HHHHHH HH

 

PERMEABELETY AND FiNENESS
MODULUS 0F COMPOSTING

Thesis for the Degree of M. S.
MICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE

Reginald F. Batzer
1954

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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bV1ESI.} RETURNING MATERIALS:
Place in book drop to

LJBRARJES remove this checkout from

1—15.... your record. FINES wiH

 

 

 

be charged if book is
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-_.__-_..—.——_——————-———-

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\~_. 1.

HCDULUS OF CONFCSTING

BY

PEGINALw 7,:ATZER
H

SUBMITTED 10 THE SCHceL or GRADUATE STUPIE? or HICHIGIN
STATE COLLEGE 9' “crICVL’URE AN? APPLIEo SCIENCE
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT or THE REQUIREMENT!
row THE PEGREE or

M‘CTE? CF CClihflE

Sappormcmr or CIVIL ENGINEERING

YEAR I954

THFT‘S‘E;

THE AUTHOR WISHES To EXPRESS HIS sINCEnE

THANKS T1 DR. NcCAULEY FOR HIs MANY HELPFUL

SUGGESTIONS AND FOR HIS VERY ABLE ASSISTANCE IN

ACQUIRING MATERIAL T0 WORK WITH.

-77

TAELE CF CCKTZIHS

‘hJTR03UCTI'1-r: OOOOOIOOOOOOOOI0.0000COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO0.0l

BRIE? HI£T'RY .F C'MP.3TING 00000.0000..00000000.0000 |
COMPOSTING AT MICFIGAN ST-TE COLLEGE ................ 2

‘80.."E ‘I': THESIS 000.000.0000....OOOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOO3

PAQTICLE SIZE AN: P‘LRIEAEILITY IN CCNT‘C‘STING 6
PARTICLE SIZE AN“ FINENEsa UOBULUG .................. 6

PERkflEAB'L'TY OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOOO00.... 7

PROC:3UPE Ap‘D E‘.ETHODS 000.000.000.000000.000000.00.0000... 9
F'NENESS I‘NZOEULU'T‘ 00000000..00.000.000.000.0.0.00.0... 9

C’EFFIC‘ENT .F PERVEAEIL'TY 0.000.000.0000.0000000000!I

PwE‘SENTAT'ON ;\\D ANALN'SIS OF DATA OOOOOOOOOIOOOOOOOOOOOOO '4

SUhhqu OF CONCLUSIOPB 0.000.000.000000000000000000.0000. 20

q

L'ST 0.:- REFSZEA‘EES OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO0.0000000000IOO 22

I NTECDL‘C 7: I CN

BRIEF HISTORY OF COMPOSTING

THE PROCESS 6F COMPOSTING, THAT IE, "EI0L0GICAL GTAEILIZATI0N
0F THE 0AGANIC MATTER RESULTING IN AN END PRODUCT WHICH IS USEFUL
As A HUNU. 0n FERTILIZER": IS CARRIEE 0N BY NATURE ANG Is A PROCESS
flHlCH MAN Is ATTEMPTING T0 S'EEB up 6v DETERMINING THE NGCT FAven-
ABLE C0N0ITI0Ns FOR CGMPGSTING ANG MAKING THESE CQNEITIGNS AVAIL-
ABLE. Fon MANV CENTuaxEs MAN HAS BEEN TAKING ORGANIC MATTER AND
TURNING IT INT. A USEFUL HUMUS MATETIAL BY SLIGHTLY SPEEQING UP
THIS NATURAL FR0CEL3; EUT oNLv IN THE LAST FEw YEARS HA6 THIS pa0-
CEss BECOME oF NATIGNAL SIGNIFICANCE.

THE METHEEE UEEE BY NAN To SPEED UP COMPOSTING IN THEEE PAET CEN-
TURIES WERE QUITE eIMPLE AN: PnooUCEe A G096 EAGEUCT, BUT THE TIME
REQUIRED Fon THE PROCESS To Go To C0MFLETI0N wAe QUITE LGNE, 60NE-
TIMEs IN ExCEss 0F ENE YEAR. TOBAY THERE ARE METHODS BY wHICH UN-

J':;‘i‘.:'.'|C MATERIALS CAN 3?. CONVERTEI T. A STABLE .IATERIAL IN

373.31..

{-I

0NLv A FEw oAYs.

WE N0w KNow MUCH MORE Ae0UT COMPOETING THAN WAS KNOWN AE0UT IT
IN THE PAET CENTURIES, BUT WE STILL KNOW VERY LITTLE A60UT THE Pec-
CEss. THERE ARE MANY BIFFERSNT NETHeas AND NAGHINEE UEEG TooAv Ta
SPEEG UF COMPOSTING, wITH MCET 6F THESE BEVELOPEMZ“TS COMING FA0M
EUROPE AND ASIA wITHIN THE PAST TWENTY-FIVE TEARS. THE UNITEG STATES

HAS SHOWN AN INCREASES! INTEREST IN HIGH-RATE COMPOSTING IN THE LAST

.-

FEW YEAFE, PFIII‘ICIPALLY KECAUSE THE PROCESS MIGHT BE DEVELOPED TO A

POINT \‘IHER- IJUNICIPAL IIEI"'~“:E. CMJLEI "SE BISDI’DEED OF ECSNQMICFLLY IN TT-II3

\IANTJLR. SUFFICIENT DEVELO”EMENT TO DESIGN AND OPERATE A HIGH-RATE

COMPCSTING PLANT ECONOMICALLY I3 EXPECTES IIIITI-‘TII‘I THE NEXT ONE TI TI?)
‘fCAF‘.
IT HAS EECN FQUND THAT THE IASIC C°?\IZ‘I.}L\A‘.TI.'IC 4'7 :‘IINT‘QTI‘IJ

ARE, THE TYPES 6F BACTERIA AND OTLIER ORGANISMS PRESENT, TEI‘TIPEPATL'RE,
MGISTURE CONTENT, AERATION, PH, PARTICLE SIZE AIIO COMPGETIJN 9-"- EA?!

MATERIALS.

COMPQSTING AT MICHIGAN STATE CGLLEGE

A FL0w IIAGEAN 0F THE COVPOSTING REEEAFCH PLANT IN GTERATI0N
HEAE AT THE COLLEGE Is SHflWN IN FIGURE 1. THE RAW GARFAGE l8 EE0UGHT
INT0 THE PLANT A”B 0UNPE3 EN THE FL0oR, HERE THE TIN CANE, GLAss
ANB OTHER N0N-aIGEETAnLE MATERIALS ARE NENCVEE BEFORE THE GAPBAGE Ia
EH0VEh INT. A MITTS AH! MERRILL TYPE A HoG SlerER. AFTER GRINBINC’
THE “ATEPIAL Is CONVEYEE T' THE T61 0F THE HeLaING TANV, IT REMAINS
IN THIS TAN< E30 FIVE 0n EIX "AYC T0 EECAEAEE THE NEI'TU”E CONTENTo
LEAvIvG THE BOTTOM 0F THE HEL Ire TANK, THE NATEGIAL I6 CGNVEYED T0
THE Tfi? aF THE BIGE3TFE AN0 ENTFPS THE FIQFT GEEK 0F THE FIGESTEP.
EACH 0ECK OF THE DIGESTER comTAINE AEv:LTIrG PLOW? THAT KEEP THE
MATERIAL AERATED, THEGE AERATING TLGWE AL60 Hour THE HATERIAL GL0t-
LY TOWARD THE OPENING IN THE FLNCR THERE THE PARTIALLY PRQCES°53
VATERI\L ?“6°8 T0 THE BECK BELOW FER FURTHER TREATMENT. THE FINIEH-
Ea PRODUCT 0aar0 0UT 0F THE BGTTCM GECK, PART 6F THIE FINICLEG proa-
UCT Is USED T0 nEsEEo THE RAW GATEATE Au: THE REST Is HAULE0 AWAY.

T‘T‘Irf DIGESTER USED IS A MODIFIED EARP—IIICMAS TYPE AND IS TWENTY-

ITHREE FEET HIGH WITH A CIAVETER OT" TEN FEET. THE PLO‘II‘B ACE ATTACHED
TO A-‘I I-[TEAM WHICH IS FACTENEC TO THE CEI‘JTFAL EHAF’T WHICH RCTATEB.
THERE APE EIGHT DES‘C’I IN THE DI1_€TER, THE I"LOWS; 3N THE OBS NU-‘JEERCO
DECKS MOVE THE MATERIAL TOWARD THE CENTRAL SHAFT A‘IF' THE FLOWS ON
THE EVEN NUMEEQEZ‘ DECKS IIO'JL THE MATERIAL AWAY FROM THE 3HAF'T.

THERE IS EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ‘.'~'CP.K BEING CARRIE? 9N HERE TO LEARN
MQFE ABOUT CCMPOSTING. VARICU’; TESTS HAVE AN? STILL ARE BEING RUN
ON THE GARBAGE AT EIFFERENT STAGES OF‘ TREATMENT T3 SEE IF THEPE IS A
3IF€ECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TEST RESULT? AND THE OEGPEE OF TREAT-
MENT. CTHER TESTS HAVE BEEN FUN TO SEE IF THE OPERATION CAN BE IM-
PROVEB. IT IS HOr'ZB T9 F'J'YTHER IMPROVE THE OPERATION AND TO 3ETER-

MINE A MEANS OF EASILY I-.‘.EA3'J’.II‘.'G THE DEGREE OF TREATMENT.

ScorE 9F THESIS

THIs THEEIs Is CCNCEENEU WITH: (1) THE RELATICNEHIF 0F PARTICLE
0I2E T0 PE?MEAEILITY 0F GE0UNG GAREAGE, AN3 (2) THE CHANGE, IF ANY, IN
PARTICLE EILE OURING CIMPOSTING IN THE DIGESTER U889 HERE AT THE coLL-
EGE.

IN JUST ABOUT EVERY ATTEMPT T. BEVELOPE AN EFFICIENT, ECQNBH-
ICAL, HIGH-FATE C0MF06TING FRGCEGs, THE NGISTURE C0NTENT AND PARTICLE
sIZE 0F THE MATERIALS TO BE COMPOSTEB HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED As Tw0 VERY
IMPORTANT ITEVE T0 EE CIMEICEAEG. A FINELY GROUND GAPEAGE AT OPTIMUM
C.MP03TIN: CCN0ITI0NE WILL CGNPGET MORE RA3IILY THAN A YCRE C0AnsELY

GROUND. GARBAGE AT OPTIMUM CONSITIOI‘IS, BUT THE CONDITIONS AQE NQT ALWAYS

OPTIMUM.

 

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PLANT, HAS A HIGH MOISTURE CONTENT

FROM

I8 REMCVED

THE EAsT LANSING GARBAGE, THAT wHICH Is use: AT THE compesTINc

THE GARBAGE BEFORE IT ENTERS THE DI

PERMEABILITY I

FROM

A GARBAGE

THE TIME NEEDE

C
\_

D
.-

IN THE HQLEING TANK ANB THIS

3O 8OME OF THE MOISTURE I3 PEMOVEE

CCSTER. THIS EXCESS HaISTUHE

IS A PLACE WHERE THE DEGREE OF

OF IMPORTANSF. MGISTURE WILL BE REMOVED MORE RAPIILY

WITH A HIGHER BEGREE 0F PERMEAEILITY AND THUS SHCQTEN

TO BE HELD IN THE HOLDING TANK.

ax

PATTICLE 3 IE A“D PiffEAEILITY IN CCAFCS ‘FB

PARTICLE SIZE AN? FINENEsE MchLt.

PARTICLE aIzE Is A VERY IMPORTANT ITEU T. 3E carsI.ERED IN HIGH-
RATE COMPOSTING BECAUSE THE .IsEsTIRN or THE GAR%!?E, .R .THER .AGANIc
MATERIAL, .a ACCOMPLISA'E aY MICRO-ORGANISYS WHICH WILL nIcEsT .uALL
PARTICLET MORE RAPIOLY THAN LARGER ONEO.4 DIGEETI.N I3 THE ppocass
wHEHEaY THE .RGANIsMs EREAK DOWN THE UNSTABLE .R3ANIc MATERIAL. T. A
M.RE STAPLE FORM.

IOEALLY, wE MIGHT THINK THAT THE FINER THE GRIND THE HeRE RARI.
THE EPEAKING nch MIGHT PROCEED, BUT .UE T. .THER FACTOPO, TH|3 Is
N.T ALWAYS TRUE. THE FINER THE GRINb THE EAzIER IT Is FAR THE GARBAGE
T. PACK TocETHER CAUSING A DECREASE IN THE SIZE 3r THE v.1... DUE T.
THE OECREASE IN THE sIZE .F THE voles, THE EXCEss MCISTURE IfN'T GIVEN
UP A8 EAOILY AND IF THI. EXCESS MAISTURE FILL£ THE v.Im SPACES,
.IaEsTI.N WILL sgzw DOWN EECAUSE OF INOUFFICIENT AERATIIN.J

THE UNIVER€ITY or CALIFORNIA HAs DcNE SOME HesEARCH WORK .N PAR—
TICLE SIZES IN anNECTIoN wITH .N THE GR.UH9 COMPOSTING AN. FOUND THAT
RARTICLES wITH A MAXIMUM DIMENSION or .NE INCH COMPOSTEE MOST EFFICIENT-
LY.4 THE AMEnIcAN SocIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS COMMITTEE 9N REFUSE CeLL-
ECTION ANa ClorosAL REPoRTs THAT THERE Is A GREAT NEEE F.R FETTER

GRINDERS TO BE PEVELOPE? FOR GARBAGE GRINDING IN CONNECTICN WITH COM-

POSTING.

A VERY LADORIOUS SIEVE ANALYSIS COULD HAVE BEEN USE! TO DETERMINE

THE GRABATION OF THE GROUND IARBAGE, BUT THE GARBAGE I8 SUCH A

,5

 

‘7

HETERanENEGUG MIXTURE THAT IT HAS EECIDEB T. USE .NLY Two 5. S. STAN.AR.
.IEVEG, NUMBERS TEN AN. EIyTv, AN: THEN C.NRUTE THE EINENEss MOJULUO

wHIcH wTUL. BE SUFFICIENT T. GIVE AN INDICATICN .F THE BEGREE .F FINENEso.
FINENEss M..ULU8 Is THE RATI. A? THE sav WEIGHT OF MATERIAL RETAINE3 .N

A U. S. STAN.ARG GIEvE NUMRER .IXTY, T. THE .Rv HEIGHT OF MATERIAL RE-

TAINE. .N A U. 3. STANDARD sIEVE NUMBER TEN.

PERMEAEILITY

"A MATERIAL Is SAID T. BE pERMEAaLE IF IT C.NTAINs c.NTINU.UC
v.I.s".r7 GARCAGE SATISFIES THIE GoNnITIeN, EUT £0 0. ALL saILs AN.
R.CKs. THE FLOW OF WATER THROUGH ALL PERMEABLE MATERIALS OEEYS APPROX-
IMATELY THE SAME LAws, THEREFORE THE RATE .F FLOW THROUGH DIFFERENT
MATERIAL. l8 MEPELY CNE OF .EnREE.

IN 1855, H. DARCY STATE. THE FOLLOWING EMPIRICAL FELATIONSHIP FOR
THE FLOW or WATER THR.U:H A PERMEAELE SUBSTANCE;

V 3 K I
IN THIS RELATloNEHIP, v I. THE DISCHARGE VELOCITY; K IS THE COEFFICIENT
OF PERMEABILITY; AN. I 13 THE PRESSURE GRADIENT.

THE COEFFICIENT or PERMEABILITY 13 N.T .NLv UEPENDENT .N THE CHARAc-
TERIsTlcs .r THE PERMCABLE SUBSTANCE, BUT IT Is AL3. REPENRENT ON THE
UNIT WEIGHT AND VISCOSITY or THE FLUIB. ONLY .NE FLUII, WATER, wAs usE3
IN THESE TEETe AN. ALL MEASUREMENTS WERE MADE AT ROCM TEMPERATURE, wHIcH
wAs QUITE c.N1TANT, THEREFORE THE CHARACTERISTICG .r THE FLUI. CAN BE
ASSUME. T. BE coNsTANT AND THE coEFFICIEHT or PERMEABILITY CAN BE cow-

SIOEREO AS A CHA'ACTERISTIC OF' ONLY THE PERMEABLE MATERIAL. CUE TC THESE

 

|A58UMPTIONS, THE COEFFICIENT OF PERMEAEILITY CAN EE USEB A8 A COM-

PARISON

RESULTS.

IN PLACE 9F THE PERMEABILITY WITHOUT CHANGING TdE FINAL

G)

pRQCEDURE APO NETHCSS

FINENESS MRSULUS

SAMPLES WERE TAKEN ANS TESTE. EVER A PERIOB oF ABOUT SIx WEEKS.
T. .ETERMINE WHETHER THE PARTICLE SIZES REMAINED THE SAME .R GHANzEa
wHILE PASSING THR.UGH THE aICESTER, SAMPLES wERE TAKEN FRRM EACH SECK
SF THE BISESTER AND .F THE RAW MATERIAL SEFSTE ENTE"ING THE .IGESTER.
T. GET A REPRESENTATIVE £AM°LE, SIALL PORTIONS HERE TAKEN FnoM .IFFER—
ENT PLACES .N THE SECK AND THESE P.RTI.VS wERE THEN wELL MIXES.

DUE T. THE MSISTURE coNTENT CF THE SAMPLES, A wET SIEVING APPARA-

nms as

TUSAUSESAIS SchN IN FIGURE 2. THE MGT.R U£ED HAS A SPEE. .F EIGHT
REvoLUTIoNS PER MINUTE AND BY PUTTING A CAM RN THE M.T.R SHAFT, IT HAS
PSSSISLE T. RAISE AND LCNER THE Tw. SIEVES, U. 8. STANDARD NUMBER;
TEN AN. SIXTY, EIGHT TIMES A MINUTE wITH A VERTICAL EISPLACEMENT .F .NE
AND .NE-HALF INCHES. THE WATER CSNTAINER WAS FILLED WITH FPESH WATER
Fen EACH SAMPLE TESTES, THE HATER LEJEL WAS AESUT .NE-HALF INCH SEL.w
THE T.P .F THE S.TT.M SIEVE wHEN THE SIEVES WERE AT THEIR HIGHEST P.INT.
AFTER THE SAMPLE WAS PLACES .N THE NUMBER TEN SIEVE, IT WAS WASHEI IN
THE WATER FRR THIRTY MINUTES, THEN .RAINE. ANa PUT IN AN .VEN To SRY T.
A CONSTANT wEICHT AT A TEMPERATURE .F AS.UT .NE HUNcPE. CESREES CEPTI-
GRA.E.

A SAMPLE THAT HAS TRC LARGE FTRME. A MATTING OVER THE OPENINGS
PREVENTINR S.ME .F THE FINE PARTICLES FR.M SEING WASHCJ THP.UGH. IT
WAS F.UN. THAT IN M.ST CASES A SAMPLE .F SEVENTY-FIVE T. .NE HUNDREB

GRAMS, WET WEIGHT, WAS THE BEST SIZE TO USE.

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AFTER THE MATERIAL w.C HASHEC THR.UGH THE SIEVES ANN THEN CRIEo,
THE SIEVES c.NTAINING THE DRIEB MATERIAL WERE WEIGHED, THIS HE GHT MINU.
THE HEIGHT .F THE EMPTY SIEVE GAVE THE NEICHT .F THE MATERIAL THAT HAS
RETAINED SN THE SIEVE. THE FINENESS MCSULUS WAS THEN CALCULATE: CY
CIVICING THE WEIGHT .F THE MATERIAL RETAINEB .N THE NUMSER s XTY SIEVE

EY THE WEIGHT OF THE MATERIAL RETAINED GN THE NLNEEF TEN EIEVE.

CrEFFICIErT CT FLIrEArILITY

REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLES WERE .STAINE. FR.M S.TH GRINCERS AT THE
PLANT, THE MITTS ANR MERRILL TYPE A HoG ANC THE RAY-N. MASTER STEM
CRUSHER MCCEL 40L. THE RAY-NC GRINDER CPINCS THE CAELACE ILCP FILER
THAN TFE NITTS ANT IEFFILL GRINIER, S. T. GET THE SAMPLES .F INTER-
MECIATE FINENESS, GARBAGE WAS TAKEN FR.M EACH GRINSER AND THEN CIXLC
TCCETHER. THE FINENEss MCSULUS AND THE c.EFFICIENT .F PEFMEASILITY
WERE rETEFrINE. Fen EACH SAMPLE.

TR CETERMINE THE coEFFICIENT .F PERMEASILITY, A FALLING PEA: TYPE
.F PERMEATER WAS USES. THIS IS EHCWH IN FIGURE 2. TIE ICTTCL (I THE
FIGHT ANT LIE-HALF EY THREE AND .NE-QUARTER INCH PLASTIC CYLINDER HAP
HCLES [IILLED II IT Tr FLFMIT THE HATER TC .RAIN .UT. THE PLASTIC TCIE
ENTERING THE CYLINSER AT THE E.TT.M wAS USED F.R SACK WASHING T. HELP
REDUCE THE AIR SINGING.

ABQUT .NE INCH (F CTTACA SANS WAS HELD BY THE PIECE .F CHEESE—
CL.TH WHICH WAS EETWEEN Tw. PIECES .F wIRE SCREEN. A SIMPLE IF THE
MATERIAL T. CE TEETEC N93 PLACE CN T.P .F THE SAN. T. A DEPTH SF AESUT
THREE.INCHES. THE T.P .F THE CYLINSER WAS FASTENE. SN, MAKING SURE THE
SEAL WAS WATER TIGHT, AN. THEN THE CLASS TUBE WAS PUT IN THE T‘P oF THE

CYLINDER. THE ASCCMELED ’ERHEATER WAG THEN GET IN A CONTAINER WHICH

.1
i

6/055 fube \:

Ih .

I
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Na fer

. “mm‘ -....- P.- ~.—-- ‘

MJI‘er/a/ ‘ ‘
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C/Ieeaec/oI-h : fesfed 1-1/7 -

befween I‘M/0 " """‘""“‘”"‘ ” ’7
wzre, screens \ Sand” . a" I

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TEAS

r'Iu-wv -.. . --.-. ,....-,.. H...-~—-.'—I- -u-u—g..~. -- -- _ a-.. ~- 4- 7 - ‘ -,_ -u- 4 ~- ‘

Consult/6f 14/0/81" '

/evc:/ Con firmer

fifth“? \3 . fa/Aflj 'fi/ead Hi’rn7eafcr

I2

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N fir; V..!,I.'H.P N... PEIJE‘III

IKERT A CGNSTANT WATER LEVEL. 'KATE— ENTERES THE PERMEATEP AT THE T.P GF
THE CLASS TUEE AND THE EATER LEVEL IN THIS TUEE WAS MAINTAINE3 AT ABOUT
NINETEEN INJPES ARCVE THE WATER LEVEL IN THE C(NSTANT LEVEL C.NTAINER
EXCEPT WHEN MEASUREMENTS WERE HALE. EVERY HALF HCUP FCR A PERICC CF TW.
H.URS, THE TIME WAS MEASURE. THAT IT TRGK FGR THE WATER LEVEL T. FALL
FR.M TWENTY-Two To SIxTEEN INCHES ATGVE THE WATER LEVEL IN THE CCNSTANT
LEVEL CCNTAINER.

THE BEST METHG. F.UNS T. GET RIB .F THE AIR CINCING IN THE SAN:
ALT GAP'IGE was TC TILL THE CYLIILLA ATCVT HALF FULL .F WATER AN. THEN
ABD THE SAN. ANG CAPCAGE. THE WATER LEVEL IN THE CYLINDER MAE FAINTAIN—
FC EV SLTTITC THE CYLINCER IN A PAN .F WATER. THE GARPACE WAS STIPPEP
SLIGHTLY To HELP REM.VF THE AIR EURELES.

SHEN USING A FALLING HEAB TYPE PERMEATER, THE C.EFFIGIENT .F PERME-

o

ABILITY CAN 5: CALCULATE. FR.M THE FSLLowINC FCRHULAg’

2"”)A
'“ J L” L.G ”-

A T72 — Tjj- 'FT

 

A Z Crcer SECTI.NAL AREA oF THE GLASS TUSE

OF GARBAGE IN PERKEATER

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A = CR.SS SECTI.NAL AREA .F PL!"IR CYLIN);£
T3 ‘ TI : TIME INTERVAL T. FALL FR.M A HEA" CF HI TC A HEAS AF H2
H. 3 HEAT AT FEGINNING .F TIME INTERVAL {TWENTY-TH. INCHES)

Ho 3 PEA; AT ENC .F TIME INTERVAL (SIKTEEN INCHES)

PQCSENT\f!CN A ? fiNflLV?iE CF DATA

FIGURE 4 £HIW8 THE RELATIANSHIF EETwEEN THE STAGE OT TFEATHENT AND
THE FINENEES HOSULUE. THE TEST RESULTS EHOw THAT THERE Is A RECREAS: IN
FINE MATERIAL FArV THE TIME THE GAGUN) GAPEAGE ENTERS THE TOP OF THE HOLDING
TANK AN“ TUE TIHE IT LEAVES THE TANK, FIVE OR CIx OAYC LATER. THERE IS A
CONTINUOUS PISE IN THE AMOUNT AFFINE MATERIAL IN THE nIGEGTER, THE RISE
CIVING A STRAIGHT LINE RELATINNEHIP BETWEEN PECKS PNE ‘N' EEVEN AS IS
SHOWN RY THE GRAPH.

IT IE VERY RGSSIELE THAT SOME OF THE SMALL PARTICLES MIGHT HAVE els-
ROLVES WHILE IN THE HRLEIN: TANK. THE SAMPLES OF THE RAH :AREAzE wEE:
TAKEN WITHIN A FEM HOURS AFTER GRINEING AND THE SANDLEG FRoM THE E;TTOM
OF THE HOLOING TANK wERE TAKEN FIVE OR GIK DAYS AFTER GPINEING. THE
MOISTURE CPNTENT IN THE HQLEING TANK l3 QUITE HIGH, 3e IF A SOLLELE
MATERIAL WAS CPRUNR AN: PUT IN THE HGLPINC TANK, IT MIGHT 5E ENTIRELY, OR
AT LEAST PARTICALLY SISOOvar TY THE TIME THE GARBAGE LEAVE: THE HOLRING
TANK. SHALL soLunLE FARTICLES WILL RIEGCLVE HCRE RAPIPLY THAN THE LARGER
PARTICLES AN” THIS TYPE OF ACTION WfULfi TEN; TO EXPLAIN THE RESULTS
OBTAINEE. IT IS NOT KNGWN IErlflfiTELV wHETHER THIS ACTUALLY TAKE: PLACE
OR NOT, BUT IT SEEMS To BE THE EEST EXPLANATION.

THE OECREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF FINE MATERIAL CGULG ALSO HAVE BEEN DUE
To THE PACKING TOsETHER FORMING LARGER PARTICLES THAT PIIN'T SPEAK UP IN
THE WET SIEVING OPERATICN. IT Is ALSO PGSSIELE THAT $OME OF THE FINE
HATERIAL MIGHT EE LQST wITH THE WATER THAT BRAINS OFF, EUT THIS LOGS, IF

ANY, EALLO PROEAELY BE QUINE SMALL.

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THE RISE IN THE PERCENT OF FINE HATERIAL IN THE IICESTER IS PRCEA-
BLY DUE TO A COMCINATION OF THE EIOLOGICAL EIGESTION ANE THE ABPASIVE
ACTION TAKING PLACE. THE REACTIONS OF THE MICRO-ORGANISMS WOULD TEN.
TO REDUCE THE SIZE €F THE PARTICLEE AND THE CENTINUOUE AGITATION BY THE
FLOWS, CAJEIMG THE PARTICLES T. RUE AGAINST EACH GTI-IER AND TO RUB AGAINST
PARTS OF THE EIGifiTER, WCULD ALSO CAUSE AN INCREASE IN THE AMCUNT OF
FINE VATERIAL. ‘NHICH ACTION CAUSES THE GREATEST INCREASE IN THE ANOUNT

OF THE FINE PARTICLES FnUNO TO BE PRESENT IFN'T KNTWN.

FIGURE 6 SHows THE RELATIONEHIP FETWEEN THE FINENESS MSOULUO AN!

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THE COEFFICIENT OF PERMEABILITY AT FOUR DIFFERENT TIME INTERVALS. THIS
GRAPH ALso Schs AN INDIRECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FINENESS MOIULUS
ANO THE PACKING TENRENCY oF THE MATERIAL, THE GREATER THE PACKING THE
LOwER THE COEFFICIENT OF PERMEABILITY.

WATER WAS FLOwING THROUGH THE SAMPLES CONTINUanLY FeR TwO HarRe
ANO AT THE END OF EVERY HALF HCUR REASINGE WERE TAKEN so THE COEFFICIENT
OF PERMEABILITV COULO BE CALCULATEO FOR THESE TIVE INTERVALS AN» PLOTTEO
AGAINST THE FINENESS HORULUG. FOUR LINES WERE DRAWN ON THE GRAPH TO
INnICATE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THESE FACTERE AT EACH OF THE FOUR
TIME INTERVALB AT wHICH HEAEUREMENTS WERE TAKEN.

ACCOROING TO FIGURE 5, AS LONG As THE HoLOING TANK Is USED TO
OEWATER THE GROLNO GAREACE, IT LOOKS As IF THE GARRAGE IN THE TANK
SHOULO HAVE A FINENESE MODULUS OF LESS THAN SEVEN-TENTHS, PREFERAFLY

LE8! THAN SIX-TENTHSO THE RATE PF PAGVING SEEMS T0 EE AEeUT THE SAME

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IGURE 6, EHG'HS THE RELATIONS-HIP BETWEEN THE COEFFICIENT E‘F PERME-
ABILITY ANO THE LENGTH OF TIME WATER WAS FLQWING THROUGH THE SIMPLE.
THE LONGER THE WATER WAS FLOWING THROUGH THE VATERIAL, THE LOWER THE
COEFFICIENT OF PERMEAEILITY ANO THIS IN53ICATE3 THAT THE MATERIAL I8
PROBABLY PACKING TIGHTER TOGETHER. THIE‘ PACKING TENf-ENCY IS ALSO SHOWN

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S'JNMDR" ANS CZPELUQICT‘S

IN THE PREVIOUS SECTIGN oF THIS THEGIG THE TEST RESULTS WER£.SHGWN
IN THE FORH OF GRAPHS PFAWN FROM THE GATT oCTAINEC. .A DISCUSSION 3F
EACH GRAPH WAS PRESENTEO ANB SGHE REAeoNs WERE EXRREssEr IN AN ATTEMPT
TO EHPLAIN THE RESULTS oGTAINEa.

IT WA8 SHGTN THAT A CECREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF FINE PARTICLES IN
THE GRaUNn GARBAGE TcoK PLACE IN THE HRLOING TANK, THI8 OECREACE WAG
PRGEAFLY DUE TO: (I) SOME OF THE MATERIAL OISGOLVING, (2) SOME OF THE
FINE PARTICLES PACKING TSGETHER FGRNING LARGER PARTICLES, ANO (3) SOME
OF THE FINE PARTICLES NIGHT HAVE FEEN CARRIED AwAY EY THE WATER ORAIN-
AGE IN THE TANK.

THE INCREAGE IN THE PERCENT AF FINE PARTICLES As THE MATERIAL
PROGRESSED THRRUGH THE SIGESTER wAs EXPLAINED As PROGAGLY BEING DLE
TO TwO THINGG: (I) THE 3ICLOGICAL ACTIVITY, ANG (2) THE AGRASIVE
ACTICN BUE Tc THE RoTATING PLews.

THE COEFFICIENT OF PERNEABILITY WAS SHOWN To VARY QUITE A aIT
Fa! SAMPLES OF GIFFERENT PARTICLE SIZES. ACCGRCING Ta THE TEST FESULTS,
THE FINENESS NGOULUS CF THE GARBAGE IN THE HCLOING TANK SHJJL? BE LESS
THAN SEVEN-TENTHS, PREFERAELY LESS THAN GIX-TENTHS, To GET THE BEET
OENATERING OF THE GARBAGE, THE LONGER THE WATER WAS FLGwING THRoUGH
A SAMPLE, THE LowER THE COEFFICIENT oF PEPNEAEILITY BECAME, THUS
INGICATING THAT THE MATERIAL VAs PRoaAGLY PRCKIHC TOGETHER. THE
GREATEST PACKING IN ALL SAMPLE TESTEE, TCOK PLACE IN THE FIRST ONE

AND ONE-HALF HOURS OF FLOWO w

THESE TEST RESULTS SH’W THE TWO CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GAREAGE
TESTE', BUT THE GARFACE AT A EIFFERENT TIME OF THE YEAR MIGHT HAVE
ALL TOGETHER DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS, 8O A MORE EXTENOEO STUBY
WQULD 8: CF GREAT VALUE. IT CGULO THEN BE MERE ACCURATELY DETERMINED
IF THERE WAS A GENERAL ALL YEAR RELATIONSHIP RETWEEN THE COEFFICIENT
0F PERMEARILITY AND THE FINENESS MODULUS GR WHETHER THE PFL!TICN8HIP

VARIEO FROM EEAEEN TO SEAECN OR EVEN FROM WEEK TU WEEK.

6.

(‘3

I\)
"M

LIST OF PEFE?ENCIS

CARD, ERAPLEV awn HARuLE B. GOTOAS. COMPeSTING ORGANIC REFUSE
FHIM MUNICIPALITIES. WESTEPN CITY. MARCH I953.

SNELL, JoHN R. THE FUTJRE IF COMPOSTING. UNPUBLISHE! REPORT.
APRIL 22, I954.

RooALE, RCBERT. COMPOST GoEa COMMERCIAL. FARM QUARTERLY.
5:36, AUGUST [950.

CALIFenNIA UNIVERSITY - BERKELEV. RECLAMATION or MUNICIPAL
REFUGE CY CcmpcsTINC. TECHNICAL ELLLETIN ”k. C, ;ANITAPY
ENGINEERING RESEARCH PRDJECT, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. JUNE 1953.

SEcoNn INTERIM REPORT OF THE lNTEQ-DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ,N
UTILIZATIHN IF CRGANIC wAaTEC. FEW ZEILAN3 ENSINECRIMG.
VJL° 5: “*io 11 - 12 (‘Txo — Lac. 12:1).

AMERICAN SOCIETY oF CIVIL ENGINEERS COMMITTEE 6N REFUSE
CoLLECTlnv Ara DISPGEAL. OTHER VETHeas OF DICPNEAL ANa
UTILIZATION oF‘JASTEs. SEPTEHIEF ICES.

FErzAcHI, KARL AND RALPH B. PECK. SclL MEswANIcs IN ENG-
INEERING PRACTICE. JOHN WILEY AND SoNG, INc., PEw YePK,

p. 40 ‘ 43: I943.

PECK, RALPH E. WALTER E. HANSfiN, AND THOMAS H. THORNBURN.
FtUNsATION ENGINEERING. JTHN WILEV AME Cent, :Lc.,
NEW YORK, Po SI " 54, I953.
VFLHANIA

PLUMMEQ, FEE: L. “27;? CM CJIL L ALL FLLFLATICNC.
oom

ESWARSS BROTHERS INC., LEV AFFIH, NICH., P. 58, EEVIEEC ,,,.

M USE

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