The Composting Toilet First Chamber – Bio-Drum
Sun-Mar’s Unique Bio-Drum
The Sun Mar Bio Drum is an integral part of the composting toilet. Composting requires an environment where there is warmth, moisture, organic material, and oxygen. Sun-Mar creates this ideal environment in the patented Bio-Drum. The unique Sun-Mar Bio-drum ensures aerobic microbes flourish, which work much more quickly to break down waste in the composting toilet and convert it back to earth.
Composting Toilet Operational Simplicity
Waste and mulch enter through the waste inlet port at the top of the drum. To mix and aerate, rotate the drum periodically, simply by turning the handle on the front of self-contained units or on the side of centex units. During rotation the inlet door closes automatically keeping the compost in the drum. To empty compost from the composting toilet simply release the drum locker and rotate the drum backwards. Now, the inlet port in the Bio-Drum opens automatically and compost drops directly into the compost finishing drawer. After rotating, the Bio-drum locks itself in a top dead center position ready to receive new material.
Advantages of the Sun Mar Bio-Drum
Supplying Oxygen in the Composting Toilet
Sun-Mar’s unique Bio-Drum design allows the user to roll the compost through 360 degrees. It is the easiest and best possible way to thoroughly and completely mix and oxygenate the compost. Rotate the drum, and the entire compost pile is tumbled and infused with oxygen. Oxygen is one key ingredient which allows aerobic bacteria to break down waste quickly and without odor.
Controlling Moisture in the Composting Toilet
Moisture control, the other basic requirement for good composting, is one of the outstanding benefits offered only by Sun-Mar’s Bio-drum. Below 40% moisture content, composting slows and eventually stops completely. By not applying direct heat to the compost, Sun-Mar ensures that it does not dry out. In addition, the tumbling action during periodic mixing distributes moisture evenly throughout the compost. The ideal moisture content in the composting toilet is 40-60%. Above 60% moisture content, liquid starts to drive out the oxygen in the compost, and the compost becomes increasingly anaerobic,- like a septic system. Sun-Mar’s unique Bio-drum optimizes composting speeds by automatically draining any excess liquid through a screen at the bottom of the drum directly into the evaporation chamber.
Maintaining Warmth in the Composting Toilet
The microbes generate their own heat as they work. This warmth is held in the compost by the mass of material inside the drum, supported by indirect heat from the base heater (in electric units). By avoiding direct heat, Sun-Mar ensures that composting will not slow down as the material gets dried out.
The Ideal Environment for Aerobic Bacteria in the Composting Toilet
Uneven distribution of oxygen and moisture allows anaerobic bacteria to take over. These microbes produce bad odors and do not allow the waste to break down quickly. The superior oxygenation and moisture control provided by the Bio-drum provides the ideal environment for aerobic bacteria to odorlessly break down organic material. They quickly convert organic material into water and carbon dioxide, and leave behind simple salts which are ideal for uptake by plants.