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Re: [compost_tea] (Cryptic post)
Elaine,
I checked the PTO website and found the patent application (excerpted
below). I appears that Growing Solutions is attempting to patent the CT
process for their brewer. Of course it is broad enough to cover every
CT brewer out there.
Happy Holidays,
Dan
United States Patent Application 20020164781
Kind Code A1
Alms, Michael ; et al. November 7, 2002
Compost tea system
Abstract
A compost tea system uses a water-holding tank for containing process
water. Compost is immersed into the water in the tank in baskets
defining a filter media. Air is pumped into membrane disk diffuser
modules in the tank and the liquid is sparged with fine bubbles to
thoroughly agitate the liquid, extract nutrients and microorganisms from
the compost, and to ensure a high concentration of dissolved oxygen in
the liquid. The high level of oxygen selects for desired aerobic
organisms to produce a rich compost tea. The finished tea is drained out
of the tank and the tank and its components are easily cleaned and
sanitized.
Inventors: Alms, Michael; (Eugene, OR) ; Hilty, Jeffrey; (Eugene,
OR) ; Van Hoesen, Gregory; (Eugene, OR)
Correspondence Name and Address: IPSOLON LLP
805 SW BROADWAY, #2740
PORTLAND
OR
97205
US
Serial No.: 847893
Series Code: 09
Filed: May 2, 2001
U.S. Current Class: 435/290.1; 435/296.1; 71/9
U.S. Class at Publication: 435/290.1; 435/296.1; 71/9
Intern'l Class: C12M 001/04; C05F 009/02
Claims
1. Compost tea system, comprising: a tank defining a tank interior for
holding a quantity of liquid therein and having an outlet for draining
said liquid from said tank; a lid for covering said tank and having an
opening formed therethrough; a perforate compost basket extending
through said opening in said lid and into said tank interior; at least
one bubble generator located in said tank interior and fluidly connected
to a source of air.
2. The compost tea system according to claim 1 including plural bubble
generators located in said tank interior, each fluidly connected to a
source of air.
3. The compost tea system according to claim 1 wherein said bubble
generator further comprises a flexible membrane having plural openings
formed therein and defining a plenum thereunder for receiving air from
said source of air.
4. The compost tea system according to claim 3 wherein said plural
openings define one way openings that allow air to flow through said
openings when a flow of air is established from said source of air to
said plenum and that close to prevent fluid in said tank from back
flowing into said plenum when said flow of air is stopped.
5. The compost tea system according to claim 1 wherein said lid further
comprises an inner lid having a plurality of openings formed
therethrough and a perforate compost basket extends through each of said
plural openings into said tank interior, and an outer lid covering said
inner lid.
6. The compost tea system according to claim 5 wherein the inner lid
and the outer lid each includes at least one vent.
7. The compost tea system according to claim 1 wherein said compost
basket further comprises an inner mesh screen defining a primary filter
media, an outer mesh screen and a secondary filter media sandwiched
therebetween.
8. The compost tea system according to claim 1 wherein said outlet is
fluidly connected to a drain line to define a drain for removing liquid
from said tank, and said drain line includes a first valve for opening
and closing said drain.
9. The compost tea system according to claim 8 including a pump in said
drain line for actively pumping said fluid from said tank.
10. The compost tea system according to claim 1 wherein said source of
air is defined by an air pump.
11. A compost tea produced in the apparatus according to claim 1.
12. A compost tea producing apparatus comprising: a tank; a perforate
compost basket extending into the interior of said tank; means for
generating air bubbles in said tank.
13. The compost tea producing apparatus of claim 12 wherein said means
for generating air bubbles in said tank comprises a flexible membrane
located in tank interior and having plural openings formed therein and
defining a plenum thereunder, said plenum fluidly connected to a supply
of compressed air.
14. The compost tea apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said tank
contains a quantity of fluid and said plural openings define one way
openings that allow air to flow through said openings when a flow of air
is established from said supply of compressed air to said plenum and
that close to prevent fluid in said tank from back flowing into said
plenum when said flow of air is stopped.
15. The compost tea apparatus according to claim 12 including a lid
having plurality of openings formed therethrough and a perforate compost
basket extends through each of said plural openings into said tank
interior.
16. The compost tea apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the inner
lid and the outer lid each includes at least one vent.
17. The compost tea apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said
compost basket further comprises an first screen defining a primary
filter and a second screen defining a secondary filter for filtering
relatively smaller particles.
18. A compost tea system comprising: a tank for holding a quantity of
fluid; a filter basket in said fluid; a bubble generator; a supply of
air fluidly connected to said bubble generator.
19. The compost tea system according to claim 18 wherein said filter
basket defines a compost-holding basket that is configured for allowing
liquid in said tank to circulate through said basket.
20. The compost tea system according to claim 19 wherein said
compost-holding basket defines an inner mesh screen and an outer mesh
screen and a filter media sandwiched therebetween.
21. The compost tea system according to claim 18 wherein said bubble
generator comprises a flexible membrane having plural openings formed
therein and defining a sealed plenum, said plenum fluidly connected to
said supply of air, and wherein said plural openings in said membrane
each define one way openings that allow air to flow through said
openings when a flow of air is established from said source of air to
said plenum and that close to prevent fluid in said tank from back
flowing into said plenum when said flow of air is stopped.
22. The compost tea system according to claim 18 including a plurality
of said bubble generators.
23. A method for producing compost tea, comprising the steps of: (a)
filling a tank with a quantity of liquid; (b) providing a source of
compost; (c) introducing said compost into a perforate container
configured for allowing liquid to flow through said perforations but for
retaining particulate matter in said compost within said container; (d)
immersing said perforate container in said liquid; (e) bubbling air
through said liquid by generating bubbles in said tank to thereby
circulate said fluid in said tank and through said perforate container
to maintain a desired dissolved oxygen concentration in said fluid and
to extract microorganisms and nutrients from said compost into said
liquid; (f) maintaining said bubbling for a period of time sufficient to
allow said microorganisms to reproduce.
24. The method according to claim 23 wherein said time period is
between about 15 and 30 hours.
25. The method according to claim 23 wherein the concentration of
dissolved oxygen in said liquid is maintained at sufficiently high
levels to inhibit the growth of anaerobic microorganisms.
Description
Dan Shepherd, aka "Dr. Doo"
Compost Coordinator
Woodland Park Zoo
dan.shepherd@zoo.org
http://zoo.org/zoo_info/special/zoodoo.htm
206-684-4828 (direct)
206-625-POOP (POOP Hotline)
206-615-0909 (fax)
"Woodland Park Zoo Doo -- it is not just compost, it is a movement."
>>> soilfoodweb@aol.com 12/20/02 07:25AM >>>
Sorry for the cryptic post - I was working on this, got distracted, and
put
it in the "to be sent", and when I sent some other e-mails, it got
mailed as
well.
But let me ask everyone, what is this a description of?
I'll repeat the description here:
23. A method for producing compost tea, comprising the steps of: (a)
filling
a tank with a quantity of liquid; (b) providing a source of compost;
(c)
introducing said compost into a perforate container configured for
allowing
liquid to flow through said perforations but for retaining particulate
matter
in said compost within said container; (d) immersing said perforate
container
in said liquid; (e) bubbling air through said liquid by generating
bubbles in
said tank to thereby circulate said fluid in said tank and through said
perforate container to maintain a desired dissolved oxygen
concentration in
said fluid and to extract microorganisms and nutrients from said
compost into
said liquid; (f) maintaining said bubbling for a period of time
sufficient to
allow said microorganisms to reproduce.
What is being described? What is it that this person is attempting to
patent?
Give it a guess. The first person to e-mail back with the right
explanation
gets a free foodweb sample from SFI.
Elaine Ingham
President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
www.soilfoodweb.com
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