There are three temperature sensors in the cylinder in Ruddy composters. The current temperatures are always displayed on the touch screen on the machine. These measurements should only be considered to be indicative since the heat zone could be in between two measuring point. The composting process should always be checked regularly. Because temperature is one of the most important parameter required to achive a good biological process.
The touch screen can be connected to a PC and the temperature in the cylinder can be logged and the process controlled from the PC. The temperature is shown in the touch screen at all times showing the current temperature. Easily accessed daily temperature for the last four weeks in the touch screen gives an excellent overview of the biological process. A complete log file can also be downloaded or emailed showing the hourly temperatures since first day of operation.
We can think of the process in the cylinder as three zones. When the food waste is put into the inlet, the temperatures tend to rise and the thermophilic phase will begin. In a normal process, thermophilic phase temperatures will be around 55-65°C. When the biological process is in equilibrium, the mesophilic phase will begin and temperatures are expected to be around 25-40°C. The last stage is the maturation phase and the temperature should be around 20°C.
Our composters is well insulated and allows the temperature to rise to as high as +75 degrees centigrade at maximum breaking down. Without insulation it may not be possible to reach such as high temperature, which in turn means that microorganisms demanding high temperatures for their activity will never start working.
Normally, there is no leachate from the machine or biological process. If there is any leakage in the machine, there is something wrong. Leachate may be caused by the gasket or ventilation system. The most common problem is feeding the machine with more wateryfood waste than necessary or a lack of absorbent material. Excess water from food waste removed before the food waste is put in to the machine.
For our small models DK0300 and DK0600, we offer a trolley to facilitate the drainage and handling of the food waste. The principle is quite simple, using one bucket that holds food waste and holes in the bottom, and the second bucket under it that recieves excess water. Note that all food waste that is put in to the machine must have a minumum temperature of 15°C, otherwise the capacity is lowered.
Since the amount of food waste is not too high in our small size machines DK0300 and DK0600, you can do dewatering with drainage trolley. However, when the amount of foof waste increases, this method may not be very practical. For this, we recommend using a mechanical shredder and dewaterer on our medium size (DK1200 & DK2400) and large size (DK4800 & DK9600) machines.
Reducing partical sizes and excess water of food waste will increase the efficiency of microorganisms. In addition, in this way, you will have the opportunity to choose a machine with a lowe capacity compared to your waste weight. Because these machines installed in the restaurant kitchen reduces the weight of food waste up to 50% and the volume up to 80%. The remaining solid fraction of the food waste is then put back into the cylinder.
We recommend weighing food waste (which comes from food preparation and leftover from the plates) for a week before ordering. Juicy foods and sauces should not be included in the weighing. The resulting quantities should also be compared with the number of people eating. When choosing a machine, the weight of wood pellets shoud be taken into account and the max. values of the machines should not be too close.
The organic waste material from restaurant kitchens often contains large volume of similar types of material. This can lower the capacity as a ‘balanced diet’ is very useful for an optimum throughput. Food waste from restaurants also tends to be fresher than from housing and this can slow down the onset of the biological process. Note that all food waste that is put in to the machine must have a temperature of minimum 15°C otherwise the capacity is lowered.
The person responsible fort he operation of the machine shall maket he feeding of food waste and wood pellets on a Daily basis and register them in the machine. Apart from this, it is sufficent to clean the machine on a weekly basis and fulfill the following items. If an unusual situation occur other than these, it should be reported to our company.
- Check the biological process
- Check for leaks from the machine
- Clean the ventilation filter if necessary
- See to it that air is passing freely
- Check the compost
- Check the fan and clean the fan filter
- Change plastic bag if needed
One of the key issues in obtaining a well-functioning composting process is aeration. The fan creates a negative pressure inside the cylinder to remove exhaust gas and smell away from the cylinder. In this way, the outside air is drawn first in between the hood and the cylinder and then into the cylinder. The fresh air in the cylinder ventilates the material during the rotation of the cylinder. The air drawn by the fan is directed to the biofiltere to minimize odour.
Now the air coming out of the biofilter can be dischargedfrom the roof without any problems. The total length of the ventilation pipe is not recommended to exceed 15 mt with a maximum of four 90° angles from fan to outlet. The fan’s capacity is equipped to handle this resistance in airflow. Note that the plastic bag on the outlet pipe must be well attached to make the ventilation in the biological process work.
The Ruddy biofilter is an excellent option for the treatment of odours generated by the compost process. Exhaust air including smells, steam and condensation are lead into the biofilter where smell are neutralised through a layer of wood bark that is treated with enzymes. In this way, the air from the biofilter can be released into the open air even in densely populated areas with a large number of buildings.
The filter material (wooden bark) in the biofilter should always be slightly wet and condensate water of the biofilter should be drained once a week. Manufacture from high grade, long lasting stainless steel the Ruddy Biofilter is a simple, trouble free option that can be placed indoors and outdoors.
Ruddy composters can compost easily and efficiently compost all your food waste (raw and cooked), even meat, fish, chicken and dairy products. Do not trow wastes such as glass, plastic, metal and paper into the machines. Persons responsible for the operation of the machine should be familiar with what to put into the machine and what not to put into the machine. This issue directly affects the quality of the compost coming out of the machine. Also keep in mind that large pieces of waste should be broken down into smaller pieces.
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What To Put In |
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What Not To Put In |
Even in the best managed kitchens, ‘foreign bodies’ such as bottle tops, plastic gloves, plastic bags and forks etc. will enter into the food waste. In addition, the bones will not bio-degrade even if they are cleaned of all degradable substances. Therefore, we recommend that the compost be passed through a metal sieve before use and separate it from the substances that should not be throw away.
The compost from a Ruddy composter will be more mature if it is stored on a maturation bay instead of plastic bag. In between the gardening seasons the best is to store the compost directly on the ground allowing worms and microflora to work their way into it, making it even better and more mature. The compost can be mixed with shredded soft green waste like grass, leaves etc. on the maturation bay.
