In-Vessel Composting (IVC)
Over 50% of all household waste has the potential to be recycled by composting. When this material is collected separately from homes it is often referred to as kerbside collected organic waste or “source separated” organic waste. It is made up of garden waste, food waste, paper and cardboard packaging. Similar materials can also be collected from commercial premises.
Normally this waste ends up in a landfill site where it rots, producing obnoxious smells and methane, a greenhouse gas. The CRS IVC Process takes this waste, which is pre-sorted by the householder or business, and transforms it into a usable end product – compost.
The Composting Facilities are purpose designed to ensure that the process of turning waste into compost runs efficiently and smoothly with no complicated procedures. The facilities are low noise with odour containment and treatment for minimum impact on the local environment.
The CRS IVC systems are modular and suitable for staged growth. Plants have been designed from 15,000 to 60,000 t/a. Examples of different designs are illustrated in CRS Projects.
The waste is prepared by shredding and wetting to achieve an homogenous moist material which then undergoes an intensive phase of composting in the Composting Tunnels. After the Intensive phase is complete, usually passing through two ABPR barriers, the material is removed to a maturation area. After maturation the material is then screened and graded according to its purpose. Compost from a CRS IVC process is suitable for PAS 100 accreditation and is fit for “unrestricted use” as a fully recovered product.
The key to the process is the Drive-through Composting Tunnel. Built of pre-cast concrete walls and roof with an easily removable steel door and lightweight hinged upper doors at both ends, it can contain 120-150 tonnes of waste at any one time. The doors at both ends facilitate the one-way flow of materials through the plant as required by the Animal By-Product Regulation. The Tunnel is equipped with air supply pipes based in the floor connected to an Air Handling Unit and temperature monitoring equipment and radio-telemetry to provide the operator with full process management data.
The Air Handling Unit recirculates air, drawing in fresh air from outside when needed and venting used air to the atmosphere after first treating it with ozone to eliminate odours.
The temperature probes continuously record the temperature inside the waste to monitor the decomposition process and to ensure that the minimum requirement of 60°C for 2 days is attained. Using radio-telemetry site personnel know the current status of each Composting Tunnel or waste batch, as well as the history of the batch for process management and batch tracking ensuring compliance with the Animal By-Products Regulations.
The CRS IVC Process provides a simple way to effectively turn waste into compost using an enclosed controlled environment with a full support service ensuring minimum impact on the local environment and full compliance with the Animal By-Products Regulation.
