Steriliser

[grahamh]

I mentioned in an earlier post that I plan to use woodchip/woodmulch as a sustrate. I want to build a steriliser so that I can steam the stuff to kill all the pathogens, ants, termites and fungal spores. This stuff is the result of putting tons of fallen timber and branches through a mulcher so it will have all kinds of nasties living in it.

My questions for the brains trust is: Has anyone tried to build a compost/soil type steamer. I'm after some ideas. I usually just race off and come up with a design for things and they normally work well enough. This time I thought I'd use the forum to see what idea you might have.

Graham 8)

 

[almaron]

Sounds like you have a lot of the stuff to do, so I would probably use something like a 55gal drum. Preferably on with a lid that has clamp for easy access. I would think it would be better to mix the stuff up some to ensure the steam gets to everything. So what I would do would be, take a pipe, and drill some small holes along it. Then pop two holes in the drum. One in the side just below lid rim, and the other on the opposite side just above the bottom of drum. Stick the pipe through leaving some sticking out either side. Weld pipe to drum. Holes in pipe would be inside drum, and excess pipe could be used as axle to spin. Cap one end of pipe, hook other side to steam source with something like a quick connect air fitting to allow spinning. You would need some type of vent on the drum somewhere, maybe in the lid with screen or something.

 

[grahamh]

Good stuff David.

I can see an idea forming. The drum (44gal in Aus) was on my list. The airline coupling is a great idea. I could braze that to some copper pipe which would get the steam feed and allow the rotation. If I weld some vanes inside the drum like a cement mixer then this would ensure that the material gets picked up and dropped through the steam. I can power the spinning by using an old washing machine motor (which I've just thrown away) taking a belt from the motor spindle around the outside of the drum, that would give a pretty good reduction and hopefully a reasonably slow spin.

Keep the ideas coming. If I get this together I'll post some pics and maybe we could start marketing some natural woodchip/mulch/bark reptile substrate. At the very least I can use the stuff myself.

Graham 8)

 

[_popp_]

Unfortunately i have only worked with super heated steam,but if i can offer a couple of suggestions it would be to use steel piping over copper as copper is not real compatable with steam.Aswell if using a 44 gallon drum welding copper to steel wont work & you will have to use a lesser product to seal it.It sounds like an awsome idea & will be very interested to see finall product.

 

[grahamh]

Thanks Popp.

It occurred to me that I could pass a steel pipe through the long axis of the drum with a flange so that the drum would stay in place. The entry point onto the drums base just needs to be slighly larger than the pipe so no special coupling needed. The pipe inside of the drum would have small vent holes along its length to let the steam out and some small holes around the base so that and water that condenses would drip out taking any really smallstuff with it.

Getting quite interesting this idea.

G

 

[africancichlidau]

As the axle pipe is not central through the drum it would probably be better to use the large pulley from the bottom of the washing machine drum fixed to the pipe instead of the belt going around the drum itself thus avoiding non-concentric wear to the belt. For a smaller machine the wash machine drum itself could be used with a home made vane system.

 

[lutzd]

Interesting

Very interesting topic, Graham. You could end up starting a small business with this idea! :wink:

 

[grahamh]

Phil

my mods on Almaron's idea had the drum inline with the pipe and vanes inside to chuck the stuff about. I like the idea of using a natural replacement for BC that looks good too so I will build some kind of prototype just to see how it goes. I also want to get a microscope (secondhand if I can) so that I can check the final product for bacteria etc. If possible I want to avoid any chemical treatment. It would be interesting to put some BC under the scope to see just how much bacteria there is in that. Anyway I'll persue the idea.

G

 

[africancichlidau]

Never thought of putting B.C. under the microscope Think I'll do just that when I get the time

 

[almaron]

Yeah Grahamh, first thought was puting pipe inline with drum too. I suggested offset so you could use the lid and avoid having to add a door, and figured it would toss the stuff around a little better. Vanes would work just as well for mixing though. What are you thinking for door?

Washing machine drum ain't half bad idea Afro.

 

[wattso]

I wonder if you could rig an old cement mixer with a lid airline connex etc to work the same way. All your motor/pulley work is already done. drill through sides mixer for steam escape, small drain near bottom????? just a thought, bit of weight in bark mulch, might be too much for a washer drum setup? :wink:

 

[africancichlidau]

Yeah then ya could do ya dim sims at the same time

 

[wattso]

:? Dim sims, cement mixer, bark mulch..........?.....What the blazes are you on about phil, i dont see any connection????;-? { wonders if phil had a long liquid lunch} LOL

 

[grahamh]

David

I'd weld the lid on and cut a full length door along the side and weld a few hinges and a catch on. It will nedd a bit of trial and error to get it to work efficiently. The stram generator can be a 5 gallon steel paint can with a clamp lid over a camping gas ring which I just happen to have. Then a steel pipe to run from this into the revolving drum. Can't wait. I do have a pressing need to build a new double enclosure. So that will have to come first or m,aybe I can do both at the same time.

 

[africancichlidau]

Oh ye of little insight STEAMED dim sims

 

[Slateman]

I just hope that ASIO will not read this topic. They can acuse you guys to build bomb. Please keep it safe.

 

[wattso]

LOL phils real name is mustaffa!

 

[africancichlidau]

Yup, mustaffa smoke (every half hour