InnCOM_PULS

Small composting plants (up to 300 Mg per year) are often run by nurseries or operators such as botanical gardens or family allotment gardens. The operation of such installations is based on the use of mobile machinery primarily intended for gardening purposes: chippers, small tractors, garden loaders etc. The sufficient particle size of the final product is a major concern in the production of compost-based organic substrates. The product is made several times a year: a small batch, e.g. 100–150 m³, is ready every 3 to 4 months, and needs to be prepared (by sieving) in order to obtain the proper particle size and to separate non-decomposed particles and contamination, if any. The existing solutions are suitable for use on a much larger scale (in plants with a production potential of ca. Mg per year or more) because of high purchase costs, machinery footprint and transport issues (class C+E driver’s license is required). The existing sorters (e.g. for bark) are not set up to deal with the bulk density or specific nature of compost (much higher moisture content, different bulk density, different particle size, presence of larger objects). A large sieve may be rented for large product quantities which results in the need to store large quantities of nearly-finished materials, and afterwards to pass it through the sieve at once, and to start collecting large quantities of the product once again. In this context, note that the product is sold on an irregular basis over the year, and the ability to quickly prepare a batch of material on an ad-hoc basis plays a crucial role. The designed solution perfectly supplements the machinery of small composting plants and greenery managers which may extend their offering with services delivered at customer premises.

The technology referred to as “Mobile compost sieve for small-scale installations,” was developed by the Department of Hydraulic and Sanitary Engineering, Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Spatial Planning of the Poznań University of Life Sciences, in cooperation with the Poznań Science and Technology Park of the Adam Mickiewicz University Foundation based in Poznań.

Well before the completion of research, the Poznań Science and Technology Park of the Adam Mickiewicz University hired an independent expert company to assess the market value of the technology. Authors of the solution contributed to the valuation process with their expertise. After the tests, the University employees who co-authored the technology reported the outcomes of scientific research and the related know-how to the Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer as per the applicable procedure. The report on the outcomes triggered a dedicated procedure to make the decision on the commercialization of the solution in accordance with the Management rules for copyrights, related rights, industrial property rights and the principles for commercialization at the Poznań University of Life Sciences. In parallel to the preparation of the commercialization process, an agreement governing the rights to technology was made and entered into between the Poznań University of Life Sciences and the Adam Mickiewicz University Foundation based in Poznań, because that matter was not regulated under the rules of the Innovativeness Incubator program. The Director of the Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer issued a favorable opinion on the suitability of the technology for commercialization. The opinion was accepted by the competent Deputy Rector. As a next step, the Board in charge of Commercialization and Intellectual Property of the University adopted a resolution authorizing the University to launch the commercialization process. Upon meeting the internal procedural requirements, an invitation to submit offers for the purchase of technology package licenses or acquisition of technology rights was published at the website of the Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer. A proposal to acquire the technology package was submitted by Interpaw, a service company.

In September 2015, after negotiating the conditions governing the acquisition of rights to specific know-how covered by the technology package, Stowarzyszenie Nasza Ziemia Piotrkowska and the Poznań University of Life Sciences signed a license agreement.

Interpaw service company is preparing to implement the technology and keeps the University informed of the progress through implementation reports delivered as per the agreement.