DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A PILOT SCALE AERATED STATIC PILE COMPOSTING SYSTEMS

The amount of agricultural and industrial wastes is increasing due to increase in industrial and agricultural activities in the world. Therefore, sustainable management of wastes, which is a major challenge being faced by both agricultural and industrial sectors in the world, is required. Composting, which is one of the valorization methods used to accelerate decomposition and stabilization of organic wastes, is well known and getting widespread. This study covers design and instrumentation of a pilot scale aerated static pile composting systems based on engineering principles. With this system, basic scientific data (decomposition rates of composting materials, optimum temperature and moisture values) which are required for construction of large-scale composting facilities and operation of composting process will be obtained. The system consists of (1) aeration system, (2) control, data acquisition and recording unit, and (3) measurement system (temperature, instant CO2/O-2 concentrations, airflow, and energy consumption by aeration). In this study, each components of this system will be introduced. This study has been conducted under the program of 1007 of the scientific and technological research council of Turkey.