flow to be inverted as desired: the timing system permits the duration of the blowing and . aspirating phases to be regulated independently: the regul- ating system enables the flow of air blown and aspirated to be suited to the time or to any one of the process para meters such as the temperature, free oxygen, carbon dioxide, puff, moisture, etc. for example, or to one or more combinat ions thereof. The procedure of the invention makes many advantages available. 7he first advantage is the ability to minimise . the composting time by supplying to the fermenting material the amount of air needed at each stage in the maturing pro.- cess. Another advantage is the ability to control the distri- bution of moisture in the material in the various zones on the heaps, thereby avoiding a build-up of moisture in the zones near the pipes aspirating and immitting air and in zones near the surface of the heaps. Yet another advantage is the ability to avoid excess-ive dispersion of the heat generated by the process with - continuous blowing of air and at the same time to obviate . the formation of preferential paths for the air in the ma- trial. A further advantage is the ability to supply continuously the oxygen needed by the microflora by permitting the oxygen to flow normally and thereby minimising the ferment action time. Indeed, in contrast to systems using only blow .ing or only aspirating, the invention eliminates the need fpr .halts, which are harmful to an even and uniform development. .of the microflora. Another advantage still is the ability to .supply the exact amount of air, and therefore of orygen,need- .ed in the various maturing phases so as to have the correct. .amount of free oxygen within the heaps of fermenting material. It is also an advantage to be able to control the temper- ature of the fermenting material, thereby avoiding levels of temperature harmful to the regular performance of the pro - cess. It is a further advantage to be able to minimise the energy required for the whole process; the procedure of the invention is carried out with a system for aspirating and blowing air, the system being embodied with one single group or machine producing the stream of air, whereby said machine is connected to a plurality of pipes or ducts which convey - the air and whereby said pipes are governed by appropriate - valves. According to the invention the pipe is connected to a distribution system cooperating with a heap located in a . .suitably equipped area and the distribution system is con- . .nect8di to a manifold cooperating with a possible condens- . ate trap. From said condensate trap a pipe extends which divides. into two branches and is connected thus both to the aspirant. ion intake and to the delivery outlet of the machine produc .ing the stream of air; after dividing into two branches thepipe is sectionalised by suitable valves. Additional auxiliary pipes can be envisaged for making. possible the discharge of aspirated air either into a heap . of mature compost or into the atmosphere, or else possibly - or aspirating air from the environment or from the heap it .self. The invention is therefore realised with a procedure .for the forced maturing of the organic substances in compost whereby the maturing is brought about by blowing and aspirsating air within heaps of any kind disposed in a suitably -equipped area, said procedure being characterized by the fact that one single machine. which produces the stream of .air and which is connected to suitably joined pipes serves - .to blow and to aspirate air, whereby the control of said -operating variations in respect of the maturing compost is . .obtained by the actuation of valves. It is also within the scope of the idea of the invent .ion to envisage a plant for the forced maturing of the or- - -ganic substances in compost by means of the blowing and as .pirating of air within heaps of any kind disposed in a suit .able equipped area, said plant being characterized by in- . .cluding a manifold cooperating with a possible condensate .trap, whereby a plurality of pipes cooperating with the aspirating intake and with the delivery outlet lies between .said possible condensate trap and the unit producing the .stream of air, and whereby said pipes are sectionalised by .means of shut-off valves, and whereby there are pipes for . .aspirating from and/or for discharging into the atmosphere . .or for discharging into a heap of mature compost. Let us now look at an embodiment of the invention with .the help of the attached tables, which are provided as non restrictive examples. The tables give the following: .Fig.I shows a diagram of a lengthwise vertical section of a plant of the invention; .Fig.2 gives a diagram of a plant of the invention as seen from above; -Figs.3 & 4 respectively show two systems of the working of. the invention. The plant which employs the procedure of the invention .for the forced maturing of the organic substances in compost. Is positioned in an appropriately equipped area where there is a heap 10 of the organic substances being converted into .compost by forced maturing. The organic substances are arran .ged in heaps 10 disposed in various and preferential ways. Air is blown or aspirated within said heaps 10 through. .a plurality of perforated pipes or equivalent systems 12 ly ing in a position II substantially below the heap IO itself. .Said plurality of perforated pipes 12 is connected to one or more manifolds 13. To the manifold 13 is connected a pipe which conveys . the blown or aspirated air through a possible condensate -trap I4, which may perhaps function automatically. The aspiration or blowing of air through said pipe 22t. .122 is governed by the action carried out by the unit 15 pro .ducing the stream of air. - Said unit 15 producing the stream of air can be a fan . .or a blower or else can be any desired ventilating unit. . Said unit IS producing the stream of air is connected . .to a compiles of pipes 222-322-422-522 which cooperate with .the aspirating intake and the delivery outlet of said unit,. vases shown clearly in Figs. 2, 3 b 4. Shut-off valves 17-18-19-20-21 respectively cooperate . .with said pipes or ducts 22 and serve to close and section-. alive or to connect the various pipes 22 as desired. Said valves can be actuated by an electropneumatic or . .electric or hydraulic system or by any other system suitable for the purpose. The unit 15 producing the stream of air is driven ad- . vantageously by an electric motor or by any other desired - .motor means and the flow of air is regulated advantageousy .by the valve 17 positioned in the aspirating intake. The individual aspirating or blowing phases are obtain ed by acting on the respective shut-off valves 18-19-20-21. - In particular, whenever the valves 18 and 19 are open - and the valves 20 and 21 are closed, the unit 15 producing - the stream of air aspirates air from the surroundings through the pipes 422 and sends it to the heaps 10 through the pipe .222 and the common pipe 22. Instead when the valves 18 and 19 are closed and the valves 20 and 21 are open, air is aspirated from the heaps - .I0 through the pipe 22 and the pipe 322 Fluid aspirated by the unit 15 producing the flow of . .air is discharged into the atmosphere perhaps by making it. .pass into the compost filter 16 through the pipe 522 govern ed by the valve 21. Actuation of said valves is carried out advantageously .by means of electropneumatic or electrical apparatus or the like with which it is possible to regulate independently the .duration of the individual phases of temporary actuation or .disactuation, thus obtaining blowing and aspirating cycles. of any desired type and arrangement. Said duration of open. .ing or-°losure or partial opening or partial closure of the .valves can be regulated to suit the parameters of the pro-. .cess to mature the compost and can be adjusted by means of. suitable probes cooperating with the heap 10. Furthermore, - .the valve I7 can form an integral part of the machine I5 pro .ducing the stream of air and can be conformed substantially, .for instance, as a pre-distributor means with radial vanes. having a variable pitch setting. Said valve I7 enables the gases aspirated to be regulated to suit the characteristic parameters of the process. In this way it is possible to obtain a complex process .dure perfectly tailored to suit the specific requirements .of the heap 10 of maturing compost at the time in question. In fact, the valves 18-19-20-21 can be partially closed .or fully closed or open according to the momentary needs of .the maturing heap 10. Figs.3 & 4 show clearly two examples of aspiration and .blowing respectively which can be obtained with the-invent- ion. We have described here a preferential embodiment of the - invention but variants are possible. Thus it is possible to envisage auxiliary pipes and supplementary shut-off valves; it is also possible to visua -lise filters located upstream from the unit 15 producing the stream of air; moreover, it is possible to envisage that the pipe 522 is cut so as to permit discharge into the atmo there; furthermore, it is possible to visualise the pipe .422 cooperating with the heap 16 of mature compost by aspirsating air through said heap; it is possible to employ any - type of machine producing a stream of air, and so on. These and other variants are all possible for a tech-. nician in this field without departing thereby from the sco .pe of the idea of the solution.

Claims: CLAIMS I. Procedure for the forced maturing of organic substan- .ces in compost whereby the maturing is obtained by blowing - and aspirating air within heaps (10) of any type disposed in .a suitably equipped area, said-procedure being characterized .by the fact that one single machine (15) producing a stream of air and connected to suitably joined pipes (22) serves .both for the aspiration and for the blowing, whereby said operating variations in respect of the maturing compost (iso) are governed by the actuation of valves (17-18-19-20-21). 2. Procedure for the forced maturing of organic substn- .ces in compost as in Claim I, characterized by the fact that the aspiration can take place either through at least one .pipe (422) aspirating in the open air or through at least .one pipe (322) taking air from the maturing compost (10). 3. Procedure for the forced maturing of the organic .substances in compost as in Claim I or 2, characterized by . .the fact that the blowing of air can take place either thro .ugh at least one pipe (222) feeding the delivery pipes (12). .cooperating with the maturing compost (10) or through at . least one pipe (522) discharging into a compost filter (16). .or into the open air. 4. Procedure for the forced maturing of the organic substances in compost as in Claim I and in Claim 2 or 3, characterized by the fact that the¯quantity of air aspirated .by the unit (15) producing a stream of air can be regulated. .with suitable means (17). 5. Procedure for the forced maturing of the organic substances in compost as Zn Claim I and in one or another of the Claims thereafter, characterized by the fact that the .blowing of air into or aspiration of air from the maturing . -compost can be remote-controlled, whereby such remote can is at least linked to sensors o.r scanning means cooperating at least with said maturing compost (10). 6. Plant for the forced maturing of the organic substan- .ces in compost by means of blowing and aspirating air within heaps (10) of any type disposed in a suttably equipped area, said plant being characterized by including a manifold (13) .cooperating with a possible condensate trap (14), whereby .between said possible condensate trap (14) and the untt (I5! .producing a stream of air is a plurality of pipes (22) of which a part cooperates with the aspiration intake or with - the delivery outlet of said unit (15), and whereby said pi .pes (22) are sectionalised by means of shut-off- valves (17- .18-19-20-21), and whereby there are at least pipes for as- - .pirating (422) and/or for discharging (522) in the open air or at least for aspirating (322) and/or discharging (222) within said heap (10), said plant adopting one or more as .pects relating to the procedure of Claims I to 5 inclusive. 7. Plant for the forced maturing of the organic substan- .ces in compost as in Claim 6, characterized by including at least one connecting pipe (322) between the aspirating in- - take of the unit (15) producing the stream of air and the connecting pipe (Z-22) or manifold (13). . 8. Plant for the forced maturing of the organic substan .ces in compost as in Claim 6 or 7, characterized by the fact that the pipe leaving the delivery outlet of the unit (15) . producing a stream of air is divided into at least two bran- ches (222-522). 9. Plant for the forced maturing of the organic subs can .ces in compost as in Claim 6 and in Claim 7 or 8, characterized by the fact that each pipe (222-322-422-522) has its own shut-off valve (18-19-20-21), which is helpfully of a .remote-controlled type. 10 Plant for the forced maturing of the organic substan- .ces in compost as in Claim 6 and in one or another of the Claims thereafter, characterized by the fact that the actua .tion of the shut-off valves (18-19-20-21) is governed at least by sensors cooperating at least with the maturing com .post (10). II. Compost obtained by the forced maturing of its or panic substances, whereby the maturing is achieved by blow .ing and aspirating air within heaps (10) of any kind disposed in a suitably equipped area, said compost being characteri zed by the fact that it is obtained with a plant according to one or another of Claims 6 to IO inclusive and by adopt ing one or another of the aspects of the procedure of Clatms .1 to 5 inclusive. 12. Procedure for the forced maturing of the organic substances in compost, whereby the maturing is obtained by. blowing and aspirating air within heaps (10) of any kind .disposed in a suitably equipped area, and plant suitable-fo.r carrying out said procedure, and compost thus matured, as . .described, shown and claimed and for the purposes allowed. -

Inventors: BABOS, LUCIANO, LORENZUTTI, FRANCO, MARTEGANI, ANTONIO DARIO
Applicants: DANECO-DANIELI ECOLOGIA SPA
Application year: 1982
Main classification: C05F9
IPC codes: C05F17