Composting of Agricultural Wastes Under Dry Weather Conditions

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Waste to resource:

On-site Composting of 

Agricultural Wastes Under Dry

Weather ConditionsDr. Shlomo Kimchie, Consultant 

PROJECT WADI ATTIR (PWA)

In collaboration with

THE SUSTAINABILITY LABORATORYTM

The 3rd Intl. Conf. onDrylands, Deserts and Desertification

The Route to Restoration

Ben Gurion Univ., Sde Boker Campus, IsraelNov. 8 – 11, 2010

8/4/2019 Composting of Agricultural Wastes Under Dry Weather Conditions

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General plan of the PWA ComPlant operation:

• Will treat the farm’s organic wastes 1- 3

t/d• Potential ORMs: Animal wastes (with orw/o AD)

• Vegetative / plants’ wastes / residues• Plants’ processing (from industrial 

extraction processes) wastes

• Kitchen wastes (separated)• Controlled operation and high quality

products are expected (with low

negative environmental impact).

8/4/2019 Composting of Agricultural Wastes Under Dry Weather Conditions

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The major functions in a composting

plant

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Weather related problems of the

PWA ComPlant:

• Water Shortage Problem

Solutions:

• Reduce evaporation by plastic covering of the

piles (with low water - high air transmittance)

• Use recycled wastewater:

•Piles leachate

• Collected / stored rain drainage

• Liquids from the AD feedstock

8/4/2019 Composting of Agricultural Wastes Under Dry Weather Conditions

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Pile covering with GORE* plastic

sheets

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GORE* Plastic cover

spreading / rolling machine

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Concrete structures for compost

piles turning

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Side view of the PWA compost pile design

8/4/2019 Composting of Agricultural Wastes Under Dry Weather Conditions

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10

'

35 

'

6.5'

1: ,

) "(

8/4/2019 Composting of Agricultural Wastes Under Dry Weather Conditions

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1.5'

6.5'

6.5'

6.5'

 2: ) "(

 :

 :

8/4/2019 Composting of Agricultural Wastes Under Dry Weather Conditions

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Sealing the bottom of a

leachate reservoir with plastic

sheets

8/4/2019 Composting of Agricultural Wastes Under Dry Weather Conditions

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Fulfillment of Environmental

Demands• The compostation plane is sealed and drained

(to protect underground water and use the leachate)• The fresh piles can be covered with plastic

liner (to prevent odors)

• The temperature is kept high (thermophilic)

for several days (to destroy pathogens)

• Mesophilic maturation temperature will increaseFungi induced bacterial repression.

• Leachate is spread on the compost piles and

dries (to prevent polluting spillage)

8/4/2019 Composting of Agricultural Wastes Under Dry Weather Conditions

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Principles of process design

• Modular design

• The pile can be treated in sections

• Covered

• Irrigated

• Turned• Aerated (passive aeration, active aeration +

Filtration)

• Dried

• Collected

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 Process follow-up and controlParameters to be followed in the pile:

• Temperature

• Moisture

• Oxygen• In water extract of maturing samples:

 – COD

 – Color

 –  pH

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Product follow-up

• Nutrients content:

 – N

 – P

 – K

• Ion Exchange Capacity

• Dry matter

• Quantity (volume / weight)

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Feasibility Considerations

• Construction cost 35,000 $

• Assumed net profit per 1 m3 of compost

product15 $ / t

• Expected annual profit 5475

$ / y

• PBT

6.4 years