If one googles "the simplest of the simple", "a two-barrel charcoal retort" up pops a method of efficient charcoal making instructions: smokeless and cooks food / heats water at the same time... made from 2 old metal barrels/buckets, with hammer and nail. *that* does not require making of new machinery. It does not give liquid fuel though. And charcoal itself adds no nutrients to land, none at all: it has to be mixed with wet compost (biodigestor sludge or urine for example). patent free.
@MaxTperson though that liquid fuel part intrigues me... and in areas where village can afford and maintain one of these mentioned units, it might turn out to be superior.
Where bodies of water have been overburdened with nutrients (dung from cattlefields, etc.) we could take rainwashed sundried seaweeds (or just sundried water hyacinths / ceratophyllum demersum) and that might work just as well ? At least local seaweed stems seem to pyrolyse just fine in the barrel charcoaler.
Also, if this is scaled up with units distributed far and wide- how much carbon is released into the atmosphere from the production of steel and other materials used in this pyrolyser?
I accept biochar is a carbon-negative process, but with regards energy production, how much energy is needed from outside sources to keep the pyrolysis reaction going? My basic understanding is that pyrolysis is an endothermic reaction, meaning it doesn't generate heat, but does require heat to continue. That heat has to come from somewhere, where does it come from with your process?
If one googles "the simplest of the simple", "a two-barrel charcoal retort" up pops a method of efficient charcoal making instructions: smokeless and cooks food / heats water at the same time... made from 2 old metal barrels/buckets, with hammer and nail. *that* does not require making of new machinery. It does not give liquid fuel though. And charcoal itself adds no nutrients to land, none at all: it has to be mixed with wet compost (biodigestor sludge or urine for example). patent free.
MaxTperson 4 months ago
@MaxTperson though that liquid fuel part intrigues me... and in areas where village can afford and maintain one of these mentioned units, it might turn out to be superior.
Where bodies of water have been overburdened with nutrients (dung from cattlefields, etc.) we could take rainwashed sundried seaweeds (or just sundried water hyacinths / ceratophyllum demersum) and that might work just as well ? At least local seaweed stems seem to pyrolyse just fine in the barrel charcoaler.
MaxTperson 4 months ago
Also, if this is scaled up with units distributed far and wide- how much carbon is released into the atmosphere from the production of steel and other materials used in this pyrolyser?
doktorandom 7 months ago
I accept biochar is a carbon-negative process, but with regards energy production, how much energy is needed from outside sources to keep the pyrolysis reaction going? My basic understanding is that pyrolysis is an endothermic reaction, meaning it doesn't generate heat, but does require heat to continue. That heat has to come from somewhere, where does it come from with your process?
blahdelablah 1 year ago
Love it!
jasond27 1 year ago
Awesome guys! Right to the point, and a kicking soundtrack!
willdabeestie 2 years ago