Process and apparatus for drying and conditioning chicken manure or similar pasty substances

A process for drying and conditioning pasty substances such as chicken manure which are at least partly organic and are in the form of strands, chips, granules, pellets or fibers, comprising the steps of:

• adding the pasty substance to a closeable vessel containing carrier elements which comprise selective microorganisms on a solid support, to produce a loose, air permeable pile of pasty substance;
• closing said closeable vessel to control air circulation and reduce escape of ammonia;
• conditioning said pile within said closed vessel by said selective microorganisms;
• controllably forcing a mixture of a first amount of air and carbon dioxide through said pile within said closed vessel to reduce the pH of said pile, to remove excess moisture, carbon dioxide, and heat from said pile and to allow the temperature of said pile to rise to approximately 80.degree. C., thus providing optimal conditions for the selective microorganisms;
• forcing a second amount of air greater than said first amount through said pile, when the conditioning step is ended as signaled by the temperature of said pile dropping to below 60.degree. C., to initiate a flow-through drying phase and to produce a dried conditioned product;
• ending the forcing of air through said pile when a desired degree of desiccation of said pile is reached;
• and
• removing said dried conditioned product from said vessel.