[Gasification] Screening Char

[Peter & Kerry Davies]

Don't believe everything you hear about how the "best" biochar is made. 
The research promoting this was done by the companies who only have low 
temperature pyrolysis systems and have sought to "define" the product 
this way. These same companies over here also quote a capital cost of 
+$5 million per tonne/hr and a ongoing processing cost of +$20 tonne of 
the feedstock!

Professionally conducted trials by Greening Australia, a environmental 
NGO here in Oz, has shown excellent results with both nursery and field 
trials with low volatile (high temperature) chars including ours which 
are >85% fixed carbon. Soil treatments with these higher fixed C chars 
responded quicker with higher germination rates and superior growth and 
survival rates. Though applying it as a soil amendment may not always be 
its best use. High temp chars whilst not strictly "activated" still have 
a high iodine number and so could have a place as low cost water 
treatment, as well as other uses including pizza ovens...

Take a look at:

http://www.greeningaustralia.org.au/community/news-item?newsItemId=259&state=1&newsListingUrl=community/vic&nationalId=7

http://www.iie.org/en/Programs/Alcoa-Foundation-Advancing-Sustainability-Research/Biochar-and-Energy-from-Trees/Research

Cheers,
Peter


Andrew wrote: On 3/08/2012 5:00 AM, 
gasification-request at lists.bioenergylists.org wrote:
> I learned the char from my imbert may not be most useful for gardening, because my char is made at temperatures way higher than temperatures at which the most beneficial biochar is made.