Organic waste treatment system utilizing vermicomposting
A system is provided for thermophilically conditioning organic wastes of a substantially predetermined composition to form a feedstock which is applied to an upper surface of a worm bed. The worm bed is maintained in a dominantly mesophilic regime, wherein vermicastings and vermicompost are selective removed from the bottom of the worm bed.
1. A method of processing organic waste, comprising:
(a) aerobically conditioning a mixture including separated manure solids and organic waste through a thermophilic dominant regime to a mesophilic dominant regime;
(b) sufficiently remixing the mixture to initiate a second aerobic thermophilic dominant regime and passing the mixture to a second mesophilic dominant regime to form a feedstock;
(c) applying the feedstock to a worm bed retained within a digester bed; and
(d) maintaining a mesophilic dominant regime in the worm bed.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising reducing the temperature of the mixture in the thermophilic dominant regime.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising passing sufficient ambient air through the mixture to maintain a temperature below 180° F.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digester bed is a flow through digester bed.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining a sufficient O 2 concentration within the mixture to substantially maintain aerobic microbiological activity.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining a sufficient O 2 concentration within the mixture to substantially preclude anaerobic microbiological activity in the mixture.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the mixture into a configuration to enhance uniform flow through the mixture.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the mixture into a configuration to substantially preclude preferential flow paths through the mixture.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising passing air through the mixture.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining a moisture gradient between a bottom strata of the worm bed and a top strata of the worm bed.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising grinding the mixture to provide a mean particle size less than approximately 0.5 inches before aerobically conditioning the mixture through the thermophilic dominant regime to the mesophilic dominant regime.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying water to a top surface of the worm bed to maintain a moisture gradient from a top strata of the worm bed to a bottom strata of the worm bed.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selectively passing air through the mixture from a bottom of the mixture.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying a sufficient quantity of the feedstock to the worm bed to maintain a mesophilic dominant regime within the worm bed.
15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising drawing air up through the mixture.
16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining a sufficient homogeneity within the mixture to substantially preclude preferential flow paths within the mixture.
17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining a sufficient homogeneity within the worm bed to substantially preclude preferential flow paths within the worm bed.
18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining a worm population within the worm bed of approximately 0.5 pounds to 6.0 pounds of worms per square foot of worm bed surface area.
19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying sufficient feedstock to the worm bed to maintain a preexisting worm population within the worm bed.
20. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying sufficient feedstock to the worm bed to increase a preexisting worm population within the worm bed.
21. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying sufficient feedstock to the worm bed to decrease a preexisting worm population within the worm bed.