[Terrapreta] First Hello & General Background

[Greg and April]

A number of things come to mind just off hand, but I don't know just what other factors come into play.

-    Starch.    Easy to biodegrade adds a food source for microorganisms but, not exactly fire proof.    OTOH just the act of making the char into pills, will make it more flame resistant.

-    Sugar.    Much the same as starch, but when heated, releases water, so it takes time to get burning - but if and when it actually does catch fire, watch out.
 
-    Corn Syrup.    Same as sugar, but, more water to keep things cool.

-    Molasses.    Same as Corn Syrup, more readily available.    Agricultural grade will also add minerals and trace elements that are easily taken up by microorganisms.    A basic operation, could run, with the growing of sugar cane, processing for sugar, turning the and leaves bagasse into char ( using the excess heat to run the processing plant ), and use some of the left over molasses to act as a binder for the char.    Start by returning char to the original sugar cane fields, then when the fields have a basic allotment ( it's not like char has to be added back to fields every single year for the rest of the fields life span ), start exporting it to other fields.

For use for binding char, all of the above materials, can be of a non-food grade, saving food grade for human consumption.

Clay can be used as a binder - if the right type of clay is used, then the CEC could be increased as well as trace minerals - such a binder would be very good for sandy soils, to help retain water during dry periods.

In alkaline soils sulfur could be used as a binder and as a Ph neutralizer - but it would take longer to break down.

Various organic Gels or resins might be used as binders.

You could even mix and match binders to do a specific job(s).


When you get right down to it, the possibilities are almost endless.


Greg H.


----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Lloyd Helferty 
  To: 'Greg and April' 
  Cc: 'Laepple' ; 'Jp Warren' ; biochar-ontario at googlegroups.com 
  Sent: Sunday, June 15, 2008 20:04
  Subject: RE: [Terrapreta] First Hello & General Background


  That is a great idea, Greg [powdered char to be turned into pills].  If not legislated yet, it is at the very least a good 'product' idea that might be introduced, for instance, to companies like Dynamotive, who create (and transport) their powdered char to their test sites across North America.
  What would you suggest as a 'substrate/binder' that could also "act as a fire retardant"?
  Perhaps Hemicellulose could be used? (ex. Glucomannan is a water-soluble polysaccharide that is considered a dietary fibre. Glucomannan is a food additive used as an emulsifier and thickener. Glucomannan comprises 40% by dry weight of the roots or corn of the konjac plant. It is also present in large amounts in the wood of conifers and in smaller amounts in the wood of dicotyledons (flowering plants whose seed typically has two embryonic leaves).
   See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dicotyledon

      Lloyd Helferty




----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    From: Greg and April [mailto:gregandapril at earthlink.net] 
    Sent: June 14, 2008 12:01 PM
    To: Lloyd Helferty
    Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] First Hello & General Background


    ****  Please see the portion of Jp Warren's post that I highlighted in red ( at bottom ), to understand the reasoning behind my words. ****

    It might be a good thing to keeping in mind that even flour will explode under the right conditions - and powdered char is a primary ingredient in black powder.

    I have personally see the results of fine powdered char ( and nothing else but the local air ) coming in contact with an ignition source - and to put it simply, the results were bad.



    I would go so far as to actually supporting such a law, because it really does protect people.


    One way around such laws would be to require the powdered char to be turned into pills ( from 1 to 5 mm in diameter ) with a water soluble binder that also acted as a fire retardant.    

    Such pills could also simplify handling and application, being cast into the field like any solid fertilizer, where upon the first rain or other application of water, the binder breaks down, releasing the char.


    Greg H.


    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: "Lloyd Helferty" <lhelferty at sympatico.ca>
    To: "'Jp Warren'" <jpwarren at interlog.com>; "'Laepple'" 
    Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 22:06
    Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] First Hello & General Background


    > I'm hope that everyone copied on this thread who has an interest in Biochar
    > and field trials in Ontario will eventually sign up to the group.  I know it
    > might be a lot to ask (I have difficulty keeping up with my own e-mail most
    > of the time too), but I think it's important to do this.
    > 
    > Lloyd Helferty
    > Thornhill
    > 
    > 
    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: Jp Warren [mailto:jpwarren at interlog.com] 
    > Sent: June 9, 2008 8:04 AM
    > To: Laepple
    > Cc: Lloyd Helferty; 
    > Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] First Hello & General Background
    > 
    > So could powdered Char be legislated a hazardous material re transportation?
    > -detrimentally affecting price. (Sounds like a recipe for good coffee, you
    > want to grind it at the point of final use!)
    > 
    > Thanks for setting up the GoogleGroup, Lloyd, I signed-in this morning.
    > 
    > I tried to copy this email there by starting a new discuss thread, but
    > couldn't get past the login, though I'm already another group's member. I'll
    > figure it out later.
    > 
    > I assume this entire discuss is now moving over to the BioChar Toronto
    > GoogleGroup page.
    > 
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