Updated Biochar Methods used at Aloha Ranch

1. Biochar is the result of
Pyrolysis
[fire – separating]

2. Thermal decomposition of biomass to solid material
1. Pyrolysis - "The solid material obtained from the thermochemical
conversion of biomass in an oxygen-limited environment”
International Biochar Initiative
2. Torrefaction - The carbon product from the torrefaction process
contains some volatile organic components, thus its properties are
between that of biomass feedstock and biochar
3. Hydrothermal carbonization - produces a carbon-rich solid
product, different from the conventional thermal conversion
process. Therefore, the solid product from hydrothermal
carbonization is defined as "hydrochar" rather than "biochar".
(products 2. & 3. cannot be strictly defined as biochar)

3. Slash-and-burn leaves only 3% of the
carbon from the organic material in the soil.
Slash-and-char can retain up to 50%.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochar#cite_note-68

4. Slash-and-burn leaves only 3% of the
carbon from the organic material in the soil.
Slash-and-char can retain up to 50%.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochar#cite_note-68

5. Open Area
 Not to windy
 Access for truck deliveries
 Exhaust won’t disturb
people or livestock
Low Tech Methods for Making Biochar
Metal Needed Method
1 Drum Drum-Retort
2 GI or tin cans Stoves- gasifier/rocket
3 GI Sheet/steel plates
Metal cone - Clean Kiln Designs -FC flame cap / flame curtain
(FC) -Top Fed Open Draft FC units
4 Drums/GI Furnace/ ovens/ retorts
5 Steel matting/cage Top Light Up Draft Cage [TLUD]
6 Optional Open Rice Hull (Ipa) Piles
7 None Peter Hirst's Conservation Burn technique [Also TLUD]
8 Bricks/cement Retort-Exothermic reaction
9 Tamped Earth/ricehull TLUD Teepee/ Mound Kiln

6. Retort
Feedstock

7. Retort
Product
Product

8. Fines for Potting soil
Coarse for
Soil amendment
http://www.fao.org/3/X5328E/x5328e09.htm

9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrothermal_carbonization
methane
In retorts, unlike traditional
charcoal burning, the wood to be
charred is isolated in an
airtight vessel and heated from
a separate fire. ... The gasses
that evolve in the pyrolitic
process are used to heat the
vessel further, which saves fuel
and is much cleaner in terms of
smoke emissions.

10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrothermal_carbonization
methane
In retorts, unlike traditional charcoal
burning, the wood to be charred
is isolated in an airtight vessel and
heated from a separate fire. ... The
gasses that evolve in the pyrolitic
process are used to heat the vessel
further, which saves fuel and is much
cleaner in terms of smoke emissions.
“tort”
Retort

11. Social/Ecological/Financial Benefits
Mitigation of
Climate change
Energy
Production
Soil
Improvement
Waste
Management
Johannes Lehmann, Associate Professor of
soil biogeochemistry at Cornell University,
discusses the characteristics of naturally
occurring terra preta including its agricultural
and carbon sequestering benefits and then
turns to considering the factors involved with
implementation industrial biochar systems
for large-scale carbon sequestration and
energy provision.
https://youtu.be/pX3zhZ6ETWI

12. Terra Preta
Dark Earth
Amazonian Dark Earths
"Terra Preta de Indio"
Indian Black Earth is the local name for certain
dark earths in the Brazilian Amazon region.
Unknown methods of biochar production where
utilized via pyrolysis in the forest: some form of
“sustainable” slash and char developed huge areas
for food production.
These dark earths occur in several countries in
South America and Europe and Eastern USA. In
the Amazon it was created by pre-Columbian
Indians from 500 to 2500 years B.P. and
abandoned after the invasion of Europeans.

17. 1658 Johann Rudolf Glauber confirmed that the acid contained in pyroligneous water was the same
acid contained in vinegar (Emrich, 1985; Klark, 1925).
1661 The separation of a spirituous liquid from volatile products of wood distillation was described
by Robert Boyle (Klark, 1925).

18. To build or to dig…

19. http://www.familiamission.org/blog/activated-biochar

20. To build or to dig…

21. LIGNIN
The complex amorphous organic component of
wood that acts as the binder between cells and
is responsible for its rigidity. It decomposes
very slowly by microbial action.

22. Wood that has been seasoned for 9-12 months still contains about 20-25% moisture, most of which is
wood resins. These resins play an important part in the three stages of wood combustion.

23. Wood that has been seasoned for 9-12 months still contains about 20-25% moisture, most of which is
wood resins. These resins play an important part in the three stages of wood combustion.
Stage 1 - the kindling fire warms up the fresh load of wood and any remaining water content is
removed by evaporation and vaporization.
Seasoned Wood

24. Wood that has been seasoned for 9-12 months still contains about 20-25% moisture, most of which is
wood resins. These resins play an important part in the three stages of wood combustion.
Stage 1 - the kindling fire warms up the fresh load of wood and any remaining water content is
removed by evaporation and vaporization.
Stage 2 - As the wood reaches 500 degrees the resins begin to break down chemically, and volatile
gases are released which squirt out through the wood fiber and ignite, boosting the temperature of the
fire to around 1,100 degrees and producing 50-60% of the heat value from that load of wood.
Seasoned Wood

25. Wood that has been seasoned for 9-12 months still contains about 20-25% moisture, most of which is
wood resins. These resins play an important part in the three stages of wood combustion.
Stage 1 - the kindling fire warms up the fresh load of wood and any remaining water content is
removed by evaporation and vaporization.
Stage 2 - As the wood reaches 500 degrees the resins begin to break down chemically, and volatile
gases are released which squirt out through the wood fiber and ignite, boosting the temperature of the
fire to around 1,100 degrees and producing 50-60% of the heat value from that load of wood.
Stage 3 - As the gases burn away, the flames finally attack the wood fiber itself, and extract the
remaining heat value through the process known as charcoaling.
Seasoned Wood
Heat + charcoal
More heat + ash

26. Wood that has been seasoned for 9-12 months still contains about 20-25% moisture, most of which is
wood resins. These resins play an important part in the three stages of wood combustion.
Stage 1 - the kindling fire warms up the fresh load of wood and any remaining water content is
removed by evaporation and vaporization.
Stage 2 - As the wood reaches 500 degrees the resins begin to break down chemically, and volatile
gases are released which squirt out through the wood fiber and ignite, boosting the temperature of the
fire to around 1,100 degrees and producing 50-60% of the heat value from that load of wood.
Stage 3 - As the gases burn away, the flames finally attack the wood fiber itself, and extract the
remaining heat value through the process known as charcoaling.
Seasoned Wood
Heat + charcoal

27. If your firewood has dried to the point where it has lost its resin content, your
fire will go directly from Stage 1 (warming up to combustion temperature) to
Stage 3 (charcoaling), skipping Stage 2 and missing out on 50-60% of the heat
(and burn time) you'd expect to get from that load of wood

28. A. C. A. P.
Biochar:
Activated
Charged
Aged
Piled (or bagged)

29. Pyrolysis is a thermochemical
decomposition of organic material
at elevated temperatures in the
absence of oxygen. It involves the
simultaneous change of chemical
composition and physical phase,
and is irreversible. The word is
coined from the Greek-derived
elements pyro "fire" and lysis
"separating".
Biochar is the result of
Pyrolysis
[fire – separating]

30. 1792 England commercialized luminating gas manufactured from wood (Klark, 1925). 1812
Taylor showed that methyl alcohol was present in the liquid obtained from the
distillation of pyroligneous water (Klark, 1925).
1819 The first pyrolysis oven to transfer heat through its metal walls was designed by
Carl Reichenbach (Klark, 1925).

31. “A Dictionary Of Modern Gardening”, by George William Johnson, David
Landreth, 1847.
Charcoal Soot, a chief constituent of which is charcoal, has long been known
as a very effective fertilizer;
https://turkeysong.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/some-citations-on-biochar-in-europe-and-america-in-the-19th-century/

32. https://turkeysong.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/some-citations-on-biochar-in-europe-and-america-in-the-19th-century/

33. 1835 Methyl alcohol, an isolated product of crude wood spirit, was discovered by Jean
Baptiste Andre Dumas and Eugene Peligot which confirmed Taylor’s ideas on the nature of
pyroligneous acid (Klark, 1925).
1850 Horizontal retorts (1 meter diameter, and 3 meters long) were used mainly by Germany,
England, and Austria, while the French were becoming more inclined to the use of vertical retorts
made portable by Robiquete (Klark, 1925).
1856 An increase in demand for methyl alcohol was a result of Sr. William H. Perkin’s patent on
aniline purple (Klark, 1925).
1864 The discovery of iodine increased the demand for wood spirits (Klark, 1925). 1870 Early
investigations performed by Tobias Lowitz resulted in a new, chemically
pure acetic acid (Klark, 1925).

34. The American wheat culturist: a practical treatise on the
culture of wheat … 1868
Charcoal Dust As A Fertilizer. Charcoal is composed almost
entirely of pure carbon; and when small fragments are exposed
to the influences of the weather, they undergo very little change
during a long term of years. Still the roots of growing plants will
lay hold of the small pieces of charcoal, and appropriate the
substance contained in the coal to the growth and development
of the stems, leaves, and seeds of grain, fruit, and vegetables.
Experienced chemists assure us, charcoal, and particularly
charcoal dust, has the power of attracting and fixing large
quantities of ammonia, a substance which enters largely into the
formation of useful plants, and of retaining this fertilizing material
when buried in the soil, until the fine fibres of the roots of growing
plants require it for promoting their growth.
https://turkeysong.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/some-citations-on-biochar-in-europe-and-america-in-the-19th-century/

35. 1870 The rise of the celluloid industry and the manufacture of smokeless powder
increased the demand for acetone (Klark, 1925).
1880 The wood distillation industry began to expand (Klark, 1925).
1920-1950 The rise of the petroleum industry caused a decline in wood distillation (Klark,
1925).
1970 Oil Crisis gave rise to the need for alternative liquid fuels.
1970-90s Development of new pyrolysis reactors occurred side by side with the
understanding of the fundamentals of biomass pyrolysis reactions (Boroson et al., Bridgwater et al.,
1994; 1989 a, b; Evans et al., 1987 a, b; Mottocks, 1981, Piskortz et al., 1988a, b; Scott et al.,
1984, 1988).

36. Thai Charcoal Kiln
A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, a type of oven,
that produces temperatures sufficient to complete some
process, such as hardening, drying, or chemical
changes. Kilns have been used for millennia to turn
objects made from clay into pottery, tiles and bricks.
https://turkeysong.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/some-citations-on-biochar-in-europe-and-america-in-the-19th-century/

37. Thai Charcoal Kiln
A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, a type of oven,
that produces temperatures sufficient to complete some
process, such as hardening, drying, or chemical
changes. Kilns have been used for millennia to turn
objects made from clay into pottery, tiles and bricks.
https://turkeysong.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/some-citations-on-biochar-in-europe-and-america-in-the-19th-century/
Kiln descends from the Old
English cylene (/ˈkylene/), which was borrowed
from Old Welsh 'Cylyn’ which was in turn
borrowed from the Latin culīna, kitchen, cooking-
stove, burning-place.

38. Thai Charcoal Kiln

39. Thai Charcoal Kiln
Charcoal As A Manure 1860………..
Liebig gives the results of a series of experiments by Lukas on
the use of charcoal as a manure, which seem to corroborate his
opinion. From the facts which these chemists, however, adduce,
it is evident that the beneficial action of charcoal, as a fertilizer,
depends upon the presence of other substances besides carbon.
Liebig notes (Organic Chem., p. 62) that “plants thrive in
powdered charcoal, and may be brought to blossom, and bear
fruit, if exposed to the influence of the rain and the atmosphere.
Plants do no not, however, attain maturity under ordinary
circumstances in charcoal powder when they are moistened with
pure distilled water instead of rain or river water. Rain water
must, therefore, contain within it one of the essentials of
vegetable life; and it has been shown that this is the presence of
a compound containing nitrogen; the exclusion of which entirely
deprives humus and charcoal of their influence on vegetation. It
is ammonia, to
https://turkeysong.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/some-citations-on-biochar-in-europe-and-america-in-the-19th-century/

40. Clean Kiln
Designs
Top Fed Open Draft FC units
A kiln is a thermally
insulated chamber, a
type of oven, that
produces
temperatures
sufficient to complete
some process, such
as hardening, drying,
or chemical changes.
Kilns have been
used for millennia to
turn objects made
from clay into pottery,
tiles and bricks.

41. Clean contiki Designs
Appropriate Technology
Top Fed Open Draft FC units

42. Clean Kiln Designs
Top Fed Open Draft FC units

43. Clean Kiln Designs
Top Fed Open Draft FC units

44. Clean Kiln Designs

45. Clean Kiln Designs

46. Clean Kiln Designs

48. To build or to dig…

49. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Pile
Lumber yard waste

50. Lumber yard waste

51. Clean Kiln Designs
Bent and bolted GI sheet
Top Fed Open Draft FC units

52. Clean Kiln Designs
Top Feed Metal Cone
Top Fed Open Draft FC units

53. Clean Kiln Designs
Top Feed Metal Cone
Top Fed Open Draft FC units

54. Clean Kiln Designs
Top Feed Metal Cone
Top Fed Open Draft FC units

55. Clean Kiln Designs
Top Feed Metal Cone
Top Fed Open Draft FC units

56. Clean Kiln Designs
Top Feed Metal Cone
Top Fed Open Draft FC units

57. Clean Kiln Designs
Top Feed Metal Cone
Top Fed Open Draft FC units

58. Clean Kiln Designs
Top Feed Metal Cone
Top Fed Open Draft FC units

59. Clean Kiln Designs
Top Feed Metal Cone
Top Fed Open Draft FC units

60. Clean Kiln Designs
Top Feed Metal Cone
Top Fed Open Draft FC units

61. Clean Kiln Designs
Top Feed Metal Cone
Top Fed Open Draft FC units

62. Clean Kiln Designs
Top Feed Metal Cone
Top Fed Open Draft FC units

63. Clean Kiln Designs
Top Feed Metal Cone
Top Fed Open Draft FC units

64. Clean Kiln Designs
Top Feed Metal Cone
Top Fed Open Draft FC units

65. T.L.U.D.
Top Light Up Draft
Peter Hirst's Conservation Burn technique
Appropriate Technology
T.L.O.B.
Top Light Open Burn

66. T.L.U.D.
Top Light Up Draft
Appropriate Technology
Make Fuel Cube
H = L = W

67. T.L.U.D.
Top Light Up Draft
Wind baffle

68. T.L.U.D.
Top Light Up Draft
Water moisture removal

69. T.L.U.D.
Top Light Up Draft

70. T.L.U.D.
Top Light Up Draft

71. T.L.U.D.
Top Light Up Draft

72. T.L.U.D.
Top Light Up Draft

73. T.L.U.D.
Top Light Up Draft
Harvest

74. T.L.U.D.
Top Light UpDraft
Peter Hirst's Conservation Burn technique
Appropriate Technology
T.L.O.B.
Top Light Open Burn
Make Fuel Cube
H = L = W

75. T.L.U.D.
Top Light UpDraft
Peter Hirst's Conservation Burn technique

77. Details of this BioChar
Burn:
Material: young douglas
fir and ponderosa pine
saplings 2-5” in diameter
Moisture content:
estimated 20-50%. Sat
on ground for one year.
Date burned: May 4,
2014
Size of pile: about 5 feet
square cube, estimated
2000 lb
Biochar yield: about 60
gallons(8 cu ft)
http://www.technorcalnotes.com/biochar
Peter Hirst's Conservation Burn technique

78. Converting a Neglected Mango Orchard to a
Market Garden with Integrated Fruits and
Organic Rice
At ALOHA
RANCH AND
ORGANIC
FARM
Brgy.
Macarascas,
Puerto
Princesa City,
PALAWAN

79. 2016
Market Garden 6
Aloha Ranch and Organic Farm
Brgy. Macarascas
Puerto Princesa City
Palawan
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 4
Nebras
ka
Mi
ks
 Phase 1 Contour Raised beds
 Phase 2 Market Garden
Phase 3 Eco Village Food Forest
Phase 4 Commercial Food Forest
 Zone 4 Silviculture w/Integrated Livestoc
 Zone 5 Riparian Buffer
Zone 5
Zone 4

80. 2004
Market Garden 6
Aloha Ranch and Organic Farm
Brgy. Macarascas
Puerto Princesa City
Palawan

82. Converting
biomass to
permanent
carbon in
our soil
program

83. T.L.U.D.

84. Necessary
Tools for
Pyrolysis

85. T.L.U.D.

86. Necessary
Tools for
Pyrolysis

87. T.L.U.D.

88. COVID
Lockdo
wn

89. T.L.U.D.

90. Typhoon
Odette
New
opportunity at
Aloha Ranch

91. Typhoon
Odette

92. Typhoon
Odette

93. Typhoon
Odette
Typhoon
Odette

94. Cut and carry goat feed
Legume trees and shrubs

95. Cut and carry goat feed

96. Cut and carry goat feed

97. Cut and carry goat feed

98. Cut and carry goat feed

99. Cut and carry goat feed

100. Cut and carry goat feed
Low smoke, high yield:
1. Uniform diameter
2. Uniform length
3. Cubical (H = L = W)
4. Keep fire on top

101. Cut and carry goat feed

102. 1
2

103. Cut and carry goat feed

104. T.L.U.D.
Top Light UpDraft
Conservation burn
T.L.O.B.
Top Light Open Burn

105. Peter Hirst's Conservation Burn technique
T.L.U.D.
Top Light UpDraft
Conservation burn
Very little smoke
T.L.O.B.
Top Light Open Burn

106. T.L.U.D.
Top Light UpDraft
Conservation burn
Very little smoke
T.L.O.B.
Top Light Open Burn

107. Still very little smoke
T.L.O.B.
Top Light Open Burn

108. Douse with water
T.L.O.B.
Top Light Open Burn

109. Charge with:
EME
FAA
Compost tea
W.S.C.

110. 10:02 AM
TLOB
Migratory Pyrolytic Front (MPF)

111. 10:13 AM
TLOB
Migratory Pyrolytic Front (MPF)

112. Pyrolysis @ 700º C
10:25 AM
TLOB
Migratory Pyrolytic Front (MPF)

113. Pyrolysis @ 700º C
10:32 AM
TLOB
Migratory Pyrolytic Front (MPF)

114. 10:42 AM
TLOB
Activating with water

115. Pyrolysis @ 700º C

116. Charging with EM and compost tea
10:58 AM

117. Bagged and ready for raised beds
11:10 AM
1 cu M dead fall wood
280 L biochar

118. Add to soil

119. T.L.U.D.
Top Light UpDraft

120. Wigwam method for termite
infested wood cuts

121. Wigwam method for termite
infested wood cuts

122. Wigwam method for termite
infested wood cuts

123. Wigwam method for termite
infested wood cuts

124. Wigwam method for termite
infested wood cuts

125. Peter Hirst's Conservation Burn technique
1. Similar size materials
2. Top Light Up Draft
3. Proportional dimensions

126. High carbon
Crop residues

127. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Cage
Migratory Pyrolytic Front (MPF)

128. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Cage
High carbon
Crop residues
Migratory Pyrolytic Front (MPF)

129. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Cage
Migratory Pyrolytic Front (MPF)

130. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Cage
High carbon
Crop residues

131. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Cage
High carbon
Crop residues

132. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Cage
High carbon
Crop residues

133. You can pyrolize anything

134. What’s next?

136. Angle of repose 0-10º
Coco Husk

137. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Cage
Coco Husk

138. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Cage
Coco Husk

139. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Cage
Coco Husk

140. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Cage
Coco Husk

141. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Cage
Coco Husk

142. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Cage
Coco Husk

143. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Cage
Coco Husk

144. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Cage
Coco Husk

145. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Cage
Coco Husk

146. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Cage
Coco Husk

147. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Cage
Coco Husk char

148. Explosion?
Accelerant?

149. Top light w/ newspaper

150. Brush char

151. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Pile
“Todtod” Roofing waste

152. Bamboo off cuts from roofing shingles char

153. Bamboo off cuts from roofing shingles char
30-40 cm. air intake

154. Bamboo off cuts from roofing shingles char

155. Brush char
Bamboo off cuts from roofing shingles char

156. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Pile
Coconut leaves/waste

157. Coconut leaves/waste

158. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Pile
Bamboo waste

159. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Pile
Cut and carry waste
From goat farm

160. Traditional method:
The nightly Sweep n’ Smolder
1. Wasteful
2. Inefficient
3. Legal

161. Illegal Squatter Pile
1. Wasteful
2. Inefficient
3. Illegal

162. Traditional method:
Mound kiln
1. Wasteful
2. Inefficient
3. Labor intensive
4. Legal

163. Improved TLUD
Mound kiln

164. Improved TLUD
Mound kiln

165. Improved TLUD
Mound kiln

166. Improved TLUD
Mound kiln

167. Improved TLUD
Mound kiln

168. 1. Wasteful
2. Inefficient
3. Legal
Landfill method

169. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Pile
Lumber yard waste

170. Lumber yard waste

171. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Pile
Clean kiln design

172. Top Light Up Draft
TLUD Pile
Clean kiln design

173. Fertilizer from lumber yard waste

174. Product Description
Fully automatic continuous waste tyre pyrolysis plant includes waste tire pretreatment
system, continuous pyrolysis system with continuous feeding and discharge system
controlled by PLC system. The main part is the continuous pyrolysis system.
Continuous waste tyre pyrolysis plant is for processing waste tires into fuel oil and
carbon black for recycle use. Due to continuous feeding and discharge system, the
continuous waste tyre pyrolysis plant can keep working without stop, thus to save
energy and time. Also PLC control system makes much less labor cost.
Raw material
The raw material which can produce fuel oil by our fully automatic continuous waste tyre
pyrolysis plant includes waste tire/tyre, waste plastic of PE, PP, PS, ABS, waste plastic
from paper mills, and rubber cable, big tires and small tires,etc.

177. Sustainable agriculture: the efficient conversion of land’s by-products back into food.

178. “Modern agriculture: the use of land to convert petroleum into food.”

179. Frankenfood

181. Biochar
Keith Mikkelson
Mik@mozcom.com

182. Terra Preta
Dark Earth
Amazonian Dark Earths
"Terra Preta de Indio"
Indian Black Earth is the local name for certain
dark earths in the Brazilian Amazon region.
Unknown methods of biochar production where
utilized via pyrolysis in the forest: some form of
“sustainable” slash and char developed huge areas
for food production.
These dark earths occur in several countries in
South America and Europe and Eastern USA. In
the Amazon it was created by pre-Columbian
Indians from 500 to 2500 years B.P. and
abandoned after the invasion of Europeans.

187. surcos
qochas
Amphitheater terraces:
SOUTH AMERICA

188. The sketch, of a small portion of the plateau, shows
how the qochas were linked to one another, through
an extensive network of canals. Twin circles are
'mother qochas'. (from: Erickson, 2000)

189. Micro Climates

191. Terra Preta
1. Typically, the ability of soils to retain cations
in an exchangeable and thus plant-available
form (cation exchange capacity [CEC])
increases in proportion to the amount of soil
organic matter
• Biochar has an even greater ability
than other soil organic matter to adsorb
cations per unit carbon due to its
greater surface area,
• greater negative surface charge
• greater charge density
2. Biochar appears to be able to strongly
adsorb phosphate, even though it is an
anion, although the mechanism for this
process is not fully understood.
3. These properties make biochar a unique
substance, retaining exchangeable and
therefore plant-available nutrients in the soil,
and offering the possibility of improving crop
yields while decreasing environmental
pollution by nutrients considerably
Radically transforms soils
I.R.R.I.
PhilRice

193. Pyrolysis is a
thermochemical
decomposition of
organic material at
elevated temperatures in
the absence of oxygen
(or any halogen). It
involves the simultaneous
change of chemical
composition and physical
phase, and is irreversible.
The word is coined from
the Greek-derived
elements pyro "fire" and
lysis "separating".

194. More CO and CO2 than biochar
Appropriate Technology?

195. Industrial Biochar
50% of 50% is virtually permanent carbon fixation

196. Site
Rice Hull
 Open Area
 Not too windy
 Access for truck deliveries
 Exhaust won’t disturb people or livestock
4 Low Tech Methods to Making Biochar
1. Open Rice Hull (Ipa) Piles
2. Stoves
3. Furnace ovens
4. Drum

197. Fertilizer/Feed-Grain Terms
Grade Name Filipino Waste Source Carbon/Nitrogen
• [D4] Rice Hull Ipa, From high -
Labhang Dehusking carbon
• [D3] Crushed Rice Magaspang from beltway high carbon/
Hull some nitrogen
• [D2] Rice Bran Darak from cleaning some carbon/
some nitrogen
• [D1] Rice Bran Tiki Tiki from polishing high protein-
nitrogen
D1
for feed
$
$$
$$$
$$$$
D4
for uling

199. [D 2] is inferior to
[D1] but can be
supplemented with
more fish meal
Feed-Grain Selection
[D 1] [D 3]
[D 4]
[D 2]
Puting
Bigas –
white rice
Pinawa –
Unpolished
rice
[D 4]
[D 2]
Kanin –
white rice
Palay
Palay
Small
Mill
Large
Mill
Small Mill
Remedy
You can lose
many Pesos
without the
right feed
stock

200. Cooking charcoal
as a by-product

201. CRH Production
• Start core fire with
wood

202. CRH Production
• Start core fire with
wood
• Add rice hull to
smother

205. Vent

206. =

210. CRH Production
• Start core fire with
wood
• Add rice hull to
smother
• Watch for venting
• Smother blackened
hulls

211. CRH Production
• Start core fire with
wood
• Add rice hull to
smother
• Watch for venting
• Smother blackened
hulls

212. Extinguish

214. HARVESTING
• Start core fire with
wood
• Add rice hull to
smother
• Watch for venting
• Smother blackened
hulls
• Harvest by spraying
water through pile

220. http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/
FS147E/FS147E.pdf

222. Compressed clay bricks

224. Compressed clay bricks

226. Natural Rice Hull Vinegar
Compressed
clay
bricks

227. Rice hull vinegar
Production

228. Natural Rice
Hull Vinegar

229. Hollow blocks

232. Hollow blocks
Rebuilt every year

233. Hollow blocks
Rebuilt every year

234. Hollow blocks
Rebuilt every year

235. Hollow blocks
Rebuilt every year

242. Anaerobic
Waterless
harvest

246. Thai Charcoal Oven

247. Operation of Charcoal
Oven
14. Install bamboo pipe
with wet cloth
15. Collect vinegar

248. Congratulations!
Expect 20-22% recovery by weight

250. We know of no readily available in-field pyrolyzers that meet our specs.
Warm Heart offers two:
FU2: 3.4 m3 capacity, Type I or II feed stocks; moved and
assembled by 2 men; fits in small pickup with room for quenching
water tank and biochar; burn time corn stalk 15 minutes, cob 80
minutes; yield 18%
FU3 prototype: Actual will
have 7.7 m3 capacity,
assumed to be Type II only,
moved and assembled by
3 men; fits in pickup;
anticipated yield, 25%
Type II pyrolyzers

251. USES
• Potting soil
• Bokashi
• Soil amendment
• Livestock bedding
• Livestock feed
• Odor control
• Bokashi Bombs
(Mud Balls)
• Vermiculture Feedstock
(They produce a natural
pelletized Terra Preta)

252. Ancient Inoculation Method
Sustainable Agriculture

253. Inoculation Comparison
• Takes advanced
management and time
• No guarantee of results
• Cultures can have
contamination
• P 60/ backpack sprayer
• Simple management
• Little time
• Guaranteed results
• Cultures will be pure
• P 1/ backpack sprayer

254. • Potting soil

260. Soil Blocks
•Save space
•Minimize transplant shock

276. Potting House

278. Universal Mix
1/4 Soil
1/4 Sand
1/4 Vermicast
1/4 Uling na ipa

279. Soil
amendment

281. • Bokashi

282. BOKASHI:
Fermented Rice Hull Charcoal
(EM, Kitchen Waste, etc)

283. Vermiculture Feedstock
(They produce a natural
pelletized Terra Preta)

285. Vermicast close up
Vermiculture: The African
Night crawler produces a
natural pelletized Terra Preta

286. Open Area
 Not to windy
 Access for truck deliveries
 Exhaust won’t disturb
people or livestock
Low Tech Methods for Making Biochar
Metal Needed Method
1 Drum Drum-Retort
2 GI or tin cans Stoves- gasifier/rocket
3 GI Sheet/steel plates
Metal cone - Clean Kiln Designs -FC flame cap / flame curtain
(FC) -Top Fed Open Draft FC units
4 Drums/GI Furnace/ ovens/ retorts
5 Steel matting/cage Top Light Up Draft Cage [TLUD]
6 Optional Open Rice Hull (Ipa) Piles
7 None Peter Hirst's Conservation Burn technique [Also TLUD]
8 Bricks/cement Retort-Exothermic reaction
9 Tamped Earth/ricehull TLUD Teepee/ Mound Kiln