Industrial Carbonization Systems for Biochar & Thermal Processing

1. Conveyor is equipped with raw material level sensors in the storage hopper (2). Designed for mechanized
   loading of raw materials into the storage hopper (2). Loading into the bunker can be done manually using
   human labor, but it should be borne in mind that, depending on the productivity of the furnace, it is necessary
   to load one bag of 50 liters every 2-5 minutes. The conveyor can be replaced by a bucket loader.
2. Storage hopper is used to reserve raw materials and metered loading of raw materials using a vibrating
   feeder (3), by means of a bucket conveyor – bucket elevator (4) into the furnace loading hopper (5).
3. Vibrating feeder. It works in automatic mode, provides separation of “garbage” from raw materials in order
   to reduce ash in raw materials – finished charcoal. It also loads raw materials from the storage hopper (2) into
   the bucket elevator (4), receives a signal about the need to load and stop loading raw materials from raw
   material level sensors located in the furnace hopper (5).
4. Bucket elevator – vertical bucket conveyor, operates in automatic mode, provides loading of raw materials
   from the storage hopper (2) by means of a vibrating feeder (3), receives a signal about the need to load and
   stop loading raw materials from raw material level sensors located in the furnace loading hopper (5).
5. Loading hopper is equipped with raw material level sensors, an inspection hatch, and a steam outlet pipe.
   Serves for primary heating of the raw material and loading it into the carbonization chamber through channels
   (10) for raw materials.
6. Carbonization chamber. Raw materials move down the channels of the raw materials, heated from two sides
   by “thermal channels”, through which heat moves up, as the raw materials move down, it turns into charcoal.
   Channels of the raw materials are connected at the bottom with unloading devices (9), which provide
   automatic unloading of finished charcoal into the cooling hopper (7). Unloading devices (9) provide automatic
   unloading of finished charcoal into the cooling hopper (7). The unloading signal comes in automatic mode,
   depending on the temperature of the charcoal, depending on the settings of the automatic mode. The
   temperature regime for unloading finished charcoal is set by the operator in the automated control system,
   depending on the requirements for the content of non-volatile carbon in charcoal.
7. Stabilization hopper with air cooling system is used to cool the charcoal, when filling the hopper, the
   cooled charcoal is automatically unloaded using a screw conveyor (8). The hopper is equipped with charcoal
   level sensors and an air cooling system for charcoal (through the wall).
8. Screw conveyor provides automatic unloading of cooled charcoal from the stabilization hopper with air
   cooling system

11. Vibrating feeder with aspiration system. Provides the separation of the small fraction of charcoal, which
contains the maximum amount of ash, as well as the stabilization and cooling of charcoal. It also provides for a
charcoal dust aspiration system with a cyclone for “catching” charcoal dust.

Flow diagram of raw materials and heat carrier

Raw materials for carbonization and its direction of movement

Raw materials at different stages of the carbonization process

Raw materials after unloading from the carbonizer, stage of cooling and stabilization. Extraction of heat energy possible

Heat carrier formed as a result of combustion pyrolysis products, providing heating of raw materials through the channel of the wall

Waste heat carrier after the afterburner, can be used for the drying process of raw materials and other thermal processes

Processes in BIO-KILN

1. Drying of raw materials, removal of residual moisture (100-150°С)
2. The initial stage of pyrolysis (150-250°С)
3. Stage pyrolysis – carbonization (250-450°С)
4. Charcoal calcination (450-600°С), which ensures the carbon content up to 92%. Can be increased to a maximum of 95%
5. Cooling charcoal to a temperature that ensures the absence of combustion of charcoal in contact with air.

  Depending on the residence time of the feedstock in the feedstock channel, the temperature of the feedstock depends, which, as a result of its movement along the feedstock channel, becomes charcoal. The change of modes occurs as the raw material moves along the height of the channel, due to the residence time in it.

  The temperature regime for unloading the finished charcoal is set by the operator, depending on the initial parameters of the raw material and the requirements for the content carbon in the charcoal.

1. The content of non-volatile carbon in charcoal. With an increase in the content of non-volatile carbon in charcoal, the productivity of the furnace decreases, with a decrease – it increases.
2. Models of the furnace. The main difference between the 1st, 2nd and 3rd models is performance and overall dimensions. Also, models 2 and 3 differ from the 1 model in a high speed of reaching the operating mode.

There is a dependence of the content in charcoal: non-volatile carbon-volatile carbon-ash. For example, with an ash content of 10% and a volatile carbon content of 10%, non-volatile carbon will be 80%

The processes can be divided into “outside the furnace” and “in the furnace”. Processes taking place outside the furnace can be automated as much as possible and performed almost without the participation of staff.

Processes outside the furnace:

1. Preparation of raw materials for the carbonization process
   1. Grinding of raw materials, if the size of the raw material is more than 35 mm
   2. Separation of raw materials, if necessary, to minimize the ash content and the presence of debris in the raw material
   3. Drying at humidity> 15%; Drying can take place using excess heat from a furnace in a shaft or rotary furnace;
2. Stabilization and additional cooling of raw materials after the carbonization process. Various variants of these processes are possible. For example, it is possible to stabilize and cool in mesh boxes or on a moving conveyor.
3. Packing charcoal into containers for delivery to Consumers, according to their requirements. There are various options for packing and packaging finished products: manual, semi-automatic and automatic.

The main requirement for raw materials: moisture <15%, fraction 5-40 mm, the main requirement is the flowability of raw materials.

1. Seeds and fruit trees seeds (olive seed, etc.)
2. Nutshell (any)
3. Wood chips (5-40 mm) and moisture < 15%
4. Pellets and small briquettes

• Charcoal briquette manufacturers for hookah
• Charcoal briquette manufacturers for BBQ
• Activated carbon manufacturers
• Consumers: charcoal briquette for hookah, charcoal briquette for BBQ, activated carbon
• Manufacturers / consumers BIO-CHAR

The design of the drying equipment is determined by the choice of raw materials for drying.

• Chamber dryer for drying wood (firewood) and charcoal briquettes.
• Drum dryer for small raw materials – sawdust, wood chips, etc. 
• Shaft dryer can be used for wood chips and wood.

Chamber dryer can be used for: 

• Wood drying, for the carbonization process in carbonization furnace of the ЕККО type.
• Pre-drying the wood significantly shortens the carbonization process in the carbonization furnace and improves the quality of the charcoal. Which in general increases the productivity of furnaces. Optimum drying temperature <200°C. The duration of the drying process corresponds to the duration of the carbonization process in the furnace.
• Wood drying for fireplaces. Promotes improvement of burning and storage of wood. Typically, the moisture content is adjusted to 15-20%. Optimum drying temperature <150°C.
• Drying charcoal briquette for BBQ or hookah. Briquetting line included. Optimum drying temperature <100°C.
• Heating of industrial or household premises. It is possible to receive both hot water and hot air.

• Separate fire chamber device or a gas (liquid-fuel) burner, for example when using a dryer for fireplace wood 
• Excess heat from the carbonization furnace EKKO, with a pre-drying system, is used in this case to increase the furnace capacity to pre-dry the wood.
• Excess heat from the carbonization furnace BIO-KILN, with system for extracting excess heat from the furnace is used to dry charcoal briquette for BBQ or hookah. It is also possible for heating industrial and household premises.

Drum dryer. The maximum effect of the drying plant is ensured by supplying the same amount of thermal energy to each individual piece of raw material. This process is maximally provided by the design of drum drying, where the raw material is in a pseudo-suspended state. However, the use of drum drying for wood is almost impossible due to large pieces of raw materials.

Chamber dryer. In chamber dryers, this effect is ensured by the efficient mixing of heat in the chamber. And also due to the use of recirculation – the repeated use of heat for the chamber, that is, heat is chasing around, moisture is periodically ejected from the chamber.

Dryers are used for: 

• preparation of raw materials for the carbonization process, which significantly reduces the production cycle time and improves the quality characteristics of charcoal;
• production of dry firewood for use in fireplaces;
• preparation of raw materials for the briquetting process.