EFFECT OF CONTINUOUS AND INTERMITTENT AERATION ON COMPOSTING OF POULTRY LITTER AND COTTON STALKS

Abstract

The present study was carried out at Rice Mechanization Center, Meet El-Deeba, Kafrelsheikh governorate, Egypt during the year of 2013. The influence of forced aeration modes (continuous and intermittent aeration) at three levels of aeration rates of 0.13, 0.16 and 0.19m3/h on composting of poultry litter and cotton stalks were studied using metal vessels. Three various levels of intermittent aeration (45, 30 and 15min/h) were tested. Temperature was monitored and recorded as the most important indicator of the efficiency and effectiveness of the composting process. Also, the moisture content and Carbon:Nitrogen (C:N) ratio of the initial composting mixture were adjusted at about 61.53% and 32:1, respectively. The moisture content and pH value were measured during composting process. Total organic matter, bulk density, electrical conductivity, total nitrogen and total organic carbon were measured on the initial composting mixture and at the final composting product. Moreover, the most important results showed that the maximum temperature of 65.45oC (at thermophilic phase) was recorded after twenty-six days from the beginning of composting time at the intermittent aeration of 30min/h and the aeration rate of 0.16m3/h. In all vessels the moisture content and C:N ratio decreased and were proportional to temperature and aeration conditions. However, the lowest time for cooling down and maturing compost was of sixty-four days at 30min/h and 0.16m3/h aeration conditions. The initial bulk density of the mixture compost materials decreased from 34.8 to 13.9% at the end composting process depending on the aeration conditions.