Download CompostAir^TM Description
(Acrobat PDF, 69 K)

Download RobotCompost^TM description
(Acrobat PDF, 82 K)

Biomax inc., a subsidiary of Conporec, specializes in designing, manufacturing and marketing composting equipment and systems. It has created innovative and performing composting technologies from constant and uninterrupted R&D efforts since its incorporation in 1988.

Biomax technologies are designed to efficiently meet the specific needs of its municipal, agricultural, industrial, institutional and commercial clients. To date, Biomax inc. technologies are at the core of 15 composting facilities in Quebec and New Brunswick.

Maxipile

The MaxiPile technology enables composting static piles of organic waste using a turn-over mechanism. This is a conventional open air system requiring a lot of time and space, but which is easy to operate with the appropriate machinery.

The mass to be composted is placed into relatively large piles (windrows); oxygenation is ensured through mechanical turn-overs. The equipment is selected based on the size of the windrow (power shovel, wheel loader and/or windrower).

The turnover frequency and the type of machinery used determine the productivity of this type of composting.

MaxipilePlus^TM

The MaxiPilePlus^TM technology uses forced aeration to accelerate and control the transformation of organic waste, based on the static pile composting method. This method uses forced aeration as the main control source during composting to process piles larger than 1000 m3.

A suitable choice of mixed waste components ensures conditions that are adequate to start the process. This mix is then placed on the air distribution system, which is set up according to the composition of the mix and an optimum composting height. The system is ventilated by positive pressure fans. The basic system comprises a system of perforated pipes placed under the windrows at a height and width predetermined by Biomax process engineers.

Fans are actuated through an automatic control system equipped with a series of temperature sensors inside the pile. This type of technology does not require multiple turnovers, although they ensure an even humidity content during composting.

CompostAir^TM

CompostAir^TM system is part of the technologies based on forced aeration of static waste piles in a confined environment. A base CompostAirTM module includes two side-by-side reinforced concrete cells closed on three sides.

These cells are equipped with a perforated floor used to aerate the waste piles in a uniform manner and to accelerate the “thermophilic” composting phase. A conduit system sends air to each cell and removes liquids that may percolate from the organic matter.

Each cell has its own blower. These blowers are managed by a PLC which ensures optimum blowing time for the organic matter to be sufficiently oxygenated and for the heat created by the process to be maintained at a maximum.

Although the aerobic degradation of organic waste only generates a small amount of odours, the possible odour nuisance when handling the waste may be efficiently managed by adding a computerized meteorological station to ensure proactive management based on weather forecasts. These odour nuisances can be eliminated completely by the addition of a roof to catch gases; a blower could then send these gases to an external biofilter for treatment.

Download CompostAir^TM Description

RobotCompost^TM

RobotCompost^TM is an evolved system and combines agitation and forced aeration in horizontal bunker silos. There are two or more coupled concrete bunkers measuring 4.2 meters by 40 meters long. At the base of the bunker silos, a double floor serves as a continuous plenum to diffuse the forced air through the composting organic mix.

Above the walls, an exclusive and reliably designed mechanical agitator on rail is used to homogenize the waste while moving from the entrance to the outlet over a period of 18 to 21 days.

At the outlet, a Biomax inc. exclusively designed module can grab and automatically evacuate the raw compost toward the maturing zone. This module also allows the mixer to be automatically transferred from one bunker silo to the next.

Above the bunker silos, a freestanding and isolated captation chamber collects and sends the process gases to a processing and biofiltration unit.

The entire operation is supported by a programmable logic controller. It can be coupled to an expert graphic operational software package used to collect the control parameters in real time and to operate the complex remotely via a modem.

Several other uniquely designed peripherals can be added to the base equipment, namely: an air-water system, a heat recovery unit, a bunker-biofilter, wells for maintenance and mixer clean-up and a weather station. This whole ensemble is an adaptation of bunker-silo technology; its operational and energy efficiency give it significant competitive advantages.

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