I am writing a review article on Biochar technology and I would like to know what are some methods preferred to prepare biochar. If possible, kindly mention any drawbacks to employing these methods. That would be a great help. Thank you in advance.
@ Gaurang, please have a look of the attached file for biochar preparation methods. The disadvantages are: In some cases, yields may decline because of the sorption of water and nutrients by the biochar, which reduces the availability of these resources for the crops. Biochar has also been shown to inhibit germination.
Several types of artisanal and industrial production coexist:
Traditional production of biochar using secular techniques (slow combustion of wood in a millstone covered with earth).
Industrial production (controlled pyrolysis): industry produces it in the form of granules (recycled wood debris or plant residues having undergone a thermal treatment of thermolysis type), presented as an interesting source of renewable energy (aspect sometimes discussed because of the risk of depriving the forest of deadwood necessary for the sylvigenetic cycle and the preservation of biodiversity).
Industrial co-production in the sugar cane industry, using bagasse as biomass for energy recovery. The scum, a by-product of this combustion, can be considered as a biochar. It is valued in agriculture.
Biochar can also be made from charcoal dust then agglomerated with about 20% clay.
Production combined with a biofuel or agrofuel production cycle, with energy production via (exothermic) processes also allowing heat production (or even electricity, in cogeneration) producing more energy than the energy invested.
The energy required to produce charcoal is still greater than that required to produce ethanol-type biofuels from corn.
The production of biochar for agricultural use remains marginal.
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