status and trends of in vessel composting systems in...

Status and Trends of In Vessel Composting Systems in EuropeKarsten Runge & Thomas Hoelscher, BACKHUS GmbH, Edewecht, Germany

USCC 17th Annual Conference & Trade Show, January 26-29, 2009, Houston, TX

Content:

1. Composting in Europe

2. Current Status of In Vessel Systems in Europe

3. Trends and Future Developments in Europe

Statistics

Composting in Europe

Production of compost in the European Union (EU 27, year 2005):

Compost from bio-waste (SSO from private houses): 4.8 Mil t/aCompost from green waste (organics from parks and gardens): 5.7 Mil t/aCompost t/a from biosolids: 1.4 Mil t/aCompost from MSW: 1.4 Mil t/a

Currently collected source separated organic waste in the EU: approx. 24 Mil t/a

Estimated total potential of SSO: 35 to 40 Mil t/a

Market for compost product market share Average price

Agriculture 50 % 0 to 3.00 USD/tLandscaping 20 % 2.00 to 19.00 USD/tGardening & others 30 % 19.00 to 400.00 USD/t

Current number of composting facilities in EU: approx. 3,500

Investment costs per ton anual throughput capacity:open windrow composting: 80.00 to 200.00 USDin vessel composting and fermentation: 475.00 to 675.00 USD

Source: Green Paper on the Management of Bio-Waste in the European Union, published 08-12-03

Why In Vessel Composting in EU?

Composting in Europe

Traditional reasons for using in vessel composting:

- High level emission control required by neigbourhoods and/or governing agency- Protection of the composting process by elimination of climatic influences- High level process control requested due to sensitive input material

Advantages compared to open air windrow composting:

- Reduced facility foot print (higher throughput on less space)- Lower operating costs (less staff needed due to high degree of process automation)- Increased efficiency (less process time required if process control is working well)- Control any environmental impacts

Status Quo of In Vessel Composting in Europe

Non agitated in vessel systems:

- Tunnel Composting (enclosed concrete tunnel)- Container Composting (enclosed insulated metal containers)- Box Composting (open top boxes with retractable roof system)- Silo Composting (vertical vessel)

Agitated in vessel systems:

- Agitated Bay Composting (agitated trapeziod windrow in enclosed building)- Agitated Lane Composting (agitated narrow bays typically made of concrete)- Drum or Trommel Composting (rotating horizontal cylindrical vessel)

Available in vessel composting systems

Status Quo of In Vessel Composting in Europe

Manufacturers (past & present) Herhof, Horstmann, Linde, MUT, RosRoca, Gicom….EU facilities in operation > 100

Advantages (compared with agitated systems):- Batch process in separate tunnels (different batches/feedstocks can be treated seperately)- Small units (lower air volumes required)- No agitation devices (less wear and corrosion)

Disadvantages (compared with agitated systems):- No intervention possible (for corrective action while material is in the tunnel)- Heterogeneous heap (material settles and dry, anaerobic pockets possible)- No visual inspection (no direct access to input material)- Costly and time consuming turning process (with loader or by push floor/conveyor belts)

Tunnel Composting

Container CompostingManufacturers (past & present) Thoeni, Rethmann, Mannesmann-Lentjes, BioSal...EU facilities in operation > 100

Advantages (compared with agitated systems):- Batch process in separate containers (different batches/feedstocks can be treated seperately)- Small units ( low air volumes required)- No agitation devices (less wear and corrosion)

Disadvantages (compared with agitated systems):- No intervention possible (for corrective action while material is in the tunnel)- Heterogeneous heap (material settles and dry, anaerobic pockets possible)- No visual inspection (no direct access to input material)- Costly and time consuming turning process (with loader)

Status Quo of In Vessel Composting in Europe

Manufacturers (past & present) Biodegma, Wasteology, Agrivert, CRS ….EU facilities in operation > 50

Advantages (compared with agitated systems):- Batch process in separate vessels (variation and separate treatment of batches possible)- Small volume vessels (lower air volumes required)- No agitation devices (less wear and corrosion)- Lower investment costs (partially non concrete vessel design)

Disadvantages (compared with agitated systems):- No intervention (for corrective action while material is in the tunnel)- Heterogeneous heap (material settles and dry, anaerobic pockets possible)- No visual inspection (no direct access to input material)- Costly and time consuming turning process (with loader or by push floor/conveyor belts)

Box Composting

Status Quo of In Vessel Composting in Europe

Manufacturers (past & present) VCU, Weiss….EU facilities in operation < 10

Advantages (compared with agitated systems):- Small units (lower air volumes to be treated)- No agitation devices (less wear and corrosion)- Small foot print

Disadvantages (compared with agitated systems):- No intervention possible (for corrective action while material is in the silo)- No visual inspection (no direct access to input material)- Impossible to turn the material

Silo Composting

Status Quo of In Vessel Composting in Europe

Manufacturers (past & present) Bühler, Kelag VKW, TAIMWeser, Sutco, …EU facilities in operation > 40

Advantages (compared with agitated systems):- Optimized process (constant agitation and irrigation)- Easy control (manual access to the compost material)- Easy material handling (flow through operation)

Disadvantages compared with agitated systems:- Corrosion (agitation system stays in agressive environment)- Large volumes of contaminated air to treat (typically large buildings)- No possibility for separate charge treatment (one vessel, flow trough operation)

Agitated Bay Composting

Status Quo of In Vessel Composting in Europe

Manufacturers (past & present) Siloda, Sutco, Metrocompost, BACKHUS…EU facilities in operation > 30

Advantages (compared with non agitated systems):- Optimized process (constant agitation and irrigation)- Easy process control (manual access to the compost material)- Easy material handling (flow through operation)- Possibility for treatment variation (several separate vessels)

Disadvantages (compared with non agitated systems):- Corrosion (agitation system stays in agressive environment)- Large volumes of contaminated air to treat (typically large buildings)- Costly civil works / construction

Agitated Lane Composting

Status Quo of In Vessel Composting in Europe

Manufacturers (past & present) Bedminster, Dano, MUT, Envital, RosRoca…EU facilities in operation approx. 25

Advantages (compared with non agitated systems):- Optimized process (constant agitation and irrigation)- Easy material handling (flow through operation)- Smaller air volumes to be treated

Disadvantages (compared with non agitated systems):- Corrosion (agitation elements stays in agressive environment)- No possibility for separate charge treatment (one vessel, flow trough operation)

Drum composting

Trends and further development in Europe

What is the ideal In Vessel Composting System?

- Optimized process (constant agitation and irrigation)- Easy material handling (continuous process)- Small air volumes to be treated- Possibility for process variation (several separate vessels)- Handle a variety of input materials- Easily expandable- Proven operating costs- …

What´s next?

- Lower investment costs- Lower operating costs- More flexible system operation- More reliability- Better emission protection- ……

In Vessel Systems – trends and the search of the ideal concept

Looking for all-in-one device suitable for every purpose??

Trends and further development in Europe

Moving to the ideal concept:

- Evaluation of estabilshed systems by analizing the pro‘s and con‘s- Looking for intelligent combinations of existing technologies and new concepts

What do we need?

• Vessel• Special top roof enclosure• Under floor areation system• Exhaust air system• Agitation system• Irrigation system• Control system

→ developing a new system

In Vessel Systems – New Developments

Trends and further development in Europe

- Lane style concrete vessel, 14.8‘ wide, 8.2‘ high- Agitation by a newly designed horizontal turning system-Closed vessel featuring unique roof and door design- Fully automatic operation possible

Seeing is believing (testing a new style in vessel system)

Trends and further development in Europe

- Driver operated lane turner with unique rotor design- Under floor aeration system and exhaust air biofilter- Pilot project operation begin in December 2008

Seeing is believing (testing new style in vessel system)

Trends and further development in Europe

Lessons learned from pilot test so far:

Closed tunnel environment design now proven

Ventilation and bio-filter properly manage odors and emissions within tunnels

Designing „three zones“ along vessel length with adjustments for moisture addition andventilation optimization:

Drying and Yield lossBiodegradationOr a combination of the two

Although compost was used for the initial prototype - anticipated bio-degradation asumedfrom 65% to 80% depending on time in tunnel and air and moisture applied

- ……

New style in vessel system – pilot test results

Trends and further development in Europe

Targets for Improvement:

- Improving irrigation systems (three zones)

- Improving monitoring and control systems (automatic optimization of air flow)

- Proving the system for treatment of other input materials

-Next batch testing with sewage sludge to assess ABPR* capability within tunnel- MSW for confirming biodegradation performance in practice-Soil remediation potential

-Assess product output for pelleting or Waste to Energy potential

*ABPR: Animal By Products Regulation

still on the a to the ideal In Vessel Composting S stem

In Vessel Systems – future outlook

Thank you for your attention!

For further information please contact

Bjoern de Haan, Booth #37Lyndell Pate, Booth #38

www.backhus.uswww.n40compost.com