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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Paul;,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I believe it should be called biochar. But
I suggest the calculation be done differently. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I suggest the biochar be tested for carbon
and the percent carbon value used for quality range. That because there is not
56.59% ash in the biochar. There is 56.59 % ash in the sample we make by
heating to 550 deg C (I suggest) where the cations like sodium go to NaCO3. Heaver
than just sodium. And the carbon lost in the ash (CO3) is from the rice hull. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I suggest the >50% carbon as excellent
biochar. I do not think rice hulls make the best biochar if we are thinking
carbon or activity as the reference. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I like the idea of a simple test like what
you mention. But for quality rating, carbon credits etc. I think we need to
follow more exact test methods. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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color:navy'> Shields</span></font><font color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
stoves-bounces@lists.bioenergylists.org
[mailto:stoves-bounces@lists.bioenergylists.org] <b><span style='font-weight:
bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Paul Olivier<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Wednesday, October 26, 2011
4:31 PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> <st1:PersonName w:st="on">Discussion
of biomass cooking stoves</st1:PersonName><br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: [Stoves]
[biochar-production] Re: Stoves Digest, Vol 14,Issue 17</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Let us suppose that the
proximate analysis of a rice hull sample is:<br>
15.80% fixed carbon<br>
63.60% volatile matter<br>
20.60% ash.<br>
If we remove all volatile matter, the remainder would be:<br>
43.41% fixed carbon<br>
56.59% ash<br>
Should this material not be called biochar?<br>
<br>
Paul Olivier<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>On Thu, Oct 27, 2011 at 3:54 AM, <st1:PersonName w:st="on">Frank</st1:PersonName>
Shields <<a href="mailto:frank@compostlab.com">frank@compostlab.com</a>>
wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Dear Crispin, Tom,<br>
<br>
I think we need to define a minimum *carbon* content for a material to be<br>
called *biochar*. We can't call something a biochar if it has less than 1%<br>
carbon for example. So where do we draw the line? We need to include all<br>
natural biomass made into biochar like rice hulls. The material needs to<br>
have enough carbon to be useful. So I say 50% carbon a minimum to be<br>
'excellent' biochar knowing that most all natural, clean biomass will<br>
produce a biochar with greater than 70% carbon. But open to other values to<br>
make a scale. This makes it a product with enough value for a grower to<br>
purchase and spread.<br>
<br>
I think the product should have the carbon content defined for quality (not<br>
DAF). We should not include the oxygen and hydrogen and ash. We should<br>
calculate the percent carbon content on the biochar sample dry weight (200<br>
deg C). If we base quality on percent fixed matter (C-H-O) after subtracting<br>
the ash I think there is a mistake. Because we 'make' more ash when we<br>
change the cations into carbonates (increasing weight) during the process.<br>
More cations from vegetative matter the more the problem. And this quantity<br>
of ash is not what we are spreading on the field. Also the carbon trapped in<br>
the ash (as CO3) is not included in the fixed carbon fraction - it should be<br>
because it comes from the organic carbon in the raw sample. These are just<br>
details and perhaps not that important. To do what I think is needed we must<br>
determine the carbon using a Leco CHN analyzer. More work with expensive<br>
equipment. But if we want to get carbon credits in the future we need to<br>
start off accurately measuring the potential CO2 we are fixing. When money<br>
is involved these details need to be addressed. Now is the time or we will<br>
be back here again at a later time.<br>
<br>
Just because the carbon content is 0.1% and the ash is 99.9% doesn't mean<br>
the product is not beneficial for an ag field. But I don't think we should<br>
call it biochar even if someone did add a spoonful into a soil mix. This<br>
rating has nothing to do with benefit to a field. That is site specific. It<br>
has something to do with label on the bag (or may in the future).<br>
<br>
<br>
Regards<br>
<st1:PersonName w:st="on">Frank</st1:PersonName><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Vegatative plant material is 10 to 20 percent. We test a lot for nutrients.<br>
It is very hard to get the customer to bring us a clean sample as it takes<br>
so very little dust and dirt to bring the ash concentration up. I think<br>
harvesting biomass for biofuel and one will not be careful to harvest clean<br>
samples.<br>
<br>
If you have 15% ash in a dry organic material. Loose 60% of the organic<br>
fraction during pyrolysis you have something like 20+ percent ash. And, as<br>
you point out, there can be biomass with much greater than 20% ash.<br>
<br>
I suggested the 50% thinking this would be high enough to include most all<br>
biomass that is made into biochar. Thinking we need some limit that if there<br>
is less than 50% carbon<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<st1:PersonName w:st="on">Frank</st1:PersonName> Shields<br>
Control Laboratories, Inc.<br>
<st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">42 Hangar Way</st1:address></st1:Street><br>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Watsonville</st1:City>, <st1:State
w:st="on">CA</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode w:st="on">95076</st1:PostalCode></st1:place><br>
(831) 724-5422 tel<br>
(831) 724-3188 fax<br>
<a href="mailto:frank@compostlab.com">frank@compostlab.com</a><br>
<a href="http://www.compostlab.com" target="_blank">www.compostlab.com</a><br>
<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>-----Original Message-----<br>
From: <a href="mailto:stoves-bounces@lists.bioenergylists.org">stoves-bounces@lists.bioenergylists.org</a><br>
[mailto:<a href="mailto:stoves-bounces@lists.bioenergylists.org">stoves-bounces@lists.bioenergylists.org</a>]
On Behalf Of Crispin<br>
Pemberton-Pigott<br>
Sent: Wednesday, October 26, 2011 12:42 PM<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>To: <st1:PersonName
w:st="on">Discussion of biomass cooking stoves</st1:PersonName><br>
Subject: Re: [Stoves] [biochar-production] Re: Stoves Digest, Vol 14,Issue<br>
17<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Dear <st1:PersonName
w:st="on">Frank</st1:PersonName><br>
<br>
Apart from the special case of rice hull, how could you get a 50% ash level<br>
in char? Trees are about 0.5% ash. There is not much left of the fuel if<br>
the char is 1% of the initial mass.<br>
<br>
Regards<br>
Crispin<br>
<br>
<st1:PersonName w:st="on">Frank</st1:PersonName>,<br>
<br>
I see the ash/carbon content as a sliding scale with relative changing<br>
benefits rather than a threshold level. If biochar has less carbon than ash<br>
is there still an agronomic benefit?<br>
<br>
It is not clear how the IBI guidelines will be used. The guidelines should<br>
list those components that should be measured. The recommended levels of<br>
those components for different purposes could be separate recommendations<br>
from IBI to a certification agency.<br>
<br>
If the purpose is stability and carbon sequestration why limit counting<br>
recalcitrant carbon even if it is 0.1% carbon or, 99.9% ash?<br>
<br>
Tom<br>
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