Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Production
Stefan Czernik
National Bioenergy Center
IBI Conference on Biochar, Sustainability and Security in a
Changing Climate
September 8-10, Newcastle, U.K.
Outline
Introduction
Charcoal
Biomass
Pyrolysis
Charcoal formation
Stoichiometric and thermodynamic potential
Biomass pyrolysis pathways
Conclusions
What is Charcoal?
Charcoal is a solid product of pyrolysis
of biomass carried out at temperature
above 300C.
Is black in color, retains morphology
of original feedstock, burns without
flame.
Is not a pure carbon or a single
compound.
Elemental composition:
C, H, O, N, S, ash
Proximate analysis:
fixed carbon >70% , volatiles, ash
Charcoal
Global charcoal consumption: 45 Mton/year
Africa
23 Mton/year
South America
17 Mton/year
60 Mton/year)
Biomass
Biomass is a plant matter, renewable product of photosynthesis.
Includes trees, grasses, agricultural crops and residues, animal
wastes and municipal solid wastes.
World terrestrial biomass resources 120 Gton/year.
Field, C. B. et al., (1998) Science 281, 237-240.
Food supplies
<20% of total
biomass.
Non food
>80% of total
biomass.
Lignocellulosic Biomass
Average elemental composition: CH1.4O0.6
Cellulose: 38% - 50%
Most abundant form of carbon in
biosphere
Polymer of glucose
Extractives: 1% - 5%
Pyrolysis of Biomass
Thermal decomposition occurring in the
absence of oxygen.
At temperature above 300C biomass
polymeric building blocks undergo
crosslinking as well as partial
depolymerization and fragmentation to form
smaller molecules which are released as gases
and vapors that can react with residual solids
producing more condensed structures.
Pyrolysis always produces solid (charcoal),
liquid (water and organics), and gaseous (CO,
CO2, CH4, H2) products at proportions and
composition dependent on feedstock and on
process conditions.
Solid Phase
Gas Phase
<200C
Drying
H2O
230C-250C
Retification
250C-280C
Torrefaction
Extractives
300C-500C
Devolatilization
>500C
Carbonization
Charcoal Yields
Stoichiometric:
CH1.4O0.6
CH0.2 + 0.6H2O
53.0% (100% C)
Thermodynamic:
Cellulose:
C6H10O5
Practical:
CH1.4O0.6
Primary Processes
Light HCs,
Aromatics,
& Oxygenates
Primary
Vapors
CO, CO2,
H2O
Liquid
Phase
Low P
Low P
Vapor
Phase
Olefins, Aromatics
CO, H2, CO2, H2O
Tertiary Processes
PNAs, CO,
H2, CO2,
H2O, CH4
High
P
Primary
Liquids
Condensed Oils
Tars
(phenols, aromatics)
High
P
Solid
Phase
Biomass
Charcoal
Coke
Pyrolysis Severity
Evans, R.J. and Milne, T.A., Energy & Fuels 1987, 1, 123-137.
Soot
CO, H2,
CO2, H2O
Liquid
Gas
CARBONISATION
low temperature
long residence time
35%
30%
35%
FAST PYROLYSIS
moderate temperature
short residence time
12%
75%
13%
GASIFICATION
high temperature
long residence time
10%
5%
85%
Charcoal Yields
Charcoal yields depend on feeedstock and
on process conditions:
Cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and ash
content
Pyrolysis temperature
Process pressure
Vapor residence time
Particle size
Heating rate
Heat integration (biomass burn off).
Beechwood xylan
Aspen lignin
300C-500C
>500C
Charcoal Production
Batch processes:
Yield
>10%
20-25%
Retorts
30%
Continuous processes:
Retorts (Lambiotte)
30-35%
25-30%
Novel processes:
Flash carbonization
40-50%
Lambiotte Retort
Continuous operation
Wood moves down in
countercurrent with hot flue
gases from combustion of
pyrolysis gas
Cool charcoal is retrieved at
the bottom through a lock
mechanism
Pyrolysis liquid are
condensed and used as byproduct
Pyrolysis gas is heated in the
bottom section then burned
FAO Forestry Paper 63, Rome 1985
Flash Carbonization
Batch operation; 10 tons/day
charcoal.
Biomass loaded to a canister
then heated up to 350C at
0.7 MPa for 30-90 min.
Charcoal yield 40-50%
(70-80% fixed carbon).
Catalytic afterburner for tars
eliminates smoke from reactor
effluents.
Capital cost $200,000.
HNEI Flash Carbonization
Demonstration Reactor
Conclusions