Biochar production for white radish cultivation for higher ... production for white radish cultivation for higher productivity and CO 2 capture Dr. Thavivongse Sriburi Managing Director

Biochar production for white radish cultivation for higher productivity and

CO2 capture

Dr. Thavivongse SriburiManaging Director

Chula UnisearchChulalongkorn University

DirectorPadeng Biochar Research Center

Presentation

▫ Objective▫ Biochar production and properties▫ Growing white radish▫ Results▫ Other experiments

Dr. Thavivongse Sriburi

Objective:

▫ To investigate the use of biochar as a soil amendment for cultivation of white radish, and examines its effect on production and amount of carbon capture.


Experimental sites:The experiment was conducted at Padeng Biochar Research Center (PdBRC), Tambon Padeng, Amphoe Kaeng Krachan, Petchaburi Province, in southern Thailand. The site is situated 250 kilometers to the south of Bangkok. The site was selected because of severe soil degradation and annual water shortages prevailing in the area. The majority of laboratory analyses was done on-site, with some samples sent for analysis to Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.


Severe soil degradationWater shortages

Biochar production and properties


Controlled Temperature Biochar Retort for Slow Pyrolysis Process


Biochar Standards set by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the year 1994

Pyrolysis

Flash low Temp.

(FLT)

Flash high Temp.

(FHT)

Slow

(SLW)

Feedstock size small small moderateMoisture Parameters

v. low v. low low

Temp °C 450-600 650-900 500-600Pressure, bar 1 0.1- 1 1Max. input, t/h 0.05 0.02 5ProductsGas, % wt dry 12 70 40MJ/Nm3 10-20 10-20 5-10Liquid % 62 20 30MJ/Kg 23 23 23Solid % 26 10 30MJ/Kg 30 30 30Dr. Thavivongse Sriburi

8

8

51

6

7

1. Metal tank5. Concrete cesspool6. Concrete cesspool

cover7. Chimney8. Air inlet

Details of OutsideBiochar Retort




2

1

4

3

1. Metal tank2. Tank cover3. Tank bind4. Syngas outlet

hole

Biochar Retort Details of Inside


• Materials used to build Biochar Retort


Biochar retort assembly and temperature measurement



Temperature(degree Celsius)

Time (15 min.)

T1

T2

T1 is temperature inside retortT2 is temperature at chimney


Grinding process


Laboratory Analysis:▫ C-H-N Analysis▫ Heating Value▫ Surface and Interface Analyses▫ Water Holding Capacity


Preliminary results


White radish experiments


This study investigates the use of biochar as a soil additive in white radish (Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus) cultivation, and examines its effect on production and net CO2 emissions. Field experiments were conducted over 2 growing seasons (dry and wet), with five treatments (untreated soil only, untreated soil+organic fertilizer, and 3 sets of untreated soil+organic fertilizer+biochar).


Soil preparation

untreated soil untreated soil+organic fertilizer

3 sets of untreated soil+organic fertilizer+biochar


50 days crops

untreated soil untreated soil+organic fertilizer

3 sets of untreated soil+organic fertilizer+biocharDr. Thavivongse Sriburi

Harvesting


Measuring


Biomass measurement


Drying process


Calculation

Carbon calculation by using CO2 evaluation solution

(IPCC, 2006):

CO2 vegetable capture (mg CO2 m-2) = dry weight

(mg) ×47%× 44/12] / cultivation area (m2)


Treatment average length (cm) average diameter (cm) average weight (gm)

1st crop

2nd crop

average 1st crop

2nd

cropaverage 1st

crop2nd

crop2

average

Untreated soil 24.43 11.13 17.78 3.10 2.08 2.59 91.17 14.34 52.76

Untreated soil + organic fertilizer 22.04 20.42 21.23 2.44 3.52 2.98 90.40 103.75 97.08

Untreated soil + organic fertilizer+ 1 kg. of biochar 19.00 23.75 21.38 2.38 3.18 2.78 101.90 93.50 97.70



White radish production for 2 crops with different treatments


Treatment Average dry weight (gm)

CO2 capture (mg CO2 m-2)

1st crop 2nd crop 1st crop 2nd crop average

Untreated soil 6.54 0.88 195,771.90 16,127.45 105,949.68

Untreated soil + organic fertilizer 6.49 3.95 207,758.43 72,877.65 140,318.04

Untreated soil + organic fertilizer+ 1 kg. of biochar 7.38 2.96 235,414.71 54,510.78 144,962.75



Carbon capture in form of biomass


Results

• The findings of this study confirmed our hypothesis that high quality biochar can boost yield and contribute to climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration in the soil.

• In soil amended with 13 % of biochar the length, diameter, weight and dry weight of the harvested radish were, respectively, 37.85%, 11.58%, 134.38% and 55.39% greater than in control plots.

• CO2 capture also was 40.68 % higher than in untreated soil.


This provides new evidence to support the hypothesis that untreated soil incorporation of farm-produced biochar can contribute to mitigation of GHG emissions from agricultural activities, while boosting productivity.


Problems:1.1st crop cultivation (dry season), during 3 weeks of experiment we were facing insects problem.2.2nd crop cultivation (wet season), from 2nd

to 4th week of experiment there were heavy rainfall.


3rd experiments


Other Experiments at PdBRC


Chinese mustard experiments on CO2 release


▫ Chinese mustard is popular and important components of the daily diet in Asian countries, and farmers are being encouraged to grow more widely both to improve nutrition and their livelihoods. For these reasons, the crop was selected for the current study, based on normal farmer practice.


CO2 capture process from experiment cultivation to measure CO2 release


The equation used for carbon capture is as follows:

▫ Volume of CO2 captured (mg CO2 m-2) = [Crop weight after oven dry (mg) x 0.5 x 44/12]/ cultivation area (m2)


The results were used to calculate the volume of CO2 emitted by each crop, applying the equation of Hopkins (2006) as follows:

CO2 efflux (mg CO2 m-2 d-1) = 0.5 x [((VNaOH x CNaOH) / 1000) - ((VHCl x CHCl) / 1000)] × 12 ×1000 × (sampling measurement time (hr.)/24) ×(44/12)


Where:

▫ VNaOH is volume of NaOH (ml)

▫ CNaOH is concentration of NaOH (mol L-1)

▫ VHCl is volume of HCl for titration (ml)

▫ CHCl is concentration of HCl for titration (mol L-1)


For the whole cycle of crop, CO2 efflux was calculated using the following formula:

▫ CO2 efflux = Volume of CO2 release from cultivation - volume of CO2 released from bare soil


Total volume of CO2 released was calculated as

the sum of weekly volumes measured from the first

day of cultivation. Weekly volume of CO2 was

calculated as follows:•

CO2 release within 1 week (mg CO2 m–2) =


Where:▫ A is Volume of CO2 release from the crop on

first day of cultivation or volume of CO2 released by the crop on the last day of the last week before of cultivation (in case of second week onward)

▫ is the average value from the different of CO2 within 1 week

▫ n is days within 1 week

• Note: Week is counting after first day cultivation


Treatment Average wet

weight

(gram)

Average dry

weight

(gram)

Untreated soil 28.75 3.44

Untreated soil + organic fertilizer 158.90 13.98

Untreated soil + biochar 41.80 4.26

Untreated soil + organic fertilizer +

biochar 168.46 13.25

Wet and dry weight of Chinese mustard, by treatment


Gross (wet) weight of Chinese mustard after 50 days


Gross dry weight of Chinese mustard after 50 days


1. Untreated soil + organic fertilizer + biochar2. Untreated soil + biochar3. Untreated soil + organic fertilizer4. Untreated soil

Chinese mustard grown in different soil treatmentsDr. Thavivongse Sriburi

Treatment

Average dry weight

after oven

(mg)

Gross CO2

captured

(mg CO2 m-2)

Untreated soil 3,435.00 67,352.94

Untreated soil + organic fertilizer 13,975.00 274,019.61

Untreated soil + biochar 4,260.00 83,529.41

Untreated soil + organic fertilizer

+ biochar 13,250.00 259,803.92

Gross CO2 captured by weight of dry Chinese mustard

Note: Carbon volume collected as biomass (mg CO2 m-2) Calculated from:

[Dry weight after oven (mg)× 0.5× 44/12] / cultivation area (m2)


Treatment

Volume of CO2 release from Chinese mustard (g CO2 m-2 d-1)Total Volume

of CO2 release

(mg CO2 m-2)Day 1 Day 8 Day 15 Day 22 Day 29 Day 36 Day 43 Day 50

Untreated soil 2,485.13 -2,430.49 3,968.08 1,121.49 -4,369.03 477.50 -3,004.57 -1,771.62 -26,805.16

Untreated soil +

organic fertilizer 12,049.95 -6,576.00 519.20 -2,133.25 -4,460.97 -4,655.49 -5,614.32 -3,515.12 -126,306.57

Untreated soil +

biochar 1,334.12 -4,609.36 5,053.55 -2,395.97 -531.95 -1,356.72 -10,418.35 -4,026.81 -110,582.35

Untreated soil +

organic fertilizer

+ biochar -138.93 -2,013.06 10,117.67 2,243.92 -2,215.19 8.26 -10,842.00 142.69 -18,887.77

Volume of CO2 released from Chinese mustard cultivation over 50 days

Note: Total CO2 released collected from day 1 to day 50.


Treatment

A B A-B

CO2 Volume

collected in

form of

biomass

(mg CO2 m-2)

CO2 Volume

released by

Chinese

mustard

(mg CO2 m-2)

Gross CO2

Volume

collected

(mg CO2 m-2)

Untreated soil 67,352.94 -26,805.16 94,158.1

Untreated soil + organic

fertilizer 274,019.61 -126,306.57 400,326.18

Untreated soil + biochar 83,529.41 -110,582.35 194,111.76

Untreated sol + organic

fertilizer + biochar 259,803.92 -18,887.77 278,691.69

Gross CO2 volume collected by Chinese mustard


Volume of CO2 released from Chinese mustard cultivation over 50 days


Other experiments

Vegetable experiment plots

Orchid plantation by using biochar

• Orchids

• Rice Plantation

Cassava Experiment

Corn Experiments

Thank You for Your Attention


Documents

Biochar production for white radish cultivation for higher ... production for white radish cultivation for higher productivity and CO 2 capture Dr. Thavivongse Sriburi Managing Director