Utilisation of compost | Recycling of substrates

The MSD GmbH offers many efficient devices for sanitization of substrates: soil, peat, rock wool, pumice, Perlite etc.

In these applications, we can reduce the steam consumption up to 15 kg/cbm even for small quantities. Using MSD steaming systems, you can already sanitize your substrate at average price of about 10-15 euros per cubic metre and completely liberate it from weeds, weed seeds and soil diseases. If you treat large quantities exceeding 10.000 cbm, the expenses can be reduced even to 2 euros/cbm.

Basically, we have very effective steaming systems for large and small companies who want to process compost to a valuable natural product or to re-use the substrates at low cost.

Steaming of substrates is one of the most cost-efficient methods. We have developed systems that allow optimal sanitization of substrates at 80°C and higher even at ~1kg (=~1.2 litre) heating oil per 1 cubic metre substrate.

To maintain the minimum energy consumption, the substrate should be sufficiently dry and loose. Moreover, for quantities exceeding 4-5 cbm, an exhausting device would allow reduction of steam consumption to 15 kg steam per cubic metre.

Systems with steam trolleys from 0.5 to 1 cbm volume are ideally suitable for small business. These trolleys are basically tiltable and provided with removable covers closed by four spring retainers and with a detachable steam distributor. So the trolley can be universally used for transportation purposes all the year. The truck width of such a trolley is about 80cm.

If your annual compost and substrate volume exceeds 50 cbm/year, you can ideally retrofit your midsize and small tumbrils (they are available in all companies) with a MSD drainage system for steaming!

The tumbril will be provided with a steam distributing fork fastened from a tubular structure on the tumbril bottom. The tumbril bottom and its sides should be permeable to let the air and the steam condensate escape.

The tumbril should be covered with a heat-resistant sheet. All sheet edges should be held down by sand bags.

In large companies, large tumbrils can also be used for mobile transportation on soils treated with steam. Furthermore, steaming with vacuum systems is also possible in steaming boxes or transportable containers of about 1 m depth, 4-5 m length and 2.0-2.40 m width.

The maximum throughput rate per hour depends on the substrate properties and on the boiler size:

The max. rates apply to light substrates, e.g. pumice, Perilte and peat, treated by steam to ~80°C target temperature with using an exhausting device.

Compost treatment with steam on a car trailer of ~2.5 cbm volume. Time of steaming with MS-100 without exhausting device is about 1 hour:

Compost steaming with a tumbril of ~4.5 cbm volume. The tumbril bottom and its sides should be made not from metal sheet but from wood because of too strong cooling down. Slots between the wooden planks are desirable. The air can escape quicker and the steaming time will be reduced:

On the trolley bottom, a suitable steam distributor is mounted. The pipes of the steaming fork should be oriented in the tilting direction, lengthwise or crosswise: 

Stationary steaming boxes 10-20 cbm, filling height ~1 m. Perforated bottom surface, exhausting system and condensate drainage. This method is very rational since the soil surface is passable. A heat-resistant and high-performance steam-extraction turbine ensures uniform heat distribution and short steaming times:

The synthetic stones laid in the sand allow for easy draining of the condensed water. At a 1m distance, perforated hoses or pipes laid in channels lead to a collecting pipe. The collector is connected to the exhausting turbine by a metal hose. (Heat-resistant and high-performance turbine, 380 volt)

The mobile steam containers are made of sheet steel and provided with tightly closing covers, hydraulically operable. Due to 10-12 cubic metre volume, they should be moved by a lift truck or crane. Using 2 containers in turn, you can achieve a high performance. The exhausting turbine is connected so that loading and unloading can be made with a loading machine from the front side. Such unhindered rational working ensures high productivity.