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TRANSCRIPT
BiocharProduct Applications
Don Harfield, P.Eng., P.M.P Retired
Vegreville, Alberta
Presentation to the AROWRN Conference
Camrose, Alberta – June 14, 2017
What is Biochar?
Biochar is a carbon-rich solid produced by pyrolysis of
biomass under partial or complete exclusion of
oxygen. The process converts carbon in biomass into
‘recalcitrant’ carbon which resists degradation and
can sequester carbon in soil for centuries.
Biochar is identical to charcoal, except it is primarily
used for soil amendment purposes. However, it has
myriads of applications like cleaning water, reducing
odor, adsorbing toxic pollutants on soil to name a
few.
Biochar: Carbon-rich solid produced by low-temperature (450 to 550º C)
pyrolysis of biomass under partial or complete exclusion of oxygen.
How Do You Make Biochar?
Where Can We Use Biochar ?
Greenhouse/Hydroponic Growth Media
Agricultural Soil Amelioration
Horticultural Soil Amendment
Slow Release Fertilizers
Biochar Product Blends Biochar
Sawdust
Biochar at 60 tons/ha Solonetzic soil
Biochar Quality Guidelines
Biochar* IBI1 EBC
2 BQM
3
General Characteristics
Organic Carbon
Content 10 wt.% 50 wt.% 10 wt.%
H:Corg 0.7 0.7 0.7
Classification
Criteria
Organic Carbon Contaminants Contaminants
Classes Class 1: 60 wt.%
Class 2: 30 wt.%
and < 60 wt.%
Class 3: 10 wt.%
and < 30 wt.%
Premium
grade
Basic
grade
High
grade
Standard
grade
Toxicants
PAHs 6 – 20 mg/kg 4 mg/kg
12 mg/kg 20
mg/kg
20 mg/kg
Dioxins/Furans 9 ng/kg (I-TEQ) 20 ng/kg (I-
TEQ OMS)
20 ng/kg (I-
TEQ OMS)
20 ng/kg 20 ng/kg
PCBs 0.2 – 0.5 mg/kg 0.2 mg/kg 0.2 mg/kg 0.5 mg/kg
I-TEQ
0.5 mg/kg I-
TEQ
Metals (mg/kg)
As 12 - 100 - - 10 100
Cd 1.4 - 39 1 1.5 3 39
Cr 64 -1200 80 90 15 100
Cu 63 -1500 100 100 40 1500
Pb 70 - 500 120 150 60 500
Hg 1 - 17 1 1 1 17
Mo 5 - 20 - - 10 75
Ni 47 - 600 30 50 10 600
Se 1 - 36 - - 5 100
Zn 200 - 7000 400 400 150 2800
*All the parameters shown are in terms of dry weight basis (db)
1. IBI Biochar Standards - International Biochar Initiative (IBI)
2. European Biochar Certificate (EBC) – European Biochar Foundation (EBF)
3. Biochar Quality Mandate (BQM) – British Biochar Foundation (BBF)
Biochar Quality Guidelines
Biochar Characterization
Basic Analyses
Proximate (moisture, volatiles, fixed C, Ash)
Ultimate (C, H, N, O, and S)
Heating Value
Toxicity Analyses
Germination Inhibition Assay
Earthworm Avoidance Test
PAHs/Dioxins/Heavy Metals
Advanced Analyses
Morphological Analyses (surface area, porosity)
Carbon Stability (Aging Effects)
Carbon Stability - Biochar
CFIA Approval
CFIA considers ‘Biochar’ as a supplement under
the Federal Fertilizer Act and requires specific
registration prior to sale/import or prior to
environmental release in Canada.
Air Terra in collaboration with InnoTech Alberta
pioneered Biochar Registration with CFIA in
Canada
Air Terra Biochar approved December 2015
Titan Clean Energy Biochar application in process
CFIA non-compliance could result in product
detention and prosecution.
Federal Regulations - CFIA
Air Terra Biochar - Specifications
Biochar Average Result Air Terra Product
Min. Guarantee
Max. Allowable
Concentration
Proximate Analyses wt.% dry basis (db)
Volatile Matter 8.5 %
Ash 6.7 % 25 %
Fixed Carbon 84.8 % 70 % IBI Class 1 (> 60 %)*
Ultimate Analyses wt.% (db)
C 84.56 %
H 0.68 %
O 7.84 %
N 0.22 %
S 0
Atomic Ratios
H/C 0.1 IBI guidelines* require biochar
H/Corg ratio ≤ 0.7
O/C 0.07Biochar with O/C atomic ratio <
0.2, have an estimated half-life
(T1/2) > 1000 year [Carbon
Management 2010, 1, 289]
Toxicity Bio-Assay
Germination Rate 100 % Radish seed germination rate in
biochar relative to quartz sand
control
Toxicants
Polycyclic Aromatic
Hydrocarbons - PAHs
1.6 mg/kg< 20 mg/kg IBI guideline*
Dioxins Not detected < 9 ng/kg IBI guideline*
Furans Not detected < 9 ng/kg IBI guideline*
Poly Chlorinated Biphenyls -
PCBs
Not detected< 0.5 mg/kg IBI guideline*
Heavy Metals Within max. allowable
conc.
Below CFIA T-4-093 standard
threshold
CFIA Labelling – Air Terra Example
Research Support at InnoTech Alberta
• Lab Scale Product Development and Analyses
• Pilot Scale Production
• Demonstration Scale Biochar Units
• Client Systems Testing & Optimization
• Field Trials and Crop Evaluation
Biochar Composting Trial - Harfield
CFIA Approved Biochar
Compost Feedstock with Biochar
Biochar Commercial Applications
High Value – Low to Medium Volume
Functionalized Biochars
Activated Carbon Replacement
Filter Media (industrial water clean-up, ie oil sands tailings)
Mercury/Sulfur Capture
Inoculant Carriers
Low Value – High Volume
Soil Amendment and Fertilizer Carrying Agents
Growth Media
Land Reclamation/Remediation
Lake De-eutrophication
Potting Mixes (Commercial & Retail)
Quality Control Considerations
Feedstock Quality
Unprocessed
Agricultural Residue
Forestry Residues
Livestock Residues
Processed (Non Compliance with Regulations
Treated Wood (Railway Ties, Preserved Wood)
Construction & Demolition Wood
MSW/Refuse Derived Fuel
Process Variability
Temperature
Retention Time
Rate of Heating
Post Treatment
Economic Considerations
Biochar
Market price $ 500 - $ 1,000 / tonne (dry basis)
Increasing Product Availability (Canada, US)
Markets Being Developed
Activated Carbons
Market price $2000 + / tonne
Well defined product quality
Well established market and applications
Functionalized Biochar
Alternatives to Activated Carbons
Soil Considerations
Need for Improving Our Soils
Soil Degradation - Carbon & Organic Matter Depletion
Soil Removal for Land Development
Industrially Damaged Soils
“Bringing Our Soil Back to Life”*
Minimal Soil Disturbance – No-Till Planting
Grow Cover Crops After Harvesting – Reduce Carbon Loss
Rotate Crops – Restore Soil & Reduce Pests
*From “Growing a Revolution – Bringing Our Soil Back to Life” by Dr. David R. Montgomery, 2017
Biochar Application Rates
Determine Existing Carbon Content
Soils Testing – Carbon & Organic Matter Content
Compare to Desired Levels & Neighboring Lands
Consult With Agronomist
InnoTech Alberta – Vegreville
Alberta Agriculture
Agricultural College
Soil Organic Carbon Content in Soils
Desert – Less than 0.5%
Upland Soils – 0.5% to 3%
Typical Target – 5 to 10%
Organic Soils – Greater than 12 to 18%
Terra Preta Soils – Greater than 50%
Biochar Conditioning
Best Results After Conditioning
Charging Biochar with Plant Nutrients
Innoculating with Living Organisms
Biochar Can Be Added During Planting Stage
Best to Pre-Condition Before Adding to Soil
Pre-Conditioning with Manure or Compost
Further Additions for Permanent Plantings
Living Soil
Soil Microbes in Topsoil and at Root Surfaces
Innoculating Soil with Conditioned Biochar Accelerates Beneficial Mycorrhizal Structures
Microbes Need Decomposed Organic Matter
Compost and Manure are Excellent Microbe Sources
Carbon Sequestration
Biochar is Carbon Negative
Carbon Sequestration by Photosynthesis
Fossil Fuels Add Carbon Dioxide and Other GHG
Biomass Fuels (Combustion) Are Carbon Neutral
Sustainable Biochar Systems can be Carbon
Negative
Biochar Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide
Biochar is Partially Combusted (Pyrolysis) Biomass
Net Carbon Sequestration of 25% from Atmosphere
Converting Biomass to Biochar Can Also Avoid CO2
and CH4 Emissions Due to Natural Decomposition
Biochar Can Remain Sequestered for Hundreds or
Thousands of Years
Carbon Sequestration
Website Source: International Biochar Initiative
Other Beneficial Pyrolysis Applications
▪ Conversion of Crumb Rubber
▪ Reduction in Landfill Volumes
▪ Energy Densification (Biocarbon)
▪ Pyrolysis Oil (Liquid Fuels)
▪ Bio-Oil (Green Phenols Based Glues)
▪ Gasification Syngas (Conversion to Methanol)
Sources of Biochar & Biocarbon
*Air Terra - http://www.airterra.ca/
*Titan Clean Energy - https://www.titan-projects.com/
BC Biocarbon - https://www.bcbiocarbon.com/
Diacarbon - http://www.diacarbon.com/
Cool Planet - http://www.coolplanet.com/
*Note – CFIA approved biochar is required for soil amendments intended for food production in Canada
Air Terra – Soil Matrix (CFIA Approved)
Titan Clean Energy – Mayan Gold (CFIA Application in Process)
Suggested Reading Resources
Reference Books:
Biochar for Environmental Management, 2nd Edition, Routledge, 2015
Geotherapy, CRC Press, 2015
Biochar Production, Characterization and Applications, CRC Press, 2015
The Biochar Solution, New Society Publishers, 2010
The Biochar Debate, Chelsea Green Publishing, 2009
The Biochar Revolution, Global Publishing, 2010
Terra Preta, Greystone Books, 2016
Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations,
Growing a Revolution – Bringing Our Soil Back to Life, W.W. Norton & Company 2017
Suggested Website Resources
Internet Websites:
Biochar Basics - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochar
IBI - http://www.biochar-international.org/
USBI - http://biochar-us.org/biochar-org/
ABI - http://albertabiochar.ca/
Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations (Dr. David Montgomery) -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr8QuXWj3o0
UN Global Assessment of Soil Degradation -http://www.isric.org/projects/global-assessment-human-induced-soil-degradation-glasod
Soil Organic Carbon - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_carbon
Conditioning Biochars - http://www.terra-char.com/uploads/2/3/7/9/23790961/composting_with_biochar.pdf
Climate Change - http://www.biochar-international.org/biochar/carbon
Thank You!
Don Harfield, P.Eng., P.M.P. Retired
Vegreville, Alberta Cell/Text: (780) 632-1717
Email: [email protected]
Biochar Product Applications Presentation