[Stoves] Char

[Frank Shields]

Dear Tom, Paul, Jeff, Ron and Stovers,

The observations I made were of bagasse added to compost - not your typical
compost made of all natural products. Typical compost will have very little
oils and lipids, water soluble sugars and a lot of cellulose, lignin etc. I
think bagasse will be listed as water soluble sugars but haven't done tests
to determine. 

Observation 1)
There was definitely a hard crust at the container bottom and burnt sugar
smell in the 55 deg samples. The samples were put into a 55 deg. chamber so
did not go through the temperature profile typical of composting. There is
also sugar added to the composting feedstock blend.   

Observation 2) 
The box was loaded with formulated feedstock and cups and plates made of
bagasse added. It went through a natural, normal temperature cycle and
reached 70 deg. in a few days and stayed there for a couple weeks using one
of the 'high heat' compost formulas we have. They did not biodegrade. Using
lower temperature mixes we have they did biodegrade. We have seen this many
times so not a one time observation. 

As to the reason I don't know. But I find this interesting and put it on my
list of future projects to look into. Will it occur at 55 deg without the
microbes from the compost(?). Are there small pockets of higher heat from
chemical reaction during composting that char the cups(?). Will temperatures
of the cups alone at 55 deg and 70deg reduce the availability of the
carbon(?). 

I don't think this can be called fixed or resident or recalcitrant carbon
expected to last 1000 years (but don't know).  

Just interesting observation

Frank 














Frank Shields
Control Laboratories, Inc.
42 Hangar Way
Watsonville, CA  95076
(831) 724-5422 tel
(831) 724-3188 fax
frank at compostlab.com
www.compostlab.com
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: stoves-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org
[mailto:stoves-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Tom Miles
Sent: Saturday, May 28, 2011 12:14 PM
To: 'Discussion of biomass cooking stoves'
Subject: Re: [Stoves] Char

Frank,

Is there any benefit to the composting to char or heat part of the bagasse
first?

Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: stoves-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org
[mailto:stoves-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Frank Shields
Sent: Saturday, May 28, 2011 11:53 AM
To: 'Discussion of biomass cooking stoves'
Subject: [Stoves] Char


Stover's,

Perhaps of interest, we test products for the Biodegradable Products
Institute and some are made from bagasse. When composted at low temperatures
< 45 deg C these products break down easily. But when composting
temperatures go to 70 deg C the bagasse chars and they remain as the same
structure (only darker) as the product we put in the compost. Proof that
charring is resistant to biodegradation. 


Frank





Frank Shields
Control Laboratories, Inc.
42 Hangar Way
Watsonville, CA  95076
(831) 724-5422 tel
(831) 724-3188 fax
frank at compostlab.com
www.compostlab.com
 
 


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