Analysis of the physical properties of an in-vessel composting matrix

Efficient compost production requires a thorough understanding of the process dynamics in terms of the feedstock materials used and the interactions of the physical properties involved. The main properties affecting the composting process are temperature, moisture content, bulk density, porosity and oxygen availability. In this study, the correlations between a selected set of physical properties of a batch-composting matrix were determined. The key physical changes in the composting materials for a blend of woodchips, chicken manure and mixed green vegetables have been monitored during a 36-day composting period in a 200-L rotary drum. The daily measurements conducted on the solid samples included temperature, pH, volatile solids, bulk density, moisture content, free airspace and substrates particle density while the carbon dioxide release was monitored weekly using jar respiration tests. The results from the compost process monitoring were a maximum temperature rise to 66.3 °C over the first 3 days, a marked decrease in free airspace from 76.3% to 40.0% at the end of the process, a variation in average composting material particle density from 1097 kg/m3 to 2325 kg/m3, and an increase in wet bulk density from 255 kg/m3 to 628 kg/m3. Correlations developed among free airspace, wet bulk density, dry bulk density and wet moisture content were in agreement with previously determined equations from literature. Free airspace varied linearly with both dry and wet bulk densities (R2 value of 0.89 and 0.95, respectively) while the free airspace–wet moisture content profile followed a fourth degree polynomial trend with a correlation coefficient of 0.63.