Open Air Pyrolytic Biochar Production

Test of prototype for continuous process open air char production. Without having to resort to complicated airlocks, vacuums, seals, or the introduction of Nitrogen, this variation of the LuciaStove (on steroids ;o) ) is able to continuously produce heat and char. This short clip is of a test run at hour seven of this test. Because the wood being used in this test is not 100% dry there is a loss of volume from the volume of wood to that of the final char of approximately equal 1.5 times to the moisture percentage found in the feed stock. The pyrolysis temperature in this unit can be regulated between 580 C and 870 C depending on how warm you want your room and what type of char you want. There is virtually no ash production. As for the four rods, I just did not bother to cut the connecting rods in case I wanted to make modifications before the next test.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• LuciaStove
• WorldStove
• biochar
• pyrolysis
• home
• heating
• carbon
• credits

[86thmountmerrion]

Is there a big difference in efficiency in that stove between hardwoods and softwoods

[WorldStove]

Super question: Efficiency with the LuciaStove seems more linked to uniform fuel density rather than density itself. I.E. if the fuel is all of the same density it is possible to regulate for high efficiency. Some hard and some soft mixed together gives good results, but not as good as if it were all one or the other.

[NCHiker1970]

That is very interesting. I like the design. How is it on fuel? I see it has a taller pipe for a fuel chamber, do you find this to be more effective for a reburner?

[WorldStove]

The end pieces were designed to use standard stove pipe or even unwelded (just rolled with about three cm (1.18in) of overlap) sheet metal. That way I can make any length of stove without having to redesign the hard parts. In this test I was working on a continuous feed system (fuel in char out) but a much shorter tube set will do. It is handy to be able to load once every 16 hours though if you dont want to have the continuous feed system.

[WorldStove]

As for how she is on fuel shell heat well at 300g (0.66 lb) an hour but if you live in a castle I have got a way to get her to go through 15 kg/hour (33lb/h) (kinda fun even if wasteful)

[JAROSLAVAGINA]

i saw your video where you showed how much ash is produced, but how much char is produced? and (i'm still looking, though i haven't found any yet) do you have any plans or descriptions of how you made this device?

[JAROSLAVAGINA]

haha and right after that. . . i found the vid giving the description of how its made.

very interesting stuff man i gotta say. very nice

[Jkirk3279]

I would be fascinated to see how you rigged a continuous feed system on an updraft gasifier.

I'm using one I built just to make biochar: continuous feed would be challenging.

I was jealous when I saw the beautiful uniformity of your secondary air input, until I saw the video on making the parts.

You made a master mold and cast the parts from aluminum?

Hard Core, dude.

Now I'm jealous and humbled.

[86thmountmerrion]

Thanks for the reply!!!these wood gas stoves are so interesting!!!

Great demonstration 5/5