Feedstocks & Production

Properties of Biochar

USBI 2013-Brewer.pdf (701 kB)
Catherine Brewer presentation

USBI Eichenauer final.pdf (3698 kB)
Sabrina Eichenauer presentation

Location

CC 163

Start Date

14-10-2013 1:30 PM

End Date

14-10-2013 2:50 PM

Session Description

Controls on the density and porosity of biochar: Catherine Brewer, Rice University

Engineering biochar through production conditions or for specific applications requires understanding of biochar properties. This session explores trends in biochar properties related to production conditions and analytical methods used to measure biochar properties.

Characterization of biochars from different thermo-chemical processing of biogenic waste: Sabrina Eichenauer, University of Applied Sciences THM

Coalification of biomass opens up new strategies in regional material flow management. It homogenizes organic wastes or residues of different origin into a uniform solid product composed of mostly char and ash. Different methods for thermo-chemical conversion are available. Wet biomass favors Hydrothermal Carbonization (HTC) in water under high pressure and temperature around T = 200°C. Dry organic residues are more appropriate for pyrolysis or gasification systems working in a temperature range of T = 300°C to 800°C. This presentation will discuss chars produced from biomass using HTC or dry pyrolysis in form of Low Temperature Conversion (LTC) focusing on the chemical nature of carbonaceous materials produced depending on conversion technique and starting material. The overall results of the comparative analyses show that thermo-chemically treated biomass can lead to products with different characteristics and thus to different kinds of application according to the type of biochar.

Effect of Wood & Cardboard Biochars on Plasticity, Shrinkage & Moisture Retention of Non-Hydric Spodosols: Jeff Licht

Investigators conducted a four part study to examine the effect of biochar amendment on plasticity, shrinkage, volumetric soil moisture and adsorption. These were conducted in laboratory and field tests involving clay soils in Massachusetts using chars derived from wood and cardboard and where pyrolyzed using TLUDs. Chars were found to increase soil moisture and adsorption. Cardboard based char was found to produce results matching or surpassing those of the wood char. Implications of this study will be discussed.

Bio and Photo

Dr. Catherine "Catie" Brewer received her BS in Chemistry from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and her PhD in Chemical Engineering and Biorenewable Resources & Technology from Iowa State University. She recently completed a postdoc at Rice University and currently serves as an assistant professor in Chemical Engineering at New Mexico State University. Her research interests include biochar characterization, pyrolysis system design, high-lignin biomass utilization, and biochar applications in horticulture, dryland agriculture, remediating soils, and combating desertification.

Jeff Licht has studied green roofs in the U.S., Canada, Israel and the Caribbean and taught about environmental and sustainability technologies at Harvard and Tufts and is currently an adjunct research professor at the University of Massachusetts. To further his green roof credential, Licht was invited to the Centre for the Environment at the University of Torontoas a Fulbright Scholar in 2010.

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Oct 14th, 1:30 PM Oct 14th, 2:50 PM

Properties of Biochar

CC 163

Controls on the density and porosity of biochar: Catherine Brewer, Rice University

Engineering biochar through production conditions or for specific applications requires understanding of biochar properties. This session explores trends in biochar properties related to production conditions and analytical methods used to measure biochar properties.

Characterization of biochars from different thermo-chemical processing of biogenic waste: Sabrina Eichenauer, University of Applied Sciences THM

Coalification of biomass opens up new strategies in regional material flow management. It homogenizes organic wastes or residues of different origin into a uniform solid product composed of mostly char and ash. Different methods for thermo-chemical conversion are available. Wet biomass favors Hydrothermal Carbonization (HTC) in water under high pressure and temperature around T = 200°C. Dry organic residues are more appropriate for pyrolysis or gasification systems working in a temperature range of T = 300°C to 800°C. This presentation will discuss chars produced from biomass using HTC or dry pyrolysis in form of Low Temperature Conversion (LTC) focusing on the chemical nature of carbonaceous materials produced depending on conversion technique and starting material. The overall results of the comparative analyses show that thermo-chemically treated biomass can lead to products with different characteristics and thus to different kinds of application according to the type of biochar.

Effect of Wood & Cardboard Biochars on Plasticity, Shrinkage & Moisture Retention of Non-Hydric Spodosols: Jeff Licht

Investigators conducted a four part study to examine the effect of biochar amendment on plasticity, shrinkage, volumetric soil moisture and adsorption. These were conducted in laboratory and field tests involving clay soils in Massachusetts using chars derived from wood and cardboard and where pyrolyzed using TLUDs. Chars were found to increase soil moisture and adsorption. Cardboard based char was found to produce results matching or surpassing those of the wood char. Implications of this study will be discussed.