CA3019503C

CA3019503C - Composting apparatus, composting method, and program

Info

Publication number: CA3019503C
Application number: CA3019503A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Fumihito Miyatake
Original assignee: Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine NUC
Current assignee: Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine NUC
Priority date: 2016-03-29
Filing date: 2017-03-28
Publication date: 2021-01-05
Anticipated expiration: 2037-03-28
Also published as: JP6889933B2; JPWO2017170581A1; CA3019503A1; WO2017170581A1

Abstract

This composting apparatus (1) is provided with: an air delivery unit (20) for delivering air to a compost material (100); a temperature measurement unit (30) for measuring the temperature of the compost material (100); and a control unit (40) for controlling the air delivery unit (20) on the basis of the temperature of the compost material (100) so that air is intermittently delivered to the compost material (100). The control unit (40) may control the air delivery unit (20) so that a constant amount of air is delivered to the compost material (100). The temperature measurement unit (30) measures the temperature of the compost material (100) at fixed time intervals, and, on the basis of the temperature of the compost material (100), the control unit (40) may set, at fixed intervals, an activation period in which the air delivery unit (20) is activated and a deactivation period in which the air delivery unit (20) is deactivated.

Description

DESCRIPTION
Title of Invention COMPOSTING APPARATUS, COMPOSTING METHOD, AND PROGRAM
Technical Field [0001] The present disclosure relates to a compost production apparatus, a compost production method, and a program.
Background Art

[0002] There has been known compost obtained by decomposing biological wastes -- such as food wastes and excrements from domestic animals by the action of aerobic microorganisms. Since application of the compost to soil has resulted in improvement in the physical characteristics of soil and has caused effective microorganisms to be increased, the compost has been used as organic fertilizers, soil improvement materials, water adjustment agents, and bedding for domestic animals.

[0003] Aerobic fermentation in which compost materials such as biological wastes are decomposed refers to composting. Such composting requires the control of oxygen included in such a compost material, the temperature and water of the compost material, time taken for the composting, and microorganisms and nutrients included in the compost material. Patent Literature 1 describes a compost production apparatus that measures the temperature of a compost material, determines an air-supply rate at which air is supplied to the compost material on the basis of the temperature of the compost material, and supplies air to the compost material at the determined air-supply rate.
The air-supply rate refers to the amount of air supplied per unit time.
Citation List Patent Literature

[0004] Patent Literature 1: Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Kokai Publication No. 2012-229136 ' Summary of Invention Technical Problem

[0005] The compost production apparatus in Patent Literature 1 includes: an inverter that supplies electric power to a blower; and an inverter controller that controls the frequency of the electric power output by the inverter. The compost production apparatus in Patent Literature I can precisely control the amount of sent air and therefore enables an electric power consumption to be reduced by around several tens of percent in comparison with a conventional compost production apparatus; however, since the expensive inverter and the expensive inverter controller are used in the compost production apparatus, a cost associated with the introduction of the compost production apparatus is high. Therefore, there is a problem that although the compost production apparatus in Patent Literature 1 enables a great reduction in electric power consumption to be achieved for large-scale farmers and others who can take advantage of scale and has high cost-effectiveness caused by the introduction of the compost production apparatus, the compost production apparatus allows small farmers and the like who primarily have a small electric power consumption required for composting to have low cost-effectiveness caused by the introduction of the compost production apparatus because of the small absolute amount of consumed electric power that can be reduced by the small farmers and others.

[0006] The present disclosure was made based on such a background. An objective of the present disclosure is to provide a compost production apparatus, a compost production method, and a program that enable a reduction in cost associated with the introduction of the compost production apparatus, the compost production method, and the program, while reducing an electric power consumption caused by composting a compost material.
Solution to Problem

[0007] In order to achieve the objective described above, a compost production apparatus according to a first aspect of the present disclosure includes: air supply means for supplying air to a compost material; temperature measurement means for measuring the temperature of the compost material; and control means for controlling the air supply means based on the temperature of the compost material so that air is intermittently .. supplied to the compost material.

[0008] The control means may control the air supply means so that air is supplied to the compost material at a constant air-supply rate.

[0009] The temperature measurement means may measure the temperature of the compost material for each fixed time period; and the control means may set, based on the temperature of the compost material, an activation time period during which the air supply means is activated and an inactive time period during which the air supply means is stopped, for each fixed time period.

[0010] The control means may set, when the temperature of the compost material is within a first temperature range, a duty ratio that is a ratio obtained by dividing the activation time period by the fixed time period, as a first duty ratio; may set, when the temperature of the compost material is within a second temperature range that is a higher temperature range than the first temperature range, the duty ratio as a second duty ratio that is greater than the first duty ratio; and may set, when the temperature of the compost material is within a third temperature range that is a higher temperature range than the second temperature range, the duty ratio as a third duty ratio that is less than the second duly ratio.

[0011] The first temperature range may be 50 C or less; the second temperature range may be greater than 50 C and less than 60 C; and the third temperature range may be 60 C or more.

[0012] The control means may set a duty ratio that is a ratio obtained by dividing the activation time period by the fixed time period, to zero when the temperature of the compost material is 25 C or less; may set the duty ratio within a range between about 1/6 and about 1/2 when the temperature of the compost material is between 25 C and 30 C;
may set the duty ratio within a range between about 1/4 and about 2/3 when the temperature of the compost material is between 30 C and 40 C; may set the duty ratio within a range between about 1/3 and about 2/3 when the temperature of the compost material is between 40 C and 50 C; may set the duty ratio within a range between about 1/2 and about 5/6 when the temperature of the compost material is between 50 C
and 60 C; and may set the duty ratio to about 1/6 when the temperature of the compost material is 60 C or more.

[0013] The temperature measurement means may include: a thermometer that measures the temperature of the compost material; and transmission means for transmitting data relating to the temperature measured by the thermometer to the control means by a wireless communication circuit.

[0014] The control means may include: a programmable logic controller in which a program for controlling the air supply means is stored; and a magnet switch for opening and closing, based on a signal from the programmable logic controller, a drive circuit that drives the air supply means.

[0015] In order to achieve the objective described above, a compost production method according to a second aspect of the present disclosure includes: a step of measuring the temperature of a compost material; a step of determining the on-off pattern of air supply to the compost material based on the measured temperature of the compost material; and a step of intermittently supplying air to the compost material based on the determined pattern.

[0016] In order to achieve the objective described above, a program according to a third aspect of the present disclosure causes a computer to function as: means for acquiring data relating to the temperature of a compost material; means for determining the on-off pattern of air supply to the compost material based on the temperature of the compost material; and means for controlling, based on the determined pattern, air supply means so that air is intermittently supplied to the compost material.
Advantageous Effects of Invention

[0017] In accordance with the present disclosure, the control means for controlling the air supply means on the basis of the temperature of the compost material so that air is 5 .. intermittently supplied to the compost material is included. Therefore, there can be provided the compost production apparatus, the compost production method, and the program that enable a reduction in cost associated with the introduction of the compost production apparatus, the compost production method, and the program, while reducing an electric power consumption caused by composting the compost material.
Brief Description of Drawings

[0018] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a compost production apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a fermentation tank according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a fermentation tank and an air supply pipe according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure;
FIG. 4 is a view setting forth a condition on which a blower according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure is controlled;
FIG. 5 is a flowchart representing composting treatment according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure;
FIG. 6 is a view setting forth experimental conditions in Example 1;
FIG. 7 is a graph indicating the measurement results of the temperature of a compost material in Example 2;
FIG. 8 is a graph indicating the trial calculation values of electric power consumptions associated with composting in Example 2;
FIG. 9 is a graph indicating the emission amounts of N20 and CH4 emitted from the compost material in Example 2;

FIG. 10 is a graph indicating the emission amount of NI-I3 emitted from the compost material in Example 2;
FIG. 11 is a graph indicating the measurement results of the temperature of a compost material in Example 3;
FIG. 12 is a graph indicating the measurement results of the decrease of water in the compost material in Example 3;
FIG. 13 is a graph indicating the measurement results of an integrated electric power consumption associated with composting in Example 3; and FIG. 14 is a front view of a compost production apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure.
Description of Embodiments

[0019] A compost production apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.
In each drawing, the same or equivalent portions are denoted by the same reference characters.

[0020] (Embodiment 1) A compost production apparatus 1 is an apparatus that produces compost while promoting the composting of compost materials 100 by supplying air to the compost materials 100. The compost materials 100 include domestic animal excrement such as cow dung, pig dung, chicken dung, or horse dung, garbage, sewage sludge, food industry sludge, rice straw, sawdust, and/or the like.

[0021] The configuration of the compost production apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a view schematically illustrating the compost production apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1. The compost production apparatus 1 includes fermentation tanks 10, air suppliers 20, temperature measurers 30, and a controller 40. The controller 40 acquires the temperatures of the compost materials 100, measured by the temperature measurers 30, and controls air supply to the compost materials 100 by the air suppliers 20.
The controller 40 separately controls the air supply to the compost materials 100 in the two fermentation tanks 10.

[0022] Each component of the compost production apparatus 1 will be described below. Each fermentation tank 10 is a tank in which each compost material 100 is housed, and that is intended to ferment the compost material 100. Each air supplier 20 extends from the exterior to interior of the fermentation tank 10, and is an example of air supply means for supplying air into the fermentation tank 10. Each temperature measurer 30 is an example of temperature measurement means for measuring the temperature of the compost material 100 housed in the fermentation tank 10.
Data relating to the temperature measured by the temperature measurer 30 is provided to the controller 40 that is control means. The controller 40 acquires the temperature measurement data measured by the temperature measurer 30, and controls the action of the air supplier 20 on the basis of the temperature of the compost material 100.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the fermentation tank 10 according to Embodiment 1. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the fermentation tank 10 includes:
a bottom 11 having a rectangular plane; and a side wall 12 that stands upright from the back end of the bottom 11. The fermentation tank 10 includes five side walls 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 that are disposed perpendicularly to the bottom 11 and the side wall 12, and that partition the fermentation tank into four sections 10a, I Ob, 10c, and 10d. A port opening through which a tire loader, a tractor, and the like are put in and taken out of the interior of the fermentation tank 10 in order to operate the compost material 100 is disposed in the front side of the bottom 11.

[0024] The entire fermentation tank 10 is covered with a roof 18 in order to prevent the compost material 100, housed in each of the sections 10a, I Ob, 10c, and 10d, from getting wet. The roof 18 is supported by plural struts 19 that extend upward from the side walls 13 and 17.

[0025] Each air supplier 20 is air supply means for supplying air to the compost material 100 housed in the fermentation tank 10. The air supplier 20 is arranged along the outer surface of the side wall 12 of the fermentation tank 10 and the top surface of the bottom 11. The air supplier 20 is disposed in each of the sections 10a, lob, 10c, and 10d of the fermentation tank 10, and configured to uniformly supply air to the compost material 100.

[0026] Referring back to FIG. 1, the air supplier 20 includes a blower 21 and air supply pipes 22. The blower 21 sucks air (external air) from a suction port, applies energy to the sucked air, and supplies the air from an air supply port to the outside. The air supply port of the blower 21 is connected to the air supply pipes 22 disposed on the fermentation tank 10 so that air can be supplied to the air supply pipes 22.
The blower 21 is placed on the top surface of a bank formed on the outside of the side wall 12 of the fermentation tank 10. The blower 21 supplies air from the air supply port connected to the air supply pipe 22 at a constant air-supply rate in activation. The blower 21 supplies air at such an air-supply rate that a volume flow rate to the compost material 100 having a unit volume is in a range of about 40 L/min/m3 to about 300 L/min/m3, preferably about 40 L/min/m3 to about 100 L/min/m3, and still more preferably about 50 L/min/m3 to about 60 L/min/m3.

[0027] Through the air supply pipe 22, air supplied from the blower 21 is supplied toward the bottom 11 of the fermentation tank 10. The air supply pipe 22 is formed by connecting plural tubes made of vinyl chloride via joints, and arranged along the top surface of the bottom 11 and the outer surface of the side wall 12 of the fermentation tank 10.

[0028] FIG. 3 is a side view of observation of the fermentation tank 10 illustrated in FIG. 2, from which the side wall 17 is removed to facilitate interpretation.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the air supply pipe 22 includes: a base end 22a that is connected to the blower 21; an intermediate 22b that is connected to the base end 22a and extends downward along the outer surface of the side wall 12; and a leading end 22c that is connected to the lower end of the intermediate 22b, penetrates the side wall 12, and extends on the top surface of the bottom 11.

[0029] Plural spouting holes 23 through which air delivered from the blower 21 is released to the outside are disposed in the leading end 22c of the air supply pipe 22. The plural spouting holes 23 are disposed at equal intervals in the lengthwise direction of the leading end 22c of the air supply pipe 22 in order to uniformly supply air into the compost material 100, and are formed so as to have a diameter that is increased with approaching the tip of the leading end 22c. The spouting holes 23 may also be arranged so as to have a density that is increased with approaching the tip of the leading end 22c, -- or changes in the hole diameters and changes in densities of the spouting holes 23 may also be combined.

[0030] Referring back to FIG. 1, each temperature measurer 30 is an example of the temperature measurement means for measuring the temperature of the compost material 100 and sends the temperature measurement data to the controller 40. The temperature measurer 30 includes: a thermometer 31 that measures the temperature of the compost material 100; and a sender 32 that sends the measured temperature measurement data of the compost material 100.

[0031] The thermometer 31 includes: a body that is long so that a leading end of the body can reach the center of the compost material 100; and a measurer that is disposed in the leading end of the body. The body is a tube in which a space is included, and is formed of a corrosion resistant material such as stainless steel in order to suppress corrosion caused by a gas or the like generated from the compost material 100.
The body has a length of about 2 m to about 5 m so that the temperature of the center of the compost material 100 can be measured. The measurer includes a thermocouple because of being excellent in life, heat resistance, and mechanical strength.

[0032] The sender 32 is an example of transmission means for transmitting, to the controller 40, the temperature measurement data measured by the thermometer 31. The sender 32 is communicatably connected to the measurer of the thermometer 31 through an electric wire that extends in the space in the body. The sender 32 is communicatably connected to a communicator 60 in the controller 40 through a wireless communication line. More specifically, a wireless LAN master is connected to the controller 40, and a 5 wireless LAN slave is adopted as the sender 32 of the temperature measurer 30. The communicatable connection between the master and the slave through Wi-Fi allows the sender 32 to be configured so that temperature measurement data can be sent to the communicator 60 of the controller 40.

[0033] In the compost production apparatus 1, any communication line using wired 10 communication is not used for sending temperature measurement data, and therefore, the temperature measurer 30 can be kept in safe storage when the compost material 100 is not housed in the fermentation tank 10. Even when the temperature measurer 30 is inserted into the compost material 100, the controller 40 can reliably acquire temperature measurement data because of the absence of a wired communication line which can be .. cut by a mouse or the like.

[0034] The controller 40 is a control panel that controls the operation of the air supplier 20 on the basis of the temperature of the compost material 100, measured by the temperature measurer 30. The controller 40 functions as air supply control means for controlling so that the activation and stoppage of the blower 21 are repeated at set time intervals. Since the blower 21 delivers air to the compost material 100 at a constant air-supply rate in activation, oxygen in an amount required for the fermentation of the compost material 100 can be supplied by intermittently activating the blower 21 by the controller 40.

[0035] The controller 40 includes a programmable logic controller 41 (PLC), a magnet switch 42, a breaker 43. The PLC 41, the magnet switch 42, and the breaker 43 are connected to each other through a drive circuit.

[0036] The PLC 41 is also referred to as a sequencer, is a kind of small computer, and includes: a memory that stores a program; and a microprocessor that executes the program stored in the memory. The PLC 41 controls ON/OFF of an output device depending on ON/OFF of a command signal from an input device such as a switch or a sensor according to a preset condition. The PLC 41 stores the program for opening and closing the magnet switch 42 depending on temperature measurement data sent from the temperature measurer 30.

[0037] The magnet switch 42 is a switch in which an electro-magnetic contactor that opens and closes the circuit, and a thermal relay that disconnects the circuit when an overload occurs are combined. The electro-magnetic contactor opens and closes the drive circuit in order to switch ON/OFF of the blower 21 on the basis of a direction from the PLC 41. In a state in which no current is supplied from the PLC 41 to the electro-magnetic contactor, thereby preventing the coil of an electromagnet from being excited, a fixed contact and a movable contact are separated from each other, and the electro-magnetic contactor opens the drive circuit. In contrast, in a state in which current is supplied from the PLC 41 to the electro-magnetic contactor, thereby exciting the coil of the electromagnet, the fixed contact and the movable contact come in contact with each other, the electro-magnetic contactor closes the drive circuit.

[0038] When the blower 21 is overload, the thermal relay disconnects the circuit in order to prevent the burnout of the blower 21. The thermal relay includes: a heater that .. generates heat when an overload occurs; and a bimetal that disconnects the circuit when the heater generates heat.

[0039] The breaker 43 is a circuit breaker that disconnects the drive circuit when a short circuit, electric leakage, or the like occurs in the drive circuit.

[0040] The controller 40 further includes a display 50 and the communicator 60.
The display 50 displays ON/OFF of the blower 21, the temperature of the compost material 100, measured by the thermometer 31, a condition, on which the blower 21 is controlled, selected by the controller 40, and the like. The display 50 is a touch panel attached to the front of the controller 40, and not only displays information but also functions as a direction acceptor that accepts a direction to allow the controller 40 to start composting, and/or the like.

[0041] The communicator 60 is an example of communication means for sending a signal from the controller 40 to an external terminal or the like and that receives a signal from the external terminal or the like to the controller 40. The communicator 60 is also communicatably connected to the external terminal at a remote location through a network such as the Internet line. The communicator 60 sends the measured temperature data of the compost material 100, the imaging data of the compost material 100, and the like to the external terminal. The communicator 60 receives temperature measurement data from the sender 32 of the temperature measurer 30, a direction related to a control condition sent by the external terminal, a direction to start composting, a new control program stored in the PLC 41, and the like. Such a configuration enables a user to control the action of the compost production apparatus I by using an external terminal in an office at a remote location.

[0042] Such an external terminal includes a personal computer, a smartphone, a tablet, or the like. An application required for communicatable connection to the communicator 60 is installed on the external terminal.

[0043] The condition on which the blower 21 is controlled will now be described with reference to FIG. 4.

[0044] The temperature of the compost material 100 indicates the active state of aerobic microorganisms in the compost material 100. The aerobic microorganisms do not require much oxygen when the temperature of the compost material 100 is relatively low, while the aerobic microorganisms require much oxygen when the temperature of the compost material 100 is relatively high. Thus, in the composting of the compost material 100, the measurement of the temperature of the compost material 100 enables the achievement of the supply of oxygen according to the state of the fermentation of the compost material 100 without measuring the amount of oxygen in the compost material 100.

[0045] In the compost production apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1, an air-supply rate that is the amount of air supplied by the blower 21 per unit time is allowed to be constant, and a time for which the blower 21 is turned off (OFF time) is allowed to be longer than a time for which the blower 21 is turned on (ON time) when the temperature of the compost material 100 is relatively low. In contrast, when the temperature of the compost material 100 is relatively high, the ON time of the blower 21 is allowed to be longer than the OFF time of the blower 21. In such a manner, the controller 40 sets the ON and OFF times of the blower 21 for each fixed time period depending on the measured temperature of the compost material 100.

[0046] The ON and OFF times of the blower 21 are determined based on a duty ratio that is a ratio obtained by dividing the ON time of the blower 21, set in advance on the basis of the temperature of the compost material 100, by the fixed time period (the total time of the ON and OFF times). The duty ratio is low when the temperature of the compost material 100 is relatively low, while the duty ratio is high when the temperature of the compost material 100 is relatively high.

[0047] More specifically, the temperature measurer 30 measures the temperature of the compost material 100 at one-hour intervals. The controller 40 determines a duty ratio for one hour after the measurement of the temperature of the compost material 100 on the basis of the program stored in the PLC 41. The controller 40 distributes the one hour into ON and OFF times on the basis of the determined duty ratio. The controller 40 is also pattern determination means for determining the pattern of the ON
and OFF
times of the blower 21, that is, the on-off pattern of the supply of air to the compost material 100.

[0048] As a result of repeating an experiment on composting while changing the ON and OFF times of the blower 21, the present inventors finally found that the control condition set forth in FIG. 4 is optimal. The control condition set forth in FIG. 4 is predicated on the placement of the blower 21 that supplies air at an air-supply rate suitable for the amount of the compost material 100 (for example, the air-supply rate to the compost material 100 per unit volume may be 52 Limin/m3) in the compost production apparatus 1, and it is not necessary to adjust the ON and OFF times depending on the amount of the compost material 100, the air-supply rate of the blower 21, and the like. On the control condition set forth in FIG. 4, the safety of compost obtained by composting can be secured, and an electric power consumption and the emission amounts of nitrous oxide N20, methane 0-14, and ammonia NI-I3, associated with the composting, can be reduced.

[0049] On the control condition set forth in FIG. 4, the controller 40 sets one entire hour after the measurement of the temperature to the OFF time when the temperature of the compost material 100 is 25 C or less.
When the compost material 100 is between 25 C and 30 C, the ON time is set in a range of 10 to 30 minutes, and the OFF time is set in a range of 30 to 50 minutes.
When the temperature of the compost material 100 is between 30 C and 40 C, the controller 40 sets the ON time in a range of 15 to 40 minutes and the OFF time in a range of 20 to 45 minutes in one hour after the measurement of the temperature.
When the temperature of the compost material 100 is between 40 C and 50 C, the controller 40 sets the ON time in a range of 20 to 40 minutes and the OFF time in a range of 20 to 40 minutes in one hour after the measurement of the temperature.
When the temperature of the compost material 100 is between 50 C and 60 C, the controller 40 sets the ON time in a range of 30 to 50 minutes and the OFF time in a range of 10 to 30 minutes in one hour after the measurement of the temperature.
When the temperature of the compost material 100 is 60 C or more, the controller 40 sets the ON time to 10 minutes and the OFF time to 50 minutes in one hour after the measurement of the temperature.

[0050] When the temperature of the compost material 100 is between 25 C
and 30 C, between 30 C and 40 C, between 40 C and 50 C, or between 50 C and 60 C, the ON time and the OFF time have options. A user can determine, as appropriate, actual ON and OFF times in consideration of conditions such as the environment of a 5 production facility, the size and shape of the fermentation tank 10, and a material included in the compost material 100 put in the fermentation tank 10. The PLC
41 of the controller 40 stores a program in which the ON time and the OFF time are also determined in a case in which the temperature of the compost material 100 is between C and 30 C, between 30 C and 40 C, between 40 C and 50 C, or between 50 C and 10 60 C.

[0051] The duty ratio for determining the ON and OFF times of the blower 21 on the basis of the control condition set forth in FIG. 4 is set as follows.
The controller 40 sets the duty ratio to zero when the temperature of the compost material 100 is 25 C or less.
15 The controller 40 sets the duty ratio in a range between about 1/6 and about 1/2 when the temperature of the compost material 100 is between 25 C and 30 C.
The controller 40 sets the duty ratio in a range between about 1/4 and about when the temperature of the compost material 100 is between 30 C and 40 C.
The controller 40 sets the duty ratio in a range between about 1/3 and about 20 when the temperature of the compost material 100 is between 40 C and 50 C.
The controller 40 sets the duty ratio in a range between about 1/2 and about when the temperature of the compost material 100 is between 50 C and 60 C.
The controller 40 sets the duty ratio to about 1/6 when the temperature of the compost material 100 is 60 C or more.
25 [0052] The duty ratio may also be set as follows.
The controller 40 set the duty ratio to a first duty ratio when the temperature of the compost material 100 is 50 C or less (first temperature range).

The controller 40 sets the duty ratio to a second duty ratio that is greater than the first duty ratio when the temperature of the compost material 100 is greater than 50 C and less than 60 C (second temperature range).
The controller 40 sets the duty ratio to a third duty ratio that is less than the second duty ratio when the temperature of the compost material 100 is 60 C or more (third temperature range).
[0053] A process executed by the compost production apparatus 1 is implemented by executing a preinstalled program by, for example, an apparatus including the physical configuration described above. The present disclosure may be executed as a program or may be implemented as a storage medium in which the program is stored.
[0054] The composting process of executing the composting of the compost material 100 will now be described with reference to a flowchart in FIG. 5.
[0055] The display 50 directs a user to put, in the section 10a of the fermentation tank 10, the compost material 100 collected in a composting facility (step S101). Since the port opening through which a tire loader and a tractor can enter and leave the fermentation tank 10 is formed in the fermentation tank 10, the user can allow the tire loader and the tractor to enter the section 10a of the fermentation tank 10, thereby enabling the compost material 100 to be piled.
[0056] Then, the display 50 directs the user to insert the temperature measurer 30 into the compost material 100 piled in step S101 (step S102). The temperature measurer is inserted by the user so that the leading end of the temperature measurer 30 is located in the center of the compost material 100.
[0057] Then, the temperature measurer 30 inserted into the compost material 100 in step S102 measures the temperature of the compost material 100 (step S103).
The 25 controller 40 is notified of data relating to the temperature measured by the temperature measurer 30 from the sender 32 of the temperature measurer 30 through a wireless communication circuit.

[0058] The controller 40 determines the ON and OFF times of the air supplier 20 on the basis of the temperature of the compost material 100, measured in step S103 (step S104). On the basis of the control condition set forth in FIG. 4, the ON and OFF times of the air supplier 20 are determined so that the total of the ON and OFF
times is one hour (set time).
[0059] The air supplier 20 performs ON/OFF of air supply for the ON and OFF
times determined by the controller 40 in step S104 (step S105). The controller controls the blower 21 so as to first operate the blower 21 only for the ON
time and to then stop the blower 21 only for the OFF time. Since the controller 40 determines the condition, on which the air supplier 20 is controlled, on the basis of the temperature of the compost material 100, oxygen in a necessary and sufficient amount is supplied to compost material 100 according to the degree of fermentation.
[0060] Then, the controller 40 determines whether the set time has elapsed from the start of the air supply of the air supplier 20 (step S106). When the set time has elapsed from the start of the air supply of the air supplier 20 (step S106: YES), the temperature measurer 30 measures the temperature of the compost material 100 again (step S107).
In contrast, when the set time has not elapsed from the start of the air supply of the compost material 100 (step S106: NO), the controller 40 controls the air supplier 20 on the determined control condition until one hour as the set time has elapsed.
[0061] It is determined whether the temperature of the compost material 100, measured in step S107, is a threshold value or less (step S108). When the temperature of the compost material 100, measured in step S107, is the threshold value or less (step SI08: YES), the display 50 directs the user to blend the compost material 100 (step S109).
[0062] More specifically, the controller 40 allows the display 50 to display, for the user, a direction to perform blending. When receiving the direction, the user draws the temperature measurer 30 from the compost material 100, and moves the compost material 100 from the section 10a of the fermentation tank 10 to the section 10b by a tire loader, a tractor, or the like, whereby the compost material 100 is mixed on the whole and allowed to contain air. When the blending of the compost material 100 is ended, the user touches the touch panel of the display 50 to provide notification that the blending has been ended. Then, the touch panel of the display 50 notifies the controller 40 of the end of the blending.
[0063] The blending is an operation of mixing the fermenting compost material 100.
It is known that although the temperature of the compost material 100 is increased with fermentation, after an increase to a certain temperature, the fermentation loses momentum, and therefore, the temperature is decreased. The blending enables the fermentation of the compost material 100 to be activated again and enables the composting of the compost material 100 to be promoted.
[0064] When the temperature of the compost material 100, measured in step S107, is not the threshold value or less (step S108: NO), the process goes back to step S104 again, and the controller 40 determines the ON and OFF times of the air supplier 20 in the subsequent set time (one hour) on the basis of the temperature of the compost material 100. In addition, the processes of steps S104 to S108 are repeated once again.
[0065] After the blending of the compost material 100 in step S109, the temperature measurer 30 measures the temperature of the compost material 100 again (step S110).
In addition, the controller 40 determines again whether the temperature of the compost material 100, measured by the temperature measurer 30, is the threshold value or less (step S111).
[0066] When the temperature of the compost material 100 is the threshold value or less (step S111: YES), the controller 40 determines that the composting of the compost material 100 has been completed, and ends the composting process. This is because when the temperature of the compost material 100 is not increased even by the blending, it can be determined that the compost material 100 has been decomposed to such a degree that the fermentation of the compost material 100 does not proceed.
[0067] In contrast, when the temperature of the compost material 100 is not the threshold value or less (step S111: NO), the process goes back to step S104, and the controller 40 determines a condition on which the air supplier 20 is controlled in the subsequent set time (one hour) on the basis of the temperature of the compost material 100. In addition, the processes of steps S104 to S111 are repeated once again.
This is because when the temperature of the compost material 100 is increased by the blending, the fermentation of the compost material 100 still proceeds, and therefore, it is necessary to promote the composting of the compost material 100.
[0068] Whenever the blending in step S109 is performed, the compost material 100 is moved from the section 10a to the section 10b, from the section 10b to the section 10c, and from the section 10c to the section 10d, in the fermentation tank 10.
Therefore, the compost material 100 placed in the section 10d is considered to be most highly composted.
[0069] (Example 1) Examples in which a compost material 100 was composted using a compost production apparatus 1 in a laboratory level will be described below. In Example 1, a compost material 100 in which milk cow dung and wheat straw were mixed was put in a fermentation tank 10, and the compost material 100 was composted. The compost production apparatus 1 was activated according to each of a reference example and conditions A to I set forth in FIG. 6. In Example 1, the temperature of the compost material 100, an electric power consumption, and the emission amounts of N20, CF14, and NH3 are measured. A period in which the compost material 100 was composted is 7 days. An air-supply rate to the compost material 100 per unit volume in the activation of a blower 21 is 52L/min/m3.
[0070] Conventionally, an ON time of 60 minutes and an OFF time of 60 minutes have been considered to be desirable for achieving both of the safety of compost and a reduction in electric power consumption. Thus, in Example 1, a case in which the blower 21 is controlled for an ON time of 60 minutes and an OFF time of 60 minutes is regarded as the reference example, the case of controlling the blower 21 in the reference example and the case of controlling the blower 21 on each of the experimental conditions 5 .. A to I are compared with each other.
[0071] First, the measurement results of the temperature of the compost material 100 will be examined. The security of the safety of compost requires the killing of disease-causing bacteria belonging to coliform group and the like, and the inactivation of weed seeds. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that a time 10 period in which the compost material 100 has a temperature of 55 C or more is allowed to be three consecutive days (72 consecutive hours) or more in order to secure the safety of the compost Thus, in Example I, it is determined that the safety of the compost is secured in a case in which an integration time period in which the temperature of the compost material 100 is 60 C or more is three days or more, for sufficient security. In 15 Example 1, an integration time period in which the temperature of the compost was 60 C
or more was more than three days in the cases of the experimental conditions A, and C to I set forth in FIG. 6.
[0072] The consumed electric power of the blower 21 has been known to account for the major part of the running cost of a production facility. Accordingly, a reduction 20 in the running cost of the production facility requires a reduction in the consumed electric power of the blower 21. In Example 1, air was supplied to 150 m3 (about 60 tons) of the compost material 100 by the blower 21 having an output of 5.0 kW. As a result, the electric power consumption of the compost production apparatus 1 was reduced in the cases of the experimental conditions B to I set forth in FIG. 6, in comparison with the reference example.
[0073] It is preferable to reduce the emission amounts of N20 and CH4 because N20 and CH4 are greenhouse gases. In Example 1, the total emission amount of the emission amounts of N20 and CH4 in the compost production apparatus 1 was reduced in the cases of the experimental conditions A, and E to H set forth in FIG. 6, in comparison with the reference example.
[0074] It is preferable to reduce the emission amount of NH3 because NH3 has a peculiar irritating smell and causes a complaint about a production facility.
In Example 1, the emission amount of NH3 in the compost production apparatus 1 was reduced in the cases of the experimental conditions C to I set forth in FIG. 6, in comparison with the reference example.
[0075] In summarization of the experimental results described above, it is desirable to adopt the experimental conditions E to H among the experimental conditions set forth in FIG. 6, for securing the safety of compost and achieving the curtailment of an electric power consumption and the emission amounts of N20, CH4, and NH3, associated with composting. The control condition set forth in FIG. 4 is set to include all the experimental conditions E to H set forth in FIG. 6.
[0076] (Example 2) A further example in which a compost material 100 was composted using a compost production apparatus 1 in a laboratory level will now be described. In Example 2, the temperature of the compost material 100, an electric power consumption, and the emission amounts of N20, CH4, and NI-13 are measured in the cases of continuously supplying air to the compost material 100 (continuous air blow), controlling a blower 21 for an ON time of 15 minutes and an OFF time of 45 minutes (15/45), controlling the blower 21 for an ON time of 30 minutes and an OFF time of 30 minutes (30/30), controlling the blower 21 for an ON time of 60 minutes and an OFF
time of 60 minutes (60/60), controlling the blower 21 for an ON time of 120 minutes and an OFF
time of 120 minutes (120/120), and controlling the blower 21 according to a change in temperature on control conditions satisfying the condition set forth in FIG. 4 (Control 1 to Control 4). FIG. 7 to FIG. 10 indicate the temperature of the compost material 100, the electric power consumption, the emission amounts of N20 and CI14, and the emission amount of NH3, according to each of the experimental conditions of Example 2, respectively. The temperature of the compost material 100 and the emission amounts of N20, CH4, and NH3 are experimental values in a case in which a period in which the compost material 100 is composted is set to seven days, while the electric power consumption is a trial calculation value in a case in which the composting period is set to 30 days. Like Example 1, an air-supply rate to the compost material 100 per unit volume in the activation of the blower 21 is 52 L/min/m3.
[0077] First, the measurement results of the temperature of the compost material 100 will be examined. In Example 2, it is also determined that the safety of compost is secured in a case in which an integration time period in which the temperature of the compost material 100 is 60 C or more is three days (4320 minutes) or more.
FIG. 7 is a graph indicating an integration time period in which the temperature of the compost material 100 is 60 C or more, according to each experimental condition.
[0078] As indicated in FIG. 7, all integration time periods in which the temperature of the compost material 100 was 60 C or more are three days (4320 minutes) or more in the cases of Control 1 to Control 4. The integration times in which the temperature of the compost material 100 was 60 C or more are 144% to 150% higher than that in 60/60.
The integration times in which the temperature of the compost material 100 was 60 C or more is 201% to 209% higher than that in the continuous air blow. Accordingly, the safety of compost can be secured when the control condition set forth in FIG.
4 is adopted.
[0079] FIG. 8 is a graph indicating the trial calculation value of the consumed electric power of the compost production apparatus 1, according to each experimental condition. The trial calculation value of the electric power consumption in the case of composting 150 m3 (60 tons) of the compost material 100 for 30 days by the blower 21 having an output of 5.0 kW is indicated.

[0080] As indicated in FIG. 8, the electric power consumptions in Control 1 to Control 4 are 57% to 62% less than that in 60/60. The electric power consumptions are 79% to 81% less than that in the continuous air blow. Accordingly, an electric power consumption associated with composting can be reduced in the case of adopting the control condition set forth in FIG. 4.
[0081] FIG. 9 is a graph indicating the total of the emission amounts of N20 and CH4 emitted from the compost production apparatus 1, according to each experimental condition. In FIG. 9, "mg-0O2" represents a value obtained by converting the mass of N20 or CH4 into the mass of CO2 causing an equivalent greenhouse effect, and "kg-dm"
represents the mass of the completely dry compost material 100. As indicated in FIG. 9, the total emission amounts of the emission amounts of N20 and CH4 in Control 1 to Control 4 are 14% to 45% less than that in 60/60. In addition, the total emission amounts of the emission amounts of N20 and CH4 are 31% to 56% less than that in the continuous air blow. Accordingly, the total emission amount of the emission amounts of N20 and CH4, associated with composting, can be reduced in the case of adopting the control condition set forth in FIG. 4.
[0082] FIG. 10 is a graph indicating the emission amount of NI-13 emitted from the compost production apparatus 1, according to each experimental condition. As indicated in FIG. 10, the emission amounts of NH3 in Control Ito Control 4 are 37% to 70% less than that in 60/60. In addition, the emission amounts of NH3 are 85%
to 93%
less than that in the continuous air blow. Accordingly, the emission amount of associated with composting can be reduced in the case of adopting the control condition set forth in FIG. 4.
[0083] Referring now to FIGS. 7 to 10, in 15/45 among the conventional ON/OFF
controls, the emission amounts of N20, CH4, and NH3 are reduced while securing the safety of the compost, and relatively favorable results seem to have been obtained. In 15/45, however, there is a problem in view of the promotion of the fermentation of the .=
compost material 100 and the efficiency of drying the compost material 100.
Therefore, 15/45 is not considered to be an appropriate ON/OFF control.
[0084] (Example 3) In Example 1 or 2, the example in which the compost material 100 was composted using the compost production apparatus 1 on the scale of the laboratory level is described.
In Example 3, however, an example in which a compost material 100 was composted using a compost production apparatus 1 in an actual machine level is described. In Example 3, an integration time period in which the temperature of compost was 60 C or more, a water reduction rate, and an integrated electric power consumption were measured in each case of continuous air blow, simple intermittence, and new intermittence. The simple intermittence is the same as the reference example in FIG. 6, and the ON and OFF of a blower 21 are repeated every 60 minutes. The new intermittence is the same as the experimental condition F in FIG. 6 and satisfies the control condition set forth in FIG. 4.
[0085] Experimental results will be described below. FIG. 11 is a graph indicating an integration time period in which the compost material 100 is at 60 C or more on each control condition. As indicated in FIG. 11, such integration time periods at 60 C or more were 30.5 hours, 88.2 hours, and 540.3 hours in the cases of the continuous air blow, the simple intermittence, and the new intermittence, respectively.
The integration time period at 60 C or more in the case of the new intermittence was about 18 times that in the case of the continuous air blow and about 6 times that in the case of the simple intermittence.
[0086] In Example 2 in which the compost production apparatus 1 in the laboratory level was used, an integration time period at 60 C or more in the case of new intermittence was about 2 times that in the case of the continuous air blow and about 1.5 times that in the case of simple intermittence. When the control condition set forth in FIG. 4 is applied to the compost production apparatus 1 in the actual machine level, an integration time period at 60 C or more is greatly increased in comparison with the compost production apparatus 1 in the laboratory level. This reveals that the safety of compost can be drastically improved when the control condition set forth in FIG. 4 is applied to the compost production apparatus 1 in the actual machine level.
5 [0087] FIG. 12 is a graph indicating the decrease of water in the compost material 100 on each control condition. For enhancing the quality of compost, it is important to appropriately control the amount of water in the compost. This is because water dripping from the compost and the weight of the compost preclude the handling of the compost in the case of the large amount of water in the compost, while the compost is 10 excessively dried, thereby scattering powder dust from the compost, in the case of the small amount of water in the compost. The amount of water included in the compost material 100 is about 60% to about 70% at the time of starting the production of the compost and is preferably decreased to about 40 to about 60% at the time of finishing.
In other words, the water reduction rate of the compost material 100 is preferably about 15 15% to about 30%.
[0088] As indicated in FIG. 12, the water reduction rate of the compost material 100 was 18.95% in the case of the continuous air blow, 9.66% in the case of the simple intermittence, or 22.04% in the case of the new intermittence. The water reduction rate of the compost material 100 is insufficient, and compost having an excessive water 20 content is obtained in the case of the simple intermittence, whereas the water reduction rate of the compost material 100 falls within an appropriate range, and compost having an appropriate water content can be obtained in the case of the continuous air blow or the new intermittence. Moreover, the amount of water in the compost can be effectively decreased in the case of the new intermittence in comparison with the case of the 25 continuous air blow. This reveals that the amount of water contained in compost can be allowed to be adequate when the control condition set forth in FIG. 4 is applied to the compost production apparatus 1 in the actual machine level.

[0089] FIG. 13 is a graph indicating an integrated electric power consumption consumed by the blower 21 on each control condition. As indicated in FIG. 13, the integrated electric power consumption was 970.7 kWh in the case of the continuous air blow, 478.1 kWh in the case of the simple intermittence, or 188.6 kWh in the case of the -- new intermittence. The integrated electric power consumption in the case of the new intermittence is reduced to about 1/5 in the case of the continuous air blow and about 2/5 in the case of the simple intermittence. This reveals that the consumed electric power of the blower 21 can be effectively reduced, and the running cost of a composting facility can be reduced when the control condition set forth in FIG. 4 is applied to the compost .. production apparatus 1 in the actual machine level.
[0090] As described above, in the compost production apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1, the blower 21 is controlled so as to be intermittently operated depending on the temperature of the compost material 100, and therefore, it is unnecessary to adopt an expensive component such as an inverter while achieving air supply necessary and sufficient for composting to the compost material 100. Therefore, an electric power consumption caused by the composting of the compost material 100 can be reduced, and a cost associated with the introduction of the compost production apparatus 1 can be reduced.
[0091] In the compost production apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1.
the action of the blower 21 is controlled on the optimal control condition on which the emission amounts of N20, CH4, and NH3 are reduced while securing the safety of compost and the appropriate amount of water, and therefore, the emission amounts of N20, CH4, and NI-13 can be reduced while securing the safety of the compost and the appropriate amount of water.
[0092] In the compost production apparatus I according to Embodiment 1, the temperature measurer 30 and the controller 40 are communicatably connected to each other through the wireless communication circuit, and therefore, the temperature measurer 30 can be safely stored when the compost production apparatus 1 is not used, while temperature measurement data can be stably sent from the temperature measurer 30 to the controller 40 when the compost production apparatus I is used.
[0093] The compost production apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 is configured so that the controller 40 accepts a direction from an external terminal through a network and notifies the external terminal of the state of composting.
Therefore, a user can adjust a condition on which air supply to the compost material 100 is controlled, and can grasp the state of the composting of the compost material 100, for example, in an office at a remote location distant from a production facility.
[0094] (Embodiment 2) A compost production apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. 14. Although the placement of the temperature measurer 30 in the compost material 100 and the blending of the compost material 100 are performed by user in Embodiment 1, the compost production apparatus 1 may be configured so that these operations are performed by the compost production apparatus 1. Although the fundamental configuration of the compost production apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 2 is the same as that of the compost production apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1, the compost production apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 2 is different from the compost production apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 in view of including a pair of rails 70, a temperature measurement crane 80, and a compost crane 90. Differences between Embodiments 1 and 2 will be mainly described below.
[0095] A pair of the rails 70 is arranged so as to extend in the same direction as a direction in which the sections 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d of a fermentation tank 10 are arranged. The rails 70 are supported by the roof 18 of the fermentation tank 10 via a rail supporter 71.
[0096] The temperature measurement crane 80 moves a temperature measurer 30 in the longitudinal and vertical directions of the rails 70. The temperature measurement crane 80 includes: a traveler 81 that is supported by the rails 70 and travels on the rails 70; and a cylindrical extension 82 that extends downward from the bottom end of the traveler 81. The extension 82 accommodates the temperature measurer 30 in the internal space of the extension 82 so that the temperature measurer 30 can be moved in the vertical direction.
[0097] The compost crane 90 grips a compost material 100 and transports the gripped compost material 100. The compost crane 90 includes: a traveler 91 that is supported by the rails 70 and travels on the rails 70; and a extensible member 92 that extends downward from the bottom end of the traveler 91 and can telescope in the vertical direction. In addition, the compost crane 90 includes a pair of grip pieces 93 that are supported by a tip of the extensible member 92 and can grip the compost material 100.
[0098] The controller 40 supported by the strut 19 of the fermentation tank 10 controls the action of the temperature measurement crane 80 and the compost crane 90.
The controller 40 controls the traveling of the traveler 81 of the temperature measurement crane 80 and the traveler 91 of the compost crane 90 on the basis of, for example, a program stored in a PLC 41.
[0099] The controller 40 allows the temperature measurer 30 to extend from the extension 82 of the temperature measurement crane 80 at set time intervals set in the PLC
41, and moves the temperature measurer 30 so that the leading end of the temperature measurer 30 is located in the center of the compost material 100 placed in the fermentation tank 10. When the measurement of a temperature by the temperature measurer 30 is ended, the controller 40 allows the temperature measurer 30 to retreat into the internal space of the extension 82.
[0100] The controller 40 directs the compost crane 90 to blend the compost material 100 when determining that the blending of the compost material 100 is required, on the basis of the temperature measured by the temperature measurer 30. More specifically, the controller 40 extends the extensible member 92 of the compost crane 90 to allow a pair of the grip pieces 93 to grip the compost material 100. The controller 40 shortens the extensible member 92 while gripping the compost material 100 by a pair of .. the grip pieces 93, then allows the traveler 91 to travel on the rails 70, and moves the compost crane 90 to the next section. Then, the controller 40 extends the extensible member 92 of the compost crane 90 into the fermentation tank 10 and releases the compost material 100 from a pair of the grip pieces 93. The controller 40 allows the compost crane 90 to repeat the action described above and controls the compost crane 90 so as to move the compost material 100 to another section.
[0101] As described above, the compost production apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 2 includes the temperature measurement crane 80 and the compost crane 90 that move along the rails 70, the temperature measurement crane 80 is configured to move the temperature measurer 30 that measures the temperature of the compost material 100 at set time intervals, and the compost crane 90 is configured to blend the compost material 100 on the basis of the measurement result of the temperature of the compost material 100. Therefore, the compost production apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 2 allows compost of the compost material 100 without a user inserting the temperature measurer 30 into compost material 100 or blending the compost material 100.
[0102] The present disclosure is not so limited, but an alternative example described below is also possible.
[0103] (Alternative Example) In the embodiments described above, the controller 40 controls the supply of air to the compost materials 100 placed in the two fermentation tanks 10. However, the present disclosure is not so limited. For example, a controller 40 may control the supply of air to a compost material 100 placed in one fermentation tank 10 or may control the supply of air to compost materials 100 placed in three or more fermentation tanks 10.

[0104] In the embodiments described above, each fermentation tank 10 is divided into the four sections. However, the present disclosure is not so limited. For example, three or less sections or five or more sections may be disposed in a fermentation tank 10.
[0105] In the embodiments described above, the three air supply pipes 22 are 5 disposed per section of each fermentation tank 10. However, the present disclosure is not so limited. For example, two or less air supply pipes 22 or four or more air supply pipes 22 may be disposed in a fermentation tank 10. A larger number of air supply pipes 22 are preferred for uniformly supplying air to a compost material 100.
[0106] In the embodiments described above, the thermometer 31 includes the 10 thermocouple. However, the present disclosure is not so limited. For example, the thermometer 31 may be an infrared thermometer, a resistance thermometer, or the like.
[0107] In the embodiments described above, the thermometer 31 measures the temperature of only the one center of the compost material 100. However, the present disclosure is not so limited. For example, a thermometer 31 may measure a surface of a 15 compost material 100 or may measure the temperatures of the plural points of the compost material 100 to calculate a representative value such as a mean value or a median from the plural measured temperatures. In the case of measuring the surface temperature of the compost material 100, the temperature of the center of the compost material 100 may be predicted using a prediction model such as a hierarchical neural 20 network generated based on previously learned data.
[0108] In the embodiments described above, the controller 40 disposed in the compost production apparatus 1 controls the action of the blower 21. However, the present disclosure is not so limited. Such a configuration is acceptable that a program is stored in a computer, a server, or the like placed at a location distant from a compost 25 production apparatus 1, and the action of each blower 21 is controlled based on a direction from the computer, the server, or the like.
[0109] In Embodiment 2 described above, the action of the temperature measurement crane 80 and the compost crane 90 is controlled based on the program stored in the controller 40. However, the present disclosure is not so limited. For example, such a configuration is acceptable that the action of a temperature measurement crane 80 and a compost crane 90 is controlled based on a direction from an external terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet to a controller 40.
[0110] In the embodiments described above, the compost material 100 is directly put in the section 10a of the fermentation tank 10. However, the present disclosure is not so limited. For example, an underground pit may be disposed adjacently to a fermentation tank 10, and a compost material 100 may be temporarily put and stored in the underground pit. In this case, the compost material 100 may be put from the underground pit into the section 10a of the fermentation tank 10 by using a compost crane 90 or the like before composting the compost material 100.
[0111] In Embodiment 2 described above, the blending is immediately performed when it is determined that the blending of the compost material 100 is required, on the basis of the measurement result of the temperature of the compost material 100.
However, the present disclosure is not so limited. For example, when it is determined that the blending of a compost material 100 is required, a compost crane 90 may be allowed to wait on an as-is basis until the nighttime, and the blending may be performed in the night time during which electric power is inexpensive.
[0112] In the embodiments described above, the temperature of the compost material 100 is measured every one hour, and an ON time and an OFF time in one hour after the measurement of the temperature are adjusted depending on the measurement result of the temperature of the compost material 100. However, the present disclosure is not so limited. For example, the temperature of a compost material 100 may be measured for each set time period set in a range of 10 minutes to 1 hour, and a distribution into an ON time and an OFF time in the set time after the measurement of the temperature may be adjusted depending on the measurement result of the temperature of the compost material 100.
[0113] In the embodiments described above, the compost production apparatus 1 is used to supply air to the compost material 100. However, the present disclosure is not so limited. For example, the controller 40 of a compost production apparatus 1 may be configured not only to control a blower 21 that supplies air to a compost material 100 but also to control, for example, a blower that ventilates a facility for breeding a domestic animal or an experimental animal.
[0114] In the embodiments described above, the controller 40 includes the PLC 41.
However, the controller 40 may include a computer instead of the PLC 41. In this case, the computer includes a memory and a processor. The processor executes a program stored in the memory, thereby carrying out the control action described above.
[0115] The above-described embodiments, in which the program executed by the controller 40 is stored in advance in the memory in the controller 40, have been explained.
However, the program for executing the above-described process action may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium such as a flexible disk, a compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), or a magneto-optical disk (MO). In this case, a controller 40 that executes the above-described process is configured by installing the program on a computer.
[0116] The foregoing describes some example embodiments for explanatory purposes. Although the foregoing discussion has presented specific embodiments, persons skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention.
Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. This detailed description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the invention is defined only by the included claims, along with the full range of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

Industrial Applicability [0117] The compost production apparatus, compost production method, and program of the present disclosure enable a reduction in electric power consumption caused by composting a compost material, and enable a reduction in cost associated with the introduction of the compost production apparatus, the compost production method, and the program in comparison with a conventional technology. Moreover, the compost production apparatus, the compost production method, and the program enable the production of safe compost having high quality, and are useful.
Reference Signs List [0118] 1 Compost production apparatus 10 Fermentation tank 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d Section 11 Bottom 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 Side wall 18 Roof 19 Stmt Air supplier 20 21 Blower 22 Air supply pipe 22a Base end 22b Intermediate 22c Leading end 23 Spouting hole Temperature measurer 31 Thermometer 32 Sender 40 Controller 41 Programmable logic controller (PLC) 42 Magnet switch 43 Breaker 50 Display 60 Communicator 70 Rail 71 Rail supporter 80 Temperature measurement crane 81 Traveler 82 Extension 90 Compost crane 91 Traveler 92 Extensible member 93 Grip piece 100 Compost material

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A compost production apparatus comprising:
air supply means for supplying air to a compost material;
temperature measurement means for measuring a temperature of the compost material over a series of fixed time periods; and control means for controlling the air supply means based on the temperature of the compost material so that air is intermittently supplied to the compost material;
wherein:
the temperature measurement means measures the temperature of the compost material for each fixed time period; and the control means:
sets, based on the temperature of the compost material, an activation time period during which the air supply means is activated and an inactive time period during which the air supply means is stopped, for each fixed time period;
sets, when the temperature of the compost material is within a first temperature range, a duty ratio that is a ratio obtained by dividing the activation time period by the fixed time period, as a first duty ratio;
sets, when the temperature of the compost material is within a second temperature range that is a higher temperature range than the first temperature range, the duty ratio as a second duty ratio that is greater than the first duty ratio; and sets, when the temperature of the compost material is within a third temperature range that is a higher temperature range than the second temperature range, the duty ratio as a third duty ratio that is less than the second duty ratio.

2. The compost production apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls the air supply means so that air is supplied to the compost material at a constant air-supply rate.

3. The compost production apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:
the first temperature range is 50°C or less;
the second temperature range is greater than 50°C and less than 60°C; and the third temperature range is 60°C or more.

4. The compost production apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the duty ratio is a ratio obtained by dividing the activation time period by the fixed time period, to zero when the temperature of the compost material is 25°C or less;
the duty ratio is within a range between about 1/6 and about 1/2 when the temperature of the compost material is between 25°C and 30°C;
the duty ratio is within a range between about 1/4 and about 2/3 when the temperature of the compost material is between 30°C and 40°C;
the duty ratio is within a range between about 1/3 and about 2/3 when the temperature of the compost material is between 40°C and 50°C;
the duty ratio is within a range between about 1/2 and about 5/6 when the temperature of the compost material is between 50°C and 60°C;
and the duty ratio is about 1/6 when the temperature of the compost material is 60°C or more.

5. The compost production apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the temperature measurement means comprises:

a thermometer that measures the temperature of the compost material; and transmission means for transmitting data relating to the temperature measured by the thermometer to the control means by a wireless communication circuit.

6. The compost production apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control means comprises:
a programmable logic controller in which a program for controlling the air supply means is stored; and a magnet switch for opening and closing, based on a signal from the programmable logic controller, a drive circuit that drives the air supply means.

7. A compost production method comprising:
a step of measuring a temperature of a compost material over a series of fixed time periods;
a step of determining an on-off pattern of air supply to the compost material based on the measured temperature of the compost material; and a step of intermittently supplying air to the compost material based on the determined pattern;
wherein:
the on-off pattern of air supply comprises an activation time period during which air is supplied to the compost material and an inactive time period during which air is not supplied to the compost material;
when the temperature of the compost material is in a first temperature range, a first duty ratio is set which comprises a ratio that is obtained by dividing the activation time period by the fixed time period;
when the temperature is within a second temperature range that is a higher temperature range than the first temperature range, a second duty ratio is set that is greater than the first duty ratio; and when the temperature of the compost material is within a third temperature range that is a higher temperature range than the second temperature range, a third duty ratio is set that is greater than the second duty ratio.

8. A
computer-readable medium having a computer program recorded thereon to control a compost production apparatus, wherein the computer program comprises:
statements and instructions for acquiring data relating to a temperature of a compost material;
statements and instructions for determining an on-off pattern of air supply to the compost material based on the temperature of the compost material; and statements and instructions for controlling, based on the determined pattern, air supply means so that air is intermittently supplied to the compost material;
wherein:
the on-off pattern of air supply comprises an activation time period during which air is supplied to the compost material and an inactive time period during which air is not supplied to the compost material;
when the temperature of the compost material is in a first temperature range, a first duty ratio is set which comprises a ratio that is obtained by dividing the activation time period by the fixed time period;
when the temperature is within a second temperature range that is a higher temperature range than the first temperature range, a second duty ratio is set that is greater than the first duty ratio; and when the temperature of the compost material is within a third temperature range that is a higher temperature range than the second temperature range, a third duty ratio is set that is greater than the second duty ratio.