Rotary Drum Composting

Target SDGs

Market Suggested Retail Price

$300.00

Target Users (Target Impact Group)

Household, Community, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Public Sector Agencies

Distributors / Implementing Organizations

This product is available at retailers in India and in the USA.

Competitive Landscape

Direct competitors include Vermicomposting and NADEP Composting.

Regions

Worldwide

Manufacturing/Building Method

Manufactured by a number of distributors

Intellectural Property Type

Open-source

User Provision Model

Users obtain the product from different distributors.

Distributions to Date Status

Unknown

Design Specifications

Rotary drum sizes my vary, but one study of a rotary drum composter used a 250 L capacity drum of 0.92 m in length and 0.9 m in diameter, made up of a 4 mm thick metal sheet. The inner side of the drum was covered by anti-corrosive coating and mounted on four rubber rollers attached to a metal stand. The drum is rotated manually.

40 mm angles are welded longitudinally inside the drum to mix the wastes, and two holes drain excess water. Waste should be shredded and placed inside at 70% of the total volume, with both half side doors of the drum open to allow additional aeration. Initial moisture content was around 61% and the cattle manure, mixed green vegetables and sawdust entered in a 2.5 : 2 : 1 ratio, on wet mass basis.

Product Schematics

Technical Support

There is no technical support provided and users are expected to maintain the product on their own.

Replacement Components

None

Lifecycle

Unknown

Manufacturer Specified Performance Parameters

Rapid compost time of 2-3 weeks, pathogen inactivation, nutrient rich fertilizer.

Vetted Performance Status

The rotary drum composter was assessed for temperature, C/N ratio, TOC, coliforms, metals, turning frequency, and nutrient retention.

Safety

Implementers must take appropriate precautions when working with organic waste, particularly cattle manure, and ensure complete decomposition.

Complementary Technical Systems

None

Academic Research and References

Compliance with regulations

Unknown

Evaluation methods

The rotary drum composter was assessed for temperature, C/N ratio, TOC, coliforms, and nutrient retention.

Other Information

Open source designs are available.