TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
Bio-rapid in-vessel twin compartment composting system and uses thereof
PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION:
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the way it is to be performed
FIELD OF THE INVENTION:
The invention relates to a compost making system. More specifically, this invention relates to an environment friendly efficient composting system and composting method.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION:
An object of the invention is to provide a composting system that can continuously process organic waste into a stabilized organic manure in a shorter time period.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
The Food Waste Index Report 2021 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates that around 931 million tonnes of food waste were generated in 2019 (61% of which came from households, 26% from food service and 13% from retail). About 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions are associated with food that is not consumed. Public and private sectors are facing increasing transportation and disposal costs for all discards, including food scraps. There is also increasing concern about the sustainability of current disposal practices, which are instigating investigations into more environmentally benign disposal options. The methods such as landfilling and incineration are being recognized as unsustainable. In traditional windrow composting systems, waste is piled in long rows in open areas and allowed to undergo decomposition. These systems usually require large tracts of land and have little control over the treatment parameters, resulting in foul odors and unsanitary conditions. Improper air circulation within the compost pile is the key reason for release of unpleasant gases and loss of important nutrients. Moreover, if the compost pile is placed in an unsheltered area, it gets adversely affected by the weather conditions. When the weather is too hot, the pile dries up easily. Alternatively, with excessive rainfall,

compost absorbs water causing increased moisture levels and at times the material is carried away resulting in fertilizer loss, leachate runoff and contamination of surrounding soil and water. Aerobic composting offers a better alternative for the use organic wet waste like food waste which otherwise would end up in landfills and be responsible for methane generation. Aerobic composting reduces or prevents the release of methane during organic matter breakdown. Methane is 26 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas and is a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. However, the existing aerobic in-vessel digestion systems available to the mass market have not been value-engineered in that extent, cannot handle large amount of waste at a time, time consuming, many of those do not include required safety features, and some of these are aesthetically unpleasing. Some examples are Film-covered aerobic composting system suitable for intermittent feeding (CN210736593), Intelligent high-temperature aerobic fermentation composting system and method for polymer nano-film (CN113443933), Composting machine (US8889407), Improved bio-mechanical organic waste converter and its method of use thereof (IN211809581), A composting system and an aeration device of same (IN387220), Orgadigestor, an advanced aerobic system of composting and a method of decomposition (IN399551), Computer controlled in-vessel composting process and apparatus (US20130157346), Composting systems and methods (US 8129177) etc.
In light of these disadvantages of prior art, it is clear that there remains a need for an improved composting system and method that overcomes one or more of the limitations of the prior art.
It can be addressed by confining the waste treatment process in a closed decentralised system. Enclosed system which can shield the material from varied climatic conditions and at the same time allows parameter optimization would be ideal to obtain standard quality of compost. This invention discloses composting system which addresses all the above issues, simplifying the entire task and enables continuous operation. The in-vessel system of the present invention allows composting operations to be scaled up. However, the higher throughput does not

necessitate a larger space. The system allows additional benefits such as minimal human interventions, allows onsite waste treatment thereby reducing transportation cost as well as minimizing carbon emissions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to two-compartment in-vessel aerobic composting system with shredder to reduce particle size of the input for rapid bio-degradation. Each vessel comprises of plough shaft with multiple plough arms for mixing, several grille vents at the uppermost section of the compartments for air circulation to enhance aerobic composting, electronic control unit to adjust essential parameters during composting process. The system provides provision to decant treated material from the bottom of compartments. The present invention also refers to a method for composting in an optimized and controlled environment with minimal human intervention. It offers continuous and an eco-friendly composting solution, reduces health hazards and produces good quality, nutrient rich compost after aerobic biodegradation. The current system operates in enclosed environment therefore minimizes the land requirement, prevents liberation of foul odors.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
Figure 1: Elevation view of bio-rapid in-vessel composting system representing all components and assemblies
Figure 2: End view of composting system highlighting the u- shape twin vessel and the shredder
Figure 3: Plan view showing twin plough shafts and perforated lid
Figure 4 (A): Front view of plough featuring plough arm with plough head
Figure 4 (B) Side view of plough featuring plough arm with plough head
Figure 5: Control panel displaying different control knobs
DETAILED DESCRIPTION:

Example 1: Bio rapid in-vessel aerobic composting system
The system of the present invention works in enclosed environment and offers a waste management solution in a controlled optimise condition. The enclosed composting system of the invention overcomes several difficulties of waste management such as land requirement, liberation of foul odours, soil and water pollution, leachate generation. The system comprises of twin compartments or drums or vessels, shredder, plough shaft with multiple plough arms, motor, gearbox, timer and electric control panel (Figure 1). Each of the U- shaped twin drum vessel (Figure 2©) has a ca pa c ity ra nging f rom 750 li tres to 2100 li tres. The present invention reveals details for a 750 litres vessel size. The diameter of the vessel is 660 millimeters (mm) with total height of 840 mm and length 1500 mm. The U-shaped drum design offers enough room for mixing and treating organic waste. It is made of stainl ess stee l (304/316 gra de) that ca n endure acidic or alkaline conditions and is inert, corrosion resistant, strong as well as easy to maintain. For a vessel with larger volumes, the parameters will change accordingly. Each vessel is closed with perforated lids (1500 mm long x 1315 mm wide) (Figure 1 (3) at the top so as to ensure air circulation inside the vessel. Additionally, the system is also comprising of four grille vents louvers of height 150mm (Figure 1 ©) in the upper side of the vessel to further maximize air flow in both the drums (Figure 3 ©). The system also possesses defined discharge area at the base of each compartment (Figure 1 ®), operated by hand lever to empty the compartments.
A motor operated dual shaft shre dder is mounted at one end and positioned between two compartments on the top of the vessel (Figure 1©). It is designed to convert bulking debris into consistent particle size. A series of circular eight- hook cutting blades are fixed in a row. Ten rotary blades are present on the right shaft and nine on left shaft, when seen from non-drive end allowing. These blades rotate into each other at slow speeds to gently shred material into small pieces. The low speed also minimizes the production of dust during operation. The cutter blades are made of special grade alloy steel having diameter 67 mm. Rotary motion is provided to

cutting blade assembly by a dedicated 0.5 hp electric motor running on 3 phase and 440-volt power supply. The shredder has a low power requirement, low noise and higher reliability. The system further comprises of two manually operated diverter plates below the shredder. These plates can be manually pushed to channel the waste material to desired compartment (Figure 1 (8)).
Internally, each vessel comprises of singl e plough shaft in each c omp a rtme n t (1842 mm long and 80 mm diameter) (Figure 1 ®) with well-spaced nine plough arms (Figure 1(g)) around the circumference of the rotatable plough shaft. These plough arms are positioned longi tudi na ll y at 90 degrees on the plough shaft axis and spaced at 190 mm, 120-degree angle from each other. The plough arm cross section reveals a rectangle with dimensions of 100 mm x 8 mm. Each plough arm is further connected to 50 mm x 50 mm x 110 mm plough head via a support plate (Figure 4A (11). The support plate is welded to the vertical arm for sturdiness. The rotation of the plough shaft can be altered in both forward and reverse directions with the help of timer (Figure 1 (7), D igi tal Se lec XT 5042, Model no: 600 DT). P lough s haft is rotated by means of duplex chain sprocket arrangement. 15 teeth sprocket is present on each plough shaft. Pitch of the duplex chain is 2.54 centimetres (cm) and chain sprocket ID is 65 mm with keyway size 12 x 12 mm. P-214 pedestal bearings provide support to plough shaft that has a speed of 25 rpm (figure 1 (12).
The system comprises of an electric motor (Bharat Bijlee) with 7.5 Hp power, 132S frame size, 1450 rpm speed and rated current of 10.4 Amps, Voltage range of 373 - 456 Volts (Figure 1 ?(13). IP rating, efficiency and power fa ctor of the system are IP 55, 87.7% and 0.84 respectively. The electric motor of the system provides the required torque to the rotatable plough shaft for mixing the organic waste. This torque is essentially driven by gearbox. The electric motor is attached to the gearbox (figure 1 @) which m o d i f i es th e s peed a n d to rq u e c h ara cter i sti cs of a m otor. Gearbox is made by Top Gear Transmissions (Model number: 2260) with RPM reduction ratio of 56.25 & Code no F132H226056.25.

The control panel (figure 1 (15) of the system is equipped with 2 contactors (Make: Schneider; model number: LC1D09) and helps to operate the motor. Relay (Make: Schneider; Model number: LRD 16, 9-13 Amp range) in the control panel offers overload protection to the motor. An independent shredder relay (MPCB make, Model number: TCMS -32S, 0.63 to 1 Amps range), is also accommodated in the control panel. The Control panel provides options for automatic or manual mixing of plough shafts as per the need as well as a separate rotary switch to control the forward and reverse motion of the shredder. The machine is equipped with 3 phase electric supply and voltage of 440V. It comprises of emergency stop plug (figure 5) to ensure safety and facilitate easy switch off if needed.
The timer (Digital Selec XT 5042, Model no: 600 DT) of the system helps in controlling different operational parameters such as direction of plough shaft rotation, mixing duration and stay/resting time (figure 1 (7).
Example 2: Composting method using the bio-rapid in-vessel aerobic composting system of example 1
In-vessel system of the present invention offers decentralized continuous process for treatment of wet wastes from different sources like, canteen, hotels, housing societies, etc. The composting system is designed to accommodate approximately 500 kg of material per compartment. The process was started by mixing the segregated organic waste with 10-15% of bagasse (absorbent) and passing the same through the shredder to reduce the size. Shredder has series of circular cutting blades fixed in a row which aid in shredding the waste material. The operation of shredder is controlled by a motor which provides rotary motion to cutting blade. The system comprises of two diverter plates placed below the shredder. It helps to route the waste material to the desired compartment. One of the diverter plates was removed to route the waste material to the first compartment/vessel. The shredder of the system assists in obtaining optimum (approx. 5- 6 mm) size particles that provides sufficient area for aerobic degradation of waste material. For the first four days of operation, 125 kg material (organic waste with absorbent) were added to

one compartment each day after passing through the shredder. Absorbent has significant role in modifying the physical properties and kinetics of biodegradation during the composting process. An appropriate organic absorbent offers energy and nutrient source for microbes, helps in appropriate movement of air through the pile by increasing porosity, helps in absorption of excess moisture from waste making it amenable to degradation and thus accelerates decomposition of organic waste. A microbial inoculum formulation (1g of formulation for per kg of organic waste) containing Bacillus species (MTCC 25570 and MTCC 25571) was added to each compartment to enhance biological waste treatment. Then, for the next four days, the same amount (125 kg organic waste with absorbent) along with microbial inoculum formulation (1g/kg of organic waste) were added to the second compartment after passing through the shredder. During the process the plough arms along with plough head ensures homogeneous mixing of the waste material in response to rotation of the plough shaft. This increases the surface area of material exposed to oxygen resulting in increased rate of aerobic degradation of waste material by the microorganisms and eliminating foul odour formation. Turning of the waste material was controlled by adjusting parameters on control panel. The rotation movement of the plough shaft was adjusted in reverse and forward directions with the help of timer present on the control panel. Turning time cycles was retained for extended durations in the first two days of composting to ensure proper mixing of waste, absorbent, and microbial inoculum (e.g., 30 min forward, 30 min reverse and 3 hours hold) and was reduced by the 3rd day (e.g., 15 min forward, 15 min reverse and 3 hours hold). As the system is completely enclosed, moisture is conserved within it. The restriction of heat loss and availability of oxygen generate a suitable environment for growth and activity of aerobic thermophilic bacteria resulting in more efficient breakdown of waste organic matter to free flowing, odor free, ready to use compost within shortest time frame. Most of the pathogenic organisms found in the waste were inactivated by elevated temperatures of above 55°C or were surpassed by the added beneficial microorganisms, thereby making it safe for handling. The inner environment is unaffected by the ambient conditions, making the system suitable for operations in

any climatic conditions. The material in the first compartment was decanted on the 8th day, and it was then ready to accept a new batch of waste. Similarly, the material in the second compartment was decanted after it completes 8 days. This process cycle helps in continuous operation of the machine.
Microbial inoculum formulation: Microbial inoculum comprises of Bacillus species (MTCC 25570 and MTCC 25571). The same has been filed to National Biodiversity Authority File # 2522 dated 10th Sep 2018.
The formulation comprises of microbial inoculum, lignite, zeolite, silica powder, rock phosphate and water. Each kilogram of formulation was prepared by mixing 0.5 kilogram of lignite, 0.1 kilogram of zeolite, 0.1 kilogram of silica powder, 0.1 kilogram of rock phosphate, 0.05 kilogram of solid microbial biomass and 0.15 litre of water. Bacillus species was grown in nutrient broth medium in 300C for 24 hours with continuous shaking.
REFERENCE:
1. CN210736593: Film-covered aerobic composting system suitable for intermittent feeding
2. CN113443933: Intelligent high-temperature aerobic fermentation composting system and method for polymer nano-film
3. US8889407: Composting machine
4. IN211809581: Improved bio-mechanical organic waste converter and its method of use thereof IN387220: A composting system and an aeration device of same
5. IN399551: Orgadigestor, an advanced aerobic system of composting and a method of decomposition
6. US20130157346: Computer controlled in-vessel composting process and apparatus
7. US 8129177: Composting systems and methods

CLAIMS:
1. An improved continuous aerobic composting system comprising twin compartments, shredder, grille vents, plough shaft with multiple plough arms, motor, gear box, timer and electric control panel (Figure 1)
2. The aerobic composting system of claim 1 further comprises an entry point for loading the organic waste, diverter plates to route the waste material to desired compartment and an outlet at the bottom for releasing of mature compost
3. The plough shaft with multiple plough arms of claim 1 comprises of plough heads to assist homogeneous mixing of the waste materials in response to rotation of the plough shaft
4. The shredder of the claim 1 comprises multiple circular cutting blades to form optimum size waste particles that provides sufficient area for aerobic degradation of waste material
5. The movement of the circular cutting blades of shredder of claim 1 is controlled by a motor
6. Grille vents of claim 1 assist in air circulation to enhance aerobic composting process
7. The electric control panel of claim 1 is designed to maintain optimum controlled environment inside the system for efficient breakdown of waste organic matter to odor free, ready to use compost within shortest time frame
8. A method for composting of organic waste using the system of claim 1 comprises of mixing the wet waste with absorbent, shredding to form optimize size waste material by shredder, channelize into the first or second compartment by removing the diverter plate, adding microbial inoculum, bio-degradation in optimize controlled condition wherein the controlled condition comprises internal temperature, moisture content, aeration, rotation interval of the content inside the vessel