[Terrapreta] Overview on biochar production methods

[Elliot Fraval]

Hi all,

I am another newcomer to the list who has been interested in terra
preta for a long time and  am very interested in commercial scale
projects. Anyways there are a few more companies I have come across
when I was trying to gauge what was out there. Of particular note,
given some of the recent discussions of mobile ag waste pyrolysis is

http://www.jfwasteenergysystems.com/

They have a 40tpd mobile system and off memory claim to go to 80 or
120 tpd, but just by bringing more trucks as far as I could tell.
Looks like these days you have to get a login for their site :(

Juniper consulting in the UK did a worldwide review of gasification
and pyrolysis technologies in the late 90s (IIRC) and again in 2001.
The report costs (and I haven't paid for it yet, 525 squid!) but you
can get the list of companies they assessed for free and do your own
digging. Certainly kept me busy for a few weeks :)

www.juniper.co.uk

which following a lot of links gets you to:

http://www.wastereports.com/vintage_reports/p_%26_g_volume_2.html

They have also conducted a number of studies on markets for carbon
char, anaerobic digestion and lots of other interesting technology IMO
related to sustainability.

http://www.eco-web.com/

is also a usefull site for checking out companies in this sort of field.

It appears that many people here are interested in condensing the tar
rather than cracking it into a syngas. From my understanding the tars
are full of particulates and whilst are able to run a diesel engine
often the run is short and engine often requires rebuilding from
researchers that I have talked to. Further, the tar will tend to
fraction out in transport and tend to leave a thick sludge in the
transport container. Several expert pyrolysis attendees at conferences
I have attended considered the Dynamotive and other analogous
processes too premature due to the fractionation process and
particulates sandblasting the turbine they were proposing to use for
powergen. The syngas is comparatively much easier to clean of
particulates from my understanding, with the downside that you need to
store a gas not liquid.

Do many people on the list have practical experience running gensets
off tar or syngas here? Seems like there is an incredible wealth of
expertise on the list from reading as much as I have been able to of
the archives.

Cheers,

Elliot

On 8/16/07, Shengar at aol.com <Shengar at aol.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> Hi  Christelle,
>
>
>
>
>
> All the Bio-Char Companies and equipment manufactures, using closed-loop
> systems, I've found:
>
>  Carbon Diversion
> http://www.carbondiversion.com/
>
>
>  Eprida: Sustainable Solutions for Global Concerns
> http://www.eprida.com/home/index.php4
>
>
> BEST Pyrolysis, Inc. | Slow Pyrolysis - Biomass - Clean Energy - Renewable
> Ene
> http://www.bestenergies.com/companies/bestpyrolysis.html
>
>
> Dynamotive Energy Systems | The Evolution of Energy
> http://www.dynamotive.com/
>
>
> Ensyn - Environmentally Friendly Energy and Chemicals
> http://www.ensyn.com/who/ensyn.htm
>
>
> Agri-Therm, developing bio oils from agricultural waste
> http://www.agri-therm.com/
>
>
> Advanced BioRefinery Inc.
> http://www.advbiorefineryinc.ca/
>
>
> Technology Review: Turning Slash into Cash
> http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/17298/
>
>
>
> "U.S. Sustainable Energy's Rivera Process yields an ash product, a  liquid
> product, and a gas product. Its number one product is the ash product, a
> carbon
> rich organic-based fertilizer. One bushel of bean creates 20.1 pounds of
> this organic fertilizer."
> _http://sustainablepower.com/fuel_background.html_
>
>
>
> The International Agrichar Initiative (IAI) conference  held at Terrigal,
> NSW, Australia in 2007. (
> http://iaiconference.org/home.html  ) ( The papers from
> this conference are now being posted at their home page)
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Erich J. Knight
> Shenandoah Gardens
> E-mail: shengar at aol.com
> (540) 289-9750
>
>
> ________________________________
> Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL.com.
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