{"id":1355,"date":"2023-03-14T09:58:11","date_gmt":"2023-03-14T08:58:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/isafom.cnr.it\/biomass-laboratories-composter\/"},"modified":"2025-03-28T12:33:09","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T11:33:09","slug":"biomass-laboratories-composter","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/isafom.cnr.it\/en\/biomass-laboratories-composter\/","title":{"rendered":"Biomass Laboratory (composter)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Institute: ISAFOM<\/p>\n

Headquarters address: Via della madonna alta 128 - 06128 - Perugia<\/p>\n

Contact person: Roberto Altieri<\/strong><\/p>\n

Office tel.: 075 5014540<\/p>\n

e-mail: roberto.altieri@cnr.it<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

COMPOSTER - A LAB-SCALE COMPOSTING DEVICE FOR RESPIROMETRIC STUDIES<\/strong><\/p>\n

Built in house, COMPOSTER is an air-forced automated device, including two 35-liters' bioreactors, able to compost properly and in a short time (about 30 days) organic residues under controlled aerobic conditions. COMPOSTER simulates a real composting environment and it analyses in real time the emissions released from the in situ microbiota driving the biodegradation of the organic waste mixture which should be properly arranged at the beginning of the trial.<\/p>\n

The air flow rate of each bioreactor is managed by separate mass flow controller able to keep the oxygen concentration in the exhausted air within a chosen optimal aerobic value (>10%). Temperature of the biomass, pressure and temperature of the inlet and outlet airflow, are monitored throughout the trial as well as the weight loss of the bioreactors placed on scales, while the concentrations of oxygen, carbon dioxide are recorded from the exhausted air by means of specific detectors. Ammonia, hydrogen sulphide and VOCs can be monitored on demand, arranging appropriate traps and\/or easy sampling.<\/p>\n

Acquisition of signals, control of actuators, remote software supervision, data elaboration and monitoring are performed by means of fit-for-purpose integration of hardware and software created in NI LabVIEW environment.<\/p>\n

All parameters measured, except ammonia, hydrogen sulphide and VOCs, are recorded, plotted and promptly displayed in tables, graphs and spreadsheets, showing on video in real time patterns of biodegradation occurring in both bioreactors.\u00a0<\/p>\n

COMPOSTER was set-up in house by testing different organic mixtures with appropriate C\/N, moisture content and porosity.<\/p>\n

While running a test and without stopping it, bioreactors can be easily opened to collect samples for further chemical-physical and microbiological analysis.<\/p>\n

COMPOSTER releases a real mass balance of composting as well as a Dynamic Respiration Index (DRI) value which gives information on the biological stability reached by the compost during the trial.<\/p>\n

COMPOSTER can be exploited for conducting innovative biodegradability tests for synthetic compounds, like pesticides or others, evaluating a wide range of specific aerobic biodegradation scenarios (mineral soil, compost, growth media, etc).<\/p>\n

Possible service<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n