The geometry matters as much as the chemistry. These diagrams compress the key physical layouts of the knowledgebase into reference images.
1 · Windrow section
Windrow cross-section: trapezoid profile, hot core, cooler shell, and pad drainage. Peak above ~3 m kills convection — longer, not taller.
TL;DR: trapezoid 3–5 m wide, 1.5–3 m tall, core 55–70 °C, shell re-mixed at each turn, pad slopes 2–4%.
2 · Aerated static pile (ASP) layout
ASP: perforated laterals under a chip plenum, the mix with a biofilter cover, and temperature-feedback blower control. No turning — the recipe must be right at build.
TL;DR: pipes 1–2 m apart → chip plenum → mix → 10–15 cm biofilter cover → blower on temp feedback. Sanitation: 55 °C × 3 days all through.
3 · Turning pattern
Turning moves material outside-in and bottom-to-top so every particle spends time in the hot core. Turn at temperature peak, not on a fixed calendar.
TL;DR: every turning re-mixes shell into core; frequency follows the temperature curve.
4 · Recipe blending (the 3 targets)
Recipe design is hitting three targets simultaneously: C:N 25–40:1, moisture 50–60%, free air space ≥30%. Bulking agents are the free-air-space dial.
TL;DR: one recipe, three dials — use the C:N calculator for the chemistry and coarse chips for the air.
5 · The water story (pad + pile)
Water architecture: clean water diverted, dirty water contained, leachate reused as a dilute nutrient solution. Never let clean water cross the pile. (Deep dive: Water & Leachate.)
6 · Charts & figures across the almanac
The reference diagrams above are the physical geometry; these are the data pictures, process flows and decision charts that sit inside the chapters. Each caption links back to the section it explains.
