Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics

Waste Resources Management

Biological Waste Treatment

- learn2compost-

Winter Semester 2019 / 2020

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Kerstin Kuchta,

M.Sc. Iryna Atamaniuk, Dipl.-Ing. Olaf Bade , M.Sc. Leonard Francke
Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH)
Harburger Schlossstraße 36, 21079 Hamburg
Contacts: kuchta@tuhh.de, iryna.atamaniuk@tuhh.de, bade@tuhh.de, leonard.francke@tuhh.de
 learn2compost
Online tool for planning composting
facilities

https://cgi.tu-harburg.de/~awsww/cgi-bin/plasacof5/index.php

• in many countries biowaste is disposed of on landfills which

leads to contaminated leachate, methane emissions and odour
• the composting of those organic waste is a simple solution to
reduce these emissions
• learn2compost was developed for education and training of
students and public authorities

Learn2Compost - Biological Waste Treatment

 Learn2compost
Online tool for planning composting
facilities

The web-application consists of two parts:

1. Substrates and their properties
In this section, the user can choose different types of substrate for composting
out of the given database. The following properties of those substrates are
considered by the application and set by default: C/N ratio, Water content,
Bulk density, pH.
2. Choosing a type of system
When having the optimal mixture of the chosen substrates, the user has to select
a suitable type of system for the composting process by choosing a system
for intensive rotting as well as for curing. The web-application offers the
following options by default: Windrow, Box, Rotating drum, Tunnel .

Learn2Compost - Biological Waste Treatment

 Basic functions
• Login with UserID and password
• Create a new project
• Load the new project
• Chose the substrate(s) in the drop-down box and add them to
the project
• Chose the amount of substrate and press recalculate

Learn2Compost - Biological Waste Treatment

 Basic functions

Learn2Compost - Biological Waste Treatment

 Calculation results

• Dependent on the substrates and amounts the system calculates

the most important parameters
• Get more information about the parameters by clicking on them
• C/N ratio represents the balance of the main nutrients carbon and
nitrogen it should be in the range of 30 to 40
• The same with water content, pH-value and bulk density
• The specific bulk density is important for the porosity or
permeability for air and water to supply the bacteria

Learn2Compost - Biological Waste Treatment

 Calculation results

Learn2Compost - Biological Waste Treatment

 Calculation results

Learn2Compost - Biological Waste Treatment

 Calculation results

Learn2Compost - Biological Waste Treatment

 Recalculation

• If values don’t fit the range it can be necessary to add other

substrate which can be get for little money
• “Partially treatment”: Active aeration; no turning;
period in the box system 0.25 month
• A FURTHER COMPOSTING PERIOD IN WINDROWS IS
NECESSARY!!
• “Complete treatment”: Active aeration; turning every
2 weeks by moving into another box; period in the box
system 1.5 month

Learn2Compost - Biological Waste Treatment