[Terrapreta] Char made made under pressurized conditions?

[Greg and April]

Ok, I'm a bit confused - perhaps you can tell me the why it would be a good 
thing to spend the energy to inject N2 into the reactor ( on the theory that 
is would be absorbed into the char as it cools ) when all you have to do is 
open the reactor door, since the natural composition of air is almost 80% 
( by volume )?

I doubt that adding a non-reactive chemical would do anything other than 
extinguish what embers that remain?

Perhaps it would be more efficient to extinguish the char with collected 
animal ( or human ), urine, then the urine would be absorbed, the char would 
be cooled for use faster, giving you faster turn around time.


Greg H.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeff Davis" <jeff0124 at velocity.net>
To: "Terra Preta" <terrapreta at bioenergylists.org>
Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 17:34
Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Char made made under pressurized conditions?


Dear Greg and All,

Some of the better charcoal made for the portable gas producer allowed the
charcoal to cool in the carbonizing apparatus itself. The charcoal would
absorb some of it's own off gasses thus resulting in a higher carbon
content charcoal. Although I doubt that these retorts were under pressure
I bet pressure would be an aid.

Greg, do you think if we injected nitrogen in the retort during the
cooling period that the charcoal would absorb the nitrogen for better soil
amendment?



Kindest regards,

Jeff




Greg wrote:
> While thinking of the modifications, I remembered that someone on the
> list, mentioned trying to use a water heater, to make a retort, and going
> over what might be needed to modify the water heater for such use, I
> remembered that water heaters have pressure release valves, and the
> question occurred to me, " What would be the result of producing char,
> under pressurized conditions? "
>
> The more I pondered it, the more the idea intrigued me.
>
> Does anyone know what would be the result of such char production?
>
> Under low pressurized conditions ( say 15-25 psi )?
> Under mid range pressurized conditions ( 25-50 psi )?
> Under high pressurized conditions ( 50+ psi )?
>
>
> One thought, is that distillates would ( at increasing pressure ), have
> carbon chains of increasing size.
>
> Does anyone else have any idea?
>
>
> Greg H.


-- 
Jeff Davis

Some where 20 miles south of Lake Erie, USA

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