Is biomass based charcoal economy needed or not an issue?

[rajesh_sk76]

I would start with current thai situation, currently 10% of primary energy is consumed by char coal production. Current char coal production is very required to thai economy due to BBQ restaurants infrastructure. I did some of my research near Pattaya chonburi area where lot of local manufacturers produce small scale char production by open stacks which emits lot of dangerous emissions to atmosphere such CO, CO2, CH4 gases etc.

Wood cutting and burning to produce charcoal which provide lot of local jobs and economy however in the long run it needs to be restricted with clear policies. Char coal is a clean burning fuel and reduce the cost of transportation of fuel which is a source even to many boilers to produce steam as an alternative fuel production system.

The idea of sustainable char coal production need to be implemented and sustain 2000 years old traditional technology with modern energy efficiency thoughts in kiln design. This could bridge gap between small local industrial producers and central industries in a reliable char supply in turn bridge gap between rural (village) economy with urban economy. But shortage is the raw material source, where do we get such a huge biomass, can we have fast growing trees (a research needed)?,
Can we develop a robust local coal/coke production using agricultural resources?. There is lot of research is going on Pyrolysis technology, can we develop small scale pyrolysis technology which use waste biomass resources and produce three products Pyrogas (hydrocarbon gases for engines to produce electricity), Char for BBQ restaurants and biooil for diesel extraction in a sustainable manner? My big question is lot of constraints bioresources, food and fuel production conflicts ?.

All this need to be developed and implemented at source end such as decentralized fuel production centers to create local jobs and local economy and bridge gap between urban/local village centers with a modern lifestyles and thoughts. Small is beautiful so energy thinkers, technologist, energy economist, politicians need to rethink sustainable vision of coal production using biomass as a alternative technology in local and supply sufficient waste and fast growing biomass as a feed for the sustainability and reduce the burden of fossil fuel and create green coal technology for Thailand as it is majorly agriculture based economy.


Yes there are various variables need to be consider in designing energy efficient kiln for pyrolysis technology. Well dynomotive technology is Fast pyrolysis which is in large scale and indirect heating which produce more biooil rather char coal. In my opinion need to be small and local modification of existing kilns which could be adoptable to various biomass feeds.
http://www.bestenergies.com/companies/bestpyrolysis.
Fast pyrolyssi technology demonstrative plant:
http://www.bioware.com.br/artigos/wrecvii.pdf
you need to distinguish three types of technologies such as Slow pyrolysis which produces 30 % to 35% char coal , intermediate rapid pyrolysis which can produce more biooil upto 40 % with 25% char yield where as in flash pyrolysis it biooil yield can goup to 75% with lesser char yield.In my opinion for rural char coal production we should go with intermediate char coal production which can produce biooil, hydrocarbon gases for engines and char coal for BBQ restourants to sustain the rural industry with a modern setup. Bioil could be transported to central petrorefinary process for further processing and free the problem of energy locally and enrich the local income through selling bioil and biochar coal. Please think over the benefits in terms of local village entrepreneur who can collect the wast biomass residues, para wood from his own land and use small intermediate local char coal production technology for electricity production for his agriculture water pump, lighting, cooking by char coal stoves , One TV set and radio for his recreation all these energy gadgets can be locally operated with his own engine and supply excess to his neighbors with lesser cost of electricity and in turn he can sell char coal for small BBQ restaurants and biooil to local oil dealer who could be future raw biooil trader to central petroleum company for further processing to biophenols etc for polymer resin manufacture.

Sustainable Agriculture -------> Sustainable fuel production from agriculture resources without food conflict ......> Sustainable life style implementation with a lesser gap between urban and villages or rich and poor society finally [img]a Green revolution with green education awareness which can avoid social disparity.

(The subject has been reedited for better understanding )

By Rajesh S Kempegowda ( Lecturer Asian unviersity of Science and technology),
Blog ID rajesh_sk76
personnel email (rajesh_sk76@yahoo.co.i n or rkempegowda@asianust.ac.th)

[bkpforummod]

Y'know Rajesh, with a good editorial team you would be a decent news contributor. That being said I do hope this is not a re-post or a copy-past from elsewhere (I notice you are a VERY new member).

Welcome aboard and hope you continue posting in a similar manner.

BFM -

[Ian]

The traditional early European charcoal production methods relied upon coppicing, usually hazel. In Thailand banboo would be an equivalent wood source. Much energy is wasted burning of rice stubble, this instead could be harvested, compacted into brickettes and then carbonised by pyrolysis. Whatever was done some capital input would be needed to establish a working process.

[Eric]

Wood in particular parawood could be a suitable candidate as sustainable raw material and would not compete with food base commodities. Thailand has the largest para planation with almost 2.4 million hectares. The trunk is used by the timber industries for a host of products. However, the branches being too small is not fully ultilized. This can be quite sizeable considering 10% of para trees have to be cut in 25 years rotation cycle plus trimming of branches within its productive cycle.

[Ian]

Wood in particular parawood could be a suitable candidate as sustainable raw material and would not compete with food base commodities. Thailand has the largest para planation with almost 2.4 million hectares. The trunk is used by the timber industries for a host of products. However, the branches being too small is not fully ultilized. This can be quite sizeable considering 10% of para trees have to be cut in 25 years rotation cycle plus trimming of branches within its productive cycle.

I was not familiar with the term parawood but now know it is an alternative local name for a rubber tree Yes this would indeed be a suitable candidate.

[rajesh_sk76]

Wood in particular parawood could be a suitable candidate as sustainable raw material and would not compete with food base commodities. Thailand has the largest para planation with almost 2.4 million hectares. The trunk is used by the timber industries for a host of products. However, the branches being too small is not fully ultilized. This can be quite sizeable considering 10% of para trees have to be cut in 25 years rotation cycle plus trimming of branches within its productive cycle.

I was not familiar with the term parawood but now know it is an alternative local name for a rubber tree Yes this would indeed be a suitable candidate.

In reply to Eric and Ian, para wood is essentially a good candidate for sustainable char coal production, carbonization or pyrolysis is a ideal technology to move ahead with integration with Diesel engines to produce local electricity generation in a small scale and byproduct char coal to export to BBQ restaurants. Not only para wood other agro residues such as rice straw could be brequeted and subjected to pyrolysis technology for local electricity generation. Any lignocellulose material is essential candidate for pyrolysis. Countries such as brazil export char coal in a large scale to japan and other countries. Charcoal is truly a carbon neutral alternative fuel for the thai agrarian economy. Char coal could also alternatively used in many ornament applications, hydrogen storage in the future, porous material production, gas purification filters. Why government/international consortium not thinking to implement a clear cut policy towards new biocoal or char coal economy. Efficient technologies and awareness and local policies are essential to move forward in this direction.

[Ian]

With respect, "Efficient technologies and awareness", is not something I particularly expect to find in Thailand, particularly in the field of alternative technology. I have given up trying to find a local manufacturer of hot water solar panels, I guess I will have to make my own.

[prommee_NE]

Any comments on the use of modern Stirling Engine technology fuelled by biomass? This could be used to produce localised electricity in areas that are not currently on the National Grid. More maintanable and quiter than diesel engines...just a thought.

I also like the Rider-Ericsson hot air engine that was used in the USA in the early 20th century...good for localised water pumping. It became obsolescent in favour of the internal combustion engine...but I think it may be a good idea to revive it. Patents must be out of date by now.

[Ian]

Any comments on the use of modern Stirling Engine technology fuelled by biomass? This could be used to produce localised electricity in areas that are not currently on the National Grid. More maintanable and quiter than diesel engines...just a thought.

I also like the Rider-Ericsson hot air engine that was used in the USA in the early 20th century...good for localised water pumping. It became obsolescent in favour of the internal combustion engine...but I think it may be a good idea to revive it. Patents must be out of date by now.

Prommee, the external combustion engine had had its day, a basic steam engine is much more efficient.
This article will I think make the thermodynamics clear http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclopædia_Britannica/Air-Engine

I once owned a device made by the American armed forces that used the Peltier–Seebeck effect. This basically used the heat from a cooking stove and banks of silicon semiconductor plates to generate 24 volts at 2amps. This would easily drive a water pump.

[prommee_NE]

Ian,

I agree that the "hot air engine" had its day following the greater power obtained from the internal combustion engine. It was too bulky and had little power for its size. However, it had the advantage of not needing a pressurised container...being built due to the concerns of Rev Stirling about accidents with exploding steam engines. A revival was tried by Philips in the mid 20th century but that went badly. However, the Danish have come up with something I like:

http://www.bios-bioenergy.at/en/downloads-publications/chp-stirling-engine.html

The second pdf file is in English and refers to a 35KWatt machine.

I have done some research into the technology and can refer you to other sites if you are interested.

Personally, I like the idea being revived again. Ericsson did some work on solar energy use for the hot side but abandoned it due to lack of funding...the ICE had overtaken the technology by a long way at the time. I also like the idea of the hot side being integrated into a kiln used for charcoal making or by a furnace from biomass material.

I must emphasise that I am not talking of the large generation of power to supply urban areas here. I am talking about the generation of localised electricity to supply remote farmlands and villages currently not connected or poorly connected to the National Grid.