Why Composting Temperature Monitoring Matters
Composting temperature monitoring is crucial to the success of the composting process. Since microbial activity generates heat, failing to track temperature can lead to poor decomposition, pathogen survival, or the loss of essential nutrients.
Temperature plays a key role in compost process management.
The History and Evolution of Composting Temperature Monitoring
Composting temperature monitoring has played a critical role in ensuring healthy and effective organic waste transformation for centuries. From ancient agricultural practices to modern-day sensor-driven solutions, maintaining optimal compost temperature has always been key to producing high-quality compost.
Ancient Composting Systems and Temperature Awareness
The benefits of composting in agriculture were known as early as the 10th century. Greeks and Romans practiced composting, as recorded in 12th-century Arab writings and Renaissance literature. The Aztecs even developed compost systems using human latrines and guano, showcasing early awareness of composting’s value.
The Aztecs built a system of human latrines throughout their city. The feces from these were collected and used as compost, along with guano.
Compost’s Value in Agriculture
High-quality compost is a rich, inactive organic fertilizer that repels insects and pests. It improves soil structure, increases organic matter content, and acts as a natural water reservoir. This helps prevent soil erosion and surface runoff—especially important in Mediterranean regions known for hilly landscapes.
However, creating such compost isn’t easy. It requires careful management and expert intervention. If the process is mismanaged, it can result in toxic byproducts harmful to crops and the environment.
Compost Temperature Measuring and Its Effects on Decomposition
Compost temperature measuring plays a critical role in managing the physical properties of compost inputs—such as moisture, particle size, and pile structure—which in turn affect aeration, heat retention, and the overall composting rate. With proper control and accurate compost temperature measuring, the process becomes more efficient and reliable.
Temperature is not just a byproduct but a core metric of microbial activity. Most compost piles reach 55°C within days or weeks, depending on ambient conditions. For effective pathogen and seed destruction, compost temperature measuring must confirm consistent readings above 55°C during multiple pile turnings.
“Temperature is a key parameter determining the success of composting operations.”
composting process
The composting process includes two main phases: decomposition and maturation.
During decomposition, microbial activity spikes.
- Mesophilic phase: Temp rises up to 60°C.
- Thermophilic phase: Temp hits 65–70°C.
Moisture must stay between 50–60%. Below 50%, degradation halts. Above 60%, the process turns anaerobic, leading to contamination. This first phase lasts 15–30 days.
The maturation phase follows, where temperature steadily drops and material settles. This can take 30–60 days.
Figure 1: Temperature evolution during the composting process.
Composting success depends heavily on moisture and temperature, which must be continuously monitored—manually or automatically—to ensure the process stays within optimal maturation conditions.
Monitoring is Essential
Composting success depends heavily on moisture and temperature, which must be continuously monitored—manually or automatically—to ensure the process stays within optimal maturation conditions.
Compost has to be monitored throughout the entire process. Temperatures above 65°C can burn valuable carbon, turning it into ‘invaluable ashes’.
Composting in the IoT Era
Composting is a rather delicate procedure that requires constant supervision by experts to produce high-quality compost in a timely manner, thus requiring the employment of specialized personnel.
The Need for Automation
While automated composting machinery exists to reduce human intervention, it often fails to maintain the quality needed for proper composting supervision. To replace constant human oversight, advanced computing systems are needed—capable of real-time analysis of sensor data related to both the compost and its environment. These systems can then determine what actions are required to keep composting on track.
Role of Cloud and IoT Technologies
Cloud computing and the rapid expansion of Internet of Things (IoT) frameworks have driven the development of more intuitive, autonomous composting systems. These modern systems aim to minimize human involvement while improving reliability and compliance.
Continuous Monitoring with IoT Systems
Modern IoT monitoring systems offer real-time temperature tracking to optimize the transformation of biowaste into compost. Wireless temperature probes—inserted at various depths in the compost piles—provide uninterrupted monitoring without the need for physical cables.
The historical temperature data offers a complete picture of the composting stages, from fermentation to curing and maturation. This information not only ensures process optimization but also serves as documentation for regulatory compliance, helping to assure both sanitary authorities and customers of quality. It also improves worker safety by reducing exposure to harmful gases like ammonia or nitrogen.
Example: The KOU10 Temperature Probe
The KOU10 is an affordable compost temperature probe that operates on LoRaWAN technology. It can last up to 7 years on a single set of batteries, making it a durable and low-maintenance solution for long-term compost monitoring.
Advanced aerated compost systems
Unlike static piles, turned aerated pile systems are turned 2 to 3 times per week to break up organic material, re-establish porosity, and re-wet the compost. Turned aerated pile systems require below-grade aeration systems to allow for regular turning without the hassle of re-positioning above-grade piping. Odors are managed using bio-filters and bio-covers that meet the most stringent air quality regulations. The compact footprint makes it possible to put a facility inside a building and also minimize the stormwater collection requirements for outdoor installations.
While these sorts of solutions are proven to work best, they are still very expensive and most compost management groups cannot afford such a big investment in their facilities.
Summary
Comparing different types of compost temperature-checking solutions brings up an obvious advantage to the automated readings provided by IoT smart sensors. A simple calculation shows that labor costs over a 5-year period, result in extremely high expenditures.
While temperature readings seem simple, it still takes a lot of time for a worker to go around the compost area and stuff the temperature probes into compost piles. Because the temperature changes during the day, I presumed it takes about half a person to do that constantly (having the other half for other activities).
IoT sensors provide automatic readings, but there are other costs that have to be taken into account. The probes themselves are more expensive, there has to be some kind of software or middleware installed in the base computer to provide the readings. Then there is also battery life.
Figure 2: Comparing different types of compost temperature-checking solutions
If we compare WiFi or cellular to LoRaWAN, there is also a noticeable edge on the side of high performance, low power, and affordable connectivity. LoRaWAN networks provide long-range, low-energy use readings which result in almost maintenance-free operation over a 7-year battery lifetime. They also have a significantly longer range (up to 50km) which means there can be only one gateway installed over a large compost management area.
“IoT solutions differ, most notably in the type of network they use. LoRaWAN has an advantage here over Wifi or cellular.”
Q&A
- What specific chemical reactions occur during composting?
During composting, microbial respiration generates metabolic heat. Organic matter breaks down via oxidation, turning into humus, water, and carbon dioxide. High temperatures speed up this process and promote additional chemical reactions, especially those breaking down lignin and cellulose in tougher plant materials.
- How do IoT compost temperature measuring systems help maintain moisture levels?
IoT compost systems often combine temperature and humidity sensors. They monitor conditions in real-time and trigger alerts or actions (like misting) to maintain optimal moisture. This ensures microbial activity continues without hitting anaerobic or dry conditions.