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New England BiocharNew England BiocharPeter Hirst

Orleans, MAwww.newenglandbiochar.com

Ideal CompostIdeal CompostMike Lombard

Peterborough, NHwww.idealcompost.com

Rainbow’s End BiocharRainbow’s End BiocharCornelius du Plessis

Pawling, NYwww.rainbowsendbiochar.com

Buying BiocharBuying Biochar

Feedstocks

WastesAgricultureCrop residuesProcess residuesAnimal manures

ForestryTimber ImprovementLogging residuesMilling

LandscapingYard wastesWoody debris

Constuction Debris?

Municipal Solid Waste?

Croplands for Fuel?

Compost or Char?wet or dry?Char needs compostCompost needs char

sources of raw material

Tree Plantations?

Woody or Weedy?woody expectationsparticle size reductionmicropore sizes

How to Make BiocharHow to Make Biochar

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How to Make BiocharHow to Make Biochar

Slow PyrolysisLow temperature < 500CTraditional: dirty, pollution, inefficient, low char yieldModern: clean, contained, controlled, efficient, high yield

Flash PyrolysisModern: high pressure, high temperature, high char yield

Fast PyrolysisModern: high temperature, maximum bio-oil, low char yield

GasificationModern:, maximum bio-gas production, minimum bio-oil

production, low char yield, but highly recalcitrant

Hydrothermal Carbonizationunder development, wet feedstock, high pressurehighest “char” yield, but quite different compositionprobably not as recalcitrant as pyrolytic biocarbonsclick to

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Professional Engineerrequired for design & operation

Processes

Masonry Charcoal KilnMasonry Charcoal KilnPine Plains, New York 1800’sPine Plains, New York 1800’sThacher Community Forest, Hancock, New HampshireThacher Community Forest, Hancock, New HampshireEastern Pennsylvania 1800’sEastern Pennsylvania 1800’sWired Wired magazinemagazine Top Ten Top Ten WaterWater PhotosPhotos June 2008June 2008

Amazon Basin, South America 2008Amazon Basin, South America 2008

How NOT to Make BiocharHow NOT to Make BiocharHow to Make BiocharHow to Make BiocharNOT NOT

Photographer’s caption: Photographer’s caption: ”This man works making charcoal of illegal wood. He drinks the same water he is destroying……”click to

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EquipmentEquipmentPortable Metal Charcoal KilnPortable Metal Charcoal Kiln

United NationsUnited NationsFood & Agriculture OrganizationFood & Agriculture Organization

How to Make BiocharHow to Make BiocharTechnology of Controlled CombustionTechnology of Controlled Combustion

carbonization

gasification

hi temperature

lo temperature

cold carbon smoke

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after ignition, no extra energy required if feedstock & oxygen are availableafter ignition, no extra energy required if feedstock & oxygen are available

processheat

thermal destruction of biomassthermal destruction of biomassPyrolysisPyrolysis

excess energy is released and is self-sustainingexcess energy is released and is self-sustaining

(gasification)(gasification)How to Make BiocharHow to Make Biochar

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after ignition, no extra energy required if feedstock & oxygen are availableafter ignition, no extra energy required if feedstock & oxygen are available

preserve microporespreserve microporesincrease char yieldincrease char yield

thermal destruction of biomassthermal destruction of biomass

as temperature increases

water

Formic AcidFormic AcidAcetic AcidAcetic Acid

CombustiblesCombustibles

Flammable TarsFlammable Tars

VolatilesVolatiles

CondensatesCondensates

charcoalcharcoalremainsremains

Danny Day, EPRIDADanny Day, EPRIDA

ResinsResins

PyrolysisPyrolysis

excess energy is released and is self-sustainingexcess energy is released and is self-sustaining

(gasification)(gasification)

SyngasSyngas

How to Make BiocharHow to Make Biochar

low temperaturelow temperature

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COCOHH22CHCH44

Feedstock itself is burnedSome is converted to ash instead of char

Produces a lot of smoke

Direct Burn MethodDirect Burn Method

steamsteam

tars & resinstars & resinsliquidsliquids

vaporsvaporsgasesgases

gravel gravel oror concrete concrete

SOILSOIL

AIR VENTSAIR VENTS

30 gallon30 gallondrumdrum

= water = H= water = H22OOCO + CHCO + CH44 + H + H22 = =

formic acid =formic acid =acetic acidacetic acid

1-2 hours1-2 hourssmoldersmolder

= volatile organic matter (VOM)= volatile organic matter (VOM)polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)

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How to Make BiocharHow to Make Biochar