WARRENDALE, PA, Jan. 12, 2005 -- USFilter will participate in the upcoming 13th Annual Conference and Trade Show presented by the U.S. Composting Council (USCC) in San Antonio, Texas, Jan. 24-26. Its composting experts will present a paper, which focuses on the company's results of a research project done to evaluate the long-term effects of utilizing positive and negative aeration for in-vessel composting.
Richard Nicoletti, PE, product manager for USFilter's IPS Composting System technology, will present "Positive vs. Negative Forced Aeration Evaluation for In-Vessel Composting" on Jan. 24. The podium presentation estimates the quantitative and qualitative long-term operational results of utilizing negative aeration versus positive aeration for composting in an agitated, in-vessel composting system. Jim Taylor from the town of Merrimack, N.H., is the co-author of the work being presented.
Forced aeration optimizes the composting process by ensuring that sufficient oxygen is available to maintain aerobic conditions for the microbes. It also provides cooling air to maintain compost pile temperatures below the 70°C, which is critical for microbial survival. There are two basic forced aeration methods: 1) Positive aeration where air is blown up through the compost; and 2) Negative aeration where air is drawn down through the compost. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages. Ammonia and other odorous and/or corrosive gases are released in greater volumes for composting technologies that utilize positive aeration because of the difficulty capturing them. Negative aeration has operational problems associated with collection, removal and disposal of particulate matter and moisture that are drawn into the aeration network. The IPS technology typically utilizes the positive aeration method.
This paper presents the findings of an intensive two-month study performed at the Merrimack, N.H., Composting Facility. One IPS bay was converted from positive to negative aeration and all aspects of critical operating parameters were monitored to evaluate long-term effects.
About USFilter
USFilter Corp. (www.usfilter.com), a Siemens company, delivers cost-effective, reliable water and wastewater treatment systems and services to municipal, industrial, commercial and institutional customers worldwide. USFilter is part of Siemens' Industrial Solutions and Services Group (I&S), which provides innovative solutions and services designed to improve competitiveness in processing and manufacturing industries and in infrastructure. In fiscal 2004, I&S employed a total of 30,000 people worldwide.
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