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Simple Computer Tool for Designing Aerated Static Pile Composting/Biofilter Systems

Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org

Citation:  Paper number  053008,  2005 ASAE Annual Meeting . (doi: 10.13031/2013.19054) @2005
Authors:   Ernest W. Tollner, Jason Governo
Keywords:   Excel, pipe hydraulics, Darcy-Weisbach, gas, compost, biofilter, aeration

The design of aeration systems for biofilters and compost systems is difficult due to a lack of convenient, economical software. A TK solver-based program suite was developed for designing an air delivery lateral for biofilters and compost windrows. The approach considers 10 segments of a lateral with varying materials and geometry. Air density may vary with temperature and pressure. Within each segment, a multiple outlet approach is used to account for head loss in the segment. The multiple outlet approach was found to give reasonable results based on a preliminary evaluation. The first(design screening) program enables one to model one pipe segment (diameter, port diameter, port spacing) to evaluate free air space velocity, pressure loss due to the media, and pipe pressure required to provide the design free air space velocity. Once a suitable segment diameter, port diameter and media pressure loss is determined, the required pipe pressure and preliminary pipe geometry may be carried forward to the analyses program. This program evaluates pipe pressure, velocity, air density, cumulative flow, free air space velocity and other parameter along the 10 segment length. One may vary pipe diameter, port diameter and other geometrical elements to arrive at a combination to control the variation of free air velocity in the pile to a specified amount. Power requirements are computed. Separate models for forced (air blown into the system with positive pressure in the manifold) and for induced (air pulled from system with negative pressure in the manifold). Results from analyses are presented.

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