Biochar Burn SchoolNov 15-17, 2013 at Enchanted Forest, Grants

Pass, Oregon

Sponsored by Wilson Biochar Associates, Table Rock Foundation, Lomakatsi

Restoration, Sonoma Biochar Intiative

Current Practice: Pile and Burn Cost: $2,000/acre to cut, pile and burnReturn: waste treatment – fuel load reductionByproducts: smoke, sterilized soil, ash, small amounts of char

Objectives

• We can do better!• Try different methods of pile construction and

lighting to see if we can produce less smoke and more charcoal to minimize environmental impact of open burns

• Keep labor requirements in mind and minimize effort and resources

Ethics

• Open burning is NOT a biochar production method

• Volume biochar production methods should produce zero or near zero emissions with capture of useful energy to substitute for fossil fuels

• Biochar burning methods are intended as a best practice for situations where open burning is the only practical disposal method of problem biomass

Physics of Top Lit BurningWood does not burn directly, rather, heated wood emits gases that burn:• Heat transfers by radiation into the

wood• Heated wood releases gases that

rise• When hot gases rise they are

exposed to air and they burn• Heat converts remaining wood to

charcoal• Charcoal will not burn if it is

protected from oxygen by the gas flare

• If rising gases cool too fast or do not get enough air, smoke results

Diagram by Tom Reed, www.thomasreedinventions.com

Standard burn pile of fir and pine from oak savannah restoration project. Only change is, we light on the top instead of on the bottom.

TYPICAL BOTTOM LIT BURN PILE

TOP LIT BURN PILE - CONSUMES SMOKE

Wood moisture levels ranged from 12% to 30%

We rebuilt some piles to get a more pyramidal shape with bigger logs on the bottom, and few fine materials

These piles could be quenched with 2 bladder bags of water. Spread out the char to cool rapidly, reducing water requirement.

Charcoal yield approximately 40 gallons

Day 3 Ultimate Pile – culmination of lessons learned: Rule #1: bigger material on bottom, smaller on top.

Rule #2: Light on the top. If using accelerant, spray a mist evenly across the top. Avoid drip torches that will produce flame underneath unburned material.

Rule #3: space between sticks roughly equal to stick diameter

Rule #4. As pile burns down, consolidate fuel for minimum smoke and maximum biochar production. Observe the stick in the air, cooling and smoking.

Rule #5. Spread out and quench with light mist to conserve water.

Kelpie WilsonWilson Biochar AssociatesMobile: 541-218-9890kelpiew@gmail.comwww.wilsonbiochar.com

Wilson Biochar Associates specializes in biochar technology and market development. We provide strategic advice and services to businesses and organizations.

Special Thanks!• Jan and Brenda Patton, owners of Enchanted Forest• Peter Hirst of New England Biochar for expert instruction• All the participants who labored over three days to learn and refine these

techniques• Our co-sponsors: Lomakatsi Restoration Project, Table Rock Foundation,

Sonoma Biochar initiative• Forest Service soil scientist Jim Archuleta for his preliminary experiments