Trough-Type Compost Turner

Trough-Type Compost Turner

The High-Efficiency Solution for Controlled and Intensive Aerobic Fermentation

The Trough-Type Compost Turner is a precision-engineered, rail-guided machine designed for high-efficiency aerobic fermentation within long, concrete channels or troughs. It automates the critical process of lifting, mixing, and aerating organic material, ensuring optimal oxygen levels, temperature control, and moisture uniformity. Ideal for continuous or batch processing systems, it maximizes decomposition rates, minimizes cycle times, and produces high-quality, stable compost or organic fertilizer intermediates within a controlled and space-efficient environment.

Trough-Type Compost Turner

Key Features

  • Rail-Guided Travel System

    Operates on fixed rails installed on the walls of the concrete fermentation trough, ensuring precise and stable movement with full coverage of the material bed.

  • High-Speed Rotating Drum with Flails

    The core working component is a horizontal drum equipped with heavy-duty, replaceable flails that aggressively lift, shred, and mix the compost, creating significant porosity for optimal aeration.

  • Hydraulic Drive & Control

    Most machine functions, including drum rotation, travel speed, and lifting height, are powered and controlled by a reliable hydraulic system, allowing for smooth operation and adjustable working parameters.

  • Automatic Traversing & Bi-Directional Operation

    Can be programmed to automatically traverse the length of the trough and operate in both directions, often featuring an automatic cable reel system for power supply. Some models can transfer between adjacent troughs via a transfer car.

  • Integrated Aeration Floor Compatibility

    Designed to work seamlessly with a forced-aeration system installed beneath the trough floor, allowing for precise control of the aerobic process from both above (turning) and below (air injection).

Advantages

  • Superior Process Control

    Enables precise management of oxygen, temperature, and moisture throughout the entire mass, leading to faster, more uniform fermentation and effective pathogen reduction.

  • High Space Efficiency

    The vertical design of the troughs allows for a high volume of material to be processed in a relatively small footprint compared to windrow systems.

  • Improved Hygiene & Environmental Control

    The enclosed or semi-enclosed trough design significantly reduces odor, leachate runoff, and bioaerosol emissions, facilitating better neighborhood relations and regulatory compliance.

  • Reduced Labor & Operational Costs

    Full automation minimizes manual intervention. The controlled environment reduces water and energy consumption compared to open systems exposed to weather.

  • Year-Round Operation

    Protected from rain, snow, and wind, allowing for consistent, uninterrupted production regardless of external weather conditions.

Applicable Raw Materials

  • Municipal Solid Waste (Organic Fraction)

    Source-separated food and garden waste.

  • Agricultural Wastes

    Livestock manure (poultry, cattle, pig), crop residues, and straw.

  • Industrial Organic By-Products

    Food processing waste, distillery grains, and biogas digestate (post-fermentation).

  • Sewage Sludge (Biosolids)

    For co-composting with bulking agents.

Basic Structure & Components

Trough-Type Compost Turner
Main Travel Frame

A robust steel structure that houses all components and moves on the rails via travel wheels.

Travel Drive System

Electric motor-driven travel wheels that propel the machine along the trough rails.

Working Drum Assembly

A rotating shaft with multiple mounting points for the flails, driven by a hydraulic motor.

Flails (Mixing Tools)

Replaceable, wear-resistant steel tools that perform the actual turning and shredding.

Drum Lift Mechanism

A hydraulic cylinder that raises and lowers the working drum for entry/exit and to adjust working depth.

Cabinet & Control Panel

Houses the electrical controls, PLC, and hydraulic power unit (HPU).

Cable Reel or Conductor Rail System

Provides continuous power and control signal to the moving machine.

Optional Transfer Car

A separate mobile unit that lifts and moves the turner between multiple parallel fermentation troughs.

Technical Data

Turn cage diameter

FJ6000×1050

FJ6000×350

FJ4000×350

FJ4000×350

Matching power (kw)

25.74

41.5

10

10

Working speed (m/h)

50

50

50

50

NO-Load velocity (m/h)

100

100

100

100

Fermentation tank size (W×H)(mm)

6000×1050

6000×1050

4000×1050

4000×1050

Profile size (L×W×H)(mm)

6670×3920×2740

6700×4800×3200

4670×3920×2740

4700×4800×3200

Lifting height of stirring teeth (mm)

1400

1500

1400

1500

Key Differentiators vs. Other Turners

The Trough-Type Turner operates in a fixed, controlled infrastructure (troughs) and uses a rotating drum with flails for aggressive mixing and aeration. It offers superior process control and environmental containment. The Chain-Flight Turner is typically used for open windrows or static piles, uses a drag-and-lift motion, and is better suited for very heavy, wet, raw manures in less controlled settings.

A Windrow Turner works on open ground with shaped piles, is highly mobile, and requires more land. The Trough-Type Turner is part of a capital-intensive, stationary plant designed for maximum efficiency, control, and minimal land use in a permanent facility.

Both can be used in channels. The Trough-Type Turner with flails provides more aggressive shredding and mixing, creating better porosity. Screw-Type Turners offer gentler, more consistent lateral movement and are excellent for blending but may provide less active aeration of compacted material.

It is the premium solution for large-scale, continuous, and controlled organic waste fermentation plants where process efficiency, product quality consistency, environmental compliance, and space optimization are critical priorities. It represents a significant investment in a permanent processing infrastructure.