Animal husbandry – Worm culture
Reexamination Certificate
1997-04-07
2001-05-01
Swiatek, Robert P. (Department: 3643)
Animal husbandry
Worm culture
Reexamination Certificate
active
06223687
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to vermiculture and vermicomposting. In particular, the present invention provides a high efficiency process and apparatus for vermiculture and vermicomposting utilizing thin beds. Worm culture, or vermiculture, can provide worms as a raw material for an animal feed ingredient, live worms for sport fishing, or for other product uses. Vermicomposting is the use of worms to break down waste materials such as livestock manures and municipal waste. Generally, worms consume inorganic and organic matter, digest and absorb largely organic matter, and pass the remainder back to the soil. As a result of their feeding behavior, worms aid in the breaking down of organic material within the material they consume. The activity of worms also ventilates the soil and promotes bacterial and other microbial decomposition processes.
Large scale vermiculture typically uses thick beds in which large quantities of organic material are worked by worms in a relatively stationary mode. Thick beds typically become stratified with regions of active worms and regions of compacted material. These compacted regions often “sour” due to anaerobic decomposition resulting in unattractive conditions for worm activity. This requires turning or “freshening” of the beds such as by introduction of bedding materials. Thick bed operation is also typically a batch process requiring manual loading of fresh biomass. After the organic material is substantially broken down, the worms and digested material must be separated and harvested.
A need exists for a method of vermicomposting which provides: 1) uniform composting with lower labor demands; 2) better control of environmental conditions; 3) consistent and higher rates of worm activity with higher composting rates; 4) easier separation of worms from digested matter; and 5) an overall more predictable worm production and vermicomposting system for steady streams of waste. The present invention provides a unique process for high efficiency vermiculture and vermicomposting.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a worm composting apparatus and process which utilizes thin beds to increase worm composting rates and improve uniformity of composting.
A second object of this invention is to provide a high efficiency worm composting apparatus and process which minimizes space requirements and maximizes the rate of decomposition.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method of worm composting requiring reduced labor over prior methods by eliminating the need for mixing.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved worm culture apparatus that is inexpensive to construct and that is inexpensive to operate.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a worm culture process which facilitates worm fecundity and provides excess worms as a product.
A further objective of the invention is to provide a worm composting apparatus and process having a stacked multi-bed configuration for increased spatial efficiency.
The present invention is a method by which composting and worm culture are improved by establishing thin layers of matter in which a high density worm mass is encouraged to actively move into and attack undigested material at high rates. The thinness of the layers encourages migration to other areas and results in decreased worm stratification and increased uniformity of composting. In order to facilitate the processing of large quantities of matter in this manner, the matter is formed into thin layers on a moving surface. By controlling the surface speed to match that of the worms migration through the layer of matter, a continuous process from a loading station to an unloading station can be maintained. The worms are always retained on the surface in a portion of the matter while the digested matter is removed. The organic-containing wastes treatable by this method and apparatus include diverse types of waste such as hog feedlot waste, dairy farm waste, presorted municipal waste, industrial sludges and other industrial process wastes, and food wastes.
The present thin layer vermiculture process produces a surplus worm population is produced over that required in the system for composting. Worm eggs and worms may be withdrawn to provide a product of the composting system. Alternatively, the worms and eggs may be reintroduced to increase worm numbers and efficiency.
In an example apparatus a continuous belt having a flat bed surface is provided on which an initial thin layer of organic material is introduced, and upon which the worms are allowed to establish themselves. The belt is set into motion while new organic matter is added at a loading station to maintain a continuous thin layer. At an unloading point composted matter is withdrawn. A control device maintains the belt motion. The matter to be composted is formed into layers having a thickness between 2 and 8 inches depending upon the nature of the waste material being treated. Such thin bed could be operated as a batch process, but the preferred method is to operate the belt continuously or semicontinuously. To provide the most efficient use of space, multiple beds are supported in a vertical stack. When these beds are also inclined a reduction of motive power is possible due to gravity forces drawing the loaded belts to the unloading station. Loading and unloading devices are provided for moving new material onto the belt and for removing digested material away from the belt. In one alternative, the digested material falls from the belt by gravity. Stacked beds allow incorporation of environmental controls by enclosing an arrangement of stacked beds within a boundary such as a warehouse or greenhouse. This or similar devices are used to maintain favorable temperatures and moisture content, and promote higher activity and digestion by the worms.
Higher efficiency may be obtained by providing incentives to keep the worms moving toward the new undigested material. Effective incentives are strong light and moving air at the unloading point at an end of the bed surface which encourages worms to move toward the loading point of the bed surface. The presence of new material at the loading point of the bed surface also encourages movement of the worms. Other incentives are electrical barriers and radiant heat devices.
In one configuration a continuous belt of a woven plastic sheet is used. It in turn is supported beneath by a bed pan of the same material. One advantage of such a construction is low cost which is particularly relevant in such locations as farms. These belts are slung between rollers of plastic or even wood, again allowing low cost. By inclining the beds, a single drive device connected to one roller of each worm bed in a stack can drive the entire assembly. Alternatively, independent drives may be employed.
These devices and processes may be used both with the objective of waste handling and as a means of producing worms as a product, or both simultaneously. Because of the uniform manner of composting, thin layer vermicomposting reduces the labor required as a means of waste processing. Because of the low space needs for such systems, environmental control allows for higher worm activity levels raising average composting rates. This is particularly advantageous in the northern climates where worms are otherwise dormant at ambient conditions much of the year.
The example embodiments provided are but a few illustrations of this novel vermicomposting invention. Other variations of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art of vermicomposting and vermiculture.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4187946 (1980-02-01), Stevenson
patent: 4262633 (1981-04-01), Taboga
patent: 2615690 (1988-12-01), None
patent: 2151949 (1985-07-01), None
Hanson Sven W
Swiatek Robert P.
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