Performance of a Vertically Fed Compost Reactor

Compost Science & Utilization, (2004), Vol. 12, No. 2, 169-174

Mats D Lyberg (1) and William Hogland (2)

1. Physics Department, the School of Mathematics Systems Engineering, Växjö University, Växjö, Sweden
2. Department of Technology, University of Kalmar, Kalmar, Sweden

Vertically fed compost reactors can be used for the on-site biodegradation of organic household wastes. The performance of such a reactor was investigated over a test period of 72 days. The temperature, relative humidity and flux of air forced through the reactor were recorded at the reactor's air inlet and outlet, as well as the biomass temperature, water content and mass of the reactor. A simple model was derived to describe heat and mass transfer from the reactor mass to the forced air stream. The model is used to extract information on variables that could not be monitored: for example, the potential energy of the reactor mass. Various control strategies and optimization possibilities for the compost reactor are discussed.

Copyright 2007, The JG Press, Inc.