Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Department of Civil Engineering

Biological Process Design

Lecture-48
CE-5160

BIOSOLIDS MANAGEMENT (SLUDGE

TREATMENT)
Composting
 Introduction
Composting is the controlled or engineered biological decomposition
of organic matter into stable
end- products

During composting, micro-organisms breakdown the organic matter

into CO2, water, heat and compost

Compost is the organic matter that has been decomposed and can be
recycled as fertilizer, soil amendment, landfill cover etc.
 Composting Process

Source: http://www.epem.gr/waste-c-control/database/html/Composting-00.htm
 Benefits of compost
•Compost improves the quality of soil, hence can be used as soil
amendment
•It contains variety of basic elements needed for healthy growth
of plants
•In addition to NPK, certain micro-nutrients like Mn, Cu, Zn and
Fe found in compost helps in the control of diseases and insects
•As a soil conditioner, compost provides improved workability,
increased water retention, and resistance to erosion.
Materials that can be composted??
 Greens and Browns
(Nitrogen-rich & Carbon-rich)

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 Factors affecting composting
•Temperature
•Moisture: optimal is 50-60%
•Carbon to Nitrogen (C/N) ratio: optimal is 25-30:1
•Oxygen: porosity and aeration
•pH
•Particle size
•Nutrients: usually plenty in the organic residues
Temperature and pH profiles during
composting

Source: TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF GABROVO

Microorganisms involved in
composting
Bacteria

Fungi Actinomycetes

Source: Rynk et al., 1992. On-Farm Composting Handbook

 Stages of Composting
First stage: Active (Thermophilic) phase
•Performed by aerobic microorganisms
•Decompositions of organic matter into organic acids,
amino acids etc.
•O2 is utilized; CO2 and heat are released
•High rate of composting process
•Temperature ranged up to 55-60°C
 Stages of Composting
Second stage: Cooling phase
•Decomposition of complex organic molecules
•Microorganisms die-off due to lack of food
•Low rate of composting process
•Temperature ranged up to 40-45°C
•Humification
 Stages of Composting
Third stage: Maturation phase
•Temperature is equal to the ambient
•A completely disinfected highly quality
compost is formed as a result
 Temperature
• Optimum temperature for aerobic composting:
55- 70°C
• High temperature results in:
➢ High microbial activity
➢ Faster organic matter stabilization
➢ Pathogen destruction
• Low temperature: Slow bacterial activity
• Very high temperature (>70°C):
➢ Beneficial microbes will die
➢ Nitrogen loss will occur
Thermal kill of pathogens and
parasites

Source: George Tchobanoglous, Integrated solid Waste Management, 1993

 Moisture content
• Water is the important basic need for microbial action
• Most rapid decomposition takes place in thin film of water on surfaces
of organic particles.
• Too little – poor bacterial activity
• Too much – anaerobic pockets and odor, nutrient leaching, slower
decomposition
• Ideal: 50-60%; “wrung-out sponge”
 Carbon to Nitrogen content
• Carbon-rich materials (Browns) such as straw, sawdust, paper are added
to increase the C/N ratio
• Nitrogen-rich materials (Greens) such as sewage and sludge are added to
reduce the C/N ratio
• Carbon acts both as an energy source for heterotrophic microbes
• Carbon : 1/3 used for microorganisms; 2/3 released as CO2
• Nitrogen is needed for protein synthesis
• Ideal ratio for composting = 30:1
• C/N<30 : excess nitrogen leads to ammonia emission
• C/N>30 : inhibits decomposition process; increased composting time
Typical C/N ratio of composting
materials
 Aeration
• Oxygen is consumed by microorganisms for aerobic degradation
• Absence of oxygen sets anaerobic condition further leads to
unpleasant odours

Quantity of
Oxygen
required for
composting

Source: Rynk et al., 1992. On-Farm Composting Handbook

 Effect of pH in composting
• Release of volatile fatty acids:
H+Ac- H+ + Ac- (pH decrease)
• Breakdown of proteins:
prot-NH2 + H+ NH4+ (pH increase)
• The NH4+/NH3 ratio depends on pH, i.e. NH4+ dominates at pH ≤7,
and NH3 dominates at pH≥ 9
• If released into the environment, NH4+/NH3 may cause a decrease in
pH due to nitrification:
NH4+ + O2 NO2- + 4H+ (pH decrease)
 Effect of pH in composting
• Initially, a lowered pH favors the growth of fungi
• More breakdown of lignin and cellulose
• If pH drops too low, even fungi are affected
• Decomposition slows or stops
• Providing oxygen through aeration returns the pH to an
acceptable range
Effect of Particle size

Source: TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF GABROVO

 Effect of Particle size
•Large particle size
➢ prevents compaction
➢ allows oxygen flow and aeration
➢ less surface area
•Small particle size
➢ more surface area for more microbes
➢ faster decomposition
➢ can compact
Digestion and Composting

Source: Manuja et al., 2020 (The Energy and Resources Institute, India; GIZ India)
Digestion and Composting

Source: Manuja et al., 2020 (The Energy and Resources Institute, India; GIZ India)
 Basic Composting technologies
• Non-reactor Processes
I. Agitated solids (Windrow composting)
➢ Natural ventilation
➢ Forced ventilation
II. Static solids (Static pile)
➢ Natural ventilation (non- aerated pile)
➢ Forced ventilation (aerated static pile)
• Reactor process (In-vessel systems)
III. Vertical solids flow
IV. Horizontal and inclined solids flow
V. Non-flow (Batch tunnels)

Source: Robert Tim Haug, 1992 (The Practical Handbook of Composting)

 Types of composting
•Windrow composting
Windrow composting
Types of aeration in windrow
composting
 Types of composting
•In-vessel composting

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 In-vessel composting
• It generally describes a group of methods that confine the
composting materials within a building, container or vessel
• It consists of metal, plastic tanks or concrete bunkers in which air
flow and temperature can be controlled (similar to a Bioreactor)
• Advantages:
• Ease in control
• Less foot print
• Less effects of weather
• Less odorous emissions
• Process air and leachate can be easily collected and
treated
• Less manpower
• Public acceptance
 Anaerobic composting
• In anaerobic composting, the decomposition occur in the
absence of oxygen or under limited supply of oxygen
• Anaerobic bacteria are the predominant decomposers in this
composting
• The products intermediates that include methane, organic
acids, sulphides etc.
• Low –temperature process
• Less maintenance- as waste is thrown into a pit or pile and
wait for years to decompose
• Produce foul smell during decomposition
Anaerobic composting plants
 Bangalore method
• Its recommended where night soil and refuse
are used for preparing the compost
• Provides heap protection from adverse
weather,
• No nutrient losses from high winds and strong
sun,
• No frequent turning requirements and fly
nuisance.
• However, time required for the production of
finished compost is much longer
• The method is suitable for areas with scanty
rainfall
 Bangalore method
• Pit preparation
● Trenches or pits about 1 m deep are dug
● the breadth and length of the trenches can vary according to the
availability of land and the type of material to be composted
● Trenches should have sloping walls and a floor with a 90-cm slope to
prevent waterlogging
• Filling the pit
● Organic residues and night soil are put in alternate layers. After filling,
the pit is covered with a layer of refuse of 15-20 cm. The materials are
allowed to remain in the pit without turning and watering for three
months
● Night soil and refuse are placed on top in alternate layers and plastered
or covered with mud or earth to prevent loss of moisture and breeding
of flies
 Coimbatore method
• This method (Manickam, 1967) involves digging a pit (360 cm long
× 180 cm wide × 90 cm deep) in a shaded area (length can vary
according to the volume of waste materials available)
• Farm wastes such as straw, vegetable refuse, weeds and leaves are
spread to a thickness of 15-20 cm
• Wet animal dung is spread over this layer to a thickness of 5 cm
• Water is sprinkled to moisten the material (50-60 percent of mass)
• This procedure is repeated until the whole mass reaches a height of
60 cm above ground
• It is then plastered with mud, and anaerobic decomposition
commences
•
 Coimbatore method
• In four weeks, the mass becomes reduced and the heap flattens
• The mud plaster is removed and the entire mass is turned
• Aerobic decomposition commences in at this stage
• Water is sprinkled to keep the material moist. The compost is ready
for use after four months
 Chinese rural composting-pit method
• Composting is generally carried out in a corner of a field in a circular or rectangular
pit
• The pits are filled layer by layer, each layer being 15 cm thick.
• Usually, the first layer is a green manure crop or water hyacinth, the second layer is a
straw mixture (Plate 1) and the third layer is animal dung.
• These layers are alternated until the pit is full, when a top layer of mud is added.
• The first turning is given one month after filling the pit and, at this time, the
superphosphate is added and mixed in thoroughly. Water is added as necessary.
• The second turning is done after another month and the third two weeks later.
• The material is allowed to decompose for three months and produces about 8 tonnes of
compost per pit.
Compost quality in India

Source: Fertilizer Control Order, 1985

Compost quality in India

Source: Fertilizer Control Order, 1985

 Monitoring the quality
•Process management (during compost operation)
● Input material and pollutants
● Separation before composting
● Temperature monitoring & hygienization of
pathogens
● Composting time and maturity
•Product management (final compost quality)
● Nutrient (NPK)content
● Salinity (or germination test)
● Temperature
Go green!!!
Thank you