Jean Pain Composting with a twist

[(unknown)]

I have been researching the Jean Pain composting setup and have been thinking of doing something like it but just a little differnnt but need information please let me know your ideas.

Jean Pains way was to,make a pile of compost 10 yards wide 50 yards long ruffley

than using 100 foot of coiled pipe for heating water it was wraped around a tank in the middel of the compost pile witch was filled with water soked compost that tank used the heat of the compost pile as well as other things to retreave gas to be used for coking ect.

Where iam looking at changing things basickly i will do the same methot But looking at adding this twist for space saving.

iam looking at diging a hold 4-5 foot deep 10 yards wide 10 yards long cenering the tank itside the hole the filling the hole with compost chiped wood leaves ect and keep piling it untill it was 10 foot above ground level this would be a told of 14 -15 foot high by 10 yards square .

My Question is this How well does earth Insulate to hold in heat i rember when i build a small foundryi used only dirt packed tightly as the  Insulater after shuting it down even 5 hours later it was still verey warmto the touch so my thinking is that earth with help greatly hold in the heat witch will be a great help to be being as my system will be smaller in size or at least that is my hope.

any information or ideas you guys as add i will be greatfull for .

never know what can be done till you try

[Bruce S]

His method is a very good one to use, keep reading on it too I think there's updates that explained the gas process after he had a year's worth of testing.

The Earth is both a very good insulator and sink.

What the hole will do without a barrier of some sort will try to keep your pile at an even level.

Sitting the pile low is a good idea and will certainly help help the temp at more level temp, BUT it may also remove built up heat.

Once you've dug the hole, find some inexpensive black membrane (small backyard pond liner comes to mind). Use this as a barrier, then put the compost material down, then the rest.

It should work quite well.

Careful on the coil of piping you use, to capture the gases or the amount of heat you use for water exchange, you could lower the internal heating up below what it needs to keep those little buggers working.

Best is to get the system built get a nice LONG thermometer and once the internal temp us up and stable for a week, then start water exchange.

Have FUN!!

Bruce S

 

[hiker]

man-thats a lot of compost..how long does it last before you have to change it out?

should make for some good garden fertlizer.. might want to add some air vents in that hole..compost needs air..stir things up every once in awhile..

i left a pickup load of grass clippings in the back of my pickup for a week or so

when i went to unload--it sure was hot towards the middle of the pile..

[Bruce S]

hiker;

 It sure will got hot! but no stirring really needed for what he's wanting to do.

Using it has heat exchange to pre-warm DHW and gas production he'll need to keep the temps up in the 150F range.

The fertilizer will be a added plus, BUT you are correct he will need a way to unload some while the pile still works, but depending he may not need a way for the first year.

Will need some veggie garbage too, very little gas production with just brown leaves or grass clippings.

And it could take a lot.

Top capping could be a build up problem so a simple stirring of the top portion will help a ton. it's 2 years on since I put our little one up and it's still going.

By little I mean 4 foot wide by 4 foot tall.

The stuff at the bottom is warm even in sub freezing and snow, makes tomatoes really grow too.

Cheers

Bruce S

[REdiculous]

I think I would try take Bruce's liner idea to the extreme. I know I wouldn't want to have to get down in a hole to shovel out the dead weight...

If you secure the liner on one side then you could push the top of the pile off and lift the loose end to get the rest out of the junk out. Besides a heavy-duty liner, you might need some kind of rigging to lift it...or a tractor.

Just a thought.

[davidwhitton]

Earth will really help the heat and if you can somehow add a layer of air (I know space is an issue) then your heat will go through the roof!

[phillipq266]

One thing i for to say is that wood and wood chips are the main foundation for the compost some leaves iam shure were used but the main part was chiped up and beoken wood lims ect iam also thinking of adding a 50 pound bag of Yeast like farmers use to jumpstart the compost how ever from what i understand his piles lasted 18 monts and made Realy rich compost witch is a nice plus also he soked the compost he put in his tank for 60 days in water befor seting up compost pile thats why he got the gass from it so well .

I do think the lining idea is verey good and will use it iam also looking at using a lack color plastic cover for the first 2 weeks to get the Tem up