SEMINAR ON

BIO-COMPOSTING
PROCESS

Kedar singh WT201605

Shashank Kulkarni WT-

201606
 Bio- Composting

Defination :- It is process by which organic

waste are converted in to organic fertilizer
by means of biological of aerobic microbes
under control conditions.
Distillery Industry
 S.W.: 6.50 to 13.00 lit./lit. alcohol.

Bio-composting
 Primary treatment or
 Secondary treatment after anaerobic digestion or

 Tertiary treatment after concentration of S.W.

Reaction
Organic matter + O₂ → Compost + CO₂ + H2O + Nutrients + Humus +
Heat
 Table 1: General characteristics of raw spent wash
Sr. No. Parameter Batch process Cascade process Biostil process
1 Volume, L/L Alcohol 14-16 10-12 8-10
2 Colour Dark brown Dark brown Dark brown
3 PH 3.7-4.5 4.0-4.3 4.0-4.2
4 COD 80,000-1,10,000 1,10,000-1,30,000 1,40,000-1,60,000
5 BOD 45,000-50,000 55,000-65,000 60,000-70,000
6 Solid
Total 90,000-1,20,000 1,30,000-1,60,000 1,60,000-2,10,000
Total Volatile 60,000-70,000 60,000-75,000 80,000-90,000
Inorganic dissolved 30,000-40,000 35,000-45,000 60,000-90,000
7 Chlorides 5,000-6,000 6,000-7,500 10,000-12,000
8 Sulphates 4,000-8,000 4,500-8,500 8,000-10,000
9 Total nitrogen 1,000-1,200 1,000-1,400 2,000-2,500
10 Potassium 8,000-12,000 10,000-14,000 20,000-22,000
11 Phosphorus 200-300 300-500 1,600-2,000
12 Sodium 400-600 1,400-1,500 1,200-1,500
13 Calcium 2,000-3,500 4,500-6,000 5,000-6,500

Note: All parameters except Sr.No: 1 to 3 are in mg/lit

 Why Composting?

1] Zero Pollution.
2] Compost product enriches the soil.
3] No odour or fly nuisance.
4] Product: Free from any repulsive odour.
5] High product value - quick payback.
6] Dry product, easy to handle & transport.
7] Process restores the ecological balances
 Types of bio-composting
 Brick on - edge.
 PCC- Plain Cement Concrete (1:3:6 or 1:2:4).
 Interlocking concrete paving blocks.
State CPCB has accepted only PCC For preparation of
compost yard.

Infrastructure required for bio composting

 Spentwash cooling & holding tank (HDPE sheet & rubble
masonry work on slopes and RCC 1:2:4 & PCC 1:5:10 for
bottom of the tanks.
 Impervious compost yard (RCC- 1:2:4).
 Barbed wire fencing for the compost yard.
 Sump Well.
 Leachate Water Gutter, Pipeline etc.
 Homogenous auto spraying & mixing machine.
 Loader machine.
 Dumpers / tippers.
 Electrification at compost site.
 Magnetic flow meter for spent wash measurement.
 Spent wash spraying network.
 Pumps and motors.
 Bore well and HDPE piping.
 Green belt, etc.

Microorganisms involved in bio-composting process

1] Trichurus spiralis
2] Trichoderma viride
3] Actinomycetes stryptomyces spp.
4] Aspergillus niger
5] Aspergillus awamori
6] Bacillus subtilis
…. Contd.
7] Bacillus polymyxa
8] Bacillus megaterium
9] Psudomonas striata
10] Penicillium digitatum
11] Penicillium chrysogenum
12] Paecillomyces fusisporus
13] Chaetomonium abuense

Table 2: Classification of microorganisms.

Sr. No. Microorganisms Temperature range, OC

1 Psycrophilic 0 – 15
2 Mesophilic 15 – 45
3 Thermophilic 45 – 90
 Phases of Composting
1. Mesophilic or moderate temperature phase
 Last for a few days.
 Mesophilic bacteria & fungi proliferates: degrade nutrients –
raising temperature 45ºC , activities cease – vegetative cells
& hyphae die and eventually lyes – only heat resistant
spores survive.
2. Thermophilic or high temperature phase
 Last up to few weeks
 Lag period – more or less steep rise of temperature
 Development of : bacterial species, actinomycetes & fungi
 Optimum temperature : 50 - 65ºC
 Activities terminate : 70 – 80ºC

3. Stationary period
 Without significant changes of temperature : microbial heat
production & heat dissipation balance.
 4.Cooling and Maturation phase
 Gradual temperature decline.
 Maturation phase.

Composting Process : Operational details

 Two stages: a) 40 days (aerobic process)
b) 4-5 days: curing in heaps (anaerobic process).
 Complete degradation : 45 days.(60 days).
 Active stage.
 Maturation stage.
 Ripening or curing stage.
 Windrow size.
 Formation of windrows.
 Inoculum application.
 Aeration.
 Effluent spraying.
 Merging of windrows.
 Curing of heaps.
 Product.
Biochemical process of bio-
composting
 Temperature.
 In microphilic conditions, microbes decompose proteins &
carbohydrates.
 Reduction in absence of O₂.
 Organic matter into fatty acids.
 Another group of bacteria convert the intermediate
product to CH4, ammonia, CO₂& H₂O.
 Stable organic compounds contribute to total organic
contents.
Auto Spentwash Sprayer
Factors influencing composting

1. Oxygen
 5% oxygen.
 Less oxygen : Cause anaerobic condition / odour problem.

2. Moisture content :
 Optimum moisture : 50 – 60 %.
 Less : microbial action decreases.
 More : inhibits airflow.
 Excess moisture : limiting oxygen transport.
 Too little oxygen : unpleasant odours.
 40 – 45 % moisture : slow decomposition.
 Minimum moisture : 50-55% - high rate composting.
 Additional effluent : keep moisture 50 to 65 %.
3.pH

 Optimum pH : 5.5-8.0 (neutral to acidic conditions).

 Initial stage : organic acid formed.
 Acidic condition : favourable – growth of fungi &
breakdown of lignin and cellulose.
As composting proceeds :organic acids become neutralized.
Mature compost pH:6-8.

4.Temperature
 Heat: byproduct of microbial breakdown of organic material.
 Rapid decomposition: 60-70 ºc.
 Above 60-70 ºc: microbes die off.
 Below 60-70 ºc: microbial activity slows down.
 Optimum range: compost turning-high quality compost.
 5. Particle size
 Larger total surface area : increase degradation rate.
 Particles must be small in size – too small particles :
inhibit airflow.

6. Carbon to nitrogen ratio ( C:N )

 Healthy cell growth.
 Initial : 30:1
 After composting : 14:1
Compliance with the guidelines for
bio-composting plants by CPCB

 Working days of Distillery – 270 days

 Spent wash storage tank capacity - 30 days
 Spent wash ratio for composting – 1:2.5/
1:3.5
 No. of days for one composting operation
cycle – 45/60 days
 Land required for compost plant – 850
MT/acre/cycle
 Maximum allowable cycle/annum – 5cyles
(45days), 4cycles (60 days).
 For low pollution spent wash and pressmud ratio is
1:1
Table 4: Typical bio-compost analysis

Organic Carbon
20 - 25 %

Nitrogen 1.5 - 2.5%

Phosphorous 1.0 - 1.7 %

Potassium 1.5 - 2.85 %

Organic matter 38 - 42 %

pH 6.85

C:N ratio 14.67:1

Compost Yard:

 Cleaning, leveling & compaction of soil

 Provision for underground spent wash spraying network for auto
spraying.
 Provision for leachate management as per MPCB guidelines
 Film 250 micron HDPE sheet with both side sand/soft soil cushioning of
minimum 50mm on each side.
 Brick/Stone soling (not less than 6cmin case of bricks & 3 cm in case of
stone soling).
 Number of days required to complete one cycle is forty-five days for 1:2.5
(PM to SW ratio) & sixty days for 1:3.5 (PM to SW ratio)
 Maximum allowable cycles/annum is 5 cycles in case of forty-five
 days compost period & 4cycle in case of 60 days compost period.
 Operations & Maintenance Guidelines for
Composting
1. Rainy Season
a. Freshly sprayed spent wash to be decomposed may give some
colored leachate after rain and will contaminate the soil.
b. Windrows may have moisture content of more than 70%, which can
result in anaerobiosis.
2. Precautions
a. Compost process stopped – before rainy season
b. Possible all compost on the site will be sold out before start of rain.
The compost, which remains unsold, will be bagged and kept in
godown.
3. Un-seasonal rains
a. compost on the site will be sold out before start of rain. The
compost, which remains unsold, will be bagged and kept in godown.
b. The run off of outside compost yard should be suitably diverted so
that it does not enter the compost yard.
Limitation of Bio-Composting Process

Pressmud requirement is large quantity.

Land area requirement is more.
Distillery requires attached sugar factory for
supply press mud.
Ground water pollution.
Concreted compost requires large area and
huge investment..
 Rainy Seasons
Advantages

 Zero Liquid Discharge

 Compost: rich in micronutrients(Organic +
inorganic)
 Further enrichment is possible.
 Neglible power / utilities
 Substantial income (Rs.250 to 800/MT)
 Conclusion

 Press mud derived compost is very important resource in

India.
 Basically this compost is generated as a byproduct of the
pollution abatement activity.
 Post of the distilleries operates the compost plant as a
most preferred technology for the treatment & disposal of
spent wash.
 The estimated quantity of compost produced is about 6
million hectares
 At a dose of application of 2MT/Ha, this product can
provide enough organic fertilizer for about1.2 million
hectares of prime cultivated & irrigated land.

 This pressmud derived compost plays a significant role in

organic farming & partial to total replacement of
chemical fertilizer
References

 “Technologies for economical treatment of

spentwash in distilleries” by S. V. Patil,
Technical Adviser & Head, Department of
Alcohol Technology, VSI – Pune.
 Composting process (scope & applications)
by A.S.PATIL, Head, Department of Plant
Pathology and Agriculture Microbiology,
VSI.
 Bio-Composting A technical Manual – V.
Ravichandran, Environment Energy
System, Chennai.
 Tas Bio-com process – Dr. C.R. Kulkarni
THANK YOU