COMPOST
Sometimes, more attention is paid to the capacity than achieving the perfect mix.
later, when a properly functioning measuring system was installed at the company in ques- tion. But it is not as simple as it seems. At installation, ensure the suction hoses are straight so no water can accumulate. If the hoses are not taut enough, the pump will be unable to suck the air from the bunker and will suck false air instead. This can create the incorrect impression of enough oxygen in the compost!
Oxygen and compost temperature I am sometimes asked if allowing the tempera- ture of the compost during fermentation to exceed 80 degrees Celsius is absolutely neces- sary. In my opinion, the result of sufficient aeration (enough oxygen) is a high compost temperature during fermentation. In other words, higher compost temperatures are a result of an optimal balance of a good C/N ratio, (plus
perfectly mixed raw materials) water, locked in moisture and, above all, enough oxygen. For this reason compost temperatures in excess of 80 degrees during composting are desirable with sufficient aeration. Another regular occurrence with higher aeration is that the compost temperature fails to increase properly, or even falls, during composting. The, often incorrect, conclusion is then drawn that a lot of air, namely during heating, is not good for the compost. There are many reasons why a compost tempe- rature fails to reach the correct level quickly enough, or even starts to decrease. One of these reasons is too dry or too wet compost. Too wet compost often delays the warming up process, and the temperature of too dry compost can easily decrease after it has reached 80 degrees. Straw that has been pre-wet heats up faster after chicken manure has been added than straw that has not been pre-wet.
One very common cause of the compost tempe- rature failing to reach the desired level quickly enough when there is plenty of air, is poor mixing of the raw materials. More attention is paid to the capacity than achieving the perfect mix. On various occasions on a plant in a very cold climate, I have seen that after correct mixing with enough air blown through (almost fully continuous aeration) and with an outside temperature of -30 degrees blown directly into the compost, the compost temperature rocketed and reached an average of 80 degrees in 16 hours. This experience taught me that with well mixed raw materials with a good balance of water and structure and the right C/N ratio, it is no problem quickly bringing the compost temperature to above 80, even in extremely cold weather. In addition, the compost temperature in those bunkers was relatively homogenous, which speaks volumes about the good quality of the mixing process. As the temperature approa- ches 80 degrees, the oxygen consumption of the compost sharply falls, and it becomes necessary to reduce the amount of air being introduced. This shows that the journey towards 80 degrees is a purely biological process that gradually changes into a chemical one, as the upper ranges of the 70 degrees are reached and therefore less oxygen is required.
When compost is piled on a concrete fl oor before tunnel fi lling, make sure there’s a good balanced aeration available.
10 MUSHROOM BUSINESS
Another often encountered problem is water that is applied in abundance and poorly distribu- ted and mixed with compost. Slightly too wet compost during phase I process will rapidly cause anaerobic patches as air takes the path of the least resistance, meaning it will ‘find’ its way to drier compost. Filling too high, or using a higher filling weight without adjusting the
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