The Open Transport Phenomena Journal

2010, 2 : 48-54
Published online 2010 May 11. DOI: 10.2174/1877729501002010048
Publisher ID: TOTPJ-2-48

Enhanced Air Flow of Compost Heating System by Permanent Magnets

Harumi Toriyama and Yutaka Asako
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tokyo Metroplitan University, 1-1 Minami-Osawa, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan

ABSTRACT

Effect of a permanent magnet on aeration of an air duct through compost have been investigated numerically. Some compost yield heat over 60 Celsius in fermentation process. That exothermic reaction produces a considerable amount of heat, which could be a potential heating source. Fermentation reaction requires aeration, abundant supply of paramagnetic oxygen gas and exhaust of metabolized diamagnetic carbon dioxide gas. Continuous and forced air supply is more efficient rather than the conventional manual turn or stirring as aeration means.

In magneto-fluid-dynamics, the magnetizing force acting on a paramagnetic oxygen gas is applied for the enhancement of air flow, heat and mass transfer. In this research, the enhancement of the air flow of various size air ducts have been numerically investigated by applying a permanent magnet on an air duct. Numerical results shows that a permanent magnet enhances the air flow. The application of a permanent magnet to an air duct is useful for Compost Heating System (CHS), a promising alternative energy system.

Keywords:

Alternative energy source, compost, aeration, magnetizing force.