Air hood
AssigneeBedminster Bioconversion Corporation
InventorLarry J. Finn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a composting process, a heat conductive ventilation hood overlying a compost pile undergoing active composting. The hood is shaped so that process air emanating from the pile contacts the undersurface of the hood while ambient outside cool air is caused to traverse the upper surface of the hood. As a result of this heat exchange arrangement process air is dehumidified while concomitantly the ambient air is heated. The hood is pitched to cause condensate to run down its surface and not to drip. Warmed ambient air is used to heat the composting facility and dehumidified process air and condensate is reused in the composting process.
Claims19
In a closed facility for the composting of solid waste and sewage sludge, a system comprising:
- a hood made of heat-conductive, moisture-impervious material disposed over a compost pile during active composting thereof;
- means for directing outside air over exteriorly presented surface portions of said hood to place the outside air in heat exchange relation with heated, moisture laden air emanating from the compost pile impinging on interiorly presented surface portions of said hood;
- gutter means for collecting condensate resulting from cooling of the impinging air and duct means for directing the heated outside air into the facility.
In a closed facility for the composting of solid waste and sewage sludge, a humidity control and heating system comprising:
- an air plenum formed between roof portions of said facility and a heat-conductive, moisture-impervious sheet of material underlying said roof portions;
- means for causing outside ambient air to traverse said plenum;
- a compost pile undergoing active composting disposed beneath said plenum;
- means for disbursing air through said compost pile such that air emanating from said compost pile impinges on confronting surface portions of said sheet of material thereby heating the ambient air traversing said plenum and dehumidifying the air impinging on said surface portions and duct means for directing heated outside air into the facility.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.