AEROBIC ROTTING AND/OR DRYING OF ORGANIC WASTE MATERIAL

A process for aerobic composting or drying of organic waste materials in a composting bin and apparatus for carrying out the process. The composting bin is formed by one or more elongate composting passageway chambers which can be aerated or vented and heated. Each chamber encloses in sequence an intake zone, shaping zone, reaction zone, and discharge or transfer zone. Material is fed loosely through an opening into the intake zone in successive substantially equal portions or charges. A clearing element at the intake end of the chamber intermittently pushes each successive portion through the shaping zone, against the preceding portion, and through the reaction zone of the chamber. Residence time in the compost bin is sufficient for complete composting or other purposes before discharge or transfer. In the case of a bin with two or more chambers the chambers are arranged at different levels one below the other. The bins are oppositely oriented so that the transfer of material from an upper bin feeds material to the intake zone and the steps are repeated to completion of decomposition. For automatic process control the reaction zone is divided into separate sections for separate venting and analysis of reaction gases by section. Separate control of aeration and heating by section is also provided in response to the gas analysis thereby provided selective optimim conditions for completion of aerobic decomposition.