Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

livingontheland - [Livingontheland] Biochar vs compost combustion

livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Healthy soil and sustainable growing

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Zachary Domike <zdomike@yahoo.com>
  • To: "livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org" <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] Biochar vs compost combustion
  • Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2011 04:21:11 -0700 (PDT)

Regarding the Biochar issue, I believe that carbon is put into compost, but the microbes conspire to confound our expectations.  Those animals use the carbon to fuel their respiration, and much of the compost ends up as CO2 floating away into the air.  So, biochar, theoretically, is a more stable type of carbon storage.

But Marty, the Biochar chamber with holes allows the wood inside to burn, as it is not heated with restricted oxygen.  So that is not the most efficient method, and sends a high proportion of carbon into the air.... but it is simple, and seems to have resulted in a reasonable proportion of charcoal to sticks. 

Your technique is not for the layman, especially since it requires removal will the fire is burning, and quenching to prevent the charcoal to keep burning until it is all white ash.  Mild steel will not stand up to very many cycles before it cracks and crumbles, I am sorry to say.  Anyone else with a more positive review?
Zack


KC No-Till] Biochar Making Chamber
    Shown on Youtube Video
Paul Wrote:
I sequestered carbon today by working alfalfa meal into a couple tomato beds and pepper beds. I just mix the alfalfa with screened aged horse manure, greensand, and bone meal in a wheelbarrow, and spread it on the beds, then mix it in with a simple shovel. It also adds fiber, nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, and trace minerals at the same time. These things all decompose together and quickly turn into natural plant food with moisture and microbial action right in the soil. The soil structure and texture is then more moisture retentive and resistant to leaching. And I don't have to keep doing it. Nothing is burned to release CO2 into the atmosphere, no fuel required, anyone can do it with only a shovel. Very satisfying.

paul tradingpost@lobo.net

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 3/12/2011 at 11:14 AM Marty Kraft wrote:

>Just put a biochar making chamber video on youtube. Shows Art Institute student, Theo Bunch welding it and me making first batch of - -



  • [Livingontheland] Biochar vs compost combustion, Zachary Domike, 03/15/2011

Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page