[Stoves] [biochar-production] Re: Stoves Digest, Vol 14, Issue 17

[ajheggie at gmail.com]

On Wednesday 26 October 2011 21:54:47 Frank Shields wrote:
> Because we 'make' more ash when we
> change the cations into carbonates (increasing weight) during the
> process. More cations from vegetative matter the more the problem. And
> this quantity of ash is not what we are spreading on the field. Also
> the carbon trapped in the ash (as CO3) is not included in the fixed
> carbon fraction - it should be because it comes from the organic carbon
> in the raw sample.

Just picking up on one small point in your post: I infer that you are 
saying as the sample is heated to  higher temperatures in the "ashing" 
process, to drive off remaining volatiles, carbonates form. In fact I 
suspect these are also a feature of chars from gasifiers.

I don't think this carbon can count as recalcitrant as it will be gassed 
off as CO2 in acid conditions.

AJH