Windrow composting equipment and plant design

• Pile section — trapezoid with a flat top for even turning. Width and height follow the turner's rated span; too wide and the core never turns over.
• Turning lane — 2.5–4 m wide between windrows for the turner, loader and inspection, with a firm, drained surface.
• Aeration by geometry — in an open windrow air reaches the pile only from the surface, so pile height is limited by feedstock porosity, not by available space.
• Drainage — 2–3% fall to a collection channel along the windrow ends, with a leachate sump and recirculation pump.
• Setback and shelter — windbreak planting reduces odour travel; setbacks to neighbours are usually a permit requirement, not a preference.
• Weather protection — in monsoon climates roofs or fleece covers keep the moisture balance under control; without them, output quality follows the weather.

The machine follows the pile geometry. Self-propelled moving turners with a diesel engine suit long windrows and remote sites; wheel or crawler turners trade turning efficiency for mobility between lanes; tractor-mounted and towed models suit farm-scale plants with existing tractors. What matters in the design is not the machine's headline capacity but its working width and height against your pile section, its turning output in tonnes per hour against your daily volume, and the lane and turning radius it needs at the end of the windrow.

We drop the selected turner into the plant layout at design stage and check its travel path, because the most common windrow plant mistake is a bay layout that the machine can enter but cannot leave without a three-point turn on wet ground.

The notes below come from our own plant and equipment records and cover turning practice, machine selection and site arrangement for windrow systems.

Windrow composting is one way to convert organic waste into organic fertilizer. For this method, you should pile organic waste in long rows. At the same time, turning the organic waste regularly is also necessary, which can shorten composting period and improve quality of compost. In our daily life, organic waste is produced at all times. Manure from human, poultry and livestock, food waste from kitchen, municipal waste and straw from farmland can be classified as organic waste. On the one side, organic waste occupies plenty of space even causes pollution. On the other hand, because it contains plenty of unexploited nutritional components, it can be used as raw materials of organic fertilizer which will benefit soil and agricultural products. Therefore, we usually convert organic waste into organic fertilizer by windrow composting equipment.

How to make windrow composting in a reasonable way? Many methods and machines can be used for composting. And the windrow composting belongs to one of common composting methods. Take fresh cattle manure composting as an example, there are three steps to make a windrow compost.

Adjust water content Firstly, you should dehydrate cattle manure by putting or pumping them into solid-liquid separator machine to reduce its water content. Because too much water content will reduce oxygen content in compost pile and inhibit microorganism activity. Or you can add some straw or rice chaff, which also can be used for absorbing water in cattle manure and adjust C/N ratio. The proper water content of organic waste for composting is 50-60%. On the contrary, too lower water content also inhibit the decomposition of organic waste. Because microorganisms will consume water during composting. Therefore, the water content adjustment is important for windrow composting.

Make compost pile Secondly, piled up processed cattle manure together, and place them in shape of a half cylinder lying. compost pile in long rows is the feature of windrow composting. In order to accelerate fermentation process, you also can evenly scatter proper microbial strain over the compost pile. The height, width and length of compost pile shall be proper. And you should leave proper space between two rows.

Regularly turn the organic waste Finally, regular turning is necessary. Microorganisms decompose organic matters and produce heat. Generally speaking, the central part of compost pile warms more quickly than the outer part. In order to make full fermentation, you should turn the compost pile by compost turner, which will fully blend cattle manure and microbial strain ( straw or rice chaff, if have) and fully mixing the organic waste in different parts. And then, you can regularly turn the windrow compost pile to adjust temperature, oxygen content and moisture. About 15 days later (because of low temperature, composting in winter may spend longer time), you can get the organic fertilizer. In addition, the exact length, width and height of windrow compost pile can be decided according to size of composting machine and space area. You also can place the windrow compost pile inside or in the open air. In terms of fermentation period and compost quality, necessary protective measures should be taken, such as rain-proof shed and so on.

Advantages of windrow composting Windrow composting belongs to aerobic fermentation of organic waste. Some useful components in organic waste can not be utilized directly. And fermentation is the best way to convert unexploited components into materials that can be absorbed by plants and soil directly. In this process, good bacteria will consume oxygen to break down organic materials. Under the influence of microorganisms, unstable organic materials become stable humic substances. When odor disappears and manure becomes porous powder clusters, the whole fermentation process finish. From organic waste to organic fertilizer, useful components can play their role in later applications.

Why should we need machines to turning compost pile? In fermentation process, the temperature will increase and decrease at irregular intervals, which need you to turn the compost pile to increase oxygen content and adjust temperature. Firstly, the fermentation degree of manure may be different in different parts of the compost pile and lumped materials may exist. Therefore, you need to thoroughly turn these materials. Second, the machine will well-blend these materials to decrease temperature and increase oxygen content. Based on these two points, if you have multiple compost piles to deal with or you want to ferment organic waste better, you can choose machine to turn them. In addition, each product has several specifications, we can recommend proper equipment to you according to your requirements.

What kinds of windrow composting equipment can be used?

Crawler type windrow compost turner for sale

Structure Its main parts include cab, engine, rotor, rubber track chassis and hydraulic push plates.Working principle: In working process, the whole machine stretch across the windrow compost pile. And the blades on rotor will blend and crush the organic waste thoroughly, which will make the materials contact with oxygen fully.

• Its sharp blades on rotor have efficient working capability and have long service life.
• The two hydraulic push plates in the front of compost turning machine will automatically settle compost pile without consuming manpower.
• Rubber track chassis adopted will keep the balance of whole machine during working process.
• The rotor is adjustable, which can lift upward or downward.
• The clutch of machine for turning adopts soft start, which will reduce wear on chains, bearings and shafts.
• You can fix air-condition in cab, and this humanized design will provide a comfortable environment for operator.

Moving type windrow compost turner for sale It is also called self-moving or self-propelled compost turning machine. Unlike crawler type turner, moving type turner has four wheels. During working, the whole machine spans the windrow compost. And the knife shaft under the frame of machine turns, loosens and pushes the organic waste. In the back of turner, the compost pile forms new windrow compost.

• The moving type machine can meet all your requirements on indoor or outdoor working.
• The machine is designed according to the requirements of aerobic fermentation. So it can provide better conditions for composting.
• One worker can operate this machine, which can go forward, go backward and make a turn.

Both of the two types compost turning machines belong to windrow turner, but they have different features. You can choose one that will better meet your requirements. If you would like to know more details, please contact us, and we will offer dedicated service to you. If you have great interest in “live” equipment, we will orange visit for you when it is convenient for you.

YUSHUNXIN offers you windrow composting equipment with ideal price An ideal price not just means the amount of money you spend, but a higher cost-performance ratio. YUSHUNXIN has professional team to develop and design equipment with high performance and high quality. What’s more, as a manufacturer with an independent factory, you can get a reasonable price without any agency fee from third parties. Moreover, we can offer customized equipment and give free design scheme according to your own conditions. Except ideal price, we also offer targeted service, design scheme, free training on operation. Therefore, we will be your first choice to purchase windrow composting equipment.

How to purchase windrow composting equipment online? In order to expand market, many manufacturers publish product information online. Therefore, you have many options on windrow composting equipment. However, you still need some preparations to find the most suitable manufacturer. There are some tips for you.

• Know about you own requirements. You should decide what kind of windrow compost turner to buy according to type of raw material for fertilizer, scale of raw materials, space area and so on.
• Find corresponding manufacturers, and read their product information carefully.
• Make a contrast. You can decide the most suitable one by comparing price, size, function and output.

Contact with engineers to know more detailed information and discuss cooperation. If you do not how to choose suitable windrow composting machine according to your own conditions, you can inquire us for professional advice. We are glad to provide service for you.

The working video of crawler type compost turner As mentioned above, water content is an important factor during organic waste composting. In order to avoiding deficient moisture, our compost windrow turner is equipped with water spray projector system. In this way, the water content of compost pile can be adjusted automatically.

1. What's the size of windrow compost pile? The size of compost pile can be decided according to the equipment you adopt. The width of compost pile usually is 3m, the height is 0.8m. In addition, the fermentation period will shorten to 20 days, with the help of compost turner.

2. What's the frequency to use compost windrow turner? The compost pile will heat up in 24 or 48 hours. You should turn the compost pile, when the temperature of compost pile achieves 50-60℃. In the first week, you need to turn the compost 2 to 4 times per day. And then, the frequency can reduce to 1 time every two days. When the temperature reduce to ambient temperature or never change again, the fermentation is done.

3. Do I need to add other things for composting organic waste ? Yes, you need to add some fermentation strains, so as to strengthen the activity of microorganisms and improve fermentation effect.

4. Why should we compost organic waste, such as animal manure? Take animal manure as an example, it contains much nutrients. However, if you directly apply it to soil or plants, it will ferment in the soil, which will burn the plants and the nutrients will lose. On the contrary, if you deal with organic waste by composting, microorganism activity will kill harmful materials in the organic waste. At the same time, organic waste will become soil like substance---humus. Composted organic waste is nutrient-rich, which is good for both plants and soil.