IJEP 41(2): 154-164 : Vol. 41 Issue. 2 (February 2021)
1. Government College of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, Thanjavur – 613 001, Tamil Nadu, India
2. University College of Engineering, Department Civil Engineering, Pattukkottai, Rajamadam – 614 701, Tamil Nadu, India
2. Gautam Buddha University, Department of Environmental Science, School of Vocational Studies and Applied Sciences, Gautam Buddh Nagar – 201 312, U.P., India
Abstract
The bench-scale experimental study aims in accelerating the vermicomposting process by modifying the conventional vermicomposting into engineered vermicomposting. The acceleration was done by enhancing the vermi environment and encourage the worms to participate actively in the digestion process. The engineered process composes of pre-processing the waste and augmenting air artificially with airflow rate of 0.62 L/min in the Vermibin. The aeration was done in vertically elevated Vermibin with five different airflow durations (2 hr, 4 hr, 6 hr, 8 hr and 10 hr) by naming the bin as A1, A2, A3, A4 and A5, respectively. The optimum airflow duration was identified based on the substrate volume reduction and biomass growth in the Vermibin. In parallel, the nutrient status of vermicast also assessed, in order to characterize the vermicast generated in the reactors. Results reveal that 4 hr aeration with airflow rate of 0.67 L/min performance better and provide suitable environment for vermicomposting process.
Keywords
Vermicomposting, Engineered vermicomposting, Biomass growth, artificial aeration
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