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Greetings Paul !<br>
<br>
No problem with your criticism/correction. But as I understand
it (and I'm no expert) "oils ain't oils" and Biochar ain't just
biochar". Depending on the soil analysis a good soil doctor
would produce a prescription biochar, which would mean different
temperatures etc as you descdribe. The topic is complex and I
certainly can't describe it in a few linesand neither am I
qualified to. It's a bit like worms. Some people say to me
"Tell me all about worms". I've written 3 books (Best Sellers) on
the topic and haven't covered it properly yet.<br>
<br>
DJM.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On 09/12/2013 10:16 AM, Paul Judd wrote:<br>
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 07/12/13 09:00, David Murphy
wrote:<br>
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<font face="Verdana">Greetings Biochar/Gasifier people !</font><br>
<p class="MsoNormal"><big>Everybody & his dog seems to have
something to say about charcoal/biochar/biochar-compost mix
and so on.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> Well, h</span>ere’s
another dog to bark his piece !<o:p> <br>
</o:p></big></p>
<big> </big>
<p class="MsoNormal"><big>Biochar is often seen as the great
agricultural panacea, but </big><big><u>it is not</u></big><big>.</big><big><span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></big><big>Biochar is a
name given to plain ordinary charcoal to indicate that it is
destined for use in soil improvement, but basically it is
still plain ordinary charcoal, just crushed into smaller
particles. </big><big><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></big><big>In
some circumstances it is a very beneficial tool but it is
not magical as some proponents seem to think. Just
remember, all charcoal has a bio-origin - wood.<o:p> <br>
</o:p></big></p>
<big> </big>
<p class="MsoNormal"><big>In some Ag. trials in </big><big><st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region></big><big>
it significantly improved crop volume (treble in one case)
but in other instances, nothing worth writing home about.</big><big><span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></big><big>It depends
on what the soil is like to start with.<o:p> <br>
</o:p></big></p>
<big> </big>
<p class="MsoNormal"><big>Charcoal is stable.</big><big><span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></big><big>That means
it does not take part in any composting system (which is one
primarily of bacterial digestion) and it is indigestible so
that when offered as a dietary supplement (in poultry food
for example) it passes through the digestive system
physically unchanged but will adsorb a high proportion of
the gases and some toxins produced in the process of
digestion, because that is what charcoal does. For this
reason, it's adsorption capability, poultry will generally
do better on a little charcoal. <br>
</big></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><big> Quite a few pages could be filled on
the beneficial services provided by charcoal as it travels
through the digestive system, but it does it as charcoal
only and as nothing else. By all means use a little in the
feed, you can only benefit. <br>
</big><br>
<big>The only physical way to change the nature of charcoal is
to burn it. That is why it lasts in soil (or wherever it
is) for thousands of years.</big></p>
<big> </big>
<p class="MsoNormal"><big>It has an incredibly high surface area
of 360 m</big><big><sup>2 </sup></big><big>(varies) and is
a mass of minute tunnels which in turn means a very high
volume and gases become trapped in these tunnels.</big><big><span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></big><big>It does not
</big><big><u>ab</u></big><big>sorb, it </big><big><u>ad</u></big><big>sorbs
and traps only.</big><big><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></big><big>The
difference between absorb and adsorb is the same as the
difference in liquids of suspension and solution.</big><big><span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></big><big>Clay
particles will be in suspension, sugar and salt go into
solution.<o:p> <br>
</o:p></big></p>
<big> </big>
<p class="MsoNormal"><big>Charcoal is useful in an aerobic
composting system because again of the entrapment of air in
the tunnels.</big><big><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></big><big>A
composting system goes well if there is enough oxygen
bearing air available to the bacteria which are a
significant part of the system.</big><big><span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></big><big><span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></big><big>The more air,
the higher the population of bacteria (other factors being
OK). </big><big><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></big><big><span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></big><big>The charcoal
itself is inoperative, and doesn’t change, nor is it a
catalyst, it simply provides a service. It will only
provide a haven for soil benevolent bacteria if there is
something trapped in the tunnels which the bacteria can eat.<o:p>
<br>
</o:p></big></p>
<big> </big>
<p class="MsoNormal"><big>Charcoal is a good adsorber of gas and
liquid simply because that is what it does.</big><big><span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></big><big>Zeolite on
the other hand, can have an even higher surface are per gram
and has a propensity to entrap gases, most particularly
nitrogen in it’s various forms – as gas – ammonium for
example – and in liquids as a salt of NO</big><big><sub>3 </sub></big><big>.</big><big><span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></big><big>It actually
draws them in (like a magnet attracts ferric objects) where
charcoal just takes it as it comes. It is easy to see
also why charcoal is so effective as a filter, but if you
have a solution rich in nitrogen, run it through Zeolite and
the N will be removed. </big><big>Add some to the litter<o:p>
in poultry grower sheds, there will be fewer mortalities
because the ammonia which sometimes will asphixiate small
birds will be absorbed.</o:p> Zeolite will take N out
of solution, charcoal will not. There's 40 natural forms
of Zeolite and more than another 150 can be synthesised, so
choose carefully for the one most appropriate to your
problem. Zeolite can perform an amazing range of actions.
Once used and applied as fertiliser, Zeolite subsequently
will release the N<o:p> slowly and remain in the soil as a
balancer of N. Too much, it will take it in (so that the
soil pH is not lowered) and release it as required.<br>
</o:p></big></p>
<big> </big>
<p class="MsoNormal"><big>Charcoal’s great stuff though, it's
easy to make and holds answers to a lot of problems - but
not all !</big></p>
<big>David Murphy.</big> <br>
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BioChar is not "ordinary charcoal".<br>
Charcoal is usually made at temperatures above 1000C and all
volatiles are removed.<br>
Bio-char is made a lower temperatures, 400~600C just above
spontaneous combustion temperature of organic material (wet or
dry). It contains tars and a different structure withing the
hollows than `ordinary charcoal`. It is the structure and the tars
that make a good home for soil micro organisms. It also holds
water and minerals better than charcoal. <br>
<br>
See <a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.biochar-international.org/">http://www.biochar-international.org/</a>
for more detailed information and projects.<br>
<br>
Local Australian groups:<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://biocharproject.org/">http://biocharproject.org/</a><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.bioenergyaustralia.org/">http://www.bioenergyaustralia.org/</a><br>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Paul Judd B.App.Sc. Secondary Metallurgy, Dip Electrotechnology Renewable Energy, Dip Sustainability
Trainer and Sustainability Advisor
PAJeco Sustainable Education
Sustainability: Learning to live today but leaving enough to live tomorrow
<a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.pajeco.com.au">http://www.pajeco.com.au</a>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:paul.a.judd@pajeco.com.au">paul.a.judd@pajeco.com.au</a>
+61415518134</pre>
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