[Terrapreta] The Humphrey Pump Connection?

[Kevin Chisholm]

Dear Jeff

I can't directly answer your question, but I can tell you the following...

I used finely sized spruce sawdust as a filter/absorber to partially 
remove tars from the blackwater used to quench and wash gasifier gas. I 
saved the blackened sawdust, and it dried over the winter. I noticed a 
few days ago that 100's of ants were taking it away.

I conclude from this that the tars associated with wood gasification are 
not toxic to "wildlife" as would be coal tar creosote. I further 
speculate as follows:

1: Tars from wood gasification would not likely be useful for wood 
preservation, as is coal tar creosote.
2: There is no indication that tars from wood gasification would be 
harmful to plants. (If the tars killed ants, then would suggest being 
very careful before putting it on plants.)

I have read someplace about charcoal making, where the tars are actually 
collected for the purpose of being added to the soil, for growth 
enhancement, and for insect abatement. I don't understand teh mechanism 
for insect control, in that the tars and whatever captured by the 
sawdust did not seem to harm the ants in any way.

So, at this stage, I would say that I can see no reason not to proceed 
further to consider adding charcoal tars to the soil.

Best wishes,

Kevin

Jeff Davis wrote:
> Dear Charcoal Makers,
> 
> 
> 
> I write this e-mail as a question but it’s more food for thought.
> 
> Is it possible that some tar and or condensates could be helpful to plants?
> 
> [I am making a POSSIBLE connection between the irrigated plants and the
> use of the Humphrey Pump.]
> 
> The Humphrey Pump was a liquid piston engine that pumped a quarter of a
> million gallons of irrigation water per hour. It was fueled by producer
> gas and I have offended wondered if tar could have contaminated the water
> that was pumped on to the land. I’m sure this would be a very small
> fraction, if any.
> 
> If we knew how vibrant the irrigated plants were when the Humphrey Pump
> was in use, as compared with when it was decommissioned, this MIGHT give
> us a clue to how the tar/condensates affect plant growth.
> 
> I know, even if we had records of the plant growth at this site, there are
> still too many other variables.
> 
> 
> 
> Just some food for thought BEFORE everybody evacuates this fine list,
> 
> 
> Jeff
> 
> 
> 
> 
>    **********************************************************
> 
> Kevin wrote:
>> I reviewed the two postings you made to the Terra Preta List since its
>> inception, and I wonder if perhaps you comment on the following point
>> before you leave?
>>
>> Michael J. Antal, Jr. wrote:
>>  > Dear friends: the VM content of cellulose is about 90% but it does not
>>  > dissolve in terpentine.  Need I say more?  Michael.
>>
>> Would not the VM components in Charcoal most likely be tars, and
>> products of decomposition of cellulose, rather than cellulose?
>>
>> Would tars and and the decomposition products of cellulose that are
>> found in charcoal be soluble in turpentine?
>>
>> Do you know of any other common solvents that could be used to dissolve
>> tars resulting in he charcoal making process, or able to dissolve other
>> cellulose decomposition products that one might expect to find in
>> charcoal that contained volatiles?
> 
> 
> 
> 
>