Composting Equipment Kevin Barnes City of Bakersfield, CA

 Production :  Flexibility to handle Current and Future incoming waste stream needs  Simplicity of Operation/Maintenance:  Easy to Operate, Maintain, and Service  Product Support:  Training for Operators, Maintenance Personnel  Capacity to provide Parts and Service Support quickly and efficiently  Durability:  Productive for an extended period of time with little significant down time  Relationship with the Manufacturer:  Manufacturer understands your business  Shares commitment to help you reach your goals General Equipment Selection Considerations

 Price:  Price competitive with comparable equipment  Safety:  Safe to operate  Sufficient safety information provided by Manufacturer  Reliability:  Depend on the equipment to be up and running every day  References:  Manufacturer provides you with contacts running similar operations and equipment  Reputation:  Manufacturer regarded within the industry  Word of mouth

Principles of Material Handling  Handle it Once  Combine Operations  Eliminate Unnecessary Ones  Use Gravity  Gravity Can Be Your Friend  Work with your Head, NOT Your Back  Mechanize and Automate  Continuous Flow is better than Batch  Efficient Layout is Key to Minimizing work  Move in Straight or Circular Paths  “Never” go back  Don’t Cross Paths  Concentrate on and Remove Bottlenecks  Minimize Distance Traveled  Remove People from Hazards

Loading / Material Handling  Forming Windrows  Turning Windrows (Bad Plan)  Mixing  Batching  Loading Trucks  Loading Screen  Moving Materials  Typical Options  Light Material Buckets  High Tip Buckets  Grapples  Booms

Basic Composting Equipment Categories  Pre - Process Equipment  Feedstock Preparation  Process Equipment  Creating a Product  Post Process Equipment  Preparing Product for Market

Pre-Process (Feedstock Preparation)  Weighing Equipment  Sizing Equipment  Mixing Equipment  Loading / Material Handling Equipment

Weighing Equipment Weight Scales  Needed for:  Billing  Tracking Materials  Inventory Control  Scale Types  Pit Scales  Most Common  Platform Scales  Preferred  Less maintenance

Size Reduction Selection Considerations  Determine your Goals  Volume Reduction Only  Component in Total Recycling System  Type of Material to be Processed  Quantity of Material to be Processed  How quickly do you need it Processed  Markets for End-Products  Equipment Budget  Operating Conditions  Mobile or Stationary Operation  Market Reliability  Serviceability

Size Reduction Grinder Types  High Speed / Low Torque  Tub Grinders  Horizontal Grinders  Chippers  Slow Speed / High Torque  Shredders

Size Reduction Tub Grinders  PROS  High Mobility  Tracks or Tires  Less Expensive to Purchase  High Throughput  Best for Heavy, Large Diameter Material  Stumps, Root Balls  CONS  Safety Concerns (Throwing)  Location Concerns  Lengthy, Lighter Materials Difficult to Feed  Loading often Requires Tedious Material Placement and Manipulation

Size Reduction Horizontal Grinders  PROS  High Mobility  Tracks or Tires  Safer Operation  Handles Longer, Lighter, Brushier Material  Better Feed Rate Control  Lower Feed Height  Good on Yard Waste  CONS  More Expensive to Purchase  Material Diameter Limitations  Poor Fuel Economy

Size Reduction Chippers  PROS  PTO or Self Powered  Safer  Handles longer material  Consistent product  Good for bulking material  CONS More Expensive to Purchase Poor Fuel Efficiency Most Require Additional Equipment

Size Reduction Slow Speed-High Torque (Shredder)  PROS  Best Fuel Economy  Less Stress on Engine  Less Maintenance  More Shearing  Good for First Pass  Handles Wide Variety of Materials  Green Waste, Tires, White goods, etc.  Good for Bulking Material  Good for C&D waste  Good for Stumps  CONS  More Expensive to Purchase  Slower but Productive

Mixing Equipment  Types  Mobile  Stationary  Vertical Shaft  Horizontal Shaft  Power  PTO Driven  Diesel  Electrical  Consistent Mixing of Feed Stocks  Can Include Scales

Mixing Equipment  Mobile Mixer  Used for Material Transport  Can be used to Build Windrows  Trailer  PTO tractor driven  Truck Mounted  Additional Truck Cost Trailer-Vertical Shaft Truck Mounted-Horizontal Shaft Truck Mounted Horizontal

Mixing Equipment  Stationary Mixer  Heavy duty  Large capacity  Batch/Continuous  Electric or Diesel power

Process Equipment  Compost Turners  Moisture Addition Equipment  Windrow Covers  Monitoring Equipment

Compost Turners Turner Selection Considerations  Material Composition  Quantity of Material  Overall Material Flow  Pad Conditions  Pad Layout / Utilization  Turner / Windrow Size  Turner Capacity  Machine Cost Considerations  Total Cost to Operate  Cost / yd³ of material turned  Availability of Optional Equipment  Market Reliability  Serviceability

Compost Turners  Turner Types  Pull / Tow Behind  Elevating Face  Trapezoidal  Self Propelled Windrow  Available Options  Walled / Tunnel

Compost Turners Pull / Tow Behind  PROS  PTO or Self Propelled  Minimal Moving Parts  Small Scale Composting or “Start Up” Operation  Lower Cost to Purchase  CONS  Requires Additional Tow Vehicle  Lower Throughputs  Access Isles Required for Tow Vehicle  Less Efficient Pad Utilization

Compost Turners Elevating Face (Windrows)  PROS  Tow Behind or Self Propelled  Tracks or Tires  Can be used with side-discharge to move extended trapezoidal piles  CONS  Turns ½ Windrow with Each Pass  Access Isles Required  Less Homogenization  Inefficient Pad Utilization  Many, Many Moving Parts  High Maintenance

Compost Turners Trapezoidal  PROS  Self Propelled  Tracks or Tires  Removes Face and Transposes  Access Isles Not Required  CONS  Less Air-More Bulking Required  More Frequent Tuning Required  Slower Turnover / Process

Compost Turners Self Propelled Windrow  PROS  Tracks or Tires  Space Requirements Vary by Mfg.  More Air from Natural Convection  Turn Complete Windrow in a Single Pass  Moisture Addition Possible  Greater Process Control  Greater Flexibility  CONS  ???

Windrow Turner Available Options Side Transposing Conveyor Tarp Covering Elevating Cabin Automated hose Reel

Compost Turners Walled / Tunnel  PROS  Indoor / Outdoor  Reduced Odors / Emissions  Fully Automatic  Batch / Process Operation  Electric / Diesel  CONS  Typically part of a Complete System  More Expensive to Purchase

Moisture Addition Moisture Addition Methods  Tank  Hydrant Systems  Automated hose reel

Windrow Covers  Odor Control  Heat Retention  Colder Climates  Moisture Retention  Storm Water Runoff Management  Vector Control

Monitoring Equipment Probes  Temperature  Digital  Analog  Oxygen / Carbon Dioxide  Data Logging  Thermal Coupler

Monitoring Equipment Temperature Probes  Data Logging  Record Keeping

Monitoring Equipment Oxygen/Carbon Dioxide Probes  Analog  Digital  Data Logging  $50.00-$4,000 Fyrite CO 2 Meter Windrow Manager-Probe-Temp & O 2 Demista-Temp & O 2 Meter

Monitoring Equipment Windrow Management  Helps keep Regulators Happy  Reduce Production Costs  Increase Throughput  Improve Product Quality

Screening Equipment Screen Selection Considerations  Type(s) of Material to be Screened  Quantity of Material to be Screened  Desired Fractional “fines” Size(s)  Number of Fractional Sizes Required  Screening Plan  Take Screen to the Material or Material to the Screen  Moisture Level of Material to be Screened  Consideration for “bad weather” Days  Mobility Requirements  Fuel Consumption  Actual Cost / yd³ of screened material to operate  Market Reliability  Serviceability

Post Process Equipment  Screens  Shaker Deck  Trommel  Star Deck  Pneumatic Separation Trommel Shaker deck Star deck

Screening Equipment How does a Shaker Deck Work?  Material loaded into hopper  Hopper feeds unscreened material onto a vibrating bed  Vibrating Bed has openings designed to size material to a desired fraction  Screened Material “fines” drop through the bed openings and are either transported out of the screen, or rescreened to produce a finer fraction  Oversized Material “Overs” pass over the bed and out the screen

Screening Equipment Shaker Deck  PROS  Mobile or Stationary  Tracks or Tires  Less Expensive to Purchase  CONS  Clogs easily with moist material  Lower production  Noisy  Many Moving Parts

Screening Equipment How does a Trommel Screen Work?  Material loaded into hopper  Hopper feeds unscreened material into the Rotating Drum  Rotating Drum has openings designed to properly size material to a desired fraction  Screened material “fines” drop through the drum openings and are transported out of the screen  Over sized material “Overs” pass out through the drum and out the screen

Screening Equipment Trommel Screens  PROS  Mobile or Stationary  Tracks or Tires  Cleaning Brushes  Simple Operation  Good Production  Generally Clean Product  Widely Used  CONS:  Must Change Screening Drum to vary Fractional Size  As Moisture Increases, Production Decreases

Screening Equipment How does a Star Screen Work?  Material loaded into hopper  Hopper feeds unscreened material onto a bed of rotating stars  The Size, Spacing, and Speed of the rotating stars determines fractional output.  Screened material “fines” drop through the stars and are transported out of the screen  Over sized material “Overs” pass over the star deck and out the screen

Screening Equipment Star Deck (Star Screens)  PROS  Mobile or Stationary  Tracks, Tires, or Track/Tire Combination  Fines Size can be varied by Changing Star Rotation Speed  Self Cleaning Options  Excellent for High Moisture Materials  Highest Production  CONS  Many Moving Parts

Pneumatic Separation  Plastic Removal

Bagging Equipment  Mobile Bagger  Stationary Bagger

Feedstock receipt Active Composting Curing Screening Storage and packing Feedstock preparation, mixing Odor control Dust control Monitoring Product analysis Non-compostables Recycle or dispose Collect Feedstocks Product sales, distribution and use “Overs” Collect Feedstocks 1 st Stage2nd Stage Flow of materials and activities at the compost facility Compost facility activities Recycle or dispose? Water management