Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology – Apparatus – Including condition or time responsive control means
Patent
1996-08-28
1999-02-09
Beisner, William H.
Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology
Apparatus
Including condition or time responsive control means
4352901, 4352902, 435818, C05F 1702
Patent
active
058693270
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process and an apparatus for the biological treatment, in particular composting, of biogenic and abiogenic substances and/or mixture of substances in a clamp in the presence of biologically active components, in particular microorganisms, in a closed reactor having a plurality of reactor zones.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such processes and plants are known, for example as industrial composting processes and composting plants in a very wide range of embodiments. The rotting, i.e. composting, of biogenic organic and abiogenic substances under aerobic conditions results in the formation of heat and metabolic gases which have to be removed via aeration (ventilation) systems. Usually, fresh air flows through the rotting mixture and the corresponding waste air is blown out. Oxygen is introduced in an uncontrolled manner with the fresh air supply, and moisture and heat are removed with the waste air. Gas, humidity and/or temperature gradients result which cannot be influenced and, owing to the network of operating and process parameters, are suitable only for describing the process.
Thus, important process aims cannot be achieved by means of these conventional aeration systems. If water discharge is desired, heat is thus simultaneously removed in an uncontrolled manner. Thus, on the one hand the desired moisture contents cannot be maintained and on the other hand important predetermined temperatures for the development of mesophilic and thermophilic microflora cannot be independently controlled. It is also not possible to influence the microbial conversion of substances by means of a defined oxygen feed. The deficiencies of the current process controls are evident in the problem of establishing reproducible and specific conditions in the medium, for example in the formation of excessively high temperature plateaus in certain treatment phases, in an undesired dry stabilization of the rotting material and in an unsatisfactory conversion. The discharge of odoriferous substances and production condensate, which necessitate additional treatment means, are further aspects. Since the key parameters of the biological process control, the oxygen supply, the temperature and the moisture content, can be only inadequately maintained, no improvement in the rotting process is achieved even by connecting separate reactors to a central air preparation means, especially since the contents of the reactors exhibit different degrees of rotting and are supplied with identical air quality and quantity of air.
A basic aspect in the further development of the composting process is to improve the unsatisfactory and incorrect use of the potential performance of specific microflora, to remedy the inevitably poor reproducibility of desired qualities as defined by the quality guidelines for composts and/or to prevent the formation of pockets of harmful flora in composts and to prevent their secondary products and to improve the cost-efficiency of the rotting process by optimum process control. The risks of possible harmful effects in the diversified use of composts are otherwise incalculable and are unacceptable against the background of product liability.
DE-40 21 868 A1 - HERHOF - discloses a process for the composting of wastes. The material to be rotted is introduced into a closed container and microbially degraded with a supply of air. To start the composting rapidly and reliably, the waste air emerging from the rotting material is recycled to the rotting material during the initial phase. This air circulation phase is discontinued as soon as the oxygen content falls below 18%. The air circulation system described in this publication serves for conserving the biogenically formed heat, especially in winter.
DE-40 21 865 A1 - BERHOF - likewise describes a process and an apparatus for composting wastes with air circulation. The air circulation serves for maintaining hygienic conditions over a period of 5 days. It is started only after the degradation o
REFERENCES:
patent: 3138448 (1964-06-01), Schulze
patent: 5693528 (1997-12-01), Grabbe et al.
Lechner et al. World Patent Index Abstract No. 890086953 of DE 3830177 (Mar. 1989).
Still Fa Carl. World Patent Index Abstract No. 77-47087Y of DE 2057413 (Jun. 1977).
Deutsch Andreas
Grabbe Klaus
Schaar Lothar
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