Matouk, A., EL-Hadidi, Y., Tharwat, A., Khafagy, S. (2017). Production of Compost Tea from Farm Wastes. Journal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering, 8(7), 323-329. doi: 10.21608/jssae.2017.37516
A. Matouk; Y. EL-Hadidi; A. Tharwat; Samar Khafagy. "Production of Compost Tea from Farm Wastes". Journal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering, 8, 7, 2017, 323-329. doi: 10.21608/jssae.2017.37516
Matouk, A., EL-Hadidi, Y., Tharwat, A., Khafagy, S. (2017). 'Production of Compost Tea from Farm Wastes', Journal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering, 8(7), pp. 323-329. doi: 10.21608/jssae.2017.37516
Matouk, A., EL-Hadidi, Y., Tharwat, A., Khafagy, S. Production of Compost Tea from Farm Wastes. Journal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering, 2017; 8(7): 323-329. doi: 10.21608/jssae.2017.37516
1Agric. Eng. Dept, Faculty of Agric , Mansoura University.
2Agric. Eng. Dept, Faculty of Agric , Damietta University.
Abstract
The aims of this study were to design and manufacture an innovative unit for producing compost tea, and optimizing some operating parameters affecting the performance of the manufactured unit such as flow rate , temperature, aeration , pH ,nutrient additives and fermentation period . Also, to optimize the fermentation and quality of the produced. The selected factors are: extraction temperature (30°C, 40°C, 50°C and 60°C), water flow rate (270 , 300, 330 and 540 l/h ), aeration time (6, 12,18, and 24 h with an aeration rate of 0.18 m³/h ) , nutrient addition (25,50,75 and 100 ml) and pH (6 and 6.5) of produced compost tea. The result has shown that the temperature has significant role to play in producing high quality of compost tea. pH is the other factor which may contribute poor in quality of compost tea to the results. Power and specific energy are more sensitive to different factors such as extraction temperature, aeration time and fermentation period. The results showed that the values obtained for the extraction efficiency were 98.3%, the production rate was 2.2 l /h and the energy consumed was 5.74 kWh / l and the cost of the extraction process per liter was 1.72 L.E, at 60 ° C and the flow rate of hot water was 270 l /h and aeration time of 24 hours at 0.18 m3 / h and an nutrients additives rate of 50 mL at pH 6.5 for 24 hours fermentation period.