FI105067B - Method and apparatus for composting organic matter and utilizing nutrients in plant cultivation - Google Patents

Description

1 105067 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMPOSTING NATURAL SUBSTANCES AND USE OF NUTRIENTS IN PLANT CULTIVATION

The invention relates to a method and a device for composting organic materials and co-cultivating plants. In the method, the compost mass is covered with a substrate on which flowers or useful plants are grown. Plants immediately utilize the nutrients of the compost mass as it matures to be suitable for the plants.

Composting is the decay of organic matter into humus by microbiological action. The organic substances produced by man are mainly so-called organic substances. bio-waste such as food and toilet waste. In practice, the composting process is divided into thermal and cold composting.

In thermal composting, the temperature may rise above 70 degrees Celsius, but must remain below 40 degrees Celsius in cold composting. This is because in addition to microbes and fungi, more advanced organisms such as earthworms, tufts, mites and beetles would otherwise not be involved. Controlled thermal composting takes place in a variety of composter designs, the most common of which are different tank composters. These more mechanically advanced models include tilt, screwdriver, drum and swivel bucket composers. Winter-based thermal composters in Finland must be insulated. Cold composting occurs mainly in small so-called indoor compartments. lierokompostoreissa. Specially . . In heat composting, a support must be mixed with the biowaste. more carbon; : for waste containing nitrogen. In addition, it improves oxygen supply, dehydrates when needed and «·; '/ covers the smell. A commonly used carrier includes acidic peat and chips.

I I «:: The mixture of bio-waste and support is called compost mass. Adequate heat, water, nutrients, trace elements, carbon dioxide: * ·· and light are important growth factors for plant well-being. In the northern conditions of Finland, the lack of heat is often the most important factor in slowing down growth. Several methods and devices have been developed to improve the heat economy. Commonly used methods are the selection of a suitable habitat, ie: T: south-facing slopes and proximity to watercourses. The quality of the soil also influences the temperature, the clay soil is cold and the sand is warm. Known for its technical means are ridge cultivation, of which the potato bench is best known. Various plant benches are used for growing flowers and vegetables, the edges of which are made of stones or wood, for example. In the open air, there is now a widespread use of gauze covering in large areas, ν ': In the early growing of vegetables, heating cables are also used in the open. Home ·: ··: In general, plastic tunnels or cold greenhouses are commonly used in growing crops. One of the long-known means is to use spring heating. a manure radiator under a plant bench and the most technical means is a modern heated greenhouse.

105067 2

A prior art method for composting organic matter and co-cultivating plants e.g. from German publications, which according to DE 2946926, the plants are cultivated directly in a compost bin on the compostable bed, DE 3315143, in which the plants are cultivated on the side of the compost bin so that the roots of the plants can extend into the compost mass, and DE 3821141 when the roots freely extend into the compost mass.

In these solutions, the loss of compost mass due to composting causes either a corresponding plant settling or a break of the roots of the plants in the moving mass.

Current methods and apparatuses have several drawbacks. The impoverishment of cultivated land is one of the greatest environmental threats in the world. It is mainly caused by organic matter that is removed from the crops and is not returned to the fields. The humus layer is thinning and as a result the nutrient leaching increases. Increasing quantities of artificial fertilizers must be used to maintain crop yields. Especially urban food and bio-waste. return to fields has been prevented. Food waste is mainly transported with mixed waste to landfills, and toilet waste to sewage treatment plants. Composting of bio-waste already in their ...; births would be the most ecologically sound solution. Composters and

«<I

.: * the relatively high cost of composting toilets and, in particular, their labor-intensive maintenance; | ' have been a barrier to widespread use. High price for construction • * * • ;;. ' from wear-resistant steel or plastic and industrial thermal insulation. cold Composting

I I

*; ·· * is a slow and space consuming method compared to thermal composting. Most * "cold composters have a problem with odors and flies and are not suitable for composting toilet waste due to urine ♦ ♦ ·;

: T: Plant bench fertilization is traditionally done by mixing artificial fertilizers with: T: soil as granules or nutrient solutions. Organic fertilizers (eg chicken manure) are composted to suit the plants and industrially granulated • ·. In order to facilitate. Industrial fertilizer manufacturing consumes energy in the process and in transportation. In addition, the nutrient requirements of the seedlings are low at the outset, so that: the topcoat fertilizers only accelerate the growth of weeds. Also the nitrogen in fertilizers is easily evaporated from the soil surface. The problem with various plant and flower beds is the drying of the soil and the growth of weeds. Particularly on borderless benches, rainwater drains from the dried soil to 3 105067 and the bench remains dry, especially after a short rainstorm.

The method and apparatus of the invention provide a decisive remedy to the above disadvantages. To accomplish this, the method and apparatus of the invention are characterized by what is stated in the characterizing parts of the claims.

The invention has several advantages over current methods and devices. The invention is hereinafter briefly referred to as the eco-bench because it best describes the combination of a composter and a plant bench. The eco chair is simple and easy to use. An uninsulated composting tank becomes cheaper than existing composters and does not need to be mechanized. Eco-benches make it possible to compost food and toilet waste at source. Especially outside built-up areas, an eco-bench can replace a water toilet and save on sewerage costs. Waste nutrients are utilized as plant fertilizers and unpleasant handling of unfinished waste is avoided. Eco-benches can also replace traditional garden and flower beds as well as vegetable gardens. The versatile use of eco-benches increases livestock farming, which in turn reduces food transportation and the use of artificial fertilizers. The nutrients are transferred directly to the plants when the roots reach the compostable mass. In addition, various earthworms and other micro-organisms are allowed to move freely through the mass and soil. so some of the nutrients are also passed on to the plants in the form of faeces from the organisms. Seedlings that are developed from seed and newly planted do not like very much: 'fertilized soil. Soil or peat can be nutrient-poor on the eco-bench because plants will receive sufficient nutrients from the compost mass later. The nitrogen of the compost mass 'y' cannot evaporate freely from the composter into the air, but at least partially binds to the soil in plant beds. Carbon dioxide from composting is also a growth factor that promotes growth. In the eco-bench, carbon dioxide is utilized because the heavier-than-air gas seeps from the composter through the soil for plant use. : A: The big advantage is that the condensation water from the process runs back. : T: In the mass along the inner surface of the composter container. Adequate moisture in the pulp promotes composting and reduces watering of plants. Plants reveal compost mass. drought and normal watering of plants, on the other hand, keep the compost mass moist enough. Also, all rainwater will benefit if benches are considered to be slightly inadequate. The dense edge of the plant bench and the smallest size of planting slots or holes *: * * i reduce evaporation and eliminate space for weeds. The plant bed substrate (soil or peat) also acts as a thermal insulation for the composter tank and can be increased in thickness by increasing the size of the benches. The downwardly expanding form of the benches 4 105067 collects snow in the winter, so that the heat of the ground keeps at least the bottom of the composter from below. In the spring, the earth's heat melts the compost mass from below and the sun plant beds from outside. The air (oxygen) needed for composting enters the compost mass through the soil in the plant beds, and earthworms improve the internal ventilation of the mass, making the corridors. The compartment can easily be emptied after the nutrients have been exhausted, for example every two years. The odorous toilet waste has also become odorless humus during this time. In Finland's short summer, heat is one of the most important growth factors, so the microclimate of the plants grown on benches is better than the flat. The heat released by the compost mass also promotes growth and prolongs the growing season in spring and autumn. Ground temperatures above 40 ° C do not adversely affect earthworms, as they may migrate to the soil or to the colder bottom of the composter if necessary. Freezing of compost mass in winter does not hurt if only the volume is sufficient. During the winter, the mass of a filled and possibly frozen compost starts burning in the spring. Therefore, plant cultivation can begin earlier than normal due to heat. The algae do not freeze in the winter because they get through the torn bottom plate into the soil. Even carelessly covered waste does not attract animals as the soil on the plant beds does not allow odors to escape. However, for safety, the compost bin must be made of rodent-resistant material.

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic side elevational view of a square eco-bench with loose plant benches, section A-A.

Figure 2 is a schematic top view of a square eco-bench with loose plant benches.

Figure 3 is a schematic front view of a rectangular eco-bench with loose plant benches.

... · Figure 4 schematically shows a side view of a suitable eco-bench with loose plant beds and adjacent to the wall.

: T: Figure 5 is a schematic side elevational view of a round eco-bench with solid plant benches, cut to the right, section B-B.

Figure 6 is a schematic top view of a circular eco-bench with fixed plant benches.

Figure 7 is a schematic side elevational view of a rectangular eco-bench with tray-like plant benches, section C-C.

Figure 8 schematically shows a top view of an eco-bench with rectangular and trough-shaped: *: 'plant beds.

·: ··; Figure 9 is a schematic side elevational view of a large eco-bench with rectangular plant and trough-shaped plant benches.

5 105067

The eco-bench 1a in Figures 1 and 2 has a compost bin 9, a four-sided plant bench 3a, 3b and 3c and a support 7. The eco-bench 1a is suitable for cultivating flowers and utility plants and mainly for summer composting of food waste. The composting container 9 is in the form of a downwardly tapering cone such that the angle a must be slightly greater than the rolling angle b of the compost mass stack 13. If the angle a were made smaller than the angle b, the composting container 13 would remain off the walls of the composting container 9. The composter container 9 and the base plate 14 can be made of many materials, but one of the durable and economical materials is a plastic coated perforated sheet metal. There should be as many holes as possible, but within the strength of the damper. The appropriate size of the holes is about 4-8 mm. Larger mice might get through, but smaller mice wouldn't. The holes may also be replaced by gaps of the aforementioned dimensions. On top of the composting container 9 is a filling pipe 10 for food waste 13 and support material 8. It is loose and stays. in place, e.g. on flange 11. The filling tube 10 must be intact because the surface of the support 8 will temporarily drop during use in store 7. The lid 12 at the end of the filling tube 10 will keep any odor in the composter and the support 8 in store 7 will serve as a perfume filter. Underneath the composter 9 is a ground plate 14 torn against the ground 2 which prevents the entry of non-target animals into the pulp 13 and the benches 3 into the soil. The bottom plate 14 is loose because the composter 9 is emptied by lifting. The number of plant beds 3a, 3b ... of the eco-seat 1a may be other than those shown in Figures 1 and 2. The material for plant beds 3a, 3b ... is, for example, wood, soapstone, sheet metal, concrete and plastics. One durable and ecological substance is heat-treated wood, which replaces toxic pressure-impregnated wood. The plant beds 3a, 3b, 3c and the support material store 7 of the ecological bench 1a are assembled into a solid square '; ': to form benches 3a, 3b and 3c by joining four edge boards together at their corners.

A: The composter container 9 is covered with plant beds 3a, 3b and 3c by superimposing them in order from largest to smallest. Benches 3 ... remain stationary and straight, e.g. with support bars 15a, 15b and 15c fitted below them. For the sake of clarity, Fig. 2 shows the support bars of only one corner. Between the composter 9 and the benches 3a, 3b and 3b: T: The remaining spaces are filled with the bench facing 11a on substrates 4a, 4b and 4c. In the planting slots 5a, 5b and 5b of the benches, the plants 6 are planted in rows 6a, 6b and 6c, but for the sake of clarity only one side plant rows are shown in Fig. 2. When the compost bin 9 no longer "feeds" the waste enough, the eco-bench 1a is only used for growing crops, e.g., for the next two summers to consume nutrients. During this time, the warehouse 7 may also be used as a plant bench. The three-year cycle requires three eco-benches. The eco bench 1a is emptied by first lifting the storage 7 off the compost bin 9 and then the plant benches 3c, 3b and 3a, respectively. The composting container 9 is then lifted off the compost mass 13. The eco bench 1a is assembled in the reverse order of use. The compost mass 13, which has become a humus, is applied, for example, to the roots of berry bushes and apple trees as a fertilizer.

6 105067

The eco-bench 1b of Figure 3 is similar to the eco-bench 1a, but is rectangular. For ease of use, its filler tube has two covers 12. The purpose of this example is to show that an eco-bench can also be made rectangular.

The eco-benches in Fig. 4 are not similar to the eco-benches 1a and 1b, but with one side vertical. Due to its shape it fits next to the wall. Removing the plant beds from one side is because it would be difficult to maintain plants on the wall side.

The eco-bench 1d in Figures 5 and 6 has circular plant beds 3a, 3b and 3c and storage material 7. The eco-bench 1d is suitable for growing crops and composting food waste, for example. The structure differs from the eco-bench 1a in particular in that the plant benches 3a, 3b and 3c and the warehouse 7 are made in one piece, for example, of reinforcing or recycled plastic. On benches 3a, 3b and 3c are planting hole rows 5a, 5b and 5c for plant rows 6a, 6b and 6c. The compost container 9 and the spaces between the benches 3a, 3b and 3c are filled through the substrate 4 through the support material store 7. The substrate has a greater thickness than the eco bench 1a for improved thermal insulation. The additional cover 12b prevents the support 8 from getting wet from the snow and rainwater. Below the eco bench 1d is a bottom pool 16 which prevents leachate from spreading, for example, to an asphalt yard. The basin 16 can be replaced by a dry 10-20 cm peat pad on the bottom of the composter, which absorbs leachate. In a permanently installed eco-bench 1d, a bottom pool 16 is not required.

The eco-seat 1e of Figures 7 and 8 has a compost bin 9, two-sided plant benches 3a, 3b ... and a support material store 7. The plant benches 3a, 3b ... and the support container 7 are made in the form of a trough and overlapped with oblique sides 9a, 9b. .. form · ... a composting container according to the invention 9. The plant benches 3a, 3b ... are made of, for example, perforated sheet metal except the vertical exterior sides of the intact sheet sheet to prevent soil drying. : T: Plant benches 3a, 3b .... are fastened at their ends to end plates 17a and 17b, for example made of water veneer. The planting slots 5a, 5b ... are similar to the eco-seat 1a for plants 6. The benches 3a, 3b ... are filled with the substrate 4 through the planting slots 5a, 5b .... The inside 10 of the support container 7 must be intact because the surface of the support 8 will temporarily lower during use and allow odors to escape. The cover 12 may be uniform and long, as shown in Figure 8, but * with large eco-benches it is more practical to fit small filler hatches. The large eco-bench 1e requires a triangular tear strain gutter 17 and therein: T: fitted air valves 18a and 18b. Channel 17 distributes air evenly to compost mass 13.

•: · · · The size and shape of the channel 17 prevents the accumulation of a compost mass 13 that is too thick (about one meter). The small eco-bench 1e can be emptied by hand lifting, whereby the base plate 14 must be loose. The larger eco-bench 1e is emptied of 7105067 by the emptying hatches 19a and 19b or by machine lifting.

The eco-bench 1f in Figure 9 is similar to the eco-bench 1e, but of a very large size. It is divided in the middle into two similar parts a and b so that the parts can be emptied by alternately lifting them out of position, e.g. with a bucket loader 20. The ventilation duct 17 and the bottom plate (plate) 14 remain in place. If the structure were uniform, the required lifting height would be considerably higher. The drain may also be made directly onto the drag e.g. by a tractor in pile c direction. The purpose of this example is to show that an eco-bench can be made as needed.

In particular, it should be noted that the method and apparatus of the invention are extremely versatile and versatile. In addition to the examples, the eco-bench is suitable for composting toilet waste, greenhouses and open-air organic farming. In addition to organic waste, the compost bin of an eco-bench can be filled with livestock manure and subsequently added with urine, for example, as needed. The urine does not harm the plants as it does not go completely to the roots of the plants. In large units, filling and emptying work is easy to mechanize and plant care can be done ergonomically in a good position. Experience shows that plants remain high on eco-benches better than moles, hares and dreadlocks. Apparently they are afraid of predators, whose sight they find when eating plants and berries. It is still difficult to know all the uses and features of the eco-bench. Otherwise, it should be noted that the invention is not limited to the examples set forth in the specification and drawings, but may be modified within the scope of the appended claims.

· «» • • m • • • • • • • • • • • k 1 · «· ·.

Claims (8)

A method for composting organic materials and co-cultivating plants, wherein the compost mass (13) is composted in a special perforated container (9), above which the plants (6) are cultivated in special plant benches (3a, 3b ..) above the sloping walls and the plant nutrients are used immediately. as a fertilizer, characterized in that the slope (angle a) of the routed composting container (9) is arranged slightly higher than the freely generated flank slope (angle b) of the compost mass (13) in the container. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the roots of the plants (6) are provided with access to the compost mass (13) located mainly under the plants through the holes of the composting tank (9). Method according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the organic material (13) is added to the composting container (9) above / outside the root zone of the plants (6). 3 105067 Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the air I supply of the compost mass (13), the control of flies and odors is based on the air permeability of the substrate (4a, 4b ..) and the support (7). · * ··· 1 Fly flies and filter odors. • · • M Apparatus for carrying out the method according to claim 1, characterized in that the wall (a) of the perforated composting container (9) has a slight inclination (?): Greater than that of the compost pulp (13). ) roll angle (b). Plant according to Claim 5, characterized in that plant benches (3a, 3b ...) are arranged above the sloping walls of the composter container (9). 9 105067 Apparatus according to claims 5 and 6, characterized in that the composting container comprises a filling tube (10). Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that a support material storage (7) is arranged around the filling pipe (10), which can be provided with a lid (12a).