How It Works

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How It Works

The Composting Chamber
The Evaporating Chamber
The Compost Finishing Drawer

The Composting Chamber

The ideal environment for composting is warm, moist and oxygen rich.

SUN-MAR creates this environment in the patented Bio-drum.

Waste and peat moss bulking material enters through a port in the top of the drum.

Waste is held in the corn Post by the mass of material inside the drum. By using indirect heat, the compost does not dry out prematurely.

The drum is periodically rotated by turning a handle on the side, or front of the units. As it rotates, a door in the top of the drum closes automatically.

This tumbling action supplies oxygen throughout the compost for use by aerobic bacteria. Tumbling also thoroughly mixes the compost and distributes moisture evenly.

Compost needs to be kept moist (between 40% and 60% moisture content is ideal) but not saturated, as too much liquid can drive out essential oxygen.

ECOLET /COMPACT/EXCEL/WCM/CENTREX only

Excess liquid, if any is drained through a screen at the rear of the drum directly into the evaporating chamber.

Compost is extracted from the Bio-drum by releasing a drum lock and rotating the drum backwards. As it does, some compost drops through the open drum door in the Bio-drum directly into the compost finishing drawer.

After rotating, the Bio-drum locks in a top dead center position ready to receive new material

CENTREX 3000 Units Only

Excess liquid, if any, is drained through two screens at the rear of the primary section, directly into the evaporating chamber.

The waste breaks down and flows gradually to the end of the primary section where it moves through a divider and into the secondary section of the drum.

Here the composting is substantially completed. When this secondary section becomes half-full, the compost begins to drop into the first finishing drawer at the end of the unit.

If ever necessary, compost can be removed directly from the Bio-drum. Normally when the drum is being rotated to mix the compost, the drum doors in both primary and secondary chambers are closed. If the drum lock is released, the drum can be rotated backwards. Now the door in the secondary section remains open and compost will drop into the second finishing drawer inside the unit.

After rotating, the Bio-drum locks in a top dead center position ready to receive new material.

The Evaporating Chamber

Compost must be kept moist but not saturated. The ideal environment for evaporating any excess liquid is a large surface area combined with heat and moving air. SUN-MAR meets these criteria in the evaporating chamber.

Any liquid not absorbed by the compost in the drum drains through the screen directly into the evaporating chamber.

On some models (EXCEL, CENTREX,WCM, CENTREX 3000) the liquid falls first onto a cascading tray before going onto the main evaporating surface. This tray helps oxygenate the liquid, trap any peat moss debris, and maximize the evaporating surface.

For optimum results evaporation is assisted on 220 Volt electric models by a thermostatically controlled heating element (CENTREX 3000 units have two heaters). Sealed in a compartment underneath the evaporating chamber, the heater (or heaters) warms the floor of the evaporating chamber without drying out the compost. On CENTREX 3000 units, either or both of these heaters can be turned on or off.

Where there are cascading trays beneath the drum screen, these can be removed and cleaned if necessary through the drawer opening (on EXCEL, CENTREX, or WCM units) or through the large access port on CENTREX 3000 units.

The Compost Finishing Drawer

The compost finishing drawer serves two functions: to receive the compost in an easily-accessible isolated container, and complete the composting and sanitation processes.

ECOLET/COMPACT/EXCEL/WCM/CENTREX

Compost drops directly into the finishing drawer when the drum is rotated backwards.

Composting can be completed in the drawer, where it is isolated from fresh waste and possible contamination.

While in the drawer, the compost is surrounded by a stream of drying air, and gradually dries prior to removal.

The pull out finishing drawer is removed by hand (no tools or screws are needed), and the sanitized compost may be emptied whenever more compost is to be extracted from the drum.

For seasonal units, several drawers may be removed in the Spring, reducing the compost level in the drum to 100mm-150mm to make room for next year’s operation.

CENTREX 3000 Units

There are two compost finishing drawers in the CENTREX 3000. Both are easily removed by hand and are interchangeable.

The first drawer is inside the collection housing at the side of the unit. This is where the finished compost automatically falls after leaving the second section of the Bio-drum.

The second drawer is located inside the unit. Moving compost from the first drawer to this second station allows the composting cycle to be extended if necessary. This can help ensure the compost is safe to handle.

For seasonal units, the second section of the drum can be emptied in the Spring by rotating the drum backwards and dropping compost into the second drawer.