System and method for vertically-oriented composting
AssigneeNextGen Organics, Inc.
InventorJeffrey West
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for vertically-oriented, modular, automated, emissions-controlled composting. In an embodiment, the system and method involve construction of a vertically-oriented set of composting modules comprising a receiving and offloading level, one or more composting bay levels, a feedstock staging level, a biofilter level, a vertical conveyor for uploading feedstock to the feedstock staging level, a freight and personnel elevator, and a leachate tank. This composting system and method reduces the land area required for composting, increases the capture of emissions from composting, and reduces the labor-intensive and heavy-equipment-intensive nature of current methods.
Claims20
A vertically-oriented composting facility comprising:
- a receiving and offloading level configured to receive feedstock for composting and allow for offloading of compost;
- one or more composting bay levels, each composting bay level comprising:
- one or more composting bins, each composting bin comprising:
- a bin loading area at a first end of the composting bin, configured to receive the feedstock via gravity from a transition chute located above the bin loading area;
- a transition chute opening at a second end of the composting bin into which feedstock may be dropped;
- a horizontal conveyor comprising an aerated floor and configured to convey the feedstock from the bin loading area to the transition chute opening;
- an aeration system comprising a first air pump configured to provide air flow under pressure to the feedstock through the aerated floor of the horizontal conveyor;
- a leachate collection system comprising piping configured to collect leachate from the feedstock which drains through the aerated floor of the horizontal conveyor;
- and
- an emissions collection system comprising:
- a second air pump configured to draw air from the bin and transfer it for emissions filtering;
- and
- a non-permeable cover or enclosure around the bin having an opening at either the first or second end of the bin and a connection to the second air pump at the other end, such that air within the enclosure is drawn across the bin from the opening to the second air pump.
A vertically-oriented composting method comprising the steps of:
- receiving feedstock for composting at a receiving and offloading level of a vertically-oriented composting facility configured to receive feedstock for composting and allow for offloading of compost, the vertically-oriented composting facility comprising the receiving and offloading level and one or more composting bay levels, each composting bay level comprising one or more composting bins, each composting bin comprising a bin loading area, a transition chute opening, a horizontal conveyor, an aeration system, and a leachate collection system;
- for each composting bin of the one or more composting bins, performing the steps of:
- loading the feedstock to the bin loading area at a first end of the composting bin, the bin loading area configured to receive the feedstock via gravity from the transition chute located above the bin loading area;
- dropping the feedstock through the transition chute opening at a second end of the composting bin either to a composting bin at the next composting bay level down, or to the receiving and offloading level;
- conveying the feedstock from the bin loading area to the transition chute opening using a horizontal conveyor comprising an aerated floor;
- aerating the feedstock during conveyance using an aeration system comprising a first air pump configured to provide air flow under pressure to the feedstock through the aerated floor of the horizontal conveyor;
- collecting leachate from the feedstock using a leachate collection system comprising piping configured to collect leachate from the feedstock which drains through the aerated floor of the horizontal conveyor;
- and
- collecting emissions from the feedstock using an emissions collection system comprising:
- a second air pump configured to draw air from the bin and transfer it for emissions filtering;
- and
- a non-permeable cover or enclosure around the bin having an opening at either the first or second end of the bin and a connection to the second air pump at the other end, such that air within the enclosure is drawn across the bin from the opening to the second air pump.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.