[Terrapreta] Making charcoal in a barrel

[Sean K. Barry]

Hi Robert,

Nice posting!  I like the ideas here and I am going to try it.  I'll send you a video.

Regards,

SKB
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Robert Flanagan<mailto:saffechina at gmail.com> 
  To: David Yarrow<mailto:dyarrow at nycap.rr.com> 
  Cc: terrapreta at bioenergylists.org<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 
  Sent: Monday, September 24, 2007 9:45 PM
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Making charcoal in a barrel


  OK Guys,

  This is the last mail from me for a while so with this one no one is right and no one is wrong if we take it from small scale to large scale. 

  BUT IF YOUR GOING TO MAKE CHARCOAL IN A BARREL THEN TRY AND BURN AS MUCH OF THE OFF-GASSES AS POSSIBLE!
  Will that keep you happy Sean?
   
  And here is another tip on how to do that.

  Mark out  ten fairly evenly spaced holes around the bottom say 40mm up.
  Then measure sixty fairly evenly spaced holes around the top of the barrel this time about 60mm down from the rim of the barrel (Typical ratio is between 5-6:1 Secondary to Primary air, depending on the resistance from the internal gasses)  
  The get a 10mm drill bit and go and drill each of the holes you marked out.
  Now take the drill bit out of the chuck after it cools and on the top holes put the bit through each hole and put a kink in the hole by pushing down 45deg to the right (This should allow internal gasses to pass over while pulling clean air in) and if your barrel is facing the wind you should get your flame to swirl. If you achieve this then you have greatly increased your chances of fully combusting the gases, as the gas is kept in the reaction zone longer enabling it to fully break down and release most of it's heat.  
  The reason for doing this is to create a little extra air in the bottom (Primary Air) to assist in the reaction until you have a good charcoal layer built up (Some of the biomass will reduce to ash but its a small trade off for the heat given off to assist the rest of the reaction) 
  The holes on the top are to provide clean air (Secondary Air) to assist in complete combustion and flame retention.
  When you've got a good charcoal layer going you and just put some soil over the holes on the bottom of the barrel to block the air getting in. And when you barrel is full again seal and leave until it's cool before breaking it up and mixing it into the soil. 

  Breaking it up is very easy if you have a cement mixer on hand, just add charcoal + soil (Just do dampen down the dust) and put at least two rocks and turn on. The rocks will slowly break the char and mix it with your soil at the same time. 

  Anyway that should get the more active of you going and the arm chair activist talking for a few weeks! I don't expect to receive email during the coming days so no point attacking me until I'm back on line (SKB). 

  Rob.




  Robert Flanagan
  Chairman & President
  Hangzhou Sustainable Agricultural Food & Fuel Enterprise Co., Ltd.

  Skype "saffechina"
  Tel:   86-571-881-850-67
  Cell:  86-130-189-959-57 
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