Basics of Composting June 2009 PDF

The Theory and Operation of Composting
Dr John Paul, PhD, Soil Microbiology June 2009

COMPOSTING THEORY
Composting is a natural biological process, where aerobic microorganisms (primarily bacteria and fungi)
decompose organic waste to produce a stable organic product that can enhance the quality of the soil by
providing organic matter, nutrients and beneficial microorganisms.
Human-controlled composting optimizes the conditions needed for the natural decomposition process. By
creating these ideal conditions, a much faster and efficient decomposition of the organic waste and
stabilization of the final product can be achieved.
In order to enhance the composting process, the following criteria are very important:
Temperature
The optimal temperature for composting is between 55 and
65 degrees C. This temperature is created by the
microorganisms themselves and is important for killing
potentially pathogenic organisms and weed seeds. At
temperatures below 55 C, the process is slower and may not
result in proper sterilization of the product. At temperatures
higher than 65 C, some of the beneficial microorganisms are
killed which also slows the process. The temperature can be
controlled by moisture, aeration and by mixing.
Air-Filled Porosity
Air-filled porosity is the volume of air inside a volume of
compost. The organic waste must allow the passage of air
through the material because composting is an aerobic process,
where the microorganisms require oxygen to decompose the
material. The air-filled porosity should be between 35 and 45%
of the volume of the material. Air-filled porosity is usually not
measured directly, but inferred from measuring bulk density and
moisture content.
Transform Compost Systems

Bulk Density
The bulk density is the weight of the composting material per volume, usually expressed in kilograms per
cubic meter. The composting material should have a bulk density of between 600 and 700 kg per cubic
meter. Material having a bulk density lower than this is likely too dry, or the particles are too large to
compost properly. Material having a higher bulk density is likely too wet, or has particles that are too small
to allow oxygen to enter the material.
Moisture Content
The moisture content of the composting material must be between
45 and 65% moisture content. The bacteria and fungi that do the
composting live in a water layer around the organic particles. If the
moisture content is below 45%, there is not enough water around the
particles for the microorganisms to live, and if the moisture content is
greater than 65%, the pores between the particles are filled with
water, and the microorganisms cannot obtain enough oxygen. The
rule of thumb is that if you can squeeze water out of the material, its
likely more than 70% moisture content and is too wet.
Mixing
Mixing the composting material is very important to ensure that all of the material reaches temperatures
required for pathogen kill. It also breaks preferential air pathways that may develop and slow the
composting process.
COMPOSTING TECHNOLOGIES
Composting technologies can be separated into the following categories:
Static pile composting

Static pile composting is the simplest type of
composting process, but is also the slowest process
with the least likelihood of adequate and consistent
temperatures for pathogen kill. The finished product
may also be of inconsistent quality. The moisture
content, porosity of the mix, and pile height and
width become very important to make this type of
composting process work successfully. The time
required for composting and the lack of control
makes this technology not practical for most
applications.
Aerated static pile composting

Aerated static pile composting uses forced aeration
to speed up the composting process by ensuring
adequate oxygen throughout the pile. Preferential air
pathways may develop, especially if the material is
more dense or has a higher moisture content. At
least one mix is required in an aerated static pile
composting process to ensure pathogen kill on the
edges of the pile. This technology speeds up the
process substantially over static pile composting and
is used by many technology providers.

Turned windrow composting

Turned windrow composting uses a specialized
turning machine to mix and provide aeration into a
pile of composting material. Turning frequency
ranges from daily to weekly depending on the
season, the material being composted, moisture
content and porosity of the compost, and the stage
of composting. The size of the windrow depends
usually on the size of the compost turner. If the
material is not porous enough, oxygen
concentrations can be minimal at a depth of 0.5 to 1
m within one hour of turning. This makes turned
windrow composting slower than aerated pile
composting. Turned windrow composting produces
an excellent quality compost. Turned windrow
composting is the most commonly used composting
method because of the lower capital cost of these
systems. The major disadvantages are the amount of space required and the lack of odor control
capability with this technology.
Turned and aerated composting
The highest quality product can be achieved in the
shortest amount of time using a combination of
aeration and turning. The forced aeration ensures
that the oxygen concentrations remain high enough
for optimal composting conditions. The multiple
turning of the compost ensures that preferential air
pathways do not develop and that all of the
composting material has reached temperatures
required for pathogen kill. A rotating drum and an
agitated bed composting systems are two examples
of this technology.

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The Theory and Operation of Composting

Dr John Paul, PhD, Soil Microbiology June 2009

Transform Compost Systems

Static pile composting

Aerated static pile composting

Transform Compost Systems

Turned windrow composting

Transform Compost Systems

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