Bio filter
After a GICOM water scrubber a biofilter is placed. Air is blown into the biofilter with very low speed. Bacteria use the odorous compounds of the air for their own survival in the filter and convert this odour part to a less or neutral smelling. That is why GICOM composting facilities can operate in areas where there are strict limitations for odour emission.
Ammonia scrubber
In the composting processes where ammonia is being produced in high concentrations a biofilter alone is not sufficient. The ammonia would kill the bacterial life in the biofilter. Therefore this air is first treated with an ammonia scrubber. Using acid the ammonia is collected and removed from the process air. The removed ammonia can be reused in the composting process for making mushroom compost.
GICOM ammonia scrubbers are always equipped with a water scrubber, to prevent the concrete and iron works being destructed by the acids.
GICOM ammonia scrubbers are used in the following situations;
Fermentation process for mushroom compost;
Pasteurisation tunnels for mushroom compost;
Composting tunnels for sludge;
Composting tunnels for waste containing a high level of ammonia
Straw filter
Especially for the exhaust air of mushroom composting facilities GICOM designs a straw absorption filter. GICOM was the first company in the world to design this system, where loosened straw is used as biofilter material. After several weeks the straw will be used in the mixing process and is replaced by new straw on the filter.
The following benefits are the result of a strawfilter:
Smell is being reduced for larger parts;
Ammonia will be transformed into the straw. This way the nitrogen is brought back into the composting process and the nitrogen cycle is complete;
The straw gets softer, so the composting process accelerates
