Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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An Aerobic Compost Tea Making Device and Method; Timothy J Wilson
Specification;
Background For Device:
To briefly explain in rudimentary terms the benefits of compost tea and the
device and
method; at the interface of roots of plants and soil there exists a region
which can be abundant
with beneficial microbes comprising basically of bacteria, archaea, fungi,
protozoa (amoebae,
flagellates, ciliates) and yeasts which live in a symbiotic food relationship
with each other.
Without going into great detail concerning the roles of all parties, that
symbiotic food
relationship or microbial nutrient cycle has great benefit to the soil and
plants. Certain
bacteria and archaea receive nutrition from substances released from the roots
of plants,
those bacteria and archaea are in turn consumed by protozoa which release
substances, in the
form of waste, which provide nutrients to the roots of plants, thus creating a
nutrient cycle.
There is also evidence that applications of compost tea may help suppress
plant pathogens.
The inventor has done considerable microscopic research on soil and compost
microbes. For
further details please see his website at httn://www.microbeoraanics.com The
device and
method invented implements the creation of a functional microbial nutrient
cycling consortia
to be applied to soil and plants, thus initiating or boosting the beneficial
microbes at the
root/soil interface.
The word compost shall be used henceforth herein to mean compost,
vernricompost or both.
The operating principle and design of the invented device may be applied to
virtually any size
of water vessel with adjustment of pipe and diffuser size and of air pump
capacity. There are
various compost tea making devices being sold, which operate by blowing
bubbles into the
body of water or use a water pump to circulate the body of water. This device
differs entirely
by actively circulating the body of water through pipes with use of air alone
while
concurrently infasing the water with oxygen by way of diffusers secured witbin
the pipes and
diffusers submerged in the water. There are several configurations of the
device which the
user may employ. One configuration has compost placed in free suspension in
the body of
water with circulating water being returned so as to break the surface tension
of the body of
water. Another configuration uses a mesh extractor container into which
compost is placed
and into which the circulating water empties so as to provide the option of
compost
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containment. A third configuration allows the continued use of the mesh
extractor container
with one or more diffusers placed into it with the compost with the
circulating water
bypassing the mesh extractor container.
The invented device and niethod has several benefits when compared to other
compost tea
devices presently on the market. Other devices for sale and known to the
inventor which are
air operated simply blow air into the body of water or blow air into an
extractor container or
both without actuating circulation. Although some of these have claims of
actively circulating
the water, the inventor has observed no way to measure such circulation. The
invented device
and method invented easily demonstrates and measures circulation.
Other devices for sale and known to the inventor which do circulate the water
do so with
water pumps which potentially damage the microbes being extracted with each
pass through
the pump impellers and the effects on raising the dissolved oxygen are limited
compared to
those of an air pump.
Judging from the stated recommendations for using many other compost tea
devices on the
market, the average recomrnended operational times are limited to twenty-four
to thirty-six
hours. One might conclude that this time limitation is based on the device's
inabitity to
maintain the minimum dissolved oxygen content of 6 PPM (parts per million)
necessary to
sustain aerobic niicrobial life. The device and method invented has
demonstrated the ability to
maintain a dissolved oxygen level of 8.8 PPM to 9.8 PPM in the 50 gallon
device configuration
operated in excess of 48 hours when using 4% compost, 0.75% molasses, 0.063%
fish
hydrolysate and 0.25% kelp meal in water with a temperature of approximately
19 degrees
Centigrade and having a beginning TDS (total dissolved soGds) of 21 PPM. The
inventor feels
this demonstrates the superior efficiency of the device to raise and maintain
the level of
dissolved oxygen.
The inventor has sought from the onset of research and development to create a
compost tea
making device and method which is affordable by homeowners and small farm
owners and
because of the design simp6city he wiU accomplish this.
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Brief Description of The Attached Drawings:
FIG. 1 shows the device as configured for use with a 50 (US) gallon vessel
without use of an
extractor container.
FIG. 2 shows the device as configured for use with a 50 (US) gallon vessel
incorporating an
extractor container.
FIG. 3 shows an enlargement of a typical method employed to secure an air
diffuser inside the
pipe comprising the device.
Detailed Description of Device and Method:
To explain the design and operation more clearly I will describe the device
configured for use
with approximately 50 gallons (US), as it is depicted in the accompanying
diagrams. Several
lengths of pipe are connected by angled pipe junctions so one pipe, herein
called the riser pipe,
6 in the diagranis, is on the vertical plane and several short lengths are
configured at right
angles to each other on the horizontal plane. The short lengths of pipe on the
horizontal plane
are resting on the bottom of a vessel 10 with over 50 gallon holding capacity.
They are
submerged in water and configured to have two open ends, herein called water
intake
openings, 5 in the diagrams, at opposing positions within the space of the
vessel and an end
proximal to the riser pipe 6 into which an air diffuser, 4 in the diagrams, is
inserted and
secured by means of pipe fittings and glue, exemp6fied by FIG. 3,14. The riser
pipe 6 is
attached to the pipes on the horizontal plane by way of a Tee shaped pipe
junction and rises so
as to be several inches above the surface 9 of the water. Connected to the top
of the riser pipe
6 is a ninety degree pipe junction, connected to a short length of pipe which
is connected to a
second ninety degree pipe junction, herein called the return nozzle, 7 in the
diagrams, pointed
down so as to terminate, suspended two to three inches above and at an
approidmate rigbt
angle to the surface 9 of the water. The device is provided air and energy by
an air pump, 1 in
the diagrams, with a minimum capacity of one cubic foot per minute of air per
fifteen gallons
of water. The air is provided to two diffusers by way of air tubing, 2 in the
diagrams,
connected to the air pump 1 and connected by a Tee shaped junction to
distribute the air to
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the two diffusers. One diffuser, herein called diffuser `A', 4, as previously
described is
inserted into pipe which is secured to the Tee junction proximal to the base
of the riser pipe 6,
diffuser 'A' 4, being located so as to terminate recessed from the base of the
riser pipe 6. The
air tubing 2 is connected to diffuser 'A' 4 by a pipe fitting, FIG. 3,13,
barbed on the
connection end and threaded on the other end so as to be attached to the pipe
Sttings, FIG. 3,
14, securing diffuser 'A' 4 inside the pipe. The other diffuser, herein called
diffuser IB', 8 in
the diagrams, is located so as to sit horizontally, proximal to the bottom of
the vessel 10. The
air tube 2 is connected to diffuser IB' 8 by way of a pipe f tting. Connected
to the air tubing
and in between diffuser `A' 4 and diffuser IB' 8 is an air flow control valve,
3 in the diagrams,
to adjust the dispersal of air to each diffuser. Of note is that diffuser 'A'
4 is smaller in size so
as to fit in the pipe but diffuser 'B' 8 is larger to provide maximum infusion
of air into the
water. Both diffusers, in this case, are of a quality grade, machined from a
solid block of glass
bonded silica and capable of efficient infusion of water with oxygen.
Operation of Device:
For ease in understanding the diagrams the following numbers refer to the
various
components;
1- air pump; 2- air tubing; 3- air control valve; 4- diffuser `A'; 5- water
intake openings;
6- riser pipe; 7- return nozzle; 8- diffuser IB'; 9- water surface/level;10 -
water vessel;
(FIG 2)11- down pipe; 12 - mesh extractor bag; (FIG 3) 13 - barbed fitting; 14
-
arrangement of several pipe fittings.
Configuration 1: FIG 1
When the vessel is filled with water to the appropriate level 9, the device is
operated, when
configured for using compost in free suspension in the body of water, by
providing power to
the air pump 1. The air control valve 3, in the air tubing 2, is adjusted to
observe water
coming from the return nozzle 7 and bubbles rising from diffuser `B' 8. To
ensure sufficient
flow a container approximately 1 liter (1 quart (US), held under the return
nozzle, should take
less than three seconds to fill and the air control valve 3 can be adjusted to
fine tune the water
flow to this rate. This flow of water is taking place as diffuser `A' 4
powered by the air pump 1
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causes water to be drawn from the two water intake openings 5 and pushed up
the riser pipe 6
and out the return nozzle 7. With this action the water is being infused with
oxygen at two
interfaces. One interface is at diffuser 'A' 4 itself because water is
injected with oxygen as it is
pushed past the diffuser. The second interface of oxygen infusion occurs as
the water flows
from the return nozzle 7 with sufficient force to break the surface 9 tension
barrier, allowing
the release of carbon dioxide and the absorptfon of oxygen. This is connnonly
referred to as
the gas exchange process. This action pushes the oxygenated water into the.
body of water
further raising the dissolved oxygen content of the water. Because the water
intake openings 5
are located at opposing sides at the bottom of the vessel, a current-like flow
is created and
maintained so any still areas of water are highly unlikely. Further infusion
of air and
absorption of oxygen by the body of water is provided by the air passing
through diffuser B'
8. Oxygen is absorbed by the interface of the tiny bubbles created on the way
to the surface 9
and the surface tension barrier is broken by the bubble turbulence, allowing
the release of
carbon dioxide and the absorption of oxygen. By these methods the device is
able to raise and
maintain the dissolved oxygen content of the body of water in a very efficient
yet simple
manner. Testing has shown that the device raises the dissolved oxygen of water
an average of
3 PPM above its natural state, when the temperature of the water is between 18
and 21
degrees Centigrade (65 to 70 Fahrenheit) and the water has a TDS (totally
dissolved solids) of
21 PPM.
Maintaining a reasonably high rate of dissolved oxygen in the body of water is
essential to the
device's efficiency for extracting and multiplying the beneficial aerobic
microbes, consisting
of; archaea, bacteria, fungal hyphae, flagellates, amoebae, some ciliates,
yeast cells and yeast
fungalhyphae.
Once the device is operating a measured amount of compost is added to the body
of water
along with measured amounts of the appropriate microbial feed such as black
strap molasses,
fish hydrolysate and kelp meal. The compost becomes mixed into the circulating
body of
water and is broken up into smaller particles. The circulating action, the
force of impact with
the water's surface along with the air from diffusers provides sufficient
agitation to break the
microbes loose from their binding spots in the compost. The continuous flow
provides a more
homogenous dispersal of oxygen and niicrobes avoiding still water areas where
potential
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undesired nucrobial tife may develop. Once free swimming or bound to smaller
particles, the
bacteria, archaea, yeast ceUs and fungal hyphae graze on the feed supplied and
multiply.
Because of the reasonably high dissolved oxygen content of the body of water,
primarily
beneficial aerobic bacteria and archaea multiply rather than potentially
detrimental high
numbers of anaerobic microbes. As more semi-microscopic and microscopic
particles are
created, there are more surfaces created to which microscopic fungal hyphae
can adhere. In
response to the increase in the bacterial and archaeal population, protozoa
begin to multiply
and graze on the bacteria and archaea, increasing in numbers, at a later time
period during
the process, thus creating a functional microbial nutrient cycling consortia.
Because of the
reasonably high dissolved oxygen content of the body of water, primarily the
oxygen loving
protozoa, flagellates and amoebae will grow. Generally spealdng, if the user
wishes to have a
compost tea consisting of bacteria, archaea and fangal hyphae (and yeast if
present in
compost) for a specific soil or plant type, the operating time will be twenty-
two to twenty-four
hours and if they wish to have protozoa present as well, for a nutrient
cycling compost tea, the
operating time will be forty-four to forty-eight hours. It should be
underscored that the use of
quality compost and ingredients is directly proportional to a quality compost
tea.
Configuration 2: FIG. 2
The user, when operating the device, may wish to use the additional parts
included to contain
the compost, alternative to it being in free suspension in the body of water.
The additional
parts consist of a mesh extractor bag 12, with a structural ring at the top, a
plastic tid with a
central hole and a nylon line for suspending the bag from the return nozzle 7.
There is a pipe,
herein called the down pipe 11, which attaches to the return nozzle 7, passe,s
through the hole
in the plastic lid into the mesh extractor bag 12 and extends about three
quarters the length of
the mesh extractor bag 12, the end of the down pipe 11 being open. A measured
amount of
compost and solid nucrobial feed, like kelp meal, is placed into the mesh
extractor bag 12, it is
suspended by the nylon line from the return nozzle 7, the down pipe 11, placed
in the mesh
extractor bag 12, protruding through the hole in the lid, is inserted into the
return nozzle l;
the vessel 10 is filled with water to the appropriate level 9 and the device
is started by
providing power to the air pump 1. The device works in siniilar fashion as
when configured
without the mesh extractor bag 12, however the difference is that the
oxygenated water
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coming from the return nozzle 7 and the down pipe 11 agitates the compost in
the mesh
extractor bag 12, breaking microbes free from their binding spots and pushing
them through
the mesh into the body of water where they multiply as previously described.
Microscopic
examinations have shown that the device, configured this way, is not quite as
efficient in
microbial production, for nutrient cycling purposes. It is however beneficial
for the exclusion
of particles from the compost tea, especially important when using as a foliar
appGcation to
leaves and it is effective for creating a primarily bacterial amendment for
control of
pathogens.
Configuration 3:
There is no diagram illustrating this configuration. A third configuration of
the device
provides for the continued use of the mesh extractor bag with the compost
placed into it as
previously described and with diffuser IB' placed into the mesh extractor bag
with the
compost. Using the nylon line, the mesh extractor bag is suspended from the
return nozzle
pipe or from some other convenient surface. The down pipe is not used and the
return nozzle
is rotated to a position where the return flow of water bypasses the mesh
extractor bag. In this
configuration diffuser IB' provides enough agitation upon the compost within
the mesh
extractor bag to break microbes free from their binding spots and push them
through the
mesh into the body of water where they multiply as previously described.
Additionally diffuser `B' is oxygenating the water in and surrounding the mesh
extractor bag. The
advantages to using this configuration is that the compost is contained,
reducing particles, the
water is still breaking the surface as it flows from the return nozzle,
promoting dissolved
oxygen content, the niicrobes in the body of water are not carried back into
the mesh
extractor bag and the initial agitation is a little less turbulent. The use of
this configuration is
recommended by the inventor for producing a compost tea high in fungal hyphae
content.
