[Terrapreta] Farm/compost biochar

[Dick Gallien]

Hi Robert,

I agree, we're not picky about the finished product.  Have a few charred
pieces in the field from what I put on with the 425 bu. spreader last week,
but in a garden that I don't have to till, that is no problem.  If a chunk
is too large to fit out the 4' X 4' door, we can just leave it in for the
next batch or two.

As you say,  we're down to that simple system we're fishing for.  Have any
of you seen, heard or read about a simple retort system on even a small
vertical tank?  How is the excess gas separated and vented from that needed
to maintain the charring temp.?
Thanks,  Dick



On Tue, Jun 3, 2008 at 4:57 PM, Robert Klein <arclein at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Hi Dick
>
> I certainly can appreciate the desire to avoid processing the materials.
> You also have a large enough tank to give it a good shot.
>
> The reason for thinking about packing is that it will control the
> uniformity of the end product.  However, it seems that we will end up with a
> tank full of oddly sorted and sized material.
>
> The problem as I see it is that the larger chunks will simply not be
> processed fully.  but that may also not be too much of a concern.  Screening
> will; separate fines, charcoal fuel and the larger bits.  The larger bits
> can be thrown back into the kiln as a starter fuel.
>
> The difficulty centers around how do we keep the temperature under 600
> degrees (actually around 400) and then use the production gas to make heat
> that can be fed back into the kiln and how do you exhaust the spent
> combustion gases.
>
> arclein
>
> The tank really allows us avoid worrying about packing, unlike traditional
> wood kilns.
>
>
>
Dick Gallien
22501 East Burns Valley Road
Winona MN 55987
dickgallien at gmail.com [507]454-3126
www.thewinonafarm.com
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