용량 450 L의 음식물 쓰레기 퇴비화 장치를 설계하여, 유입공기량, 교반, 접종 조건에 변화를 주어 퇴비화 장치의 성능을 실험하였다. RUN 1은 1일 2회 5분간 교반하고, 유입공기량을 22.7 L/min로 고정하였다. RUN 2, 3에서는 지속적으로 교반하고, 유입공기량은 퇴비내부의 온도를 5$0^{circ}C$ 이상 유지하고, 또 산소농도를 7 mol% 이하로 떨어지지 않도록 10 L/min, 15 L/min, 20 L/min으로 수시로 조절하였다. RUN 3는 접종효과를 보기 위하여 퇴비에 완성된 퇴비를 10 wt% 접종하여 RUN 1, 2와 비교하였다. 지속적으로 교반하고, 온도와 산소 농도에 따라 유입공기량을 조절한 RUN 2와 3에서 RUN 1보다 더 빠른 퇴비화가 이루어졌다 .그리고, $CO_2$농도와 휘발성 유기물 감소에서는 접종한 RUN 3가 RUN 1, 2보다 높았으나, C/N 비, pH 변화, 미생물 개체수에서는 뚜렷한 접종효과가 나타나지 않았다.
A food waste composting apparatus of 450 L was designed for and tested with changing conditions of inlet air flow rate, agitation and inoculation. Agitation was done twice per day for 5 min and inlet air flow rate was set as 22.7 L/min for RUN 1. For RUN 2 and RUN 3, agitation was continuous, and inlet air flow rate was changed frequently as 10 L/min, 15 L/min and 20 L/min in order to maintain temp. above 5$0^{circ}C$, and the concentration of $O_2$over 7 mol%. The compost of RUN3 was inoculated with 10 wt% of accomplished compost, and it was compared with RUN 1 and 2 to show the effect of inoculation. The composting rates of RUN 2 and RUN 3 were faster than that of RUN 1, because agitation was continuous and temperature was controlled in RUN 2 and RUN 3. Inoculated RUN 3 was better than RUN 1 and RUN 2 in the concentrations of $CO_2$and reduction of volatile solids. while the effect of inoculation on C/N ratios, pH change and the numbers of microoragnisms was not clearly appeared.
