[Stoves] Biochar retort

[Lanny Henson]

If I were trying to char bales of straw I would start with a kiln that tumbles, like an industrial dryer. 
If you tumbled the bales in a cage the straw would fall out to the bottom of the kiln as it chars.
I charred a square bale (actually rectangular) of wheat straw in my barbecue cooker once. I replaced the bale strings with wire and the whole bale cooked to char and stayed together. It stunk up the place.
Lanny

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: YES SIR! 
  To: stoves at lists.bioenergylists.org 
  Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2013 2:55 PM
  Subject: [Stoves] Biochar retort


  I am looking to build a GIANT retort.  I have an unlimited supply of compressed wheat straw bales (approx. 500,000lbs per yr).  They measure 4'x5'x3' and weigh about 400lbs each.  I am wanting to build a retort large enough to hold anywhere from 1 to 10 of these bales, probably horizontally.  My question is will these bales fully pyrolyze "as is" with perhaps a few inches of airflow on all sides and between bales inside the retort?  


  Thank you,

  Mike



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