Simple Carbonizer For Biochar Production

Republic of the Philippines
UNIVERSITY OF RIZAL SYSTEM

Main Campus - Tanay, Rizal
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
Simple Carbonizer for Biochar

Production
Caronan, Mari Mar A. Rosalinda G. Brasos PAE

BSAE-V Subject Professor
I. Introduction.
Carbonization is as old as civilization itself, and for as long as human history has
been recorded, heating or carbonization of wood for the purpose of manufacturing
biochar or charcoal has been practiced (Lehmann and Joseph, 2015). The pyrolysis
technologies whether they are used in producing tar/liquid or biochar/solid products
occur simultaneously with one or the other always as a coproduct.
Carbonization is a thermo-chemical process that allows to transform structured
molecules of wood and cellulose products into coal (wood coal or vegetal coal).
Carbonization is obtained through the elimination of water and volatile substances from
the vegetal matter, due to the action of heat in charcoal pile (cone-shaped wood piles,
covered with earth, with a central outlet channel (chimney), where a slow wood
combustion takes place, turning the wood into coal). Carbonization occurs outdoors, or
in long and curved-neck containers, with a flask shape, that offer a higher coal yield.
Biochar is defined as carbonized biomass obtained from sustainable sources and
sequestered in soils to sustainably enhance their agricultural and environmental value
under present and future management. This distinguishes it from charcoal that is used
as fuel for heat, as a filter, as a reluctant in iron-making or as a coloring agent in
industry or art (Lehmann and Joseph, 2015).Biochar, a porous material, can help retain
water and nutrients in the soil for the plants to take up as they grow.
Due to being an agricultural country the Philippines has a lot of agricultural wastes.
The most common are rice husk, palm leaves, coconut shell and corn cobs. This paper
shows the process of converting agricultural wastes or biomass into biochar. The
biomass to be used in this process are coconut shell, corn cobs, rice hull and coconut
leaves.
II. Purpose
Due to their low heating value and slow decomposition rates, crop wastes are
underused organic resources. However, conversion to biochar through pyrolysis could
offer agronomic and environmental benefits which can improve soil fertility, crop
productivity and their carbon sequestration potential.
The purpose of this study is to:
1. Design simple carbonizer
2. To produce biochar from crop wastes

III. Methodology
1. Collection of Biomass
The biomass needed, coconut shell, corn cobs, rice hull and coconut leaves were
collected, sorted, dried, and weighed. The larger biomass was chopped into
small pieces for better stacking in the container.
2. Carbonizing
a. Design the Carbonizer
The considerations for the design was the cost and availability of materials. As
both the oil can and the metal pipe were readily available, it was modified for
carbonizing the biomass.
b. Carbonizing
The biomass was placed and layered into the oil can. To prevent being burned in
the process it was sealed off by clay soil on top. The fire was ignited underneath
the oil can and maintained for 3 hours.
3. Determining of the Result.
After 3 hours the carbonized biomass was cooled then weighed to determine the
results.
IV. Design
Figure 1. Sketch Up Model of the Carbonizer
The metal container used in the design was a reused oil container. The metal
pipe was a 3-inch hollow metal tube with holes for heat circulation. The fire will be
ignited under the carbonizer.
Figure 2. Actual Carbonizer

V. Results and Discussion
After 3 hours of carbonization, the biomass was collected from the furnace
and then weighed in order to determine the efficiency of the designed furnace.
Table 1. Weight of the Biomass
Biomass Initial Weight Output Weight

Coconut shells 1.65 kg 1.085 kg
Corn cobs 0.5 kg 0.33 kg
Dried coconut leaves 0.20 kg 0.13 kg
Rice hull 0.5 kg 0.33 kg
Total Weight 2.85 kg 1.875 kg
Table 1 shows the initial weight (the weight of the biomass before carbonization) and
output weight (the weight of the biomass after carbonization).
Table 2. Efficiency of the Carbonizer
Biomass Efficiency
Coconut shells 65.76 %
Corn cobs 66 %
Dried coconut leaves 65 %

Rice hull 66 %
Total Weight 65.78 %
Table 2 shows the efficiency of the carbonizer based on the weight of the biomass
(Table 1) as calculated by the formula,
Initial Weight
Efficiency of Carbonizer= x 100 %
Output Weight
According to Abrego, Javier & Hanaoka, & Antal, Michael. (2010), an efficient biomass
carbonizer (e.g. the UH Flash Carbonization process) retains as much as 70% of the
carbon in the biomass feedstock in the biocarbon product.
The results show that the rectangular drum carbonizer has an efficiency of 65.78 %.
This result is acceptable because it is only 5% lower than the industrial grade
carbonizer as stated above.
VI. Recommendations
1. To improve efficiency, it is recommended to use a cylindrical container as it
allows even heat distribution for the biomass inside it.
2. To increase capacity, larger container is recommended.
3. For easier start up, include the furnace into the design.
4. For longevity of the design, use better materials.
VII. Conclusion
Biochar can aid in the improvement of soil fertility, crop productivity and their carbon
sequestration potential. This study aimed to design and construct a simple carbonizer to
produce biochar. As the result showed, the efficiency of the drum type carbonizer is at
65.78 % which shows that the design of a simple carbonizer was moderately efficient in
terms of biochar produced. Also, this paper shows that production of biochar from
biomass is a short and simple process.
VIII. References
Can the effluent of an efficient biomass carbonizer be combusted? Abrego, Javier &
Hanaoka, & Antal, Michael. (2010).
http://www.fao.org/3/x5555e/x5555e03.htm
Rotary Kiln Minerals Process Applications A. A Boateng, in Rotary Kilns (Second
Edition), 2016
http://www.eniscuola.net/en/argomento/biomass/energy-production/carbonization/
Salman Zafar. BioEnergy Consult https://www.bioenergy.com
Feussner, et al. Carbonisation. https://www.sciencedirect.com
IX. Documentation
Weighing of the biomass
Corn Cobs Coconut shells

Coconut leaves Rice Hull

Stacking of the Biomass
Coconut Shells Corn Cobs Coconut Leaves

Rice Hull Clay Soil
Carbonizing
Results

Simple Carbonizer For Biochar Production

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Republic of the Philippines

UNIVERSITY OF RIZAL SYSTEM

Simple Carbonizer for Biochar

Caronan, Mari Mar A. Rosalinda G. Brasos PAE

been recorded, heating or carbonization of wood for the purpose of manufacturing

technologies whether they are used in producing tar/liquid or biochar/solid products

occur simultaneously with one or the other always as a coproduct.

Carbonization is a thermo-chemical process that allows to transform structured

Biochar is defined as carbonized biomass obtained from sustainable sources and

sequestered in soils to sustainably enhance their agricultural and environmental value

as fuel for heat, as a filter, as a reluctant in iron-making or as a coloring agent in

underused organic resources. However, conversion to biochar through pyrolysis could

productivity and their carbon sequestration potential.

The purpose of this study is to:

1. Design simple carbonizer

2. To produce biochar from crop wastes

small pieces for better stacking in the container.

a. Design the Carbonizer

carbonizing the biomass.

the oil can and maintained for 3 hours.

3. Determining of the Result.

Figure 1. Sketch Up Model of the Carbonizer

ignited under the carbonizer.

Figure 2. Actual Carbonizer

V. Results and Discussion

Table 1. Weight of the Biomass

Biomass Initial Weight Output Weight

output weight (the weight of the biomass after carbonization).

Table 2. Efficiency of the Carbonizer

Dried coconut leaves 65 %

(Table 1) as calculated by the formula,

carbon in the biomass feedstock in the biocarbon product.

carbonizer as stated above.

1. To improve efficiency, it is recommended to use a cylindrical container as it

allows even heat distribution for the biomass inside it.

2. To increase capacity, larger container is recommended.

4. For longevity of the design, use better materials.

biomass is a short and simple process.

Weighing of the biomass

Corn Cobs Coconut shells

Coconut leaves Rice Hull

Stacking of the Biomass

Coconut Shells Corn Cobs Coconut Leaves

Rice Hull Clay Soil

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