Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
21 i~472
; ~ Proce~R and app~ratu~ for the bioiogical tre~tment
of ~bBtanCeB and/or mixture~ of
substance~ ln ~losed rotting reactors
Technical fleld
The lnve~tlo~ relate~ ~o a process and an
apparatu~ for the ~aological treat~e~t, in particular
compo~ting, of biogenic a~d ab~ogenlc ~ub~tances and/or
mixture of ~b~tances an ~ clamp 1~ :the pre~enae of
biologically active co~pone~ts, in pa~tic~lar micro-
or~aciRms, in ~ olo~ed reactc~r havln~- a p~u~ality of
reacto~ zones.
:Prlor art
Such proce ses a~d pla~ts are know~, for examp}e
as indu~trial composting proce~e~ and co~po~ plant~
ln a ~ery wide ra~e of ~oai~e~t~. The rotting, i.e.
compoRtln~, of biogenic orsanic a~d abio~enic su~tance~
unde~ aerobic conditions re~ult,~ i~ the formation o~ ~At
and metabolic gases whi~h have 1;o be r~mo~ed ~la aer~tio~
(ven~ilatio~) systsm~. Usually, fre~h ai~:flows through
~he ~otting mixture and the co~resp~nA; n~ w~3te air iB
blown out. Oxyge~ i~ introduced in a~ uAcon~rolled manner
with the fre~h air supply, ar.Ld moisture and ~eat are
removed with the w~ste air. Gas, hu~idity and/or
temperature grad~entR re~ult w}~i~h cannot be lnf}uen~ed
and, owing to the networ~ o.f operating ~nd proce~
parameters, are ~uitabls only for de~cribing ~he p~oeess.
Thu~, import~nt proces~l alms oa~not ~e ~chieved
by mea~ of the~e co~e~tional aer~tion ~y~tam~. If wat~r
dischar~e ~ de~ired, he~t i~ th,us ~lmultaneously r~moved
in an u~controlled manner. Thi~s, on th~ one hand the
2 2 1 76~ 72
desired mol~ture content~ cannot be mai~tained and on the
othe~ hand ~mportant predeter"~;~e~ te~peraturc~ for ~he
development of mesophil~c and thermophili~ micro~lora
cannot be indepe~derltly controlled. It i6 al~o not
passible to influence the mic:coblal co~ver~io~ of ~u~-
sta~ces by ~e~ of a defined oxyg~n feed. The de~icien-
cie~ of the cur~e~t proce~R co~trol~ are evident i~ the
problem of eRta~lishl~g ~eproducible and s~eclic
co~dition~ in the medium, ~or example~in the form~tion
of exc~s~vely ~igh temperature plateaus in certain
trea~me~t phase~, in ~n undeslred dry ~tab~lization of
the rotting material ~d ln a~ un~atlsfactory conversion.
The discharge of odorlferou~ l~u~tanc~ and production
c~de~sate, w~ich nece~sitate a~ditio~al treat~ent means,
are further a~pect~. S~nce t~e kéy p~rameter~ of the
biological proce~ control, She ox~gen ~uppl~j the
tempera~ure and the moisture content, can ~e o~ly lnade-
~uately mainta~ned, no ~mprovem~ent in the ~otting proce~s
iB achieved eve~ by con~ectint~ ~eparate reactors to a
central a~r preparation ~ea~t3, especiall~ si~ce the
content~ of the reattors exhi~it di~ferent d~gree~ of
rotting a~d are Qupplled with :Lde~tical air qualit~ and
quantlty of air.
A b~ a~p~c~t i~ the further development of ~he
composting proce~ i8 to ~ p~ove the un~ati~factory a~d
incorrect use of the poten~i~l performanc~ of ~pecific
microfloxa, to remedy the inevitably poor reproduci~ility
of desired qualltle~ a~ defined ~y the quallty guidellne~
for compo~t~ and/ox to prevent ~he form~tio~ of poc~ets
2 1 76~:7~
- 3 ~
of harmful flo~a in co~posts a~d to pre~ent the$r
~econdary products and ~o lmprove t~e co~t-e~fi~ency of
the rotting procesR by optlmum,proce~s contro}. The ri~ks
of po~8~b1e harmful effectR in the d:iver~ified use of
compost~ are otherwi~e incàlculable a~d are ~cceptable
agaln~t the background o~ product li3bility.
DE-40 ~1 868 Al - ~k~.~r - di~clo~es a proce~
for the composting o wa8te5. The m~terlal to ~e rotted
i~ introduced into a clo~ed ~ontai~er 3nd microbially
degraded wi~ a supply of ai~.. To star~ the composting
rapidly and reliably, the waste air ,e~erg~g from the
rotting m~terial i8 r~cycled to the rotting materlal
during the init~a~ pha~e. Thls air circulation pha~e i~
diBcontinued a8 ~oon a~ ~he o~en co~tent:fall6 below
18%, The air circulatlon sy~tem de~cribed:i~ thi~ publi-
cation ~erve8 for con~ervin~ the biog~nically ~o~med
heat, especially in w~nter.
DE-40 21 865 ~1 _ ~RU~ likewi ~e de~cribes a
proce~ a~d a~ apparatu~ for co~po~ing wa~te~ with air
clrculation. The air circ~lation ~er~e~ for maintai~in~
hygienic condition~ over a period of 5 day3~ ~t i~
started only a~ter the degr~dation of the readily degrad-
able component~ becau~e the bi~ge~ic heat ~ormation in
t~e vi~orous lnitial phasQ of l~he treatm~nt then cannot
be ~o~trolled by the sy~tQm de~3c~ibed if lt 1~ u~ed for
regulati~g the gas bala~ce. Cooli~g ca~ b~ achi~ed o~ly
~y mea~ of the fres~ air supply a~ par~ of an ~ndefined
~et of parameters,
Pi~ally, ~E-40 08 104 A,l - WIENXC~R - de~cribe~
2~ /6472
- 4
a composti~g 8y8te~ which i~ ~uitable only for ~mall
cont~iners since the aerat~on employs only c~nvection.
~o~rol o~ microbial conver~io:~ i8 not po~lble.
I~ the ca~e of the~e cc~æo~tin~ plants which ha~
already. been realized in practice ~ 0 21 8~8 Al;
DE 40 21 865 A1; D~ 40 OB 104 A1), the air circ~latio~s
descrlbèd are those which are conceptually derived from
proces~ engineeri~g wh$ch operates o~ly wit~ fresh air
and which (~rom ~ lac~ of ~owled~e) doeg not utilize the
po~ibilit~es offered by predetermi~ed cli~atic
condition~. Thus, importa~ce i.9 prefsrably a~tached to
optimum oxygen ~upply ~21~) in the gas phase, which
~upply can ~e achi~ved with a relati~ely low air ~rough-
put pe~ unit vo~ume and u~it time. FrequeAtly, ~he
proce~ relie~ on the carbon ~ioxide concentr~tio~ a~ a
co~trol par~meter, which i8 :~o~e~se in the ca~e of
rotting mixtures w~o~e pH i~ abo~ 7. The attempt to
achieve temperature plateaus w~ich are a~ hi~h ~
po~ble rule~ out the desire to regu}ate the t~per~ure
i~ the rotting mass to the b~ologiçally r~quired
conditions for de~ir~d conver~io~ as aD, indi~pe~able
condition. ~owever, where thi~ rout~ is ~doptçd, it iu
fou~d that the air thro~ghput rate3 are ~et much too low
to croate ho~ogeneou~ conditio~,s ln the ~ubstrate.
The composti~g plan~ at~d at the out~e~ i~
disclosed in, DE 40 34 400 ~,1 or the corre~r~d~ ng
WO 92~07807 - ~RARRR. I~ order to avoid r~petitio~, this
document ~ hereby i~corporated ~y refer~nce. It
de~cri~es a proce~s fox the biotecbnologic~l tre~tment of
2 1 76~ 72
a mixture of re~idue~, prefere~ly ~n the for~ of a cla~p,
by a ~icrobial conversion pro~eY~ in a closed ~ystem
which 18 ~uita~le in particular for the p~o~uctio~ of
compo~t. Eere, physical, ~h ~.c~l and biological proces~
pare~mete~ are included in the proce~ control and
toget~er tallored to the mi~:cobi~l co~ver lo~ required
for ~hi~ purpo~e in each case, with opt~m~zation of the
hygienizatio~, odor eliminatlon and co~tln~ous hu~
formation of th~ mixture of residue~. For this purpo8e,
the mixture of re~idues i~ subjected to two dif~erent
aeratio~ msthods or a mixed f'orm of these two ~eration
me~hod6. In onc aeration met~od, air i~ pa~ed through
the mixture of residue. In the secon~ aeration method, on
the other hand, the air i~ pas~3ed Along abo~e ~he mixture
of rQsldues. In order to e~te~ h de ired temperature
co~dition~, humid~ty co~ditio~ ~nd/or oxygen/carbon
dioxide ratio~ particula~ profile~, i~ the mixtUrQ of
re~idue~, the ~wo aeration metho~s a~e~adapted to one
a~o~her in ~uch a w~y that vari.able ~;Ying r~tios ~t~een
O and 100% can be gene~ated from the ~lrc~lated air
volu~e flow rate. Th~ neans for aeration are in each case
fans, one fan pa~Ging the air ;~lo~g ab~ve ~he mi~ture of
re~idue~ and a ~eco~d fan ~low~ng the a~ through the
mixt~re of reQidues.
T~e proce~s de~cribed in the last-~ontioned
~ublicatlon~ (DE 40 34 400 Al, W0 ~2 07807) u~ually
operate~ succe~3fully. However, pro~le~ m~ occur when
the density of the mixture bei~ rotted hlnde~s flow
through the mix~ure. In ~he li~itiR~ c~e where the
2 1 764 72
mixture ~eing rotted iB im~ermea~le to ir, the fan
provided for e~surin~ flo~ through t~e mixture merely
b~ilds up a ~tati~ pre~sure ~nder the c~amp witho~t lt
being pos~ible to cause the S~ir to low, ~ot even wh~
both fa~s arc r"~n;~, l.e. the fan provided or ensur~ng
flow ov~r the ala~p Rupports the fan p~o~i~ed for
en~uring flow through the cla~lp, in t~at the a~r passlng
along the top of the c~a~p ha~ ~ certain ~ctlon action
o~ the cla p. ~lthough ~oth ~a~s are r~t~ni~g, only the
air flowing over the clamp ~aU~eB a cçrtaln air
circul tion i~ the ~yst~m.
Further pate~t applicatio~ of the appiica~t
~Germa~ patent applic~tion~ with applicatlon ~umber~
P 42 15 26~.0-41 a~d P 42 lS :267.4 and PCT applicatio~s
with the appli~ation n ~ ~er~ PCT/~P93~1142 a~d
PCT/~P93~01143), which have not y~t been laid open,
describe variable air clrcu:latio~ ~ystems in closed
rottin~ ~ea~s for compo~t prod~lction, which e}iminate the
ob~iou~ d~ Badva~ta~es of the con~entional ~ygtems. They
additionally ha~e t~e advanta~ that the rel~ant p~oce6B
parameters can be controlled lD~dependent~y of one another
and can ~e co~bined in a su~t~le mann~r for optimizing
the proce~s con~rol. In co~ltrast, these parameters
mutually i~fluence each o~her i~ the conven~lonal sy~t~ms
and ~inder the biological process. The di~clo u~e con~ent
of the above pateD~t appllcati,on~ i~ here~y expre~sly al~o
decla~od to be part of the de~crlption of the pre~en~c
appllcation .
- 7 -
D~qclo~re of the invention
The o~ect of t~e pre~en~ lnvention i~ to provide
a procen~ and ~ apparat~ of t~e ge~eric type s~ated at
the outset, whlch process or whic~ appaxatus permitq a
biolog~cally ~en61tive regulat~on of de~ir~d mode~ of
operat~o~, in particular for t~e pro~uc~ion of r~pro-
duc$ble product~ in an economi¢al ~nner.
The o~j-ect according to the invention i8 achieved
~y the ~bject~ of patent cl~im~ 1 ~nd 20, i.e. ~y: a
proce ~ asd a~ ~pparatus for the biologlc~l treatmen~, ln
par i~ular ~o~po~ting, of bioge~ic ::~and ~biogenic
sub~tance~ and/or mixture of slsbst~es i~ ~ clamp in the
presence of ~iolo~ically active COmpOnRnt8, i~ particular
microorga~sm~ in a clo6ed re~tor ha~ a pl~ality of
reactor zone~, namely the cl~lp it6elf and at least one
reactor ga~ space adja~e~t to t:~e clamp. ~ccording to the
proce~, medi~ atate~, cha~ges in media ta~e~ and/or
process p3rameter~ in the clam~l ~re ad~uste~, maintai~ed,
controlled or regulated (ref~:rred to toge~her b~low a~
regulated) by mean5 of ~teady ~tate, quasl-~te~dy-~ta~e
and/or non-steady-state operation o-f ~he reactor. For
this purpose, the apparatu~ posse~ es a ~losed reactor
havi~ the abovement~ oned reactor zo~e~ J fu~hermore,
mean~ for adju6ting, m~in~a~n;n~ cont~olling and
regulating (referred to toget:her below as r~ulati~
means) t~ medi~ ~tate~, ch~nges in msdia ~tates ~nd/or
proces~ parameters i~ the clamp by mea~ o~ ~te~dy-state,
quasi-~t~ady-state and~or no~-,ste~dy-sta~e oper~tion of
the reac~or.
2 1 76~ 72
-- 8 -- ..
By means of t~ese ~ea~3ure~, de~ired and required
media statQ8 ca~ be m~intained ~y ~ ne coord~ ~ation of
the transfer of climatic conditions from the ga~ ~pace to
She solid~ mixture, and the ~e~eral ~1crobial eonver~io~
can thus be l~flue~ced; f~the:nmore, the performance~ acd
synergi~tic effect~ of special:Iy promoted pop~latlon~ ~an
be optimized. The~e meas~re~ also permit a~ opti~u~
adaptation of the proce~s co~trol to differ~nt startlng
point~ ~nd rott~g layer thic~e~es.
Accordi~ to claim43 2 and 21, at lea~at two
reacto~ zone~, in particu~ ar the clamp it6elf ~nd a
reactor zo~e ~djacent to it, are preferably coupled to
one another by ~ean~ of ga~ f low~, ~ n particula~ air
flow~. Thi~ achleves, intQr alia, the ~ollowi~g
adva~tages: if the ~ixtu~e block~ th~ flow in a case of
high den~ity, i.e. if through~low i~ blo¢ked, tt i~
pos~ib}e, by coupli~y the flows of ~he~ reactor zones
pre~ent above a~d ~elow the cl~mp, neve~thele~ to
realize a wide range of ~low var~ant~, by ~eans of which
the medl~ st~te in the clamp c;ln be ~fluenced. ~hu~, at
lea~t t~e bounda~y layer~ between the ~lamp a~d t~e ~aR
apaces ca~ be climatically con~tioned; if ~qu~red, the
blockage can also ~inally ~e eliminated ~gain thereby.
Acco~d~ng to ~laims 3 and 22, the reac~or
operatlon i~ r~gu~ated ~y appropriate de~ign of the
regulatin~ ~ean~, via one or :more steady-~tate, gua~l-
~teady-~tate and/or ~on-~teady-st~te ~a~ ~low~. Thi~
ma~e~ it po~ible to avoid exl;r~me medla ~tates at the
lnt~ftces of the clamp, ~or example drying out, and
2 J ~ 2
furthermore to relativ~ze t~mper~ture- fl~ctuation~ or
cha~es in the g~s bal~nce.
~ ccord~ to cla~m~ 4 and 23, the ~regulati~
meane are desig~ed in ~uc~ a way ~hat t~oy can be us~d to
select at lea~t one or more g~3 ~lows ~rom the following
~as flow types: flow through, flow o~er, flow under acd
flow around ~he clamp. Here too, the developme~t of
extreme ~t~te~ duri~g the compo~ting pr~e~ ca~ be
effectl~ely counteracted in good tame. So-called '~eizi~g
up" of the cl~p i~ ~hus prev~ted in pF~ctice.
Accordi~ to patent claims 5 and 24, at leas~ two
differ~t type~ of g~8 flow are combi~ed wlth one another
and ~n particular the vol~e, pressure, t~mpera~ure
a~d/o~ velocity conditio~s o~ ~e ~as fl~w types are
contlnuou~ly regulated by t:he r~gulating mea~. The
volume8, pressures and~or veloci~iQs of- the gae flow
typee can be ~djusted - likewi~e co~tinuously - between
O ~nd 100~. The generation of. deslred ~radiect~ of the
media parameter~, e.g. 2~ CO2, humidit~ and t~perature,
can be ~elect~ vely a~d ~en~itively i~flue~ced i~
pa~ticular by the continuous change and co~bination of
di~ferent ~a~ ~low types. ~h~, the co~vecti~n can ~e
promoted or counter~c ~ed, for ex~mple by finely adj~ted
mixed form~ of flow throu~h ancl flow over or under. It i~
al~o posslble to control t~e f~orm of heat tr~nsfer from
the clamp. It i3 po~ible to c~oose ~e~ween the
convectlons and l$ne-related me~ha~isms and ~h~o to
determine the degre~ of couplin~ of h~At withdrawal to
m~ transpor~.
2 1 ~6~ 72 ~`
- 10 -
Accordin~ to patent claLms ~6 and 25, the
directioAR of flow of the ~ flow types cgln be reversed
at leaRt once during thc trea~ent, wlth t~ ~id o~ the
regulating ~ea~R. The~e mea~uxe~ have the followlng
ad~gmta~e: ~y mean~ of the~, for ex~mple, unde ired
interfac~al 3tates ~an b~ co~pen~ated or destroyed, for
~xg~ple u~desired drying out at the interfaces of the
clamp.
Accordlng to pa~ent cla$ms 7 and 2~, the ~egulat-
ing meanB are de~i~ned for peri4dlcal1y ~lter~at~ng or
ap~r~odically alter~atin~ rever~al of the dl~ection of
flow o~ the ~a~ flow type~. In cer~ in C~eB, qua~i-
6teady-~tate or ~on-~te~dy-stglte flow aondition~ can ~e
ge~erated bo~ by the pe~iodic~l~ly alternati~g and by the
aperiodically alt~rnbting rev~lrsal~ of the d~re~tlon of
flow. T~e eRtabli~hment of qua~i-steady-state ~ondi~ion~
may depend o~ the perlod or on the frequency of cha~e of
the d~rection of flow. v~ry frequen~ chang~ of direction
may lead to non-steady-~tate flow condition~ when, ow~ng
to he h~gh frequency, no unlormity in t~e flow can be
established. ~ndesired interfacial ~tate~ ~an also be
ellmin~ted or compensated by thi~ control of the saR
streams. By ~uitably changing the process data-det~rmin-
ing parameter~, it 1B pos~ s to maintaln narrow te~-
perature a~d humidity ran~e~ i~ the cas~ o~ ge 1 ~yer
thicknesse~.
Accordin~ to patent ~laim~ 8 ~d 27, the regul~t-
ing means pe~mit la~r and~or tur~ule~t ga~ flow typ~ss.
Thi~ too makes it po~si~le ~o avo~d or elimi~ate
21 76472
unde~ired interfac~al Rtates. The intenSity of con~ectio~
or of mA~B tra~fer~ a~ well aR heat transf~r ca~ al60
be influenced by th~.
Accordin~ to patent clai~ 9 and ~28, l~ is
pO8B~ ble to Ghan~e in a period1eally alternating or
~periodically alternating m~nn~ betwQen I~ n~r a~d
turbulent flow usi2g the regulatlng mean The e mea~ureQ
furthermore incre~se the po~sibili~ies o$ cou~teracting
t~e a~o~ tioned u~desired intexfacial ~tat~s by
adaptatio~ of the heat tran~fer coef~içient~.
Acçord~n~ to pa e~t claim~ lO and 29, the regu-
l~ting means have co~rol ~alve~ ~nd/o~ displaceable
ob~tacle1 to flow, ~ncludin~ 1o-cal~d ~affle~, by mean~
of w~ich l~;n~r ~a~ low ca~ b~ converted ~nto ~urbulent
ga~ flow, fo~ example by alterna~ing change of the
positions o~ the control valv1es. This too lnc~ea~e~ the
diver~ity of the ~ean~ by whlich undesi~ed interfac~al
~tate~ ca~ be counteracted. It ~u~t o~ course be borne in
mi~d ~hat the clamp it~elf, includ~ng it~ surface
structure, should be co~Gidered a~ an ob~tacle ~o flow,
and eddie~ or t~rbulence~ ~ay ~e ge~rated in t~e inter-
facial region ~y th~ ~rface ~tructure~ of the clamp
it~elf. The edd$es regularly change the he~l. transf~r
ooefficlent~ lo~ally, a~ w81:1 a~ ~he g~ e~rh~n~e -
a~alogou~ly to local eddie~ otherwi~ r liquid
flow~,
Accordi~ to clai~ ll and 30, co~ti~uou~ly
controll~ble regulatin~ mean~, in particul~ control
valve and controllable fAns, are pro~idod in r¢~ulat~o~
2 1 764 72
- 12 - .
syi3temi3, by mean~ of which the gas flow~ and the
propo~tion3 of the ~a~ ~low3 ca~ be contlnuou~ly changed
relatlve to one another. The ~o~lo~ln~ a~va~tage8 c~n ~e
ac~ieved by these meaBure~: controlled sta~t~g of the
procedurc for rottlng masl3es ha~ing heterogeneou6
c~n~rositions.
~ ccordin~ to patent claims ~12 and 31 , t~e
~egulating mean~ are e~ed for prDc:e~3;3-dependent
m~nu~l, program-controlled and/or co~p~ter-ai3islisted
actuation of the regul~ting mea~s, in par~i~alar of the
fa~ a.d cc~ntrol valvei3 . The f ollowing ac~v~ntagais ~an ~e
achieved by thei~e measures: ccntrolled tran~fer from one
txeatment pha~e to the other, for example ~rom the
incub~tion phaiie to the hygi~ z~tio~ ~hase.
Accord~ng to patent claims 13 and 32, the tem-
perature o~ the reacto~ air and/or the temperature of the
clamp are ~elected a~ controlled variable~ and controlled
as a functlon of the procei3~3. For this purpoise, the
regul ting mean~ ha~ te~per~ture measuring mea~is which,
preferably i~ combi~atlo~ ~ith ~etpo~nt adjuster~,
comparatOr~ a~d controllers, are de igned for proces~-
dependent control or regulation. Thls permits better
integration of the bio~enic heat generatlo~, a poorly
adju3~ab1e quantity, into the temperature eontrol, for
example by fir6t regulat~ng the r~ac~ion air unt~l a
predetermined temperat~Fe value i~ re~ched an~ then
resula~i~g the temperature in ~he clamp. It should be
ta~en ~nto account that the tl~mperature of the reactor
air ~hould ~erve a~ a controlled ~ri~ble only a~ long a~
- 13 - 2 l 76 4 72
the clamp relea~es ~o bloge~ic: heat i~to t~e reactor air.
~an~eover fro~ r~ulation of the temperature of the
reactor air to regulation of t~e temperature of the clamp
i~ prefe~ably effec~ed well before th1s~time.~requently,
~hls tLme can be predetenmined well i~ a~vance and with
~u~ficient accuracy by comp~rison of t~e t~mpera~ure~ of
the reactor air and of the cli~mp.
~ ccordin~ to patent claim~ 14 a~d ~3, tempe~ature
difference~ in the clamp and/or the va~iables of ~tat-e of
the gas streams a~d/or of the waste air, for example the
temperature, ~he h~ dity, t.he 2/~2 ratlo, the ~as
pressure, the flow veloci~y a~d/or the throu~put ~olume,
are u~ed as cont~lled variable~. For thlg pu~pone, the
regulatlng me~ ha~e approp:riate mea~uring means for
deterr~n~ng t~e t4mperature differen~e~ and/or for
dete mini~ the actual value~ ~f the variable~ of eta~e
of the ga~ ~reamA and~or ~f the waste i~. Th~ initi~l
~alues of the me~surin~ mea.n3 ~re then compared in
comparatora with the inlt:ial ~lu~ of setpoint
adjuster~, and the result of the comparl~on, t~e ~o-
called deviation, iP fed to co~trollers. Their output
values are t~en used ~or cont:rolling o~ rQsulating the
Rtated temperature differences ~nd/or variable~ of ~tate.
Thi~ permits the controlled ~et:ting of medla requireme~t~
of certai~ microorgani~s o~ microo~g~m ~pecie~
(anaerobic, aerobic, g~i~c~ wlth an inert g~ i~ the
case of high ~2 tolerance, e~
According o patent claims 15 and 34, the ga~
~tream~ in a clo~ed air ci~culation 3ystem are ci~culated
- 21 76~72
- 14 - ~ ~
with or ~itho~t fresh ~ir ~eecl~ By mea~s of thl~ too, the
gas balance can ~e manipulated in ~ known nner.
~ ccording to patent claim~ 1~ and 35, the gas of
ga~ ~tre~ms i~ co~ditioned in conditionlng mean~ to
achieve th~ deslred ~ariable~ of _tate.
According to pa~ent clalmP ~7 ~nd 36, a defined
ratio of circulated air to f~esh air i~ estabLished by a
circ~lated air di~charge correspQnc~n~ to the fresh air
feed, preferably via appropriate control v~e~.
Accordi~g to patent c:L~ 18 ~nd ~7, co~dit~on-
ing of the flowing gas iB pre~erably effected by ad~u~-
i~g temperature, prePPure anci ingredlent~, for e~ample
the content of nitxogen, oxy~en, carbon dioxide, ~ ~nia
and water, in order to protect CO2-tole~ant microflora
f~om competitors, for example by i~crea~i~g the COz
partial pres~ure.
According to pat~nt claims 1~ and 38, the clamp
1R mechanically treated, in particular ci~culated, by
mean~ of a turn-over apparatu~. ThiR measure ~erv~s for
loo~eni~ and hence easier flow through the clamp,
furthermore homo~e~ization of the compo_t ma~erial and
st~n~rdizatio~ of the medaa condition~ in the clamp, a~d
fin~lly for the destruction of microcompArtmen~ in the
mixture, 90 that m~ croorg~ni_ms ~nd substrate are ~on-
tinuously remixed, ~hu~ permittin~ co~lete degradation
a~d conversion.
Accordin~ t~ patent c~i~ 39, the appar~tu~ h~s
plurality o~ separate re~ctw.s, a~d the ~i~ circulation
~y~t~m 1B d~signed a~ a centrl~l aeratlon me~n~. Prefer-
,~ 15 ~176~7~
ably, ~at least o~e or mo~e, or p~rticularly pref~rablyall, ~eactor3 are a~igned mean~ which are de6igned for
reactor-i~depende~t a~d indl~i.dual controlla~llty o~ the
process parameter~ determini~ the mlc~ob~ al conver~ion.
T.his make3 it pos~i~le for the ,~1a conditions of a
plurality of ~ndividual r~actor~ to be regula~ed
Re~itively and independen~ly of one anot~er ~o mat~h the
re pecti~e ~tate of rottin~ and the material ~o be
rotted. Accordin~ to patent cla~m ~0, for thls p~rpo~e
the lndi~idual reac~or~ can alternatively be con~ected to
the ce~tral aeration means, preferabl~ vi~ control
~alves. According to p~tent clalm 41, it~i~ fur~-h~r~ore
preferable to equip eaah r~acto~ wit~ itR own
controllable freAh air feed. Thi3 further lncrea~e~ the
degree of i~d~pen~A~ce of the individual reactors.
Acco~ding to pat~nt c:laim ~2, a re~ctor ha~ one
reactor zone each directly above and ~elow the cl~p, and
the~e reactor zo~e~ can be ~o~eeted to one another via
ga~ flow pipes and control ~alve~ ~r~anged therei~. This
make~ it possible to increa~e the diversity of the ~a~
flow type~ ~nd the co~bi~at:iOnB thereof, permi t ing
~ensitive regulation of the m~!dia co~dit$on~.
~ ccordin~ to patent cla~m 43, t~e ga~ flow pipes
and control valve~ are arrange~ in groups, ~ymmet~ically
with re3pect to the rea~tor. A particul~ly clearly laid-
out des~gn of the apparatu~ i~ thus achieved, At the ~ame
time, a simple possibllity i~ created for altern~tively
reversin~ the dire~tions of the ga~ flow~.
Accordi~g t~ pato~t clai~ 44, ~e reactor zo~e~
2 ~ 76~ 72
_ 16 - :
located above and below the clamp a~e ~connected to one
a~other on both side~ of ~he reactor, in each ca~e via a
ga~ flo~ pipe ha~in~ a first co~trol va~l~e. This m~ke~ i~
particularly conve~ie~t to re~late ~ot only t~e volum
but also the directio~ and t~pe~ of ga~ flow~.
A~ increaQe i~ diver~i~y of regulatio~ 1~
ach~ev-d by the subJect of patent ~laim 45, ~am~ly by the
fact t~at a second cont~ol ~al~e ~s~arr~nged i~ the ga~
flow plpe i~ each case on both ~ide~ of the fir t control
valves; ~here are thu~ altog~ther thre~ control valveB i~
each of the gas f low pipes connecti~g th~ two reactox
zone B .
According to patent claim 46, the apparatu~ ha~
at least one or two fans, e~ch of which ~P conne~ted, ~ia
a thi~d control valve downstre~m of it,:to a point of the
gas flo~ pipe which id bet~ee~ the fir~ and the second
co~trol valve. ~iB permit~ f~rther increase in the
dive~ity of regulatio~ with regard to the ga~ flow types
and their direction~ a~d combi~ation8. Furthermo~e, each
fan can be switched o~ to ~upport the other. In
pri~cip~ e, however, virtually all combinAtions of gas
flow types c~n al80 be esta~ hed b~ mean~ of a sl~gle
~an .
According to patent ~laim 47, that gas flow pipe
which con~ects together tho~e ends of the reactor zone~
above and bQlow the clamp whic:h face ~way from ~he fan~
ha~ a br~nch, loca~ed betwe~n it~ fir~t ~d ~econd
control valve~, for th~ air ~-irculatio~ line. The air
circulation loop can be clo~ed ~y means of t~i3 br~nch.
21 76~72
- 17 -
According to pate~t clalm 50~ the air ~lrculation line
preferably ha~ a fifth control valve, ~y me~n~ of which
the flow cross-seation of the ~ir circulaeion li~e c~ ~e
controlled, on the one hancl to achieve throug~ ~i r
circulation, but on the other hand to block th~ air
circulation li~e and he~ce force complete flow arou~d the
clam~.
According to pate~t cla~ 48, t4e diver ity of
the ga~ flow variant~ ~ incr,ea~ed by bra~ching the aix
circulation line i~to two f~rther line~, namel~ a g8~
flow pipe entering the co~ditloning ~~ and a further
ga~ ~low pipe entering the xeactor. ThiA make~ it
pos~ible in particular to a~hi~ve turbulence effects, and
to do ~o in accordance with the flow~conditio~s. The
diverslty of 3aid effect6 ca~ be i~creàsed by further
~ranching of the pipe enter~ng the reactor space, in
particular when a fonrth ~o~f~rol val~e i~ arranged in
~ach of the f~rt~er branch line~ (patent cla~m 49).
overall, the invention thus permit~ a flow
varia~t in which only flow over ~he ela~p ~e~ place,
i.e. ~imult~eou~ flow throus~ and arou~d the clamp i8
pre~en~ed. According to another variant, only t~ou~hflow
can be e~tabli~ed, i.e. ~low over a~d flow around are
pre~e~ed. Finally, the invention m~ke~ lt po~3ible to
esta~ h only flow around the cla~p, i.e. to p~vent
simultaneou~ flow over ~d ~h:rough. Of cour~e, some or
all three of the~e flow varia~t~ may ~ ~mult~neou~ly
u~ed.
The invention permit~ con~er~ion~ under defined
~ 76472
- 18 -
cllmatic and ~edia condition~. Three clifferent nu~de~ of
op-ration can be ~8~abl; ~hed:
1. Stea~y- state mode ~ ect~d proceRs without t~e-
dependent effect o~ predete~r~ ~e~ a~d/or desired
~rariables of ~tat-e~ ~
2 . Qua~ teady- state mode - al~er~te ~teady-~tate
node~:
- alter~ting aera~ion due to rever~a~ of direation
o~ flow,
- any de~i~ed combination of the va~i~ts.
3. Non-~tea~y-3t~te mode - change of ae~ation before
atead~-state ~onditions oacur:
- 3traightforward re~er&lal of th~ directi~n of f-ow
- any de~ired combinatlon of ~r~riantn
- chan~e of conditio~ ~
- permane~t chan~e o~ condition~ by selec. ted ti~e
inter~ral.
The aboveme~t$oned ~d~s ~ake it po~lble to
expose the c12~p alternatively to different flow
~arianto. Thi~ provide~ an extremely ~f}exlble control
~y~tem an~ proce~s, wlth the aid o~ which th~ very
di~erent biologi~al ~ctiviti~ of mixtures of residue~
are cont~oll~ble. Defined media condition~ in ~he rotting
m~terial can be produced by me~ of the air circulation
~y~tem, which tran~er~ pre~et~ ~ ned climnt~ conditions
to the more 801id mix~urs ~ ~u~stAnCes, in part~cular by
chang~ng the flow parameters and flow control, includi~g
alternative f~owing o~er ~nd/or flowing under and/or
~owln~ through an~/or flo~in~ a~ound ~e cl~p.
21 7647~
- 19 - ' .
~he ga~ ~r~nge in ~tatlo~ary ~oll~ mixtur~s
~y be based.on fre~ convection and o~ the throu~h~low of
blow~-i~ air. N~ther one ~athod no~ t~ other alo~e
pe~mit~ fi~ adjustm.3nt to th-~ re~uireme=ts of microbial
converBion. T~e variable co~bin~tio~ of over-flow for
influenclng convection w~th t~rou~h-flow by =etworked
controllable air transport has never ~een realized to
da~e. The p~ocess en~inee~ing ~os~ibilities made
available are descri~ed brief:Ly ~Qlow;
~ efined med~a co~ditic~ the rotting mater~al
can bs produced only lf the air ci~culation Qystem
permlt~ flow co~trol which tran~fer~ the set cIimatic
co~ditions to a ~olid mixture of residue3, t~e de~ity o~
which may d~ ffer~ Th~ alr volume flow control mu~t be
~ufficiently ~lexible and co~e~i~t that ~he very
;liffereslt biological a~:tivitie~ of mi~ture~ of re~idue~
remain controllable. Thi~ i~ achieved ehrougb~ cha~ges in
the~ flow parameter~ an~ flow contr:ol a~d: ln the con-
d~ tioning of the flow med~um (e.g. te~np~rature, pressure,
pE, mo~ature content, 02 ~o~lt, C02 content, remo~al of
~ubstances, ~uch as ~mmonia). ~3y the manual o~ progr~m~d
specii~ation and/or computer-a~ai~ted ~o~ifica~ion of
varlable flow control~ and flow velocitie~, it
pos~i~le to ~uppre~s u~de~ired heat generation and hot
spot~ or to r~mo~e excess he~.t from the Ry~tcm without
othe~ proce~s-relevant par~leter~ ~eing permanently
altered. ~hi~ give~ ri~e to advantAges whi~ may be
described a~ follows:
~ he t~mperatur~ plateau~ f~r m~crof lor~ involved
2 ~ ~64 72
. - 20 -
in general (e~g. compo~irlg proceo~): and spe~i~iC
meta~ollc proce~en (e.g. metabollte productlon i~ the
pharma~eutical industry) can ]~e ~ontroll~d in . speciflc
maD~er. The ~elati~nsh~ps ancl depenA~nqles can be~t be
Ae~nstrated ~or the cl~mposting-~ pro~e~. The
hy~ie~ization can be optimally ac~ie~ed thermally ~d
bloche~cally at temperature~ c 60~. Odorif~rouR ~u~-
~t~ce~ are co~tinuously recycled t~ough the rotting
materlal and thuR degr~ded. In the cour~e of the p~ocess,
the conversion i8 optimized ~ia regulated te~perature
proflles ~o that certai~ alasses o sub~tances are
prefer4ntially conve~t0d, synthesized a~d degr~ded. The
oxygen ~upply ca~ be regulated ~o that all states between
strlct anaerobic condi~ions a~d s~rict aero~ic condltlon~
can be ~Ontinuou8~y eBtablighed via t~e ~ phase ln the
air circul~tion ~y~S~m and a ~pread ~f t~mperat~re and
me~ condition3 i~ the solld~ mixture i3 avoided. This
biological process control xe~ults 1~ ~horte~ resl~ence
time~, whlch ~ke it possl~le to operate clo~ed roSting
plAnt~ more ~conomlca~ly.
In the de3ig~ of 1~ ~.ir circulation, a c~mpost-
ing plant having ~ pluxali.ty of reac~ors has the
ad~an~age of firstly being able to c~rry out basic
co~dition~g o~ the circulati~.g air indepen~ently of the
~olume wit~ fre~h air fe~d. The latt~ rv~ for
e~tablish~ng the de~ir~d oxygen co~t~nt. The proce~
para~eters of the connect~d rector are finel~ adjusted,
indi~idu~lly and i~dependently of one ~nother, to the
process conditions l~dividually deRlred in o~ch reactor,
21 7b~
ta~g into account the process co~ditions t~ere.
The co~nected reacto~ may be operated, for
example, a~ follo~.
1. ~he connected reactor~ h~e 3 ~e a fo~ reco~dition-
i~g ~ia heatin~-, coc~ling and humldl~ication
registers for the quant~tie~ o~ air which ~low
inter~ally through the ~ott-ing mater~a~. At a corre-
gpon~ n~ alr throughp~t, it i8 ensured th~t the
cl~matic cond~tion~ i~ the ~paae are identical to
the climatic con~itions in the ~ixture. The waste
air i8 fed to the central aix circulatlon and inte-
grated again. Ex~es~ air is relea~ed via ~iofilters.
In this procedure, the central alr ci~culatio~ may
have a low oxy~en ~o~t:e~t if s~l-anaerobic or
anaerobic media conditi~i~g is req~lred. ~urther-
more, the reactor~ ha~e their own fresh air feed.
2. In additio~ to or inatead of the reconditio~l~ ~ia
heati~g, eooling a~d humidific~taon regi~ter~, the
connected reactors h~ve their own air cixculation
system whose flow par~leters are ~ sep~ately a~d
i~dividually adju~table. The de~ired climat~c co~di-
Sions i~ the reactor 3re establiahed wiS~i~ a very
short ti~e and can be ~tabillzed by mean~ of a~r
part-stream~ fro~ the ce:~tral air ~repara,~ion. T~e
d~ red ox~geu feed c~ e ~ffected v~ a the
circulation air fed in and/or a~parate fresh a~r
feed. Corre~pond~ng a~ount~ of waste air ~re
integrated in the centra.l air circul~tion~ Exce3n
amount~ of alr are relea~ed ~la a central biofilter.
2 1 ~6~72
- 22 ~
3. Finally, the individual reactor~ ca~ al80 be con-
nected to one a~other, fo:~ ex~ple for heat exchange
or utilization of the ~o;~t ad~anced rottin~ ~tage~
a8 biofilter for the lea~t converted: ro ~
mAteria~ e. of the fre hest clamp, in par~icular
after compl~tion of the hygieAization phaBQ.
The ba~ic preparatlon of the circulation air can
be all the more rea~ily tailo~ed to the r~nge ~f require-
ment~ of reactors with differeIlt rotted content~ t~e more
ide~tical the compositiOn of the parSicular ~t~rting
mlxture ~n the reactors. ~ere, lt l~ ~mport~nt to a~ere
to de~eloped formulations. The separ~te Air circuIatlon
make~ lt poQsible to set flow parameterP which dixect the
biological activities of the re~pective ~reac~or ~ixture
along the desired lines. T~ pplie~, for example, to
the e~tabli~hme~S of the temperat~re plateau dur~n~
~y~ienizatio~, to the eli~inat:ion of tempe~ature peak6,
to the avoidance of hot ~pot~ or to thel determination of
te~pe~ature pro~ile~. Internal air circula~ion al~o
ensures th~t odoriferous ~ub~lSances are elim~nated by
means of the reactor~5 ow~ rot~ting mixture ac~ing a~ an
internal b$ofilter. Thi~ xelieve~ the central ~ir
circulation system and the ext:ernal biof$1ter co~nected
to it.
Further prefe~red ~eature~ of the i~ve~tion are
evid~ct from the de~cri~tion ~elow o~ preferr~d ~x~mpl~ry
em~o~;~ent~. The~e ~mbodl~e~t~ are shown ~chematlcally in
the atta~hed dr~wings.
2 1 76~ 7~
- 23 -
Brief description o~ the drawlngs
~ the dr~win~
ig. 1 show~ the dynamicR of conversion durln~ co~-
post~ng; ~ :
ig. 2.1 ~how~ a dia~ram of an air ciroulation ~yste~
for clo~ed reac'cos~s
ig . 2 . 2 shows a further dia~r~m of ~ ir circulation
~ystem for clo~ed reac~ors
ig. 3.1 ~hows a di~g~am of ~n air c~rculatio~ ~ys~
for a pl~rality of ~leparate reactoru
1~. 3.2 show~ a detail of an lndividu~l ~eactor havi~g
an ai~ circulation connection acc~ding to
Fig. 3.1
ig. 4.1 to 4.3 show di~ferent alr flow types ~d
va~iant~
i~. 5 ahow3 a control t~ble for cont~olling the
control v~lve~ and fnn~, s~own in Fig. 2.1 to
3.2, for es~abli~hisl~ the air flow type~ and
variant~ sh~wm ~n Fig. 4.1 to 4.3.
xamples ~or carrying out the inventios
Fis. 1 illustrates th~ ~nown dyn~mi~ proce~
whlch takQs place durin~ compo~3ting and i~volve~ biomas~
formatlon and co~ver3ion, a~ a functio~ of time and of
~e ~eepectlve microflora. ~h~ readily utllizable carbon
compounds and nitrogen compou~d~ are mln~lized. Sin~e
thi~ process take3 place rapldly, temper~ture~ of up eo
80C occur. Thl~ pha~e of compo~3ting Berve~ for hygienlz-
ation and degrada~ion oP the odorl~erou~ BUb~taIl~eB.
~f ter the de~radati~n of tho~e cla~s~ of ~ub-
2~ ~4~
- a4 - : .
sta~ce~ w~lch can be pre~e~ntialiy degraded by the
bacte~ial mixed flora, ch~nge;s in the compo~l~ion o~ t~e
population occur. This now co~:~lst~:o~ bact~ria and
~u~gi, a~ 8h~Wn in Flg. 1. ~.he compo~t~ ng proc~ss then
co~ti~es with th~ excIusi~ely cxidative deg~.ad~tlon:of
sub~t~ces. In this pha~e, ~re~ ntly aerobic fungal
flora ~lowly de rade the li~nocellulo~e.
~ t i~ c~aracteristic of the co~pos ing proce~
that the conver3io~ at the beg;n~ng can take pl~ce ~oth
under aerob~c a~d ~nder a~aero~lc condi~ . Thi~ ~ the
~ea~o~ why deposited fresh mAt~rial le~d~ to the
forma~ion of fer~entation gase~. C~ ~ting,:o~ ~he other
ha~d, le~d~ to a con~ersion which neces~itate~ ~t~ictly
a~ro~ic conditions, as shown i~ Fig. 1. In thi stag~,
the microbial conver~ion comes compl~tely to a stand~till
if the oxyge~ supply ia discoD.tinued. Th~s can ea~ily be
demorLst~ted. A pla~tic b~Lg iXL W~LiCh fi~al or stable
compo~t iR packed a~rtight a~sume~ the ~LppeararLce of a
vacuu~-~ealed pe~Lut pack aftor some t~me. ~B ~L result of
~he oxy~en con~u~ption by the microflora, reduced
pre ~ure is generated i~L the pla~ ic bag. If the ~t~ge of
sta~le compoBt had not ye~ beerL reached - i.e. if
arLaerobic microflora mi~ht ~till have ~en active u~Lder
the prevaili~s corLditions - it i~ po~ le to ~ ra~e
that ~he re~ult would ~ y~Ls formation (N2 or N20,
methane, foul-B~ellirLg g8~e3). The sack would inflate.
During compost~ng, perm~ent hu~Lus $B ~o~med wlth
a redu~t~o~ in ~olume (about 50% rotting 1088), ~aid
humu~ be~g ba~ed o~ the fi~llowi~g con~er~ion. T~e
21 76472
- ~5 - .
oxldati~e degrad~tion of th~ three~;~cn~ionally
net~orked l~nin macromolecule ~ake3 place in ~ractlons
whic~ are either complet~ly m n~ralized or are
repolyme~i~ed together with microbially form~d au~-
oxidizable p~enola to give h~lc ~ubstances. Thi~ bio-
loglcally induced and c~emically ~atalyzed proce~ i8
integrated in the dynamic~ of. the ~onv~r~i~on in such a
way tha~ the re~ult i8 a ~ompo~t whoss organ~c ~ub~tance
exhlblts i~creasing pe~ tence a~ainet ms~obial
d~radatio~ under the conve~r3ion condition~ of the
aquatic and terre~trlal eco3y~tems.
Thc ob~ect of She inven~ion i to~ ~i~e the
parti~ular de~ired mlcroflora an adva~ta~Q 1~ terms of
select~on by se~Qctively controll~ng the ~mbient para-
meters opt~mal for the~e flora, such as~te~perature,
~umidity and gae composition, a~d hence providing the
microflor with an environment w~ich ~ opti~um for them.
In this appllc~o~, t;he ~a~e refere~ce symbol~
are used throughout fo~ equivalent or functionally
equl~alent part~ in all embodim~nts. ~ ~
Pig. ~.1 3how~ the di~gram of ~ first ~T~odi~ent
for a co~posti~ pla~t accor~ing to the ~ ventlon. ~here,
cir~ula~ed air can be fed ~ia ~ hea~ er W1 when
co~trol valv~ R5 iu ope~. ~he h~at recovery ~n the heat
exchanger wn i~ preferably uBed for heating, v~a ~ ~eat
exchanger W2, fresh air which fl~w~ in via channel Xl.
The fre~h alr en~ry is controlled by means of a con~ol
val~e R16 and ~ed, via two ~ V1 ~nd V2 connccted in
parallel, to a reactor sp~ce located ~ov~ a cl~p 10 and
21 7~72
~6
one located belo~ ~aid cla~p. The ~lamp 10 and the
xeactor g~ space~ are al~o rl~ferr~d to below a~ reactor
~ones. ~he ~orreQpo~g a~r ~liAcharge i~ e~fecte~, with
control ~alve R17 open, via a fa~ Y3 conneceed in serie6
with t~e two fa~ Vl a~d ~2~ The a~r bl~wn out 1B- pas~ed
~la a biof ilter B. ~ .
The temperature ~e~aor Ti~ which~mea~u~e~ the
te~pe~atUrQ of the air s~pli.ed i~ a~ran~ed ~n channel
~l, be~ind the hea~ exc~ er W2. The output data ~f ~aid
temp~rature ~en~or are fed to a proce~ co~puter (not
ehown) for ~lectronic co~roi of the CompoBting prOCe8~.
~ Ben80r 2 for deter~in~n~ the 2 content i~
a~ranged below the control ~al~e ~16 in ch~el ~1. The
outpuS value~ of thls hensor ~oo are fed to the proce~s
comp~ter. The cha~nel Rl branches i~to~a channel R~ in
which the fa~ V2 is arranged. A sen~or VL2 w~ich mea~ure~
the aiF ~olume i~ arrange~ upstream of the fan V~. The
output ~alue of ~aid ~enaor i~ in turn fed to the proce~
computer. A ~urther ~en~or P2 which ~as~res the flow
preh~ure i5 downstream ~f the fa~ V2. The channel g2
enter~ ~e reactor zone above the clamp lO~:Said ch~nnel
co~taln~ a control valve R4 which iR down~trea~ of the
fan V2 and c~n be controlled ~y the proc~s computer. The
fan V2, too, can be cont~ollecl ~y the p~oceRs computer.
A ~urther temperature ~e~80r T2 who~e out~ut ~isnal i~ i~
turn fed to the proces~ computer 1~ ~rr~nged ~irect~y
before the entry of the ch~nn~l K2 into the ~as space
above the clamp 10.
. The upper reac~or zonc connect~ to a ~h~nel ~5
_ 27 - 2l:i64~72
which i~ e9uipped with a tem~erature ~en~or Tab. Its
mea~ured val~e~ are in ~urn fed to the~proces~ ~ompute~.
~he ~ee flow cro~s-~ection of the channel ~S i~ co~-
trolled by the control val~e .~5. The c~nnel K5 i~
fl~ally led via the he~t e~h~er Wl~to ~ branching
point from which the ch~hnel~ ~7 and~8 emanate. The
channel.g7 i8 le~ back to tbe channel 1 ~ia A control
valve ~7 controllable by ~he proce~ ~omputer. ~he free
flow cros5-se~tion of the ch~el R8 i~ ~et by a ~urther
co~trol valve R17. A pre~ure ~e~sor:P8 i~ dow~strea3 of
the co~trol valve R17 a~d upst:ream o~:the fan V3~ Th~ ~an
v3 blow~ the wa~te alr via the ~iofilter B ~nto t~e
atmosphere,
A f~ther pre~ure ~en~or P4, ~n: air ~olume
~en~or VLtot and an N~3 ~en80r NH3 are loeated directly
~p~tream of the heat eY~h~er W1. ~he outpu~ val~les of
the~e sen~or~ are likewise fed to the p~ocess computer.
~ efore the last-mentio~ed ~en~or~, a chann~l ~52,
w~ich i~ coDne~ted via a con~sol va~ve R5 to ~ above-
mentlo~ed channel R2, brancheR from the c~ el KS.
The c~nnel Kl iB continued ~eyo~ it~ bra~ch
line 1eA~;n~ to the fan V2, n~mely continuQd to the f~n
Vl. A control valve R3 - once ~gain con~ollable by the
pro~e~s co~puter - 1~ loc~ted between the fan~ ~2 and V1,
in the cha~nel R1. ~irectly upstr~ of the fa~ V1, ~n
alr volume sensor VL1 mea~UreB the al~ ~olume ~lowlng to
~he fan V1. The f~n V1 blows a:lr vi~ the ch~nnel ~ into
the reactor gas ~pace below ~he cl~mp 10. ~ prs~ure
~enaor Pl i3 in turn loc~ ed dow~ream of the ~an Vl,
2 1 76~
- 28 - . .
and upstream of a branc~ lin~ ~23 which connect~ the
cha~el ~2 to the ~h~n~el X3 via a control ~aIve R~. A
temper~ture ~e~sor Tl i~ al~o arranged dlrec-ly be~ore
the entra~ce o the cha~nel ~ into the re~ctor zone
below the ~lamp 10~
~ press~re ~ensor P3 mea6ure~ the pre~ure in the
ga~ space below th~ clamp 10. ~he gaP ~p~ce~ below ~nd
abo~e the clAmp 10 are co~nel~t~d to one another via a
cha~el ~4. The control ~alve Rl controln the free flow
cro~-section in the c~a~el P:4.
Fi~ally, the plurality of t~mperature BRn or~ T3,
T4, T5, ~, T7, T8, Tg and ~10 A~re al80 arrsnged i~ the
clamp ~ O .
~ he control value Rl, ln ~o~junct~on ~ith the
other cont~ol ~alves, penm~ ~ {~ particular ~he ~as,
e~peclally ~ir, flow ~aria~tP ~how~ ln:Fig. 4.1 and 4.
under Example~ 1, 3, 5, 6 ~d ~. In the embodi~e~t shown,
~hs control ~81ves are co~t~olle~ by the pro~e
computer, and the output data of all mea~u~in~
ln~rume~ts are fed to the proces~ computer. T~e powers
of the 3 fan~, ~1, V2 a~d ~3 are ~l o controll~d by the
process com~uter.
The cmbo~ Rhown illu6trate~ the i~mense
dlvQrsity of the flow variant~ which ca~ be a~hie~ed by
~ean~ of it and with th~ ai~ of o~ly two fan~ and the
~tated ~ontro~ valv~. It i~ only the di~er~ity of the
flo~ varian~ whlch permlt~ the exact and ~en~tlve
tailoring of the proces~ parame~er~ to the p~rtlcul~r
desir~d mlcrobial con~er~ion, l.e. the ~daptation of the
21 /~72
as -
proce~3 para eter~3 for the particular deslred ~icroflora.Only ~ this w~y ~8 it po~3ib1e to exert a ~iologica~ly
ef~ective i~fluence on çon~er~ion,
In ge~eral, an ai~ circuiation 8y8tem: ~o~ cloBed
rottl~g sy~tema i~ descr~ed, in whlch the flow
para~eters and the flow can bs ~ensi~ively adapted to the
purpo~es of a def~ned bioc~e~cal proce~3. By means of
thi~ adaptation, the proce~ can be carried out in a
variable man~er. Flow may be over, through or around
~tationary or thorou~hly mixe~ clamp~. All c~mhi~ation3
of the~e flow variantQ ~re al~o po~sible. In gener~l, the
microbial conversio~ can be ~nBiti~e~y co~trolled and
resulated by malntaining de~3ired climatic ~nd media
co~dition~. .
To ~e able to c~bine the power o~ the two fans
V1, V2, l~nk;~g the under-flow with the over-flo~ through
the cbannel R4 with bui~t~ control valve Rl i~ a
sclution which has considexable adv~tages over the prior
art. It iB used ln p~rticu~ar ~or the f~ow varl~nts ~how~
under 1, 3, 5 and 8 in Fig. 4.1 to 4 . ~ .
I~ c4~parison, the doc~ent stated at ~he out~et
G~RRR (WO ~2/07807) de~cri~es a relati~ely 8i~ple
chaD~el arrangement with resl:rictio~ of the ga3 flow
varlants. Integratio~ of the fa~ power~ and ga~ flows i8
po~ible only by ~ean~ of lnt:egr~tion of the channels
with t~he ~ppropriate control valv~ he control val~e R1
w~ich i~ continuously ~d~u~tab:le ma~ually or by means of
a computer i~ of considerabl~ importance. Fine
adj~s~ment~ ~n carryl~g out the bioch~mic~l proce~ ~hus
2 1 76~ 7~
- 30 -
become possible i~ a qualiSy l~known to~date.
Fi~. ~.2 ~howP a diagr.am of a further embo~mcnt
of the inve~tion. Thi~ embo~ nt adopt~ the fans V1 ~d
V2, tho control valve~ R~ a~d R5, the ch~nn~l~
2, ~3, X~ and R5 and reactor zone~ of the preceding
embo~l~ert (cf. Fig. 2.1). ~o~ever, i ~pplements thes~
by the control valves R8, R9, R10, Rll,~R12 a~d ~14, the
chP~ela R6 ~nd glO ~d the circul~ted air condltioni~g
mean~ 11. The exact arran~e~ent of the aboveme~tioned
elements i8 shown in Fig. 2.2, to which reference 16
here~y expre~sly made. Accord~ to thi~ fig~re, any
de~ired com~inatio~ of the following ~a~ flow ~ype~ can
be Qelect~d in the a~ratio~ ~y~tem for closed reactor~:
flow through, over, under a~d arou~d the clamp 10. Thl~
is ~chieved throu~h alte~ative combinatio~ of the
control val~es to give different cont~ol yQt~m3 havi~g
a~ lea~t one r-~nn~n~ f~n. The alte~native combination of
control valves ~1, R2, R~, R5, R8, R9, ~la, Rll, R12, R13
~nd R14 8hown ~n Fig. 2.2 permits the establi3hment or
continuou~ regulation of the flow vari~ant~. In
parti~ular, the flow varla~tn ~how~ in ~ig. 4.1 to ~.3
unde~ Exa~ple~ 1-15 (wlthout t:he flow ~aria~t~ 10, 11, 14
and 15) and ~aving only one fan and one con~rol system
may be de~cribed.
Fig. 3.1 show~ a di~gram of a ~urthsr embodiment
of the inventio~. ~n th~ R, the Air cirCuIa~iOn 6ystem
Ic~. Fig. ~.1 and 2.2) not only can be u~ed for a sl~gle
reactor for condltioning th~ circulated air bu~ p~rmit~
the conditio~i~ of the clrcul~ted air of ~ plurality of
21 i~
- 31 - .
~e~ara~e reactors, alRo referred to a~ rotti~g boxe~ ~Xl,
RX2, ... RXN. Thi~ i8 achi~ed by coupling the a~r
~pplies of the i~dividual x0actor~ to centr~l aeration
mean~ ll, 12, 13 via control !valve~ Rll~ to RN21n on the
~eaCtor. T~e control valve ~ n i~ ~co~tinuou31y eoordi-
nated wi h the ~ott~ng ~ox ~1, the contxol valve R2 ln
continuou~ly with the rottin~ box RX2, etc.
Accordi~g to F~. 3.1, the ~ompo t~g pla~t ha8
a plu~ality of separate ~eactors, rott~ g boxe~ ~Xl, RX2,
RXN, each of which i~ conne~ ted via ~pply 11ne~3 a~d
dischar~e lines Lli~, LloU~ 21n~ L2out~ Nout to the
central ae~ation mea~R 11. 12, 13~ ThQ central aerat~o~
mea~a ha~ a circulated air condltioning ~ea~ 11 which i~
con~ected to a main f an 12 via a ch~nel Rll. The main
fan 12 is connected to a con~roll~ble m~in control valve
13 v~ a cha~nel ~1~. Fin~lly) the main control valve 13
i~ in tu~n co~ected to the C!~ rculated ai~ c~nditioning
means 11 via a ch~nnel :R~3. T~e circulated air
co~dition~ng mea~ 11, the :~ain ~an 12 a~d She main
control valve 13 are connect~ in serie~. Toget~er, w~th
the channel~ ~11 to ~13, the~e mea~R orm a~ air
circulation loop.
The li~e~ n to ~Ni~ branch off from the chan~el
K12 and le~d to the respec~ive rotting boxe~ RXl~ RX2,
RXN, ~he line~ Llo~ ~No"t co~ect the rotting boxes
RXl, RX2, RXN to the ch~nn~l K13. Each of the line~ Llln
to ~Ni~ co~tains a controllable control valve Rli~, R21n
or R31~, respectively. Thusj the circulated air
condition$~g m~an~ 11, th~ ch~nne~ he mai~ f~ 12,
- 32 -
the ch-n~el R12 and each of the ~upp~y line~ and
di~charge ll~e8 ~loUt to LNoUt, ~o~ether wlth the rott~n~
box, al~o ~o~m a branch loop~
~ ig. 3.~ ~hows a ~low ~iagram of a ~ingle reactor
o~ the e~o~l o t of ~he ~nventlo~ accord~ng to Fig. 3.1.
Accordi~g to this, each ~ le ~eactor has it~ own
controllable fre~h air s~pply LF, RF~6 a~d a~ ~e~st o~e
fan, by mea~8 of which a re~ctor-~peciflc~air circulation
and air circulation cont~ol of the air flow v iants a~d
cOupi~ng of the rvnn;~g system to the a~r circulatio~
~yst~m via t~e air c~rcula~i.o~ connec~in~ l~ne~ Ll~,
Llo~e) and co~trol valve~ R15, ~7 can be co~trolled.
The rotting ~ox RXl hav~ng an i~di~idual air flow
syst~m i8 shown as a typical exampl- of all ~ingle
reactor~. The clamp i~ rotting box 1 once again has
r~erence ~ymbol 10.
~ he i~dividual aix ciFculation syst~m fo~ the
~otting box RXl ha~ the fresh ~r ~upply line L~, which
supplie~ fre~h ai~ via a control val~e RF16. A~ter the
control va~ve RP16, the lln~ LF divid~s into a branch
li~e K3 havi~g an integral f Vl ~nd dow~stream c~ontrol
valve Rll. The line R3 lead~ into the supply lin~ hli~,
whic~ ente~s the rotting ~ox ~Xl below the clamp 10. The
li~e K4 con~ect~ the ga~ ~p~ces below a~d above th~ clamp
10 ~i~ the co~trol valve Rl, a~d does ~o at that e~d of
the rotting box RXl wh~ch iE~ oppo~ite the 6upply line
Lli~. At that ~nd of the rottin~ box RXl which is
oppo~lt~ the line K4, ~.e. at the ~ams end ~nto which the
~upply line Lli~ l~ad~, the ~ine ~2 leada from th~ ga~
~1 76~?
- ~3 -
~pace a`bo~e the clamp lO out of t~e ~ottlng ~ox Rxl. This
li~e ~2 i8 return~d ~ia the furth~r controlla~le v~lve R3
and the line Kl to the l~ne 1~3, at~point between the
control val~e RFl~ and the fan ~l. The connection~ ~u~t
de~cribed conGt~ tute a fir8t air cixculat~on loop for the
rottin~ box RXl.
Bstween the rottlng box RXl and the con~ol valve
R3, the li~e R2 brancheB into the l$n~ loUt, ~nd doe3 ~o
via the ~u~her ~o~trol valve ~RlS. In addlt~on, the line3
~3 and R2 are connected t~ o~e ~othex via a further
control valve R2 a~d a ll~e ~23, ~aid ~onnection ~ei~g
effe~ed dire~tly UpBtrea~ of the rotting box ~Xl. The
li~e ~5 co~ect~ the reac~o~ zone abo~e the clamp lO to
the w~te ~ir l1ne L1 out via the control valve RS. The
line R5 eme~ge8 fro~ that er.~d of the ~otting box RXl
whi~h iB directly ad3acent to the line g4. It connect~
with the li~e Llo~t downstrQ~ of the ~on~ol valve Rl5.
Thi8 type of air flow perm~tB~ al~ernati~ely~
flow over, flow under, flow around and/o~ flow ~hrough
the clamp 10, and doe~ 80 in prlnclple in the ~me man~ex
as ~ ~ the ~odime~t~ of Fig. 2.1 and 2.2. ~
Fig . ~ . 1 to 4.3 ~how the var~ou~ ai~ flow types
and ~arihnts according to the i~vention, the r~p~ctive
a~so~iatsd po~ition of the val~v~8 ~nd the swit~hing ~tat~
o~ the fan~ being shown in Fi~. 5:
xamplea l.)/~) Flow th~oug~ ~he ~lam~ lO from bot-
tom to top o~ fr~m ~op ~o ~ottom.
In th~ ca~e o~ flow t.hrough from bottom to top
tExampl~ 1, Fig. 4.1), the fan v2 ia ~wi~ch~d off and the
2 ~ 2
- 34 -
control valve~ R2, R4, R5, R8, ~9 and R13 are cloRed. The
control val~e~ R10, Rl~, R12 and ~1~ are opened. For
re~nforcement, the fan ~V2 ~f1~r ex~mple of lower power)
can be ~witched on ~ ~eries and the~control valves R2
a~d R13 can be opened. ~he pos~tion o~t~ con~rol va~eB
and ~n~ i~ Example 2 ln Fig. 4.1 are l~dicated in
Fig. 5.
xamples 3.)/4.) Flow aro~ld the cla~p 10 from bottom
to top or fro~ top to bottom.
In the aa~e of ~low around from botto~ to top
(Example 3, Fl~.4.1), only the f~n ~1 runn and the
control valve~ R5, R8, R10, Rl~ and R12 ar~ open; the
control valves R2, R4, R~, R13 a~d R14 on ~he other ~and
axe c~o~ed ~cf. Flg. 5~. ~
If required, the fan V2 may al~o be awitched on
and t~e control valv~ R2 and R13 ~ay be open~d. The f n
~2 also Rwi~ched on then s-r~es to increa~e the amounts
of air dslivered i~ the v~ri~u~ air ~low variants~ The
position of the co~rol valves and fa~s i~ Ex~mple 4 in
Fig. 4.1 is likewiae ~how~ in Fi~
xample 5.) Flow over and flow under the clamp
10 .
Tn ~he case of flow o~er and flow u~der the clamp
(Example 5, Fig. ~.1), either both fan~ V2
operate i~ parall~l or V2 i~ switched off. If o~ly the
fan Vl i~ u~ed, the control va~lves R~, R4, R8, ~lO, R11,
R12 a~d R14 are open and the control valye~ RS, R9 and
~13 ~re clo~ed. I~ this flow variant, the cl~mp 10 i~
expo~ed on both sides (top a~d boStQm) to the same effect
- 35 -
a~ in t~e ~ariant according to F~ ~.le 6, F~g. 4.2, i.e.
stxalghtforward o~er-flow acting ~Iy on one Ride.
ExampleR 6.)/7.) Flow oYer or flow under clamp 10.
For the purpo~e of ov~r- ~low (Bxample 6, Fi~.
4.2), the air i~ p~ed over the clamp 1~. In t~i~ ca~e,
elther fa~ Vl or ~2 ope~ate~. If fan V2 operates, the
control ~alve~ Rl and ~2 are clo~ed; he~ ~ontrol valve~
~4, R12 and R14 o~ the oth~r hand ~re open. T~ n~r
airflow re~o~es heat and wAsts ga~eR ~ery ~e~tly. It also
l~ad~ to ~entle BUCtion of the g se~ out of the cla~p ~0
and lnto the air flow~ng ov~r. The pos~:ti~n of the
control valves and fa~s in Example 7 in Fig. 1 arQ
indicated i~ Fl~.5.
Exa~ple~ 8.~/~.) Flow thr~ugh from ~ottom to top and
flow over or flow throu~h from top
to ~otto~ and flow under.
In order to comblne low over with ~low through
(~xample 8, Fl~. 4.2), the fa~ Vl operates and the
control valve~ ~a, R4, R10, ~11, R12 and R14 are o~en
(cf. Fig. S). ~he valves RS, :R8, Rg a~d R13 are clo~ed.
The advantages of thi~ flow ~ari~nt are de~cribed in
detail in DE 40 34 402 ~ or the corre~pondin~ W092/07807
- GRARR~. To avoid r~petition~, the co~t~nt of the ~ated
docume~t i8 express~y referred to here. The poRition of
~he control ~al~e~ and fans ~n Example 3 in Fl~. 4.1 nre
~nd~ c~ted in Fi~. 5.
Example~ 10.)/11) are the ~me a~ Ex~mple6 8. ) ~9. )
- ~ut with a.t least two f~n~.
~ ere too, reference i3 m~d~ to Fig. 5.
2~ ~6~
- 36 -
x~mpleo 12.~/13.) Flow around fro~ bottom to top and
~imultaneou~ flow throu~h from ~ot-
tom to top or flow round from top
to botto~n and ~ulta~eous f~ow
through ~rom top to ~ottom.
In thi~ ~low vari~nt:, ~he regulation of the
valve~ ~8 a~d/or Rl (cf. Flg. ~.~) a~d of the valves R12
and/or Rl ln co~iu~ction wil;h R14 perm~ts contlnuo~
cha~ge from pure flow tb~ough to a.mixed form between
flow through and flow around. ~urthermore, it is po~ible
to chan~e continuously betw~en the flow fo~m~ of ~x~mple~
1~ a~d 13 by ~dditional regulation of t~e valvs~ ~2, R10
a~d R4. Thi8 ch~n~e of flow ~c)~re~po~d~ to flow revernal
(cf. Fig. 5, flow vari~nt~ 12 and 13).
xample~ i4.)/15.) are the Bame a~ ~x~mples 1.)/2.),
~ut with nt lea~t two fans.
By controlllng the valve po~ition ~d/or by
i~troduci~g obstacle~ to flow, it i8 po3~ible to adju~t
the proportions of lA~in~ and/or ~urb~lle~t ~low ~n all
modes of flow oper2~tion and hence 'co hav~ a c31gtlnc~ive
~nd ~elect~ve effe~t o~ the upper and lower s~lrt~acel3 of
the clamp (10).
