WO1998034467A1

WO1998034467A1 - Method and apparatus for composting wastes and utilizing nutrients in plant cultivation

Info

Publication number: WO1998034467A1
Application number: PCT/FI1998/000118
Authority: WO
Inventors: Raimo Kalevi Flink
Original assignee: Raimo Kalevi Flink
Priority date: 1997-02-11
Filing date: 1998-02-11
Publication date: 1998-08-13
Also published as: FI970572A0; FI105067B; FI970572A

Abstract

A method and apparatus for composting of waste, where the waste mass (13) is composted in a special container (9), above the slanting walls of which plants (6) are cultivated in special beds (3a, 3b...) and the waste mass nutritions are immediately utilized as fertilizer for plants. The angle of inclination (a) of the container (9) walls, which have holes, is arranged either a little larger than or corresponding to the freely produced gable inclination (angle b) of the waste mass pile (13), most suitably within the range of 40°-70°.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMPOSTING WASTES AND UTILIZING NUTRIENTS IN PLANT CULTIVATION

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for composting of organic substances and for simultaneous cultivation of plants. In the method the compost mass is covered with substratum, on which flowers or useful plants are cultivated. The plants make use of the nutritions of the compost mass as soon as it has matured to a degree suitable for plants.

Known as technical level are the solutions of DE publication prints 2946925, 3315143 and 3821141 on composting of organic substances and simultaneous cultivation of plants. In the solutions the immediate utilization of the compost during the process of composting is not reached.

Present methods and devices have many disadvantages. By means of the inventional method and apparatus a crucial improvment of the above presented disadvantages is achieved. To realize this improvment the method and apparatus are characterized in what is described in the introductory chapters of the patent claims.

The invention presents several advantages compared with present methods and devices. The invention is hereinafter shortly called the 'ecobed' , since it most plainly illustrates the combination of compost and a bed. The ecobed is of a simple construction and easy to use. The non-isolated composter container becomes cheaper, is easy to use and its functions need no mechanisation. Particularly outside population centers the water closet can be replaced by the ecobed and save the costs of sewerage. The nutritions of waste can be utilized as plant fertilizers and unpleasant handling of unmatured waste is avoided. Traditional beds and kitchen gardens in the homeyards can also be replaced by ecobeds. The nutritions move straightly over to benefit the plants as soon as the roots have reached the compost mass. Further, all kinds of worms and micro-organisms can move freely between the mass and soil, thus a part of the nutritions move over in form of excrements from the organisms into the reach of the plants. Plants developing from seeds and seedlings newly set do not like strongly fertilized soil. The soil or the peat in an ecobed can be poor in nutritions, since the plants will get enough nutritions from the compost mass later on. The nitrogen of the compost mass cannot evaporate from the composter freely into the air, but sets itself, at least partly, in the soil of the beds. Carbonic acid gas also produced by composting is a factor furthering the growth. In an ecobed carbonic acid gas can be made use of, since the gas heavier as air seeps from the composter through the soil to the benfit of the plants. A paerticularly significant advantage is that condense water produced in the process flows back into the mass along the composter container inner face. The plants show whether the mass is dry and normal watering of plants keeps in its turn the compost mass moist enough. One can also have full benefit of all rain water if the beds are kept a little short of water. A tight bed edge and smallest possible size of setting distances or setting holes reduces evaporation and takes space from weeds. The layer of growth (soil or peat) in beds also works as heat insulation of the composter container and can be made thicker in making the beds larger. The downwards broadening shape of the beds gathers snow in the winter, so that the heat of the earth keeps at least the composter inner part unfrozen. Air (oxygen) necessary by composting can get into the compost mass through the soil of the beds and intern airing of the mass is improved by worms making tunnels in it. When the nutritions are running short, the composter container is easily emptied for instance with 2 yeras intervals. Even badsmelling toilet waste have turned odourless in that time. In the winter the freezing of the composter mass is no trouble at all if the volume is sufficient. The combustion of the mass in a composter that has been filled up or perhaps frozen in wintertime gets restarted in spring. Accordingly, due to the heat, cultivation of plants can be started earlier than usual. Worms do not freeze in wintertime since they get through the perforated bottom plate into the ground. Even carelessly covered waste does not tempt animals since the soil of beds does not let any odours through. In the following the invention is disclossed with reference to the enclosed drawings.

Fig. 1 is a schematic side view and cross section A-A of an ecobed with square and loose beds.

Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of an ecobed with square and loose beds viewed from above.

Fig. 3 is a schematic front view of an ecobed with rectangular and loose beds.

Fig. 4 is a schematic side view of an ecobed with loose beds applicable beside a wall.

Fig. 5 is a schematic side view and right side cross section B-B of a round ecobed with fixed beds.

Fig. 6 is a schematic representation of a round ecobed with fixed beds viewed from above.

Fig. 7 is a schematic side view and cross section C-C of a rectangular ecobed with through-shaped beds.

Fig. 8 is a schematic representation of a rectangular ecobed with through-shaped beds viewed from above.

Fig. 9 is a schematic side view of the emptying of a rectangular ecobed with through-shaped beds.

Ecoped la shown in figures 1 and 2 has a composter container 9, beds 3a, 3b and 3c looked after from four sides and a storage of stabilizing medium 7. Ecobed 1 a is well suited for cultivation of flowers and useful plants and, in the first place, for composting of food waste in summer. The composter container broadens downwards so that angle a is almost of same size as the angle that becomes the angle b of inclination of side face 13 of the compost mass pile, while it is freely growing when filled from above. Angle a can be slightly greater than angle b. If the angle were made smaller than angle b, the compost mass 13 would not get tightly packed against container 9 walls and the connection to the substratum would be broken. Anyhow, angle a cannot be much greater than angle b, since then waste pile 13 would lean against the container wall all the way through and the angle a of inclination not conform to the freely produced incli- nation of the pile angle. The angle range is between 40" and 70°. In its maximum, angle a is appr. 10" greater than angle b. Composter container 9 and bottom plate 14 can be made of different materials, but a strong and economic material is plastic coated perforated plate. There can be as much holes as possible bu within the limits of the plate strength. Suitable size of holes is 4-8mm. Mice may get through bigger ones but worms not through smaller ones. Instead of holes there can be, for instance, slots according to measures. On top of the composter container 9 a filling tube 10 for food waste 13 and stablizing medium 8 is arranged. It is loose and stays put on a flange 11, for instance. Filling tube 10 must be whole, since the level of stabilizing medium 8 sinks, occasionaly, in the tank during use. Lid 12 on top of filling tube 10 keeps possible odour in the composter while the stabilizing medium 8 in tank works as odour filter. Under composter 9 against ground 2 there is a perforated bottom plate 14 preventing injurious animals from coming through to the mass 13 and the soil of beds 13. Bottom plate 14 is loose, because the composter is emptied in lifting it up. The number of ecobed la beds 3a, 3b... can differ from what is presented in figures 1 and 2. The material of beds 3a, 3b... can suitably be, for instance, wood, soapstone, sheet metal, concrete and plastics. A strong and ecologic material is heat treated wood replacing pressure impregnated toxic wood. Beds 3a, 3b and 3c and stabilizing medium storage 7 of ecobed la are assembled as fixed square beds 3a, 3b and 3c in joining four border boards together from their corners. Composter container 9 is covered with beds 3a, 3b and 3c arranged one upon another in the sequence from the greatest to smallest one. The beds stay put and straigth, for intance, by clamping irons 15, 15b and 15c arranged under them. For the sake of clarity, in figure 2 the clamping irons of only one corner are shown. Spaces left between composter beds 3a, 3b and 3c are filled with a substratum 4a, 4b and 4c each. Into planting slots 5a, 5b and 5c plants are set in rows 6a, 6b and 6c, but for the sake of clarity, in figure 2 the plant rows of only one side are shown. When composter container 9 does not 'eat' waste enough any more, the ecobed is used only for plant cultivation, for instance during the next 2 summers in order to consume nutritions. During this time also storage 7 can be used as a bed. The cycle of three years is followed by the need of three ecobeds. Ecobed la is emptied in lifting first storage 7 off composter container 9 and then beds 3c, 3b and 3a in this order. Next, composter container 9 is lifted off compost mass 13. Ecobed la is assembled for reuse in the reverse order. Compost mass 13 turned into humus is spread as fertilizer on the roots of berry bushes and apple trees.

The figure 3 ecobed lb is similar to ecobed la but rectangular. In order to facilitate the use of it, its filling tube has two lids 12. The purpose of the example ist to show that it is also possible to make a rectangular ecobed.

The ecobed lc of figure 4 is similar to ecobeds la and lb but one side is made vertical. Due to its shape it is well suited beside a wall. Removal of beds from one side is made possible considered how complicated it would be to look after plants on the wall side.

In figure 5 and 6 ecobed Id has round beds 3a, 3b and 3c which can be looked after all around and a round stabilizing medium storage 7. Ecobed Id is suited for cultivation of plants and, for instance, to all-year composting. The construction differs from that of ecobed la especially in that beds 3a, 3b and 3c and storage 7 are made as one-piece, of reinforced or recycling plastic, for instance. On beds 3a, 3b and 3c there are setting hole rows 5a, 5b and 5c and plant rows 6a, 6b and 6c. The spaces between compost container 9 and beds 3a, 3b and 3c are filled through substratum 4 of stabilizing medium storage 7. The thickness of substratrum is greater than in ecobed la in order to improve heat insulation. Extra lid 12b prevents stabilizing medium 8 from from getting wet by snow and rain water. Under ecobed Id there is a bottom basin 16 preventing seep water from spreading out on an asphalted yard, for instance. Bottom basin 16 can be replaced by a dry 10-20 cm peat mattress on composter bottom to absorb seep waters. No bottom-basin needed in an ecobed Id permanently fixed on the ground.

In figure 7 and 8 ecobed le is shown with a composter container 9, beds 3a, 3b...which can be looked after from both sides and a stabilization medium storage 7. Beds 3a, 3b... and stabilization medium tank 7 are made through-shaped and arranged one upon another so that slanting sides 9a, 9b... form a composter container 9 according to this invention. Beds 3a, 3b... are made, for instance, of perforated plate, except of the vertical outer sides, which are of no-perforated plate in order to prevent drying. Beds 3a, 3b... are from their ends fastened, for instance, to plywood end plates 17a and 17b. Setting slots 5, 5b.. are the same as in ecobed la and for plants. Beds 3a, 3b... are filled with substratum 4 through setting slots 5a, 5b .... The inside of stabililizing medium tank 7 must be whole, since the level of stabilizing medium 8 sinks, occasionaly, in the tank during use and would let odours to the outside. Lid 12 can be uniform and as long as per figure 8, but in large beds it is more practical to use small refill lids. In a large ecobed le a big triangel shaped perforated air-condition duct 17 is needed with air valves 18a and 18b. By duct 17 the air is evenly distributed into the compost mass 13. By means of duct 17 size and shape accumulation of a too thick (appr. 1 metre) compost mass 13 is prevented. A small ecobed le can be emptied lifting by hand, whereat the bottom plate must be loose. A larger ecobed le is emptied through emptying doors 19a and 19b lifting by a machine.

Figure 9 ecobed If is similar to ecobed le but very big. It is divided in two equal parts a and b so that the parts can be emptied in lifting them in turns, for instance by a bucket loader 20. Air-conditioning duct 17 and bottom plate (tile) 14 remain in place. If it were the question of an uniform construction, the required lifting height would be much greater. The emptying can also be carried out by pulling straight to the side, for instance by a tractor in pile c direction. The purpose of the example ist to show that it is also possible to make the ecobed as big as necessary.

In addition to the examples, the ecobed is applicable to composting of toilet waste, to green houses and to outdoor cultivation. In addition to organic waste, the composter container can be filled with manure and urine, for instance, can be added to it later according to the need of nutrition. Urin does not do any damage to the plants, since it does not fully reach the roots of the plants. In bigger units is is easy to mechanize the filling and emptying jobs and the gardening jobs can be done in ergonomically right position. The invention is not restricted to the examples of this resentation and to the drawings, but can be modified within the limits of the enclosed patent claims.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. A method to compost waste, where the waste mass (13) is composted in a special container (9), upon the slanting walls of which plants (6) are cultivated in special beds (3a ,3b...) and the compost waste nutritions utilized immediately as fertilizer for the plants, characterized in that the angle of inclination (a) of the container (9) walls, which have holes, is arranged either a little larger than or corresponding to the freely produced gable inclination (angle b) of the waste mass pile (13), most suitably within range of 40┬░ - 70┬░.

2. A method according to claim 1 characterized in that for the plant roots access is arranged through composter container (9) holes mainly to the compost mass (13) located under the plants.

3. A method according to claim 1 and 2 characterized in that fresh compost mass (13) is added to composter container (9) above/outside the target area of the plant (6) roots.

4. A method according to any of the above patent claims 1 - 3 characterized in that the supply of air to compost mass (13) and prevention of flies and odours is based on the capacity of the substratum (4a, 4b...) and stabilizing medium to penetrate air thus prevent flies and filters odours.

5. An apparatus to realize the method according to patent claim l characterized in that the apparatus comprises a perforated composter container (9), whose angle of inclination (a) is beween 40┬░-70┬░ and similar or a little larger (0┬░-10┬░) than the compost mass (13) gable angle (b) , which is produced freely while the pile grows.

6. An apparatus according to patent claim 5 characterized in that the composter container (9) has a filling tube (10).

7. An apparatus according to patent claims 5 and 6 characterized in that on the composter container (9) slanting walls beds (3a ,3b...) are arranged.

8. An apparatus according to any of the above patent claims 5-7 characterized in that around filling tube (10) a stabilizing medium storage (7) is arranged, which is furneshed with a lid (12a.