[Terrapreta] FW: Simple charcoal kiln

[Sean K. Barry]

Hi Tom,

I did note this.  Folke Gunthur does see and view many things about this issue very astutely and correctly, in my opinion.  However, "simple" "charcoal-in-a-barrel" kilns (or retorts), whatever whoever wants to call them, are not a great idea.  Simple is a great idea.  In a barrel is not.  I think there is ample evidence to support this.  The problems are as I stated; emissions of GHGs and efficiency are insufficient for the task.  I hope to be able to provide more data to support this, too, soon enough.

There are plenty of people on this list;l Dr. Stephen Joseph, Adrianna Downey, Michael Bailles, Edward Someous, Michael Antal, and others, who I am sure would back me up on this position.  There are undoubtedly others, not on this list, who would also support this view.  My reading of these peoples work and my own work has already shown to me that very simple "charcoal-in-a-barrel" retorts cannot do what we need to do.

It is not the simplicity of the operation or the fact that the "pyrolysis chamber" is itself a "barrel".  The problems are related to lack of control over inflows of oxidants (air/oxygen) and outflows of "producer gas" and lack of temperature controls.  Automatic (and hence simple), enclosed, non-polluting, self-controlled operations can be done with charcoal kilns made inside a barrel.  I am positive of this.  Making vast quantities of charcoal by pyrolyzing biomass, just cannot, in my opinion, be relegated to the use of large numbers of unregulated "simple" "charcoal-in-a-barrel" type retorts or kilns.  I probably need to say no more about this.

Regards,

SKB
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Tom Miles<mailto:tmiles at trmiles.com> 
  To: 'Sean K. Barry'<mailto:sean.barry at juno.com> 
  Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2008 5:30 PM
  Subject: RE: [Terrapreta] FW: Simple charcoal kiln


  Sean,

   

  Note that the original posting was from Folke Gunther. Erin just rescued it from a filter that thought it was SPAM.  

   

  Tom

   

   

  From: terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org<mailto:terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org> [mailto:terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Sean K. Barry
  Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2008 3:25 PM
  To: 'terrapreta'; Erin Rasmussen
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] FW: Simple charcoal kiln

   

  Dear Erin,

   

  Thank you for this posting.  Making charcoal simply is an objective of this group.  Making charcoal in a "retort" that is made from a couple of interleaved barrels is simple, yes.  But, it is somewhat inefficient, can only make small amounts of charcoal at a time, and it quite easily can vent more destructive green house gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere, than could ever be sequestered, even it all of the charcoal were buried.  This has been discussed here before.  The archives have plenty of references to "charcoal in a barrel" kilns.

   

  Although making some charcoal in this way, in order to study "charcoal-in-soil" applications, for instance, is not a problem per se, this is not the way we would want to make large amounts of charcoal for use in developing Terra Preta soils on a widespread basis.  Many in this group would believe, though, that to solve the problems of world food production and combat Global Climate Change, using the development of Terra Preta soils will require vast amounts of charcoal.  It would not be good to make vast amounts of charcoal in simple, polluting, inefficient charcoal in a barrel" retorts.

   

  Still, making charcoal can be much cleaner, more efficient and still simple.  It's just that this is not done in "open" or "semi-open"  barrels.

   

  Regards,

   

  SKB

    ----- Original Message ----- 

    From: Erin Rasmussen<mailto:erin at trmiles.com> 

    To: 'terrapreta'<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 

    Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2008 12:04 PM

    Subject: [Terrapreta] FW: Simple charcoal kiln

     

    rescued from the spam filter. :) 


----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    From: folke Günther [mailto:folkeg at gmail.com] 
    Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2008 2:46 PM
    To: terrapreta
    Subject: Simple charcoal kiln

    A wonderfully simple method for making charcoal at home or on the allotment.

    http://picasaweb.google.se/folkeg/TheSimplestOfTheSimple<http://picasaweb.google.se/folkeg/TheSimplestOfTheSimple>

    -- 
    ----------------------------------------
    Folke Günther
    Kollegievägen 19
    224 73 Lund
    Sweden
    Phone: +46 (0)46 141429
    Cell: +46 (0)709 710306
    URL: http://www.holon.se/folke<http://www.holon.se/folke>
    BLOG: http://folkegunther.blogspot.com/<http://folkegunther.blogspot.com/> _______________________________________________
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