[Terrapreta] SIMPLE CHARCOAL PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES

[Gerald Van Koeverden]

Rich,

if you like the New Hampshire Kiln, also check out Radke's  
modification of it using agricultural materials.  I prefer the old  
design with the smooth sides, but if you have a small grain bin lying  
around, it would be cheapest.  It also includes "house catalytic  
converters for reducing air pollution during
charcoaling. Six-inch diameter disc-shaped catalytic converters are  
available from many
heating supply dealers or woodstove retailers and can be easily  
mounted in the 6”
diameter flue pipe. The catalysts are quite simple to use, and reduce  
air pollution from
charcoal making considerably."

Go to his web page:   http://charcoal.fw.vt.edu/charcoal   and hit  
"how to make a charcoal kiln."

Gerrit

On 22-Mar-08, at 12:01 PM, Richard Haard wrote:

> thank you gerald - Helpful at moment as I am planning to make some  
> charcoal, later this spring.
>
> I want to make it similar to our top draft earth covered pile of  
> last year where we pyrolysed about 1.5 cords in one burn ( after 3  
> tries).  This season I will do the same with a stainless restaurant  
> hood that will let me stack about 1 cord. This year I have a  
> endless supply of pallet boards cut to length by a local recycling  
> company. There is a lot of oak and tropical hardwood so will make  
> high quality charcoal.
>
> I think where I am going with my idea this year is similar to the  
> New Hampshire kiln, ie an appliance that can be lifted off with the  
> tractor. I do not think it is necessary to do the elaborate welding  
> for this bottom draft system as if there was a bottom segment that  
> the hood sat on such as a berm  of soil, then the drafts could be  
> dug in where needed. I think there also should be some holes made   
> in the hood with 1" pipes for management of combustion air.
>
> The Montserratian 'coal' pit is interesting because it has  
> indeterminate length. I think a hybrid of this idea with a top  
> draft system is where I am going . A small  tractor/bucket can  
> easily scale this to any size for infield work.
>
> My observation is that the stacking method and allowing for  
> circulation of hot gasses inside the pile is important. We used  
> pallets for base on a series of channels dug for circulation. We  
> had considerable contamination with soil from our earth covered  
> pile that came mainly with pile unloading. I think movable and  
> easily transportable panels up against a layer of wet cardboard  
> then hay would be the ticket.
>
> Rich
>
>
> On Mar 22, 2008, at 6:08 AM, Gerald Van Koeverden wrote:
>
>> For those considering building their own small-scale charcoal  
>> makers, here's a comprehensive VITA publication comparing 5  
>> different charcoal production technologies.
>>
>> Gerrit
>>
>> "COMPARING SIMPLE CHARCOAL PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE CARIBBEAN"
>>
>> Appendixes
>>
>> I. Construction and use of carbonizing techniques
>> Montserration coal pit
>> 3-pipe Mini CUSAB kiln
>> Montserratian kiln
>> Tongan kiln
>> New Hampshire (Black Rock) kiln
>> Jamaican retort with tar condenser
>> Jamaican retort with gas ports
>>
>> II. Relative efficiency testing procedures for charcoal kilns
>>
>> III. Charcoal kiln test data sheet
>>
>> IV. Species of wood commonly used in charcoal production
>>
>> Bibliography
>>
>>
>>
>> http://www.cd3wd.com/CD3WD_40/VITA/CHARCPRD/EN/CHARCPRD.HTM
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