Introduction to Biochar

Joe James
Founder & President
Agri-Tech Producers
Torrefaction: Making a Cost-
Effective Coal Replacement,
Superior Pellets, and Biochar
By
Joe James, President
Agri-Tech Producers, LLC

Agri-Tech Producers, LLC

 Torrefaction: A Technology to
Densify & Enhance Biomass
– Untreated biomass may be 50% water, it’s
bulky and it’s not the most efficient or useable
fuel or bio-feedstock. Torrefaction:
• Drives off the water and reduces the bulk
• Makes a better co-fire fuel to burn with coal
• Makes superior briquettes and pellets
• Makes Biochar
– Torrefaction, applied at or near the point of
harvest:
• Reduces transportation costs of biomass, per BTU
• Produces a more valuable biomass shipment
Agri-Tech Producers, LLC
 Torrefaction: Adding Value and
Reducing Transportation Cost/BTU

• Untreated Biomass: • Torrefied Biomass: :

– Bulky – Dense, If Pelletized, Etc.

– Moist – Dry & Water Resistant
– Fibrous – Easily Crushed
– Perishable
– Does Not Rot
– Waste
– Valuable Fuel
– Expensive to
transport – Energy Dense

Agri-Tech Producers, LLC

 The Process of Torrefaction

• Heating wood, in a low-oxygen environment, liberates water,

volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), and hemicellulose (HC)
from the cellulose and lignin.

• The VOC’s and HC are combusted to generate 80% of the

torrefaction process heat.

• Torrefied wood can easily join or replace coal in combustion or

be a feedstock for further pyrolysis or gasification for combined
heat and power or Fischer-Tropsch liquids.

• The remaining and warm lignin acts as an effective binder, when

the torrefied wood is compressed.

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Schematic of Torrefaction Machine

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 Higher Heating Value of Torrefied Wood, Charcoal
and Coal:
Higher Heating Value of Torrefied Wood, Charcoal and Coal:
Color Approximately Indicates Heating Value
Color Approximately Indicates Heating Value
16,000

14,000 13,471
12,000
12,000 11,633

10,000 9,248 9,502

8,805 9,060
8,458
BTU/lb.

8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

-
Lightest Lighter Light Dark Darker Darkest Charcoal Coal

Agri-Tech Producers, LLC

 Chemistry of Torrefaction
• At torrefaction temperatures, hemicellulose is the
primary wood polymer that is degraded into:
– Permanent gases include H2, CH4, aromatics, CO, CO2,
Cx H y
– Condensable liquids include acids, ketones, furans,
alcohols, terpenes, phenols, waxes, tanins, water
– Solids include char, new and existing sugar structures
and new polymers and ash.
• All of the wood polymers undergo dehydration reactions
that destroy –OH groups that are responsible for
hydrogen bonding with water: this severely reduces the
tendency of densified torrefied wood to absorb water.

Agri-Tech Producers, LLC

Mass and Energy Balance of Torrefaction
• Published results indicate mass and energy balance of .8 and
.9 respectively (for dry wood).
• This is consistent with the loss of the lower energy VOC and
hemicellulose and retention of higher energy lignin and
cellulose.
• Assuming
– 50% MC wood,
– HHV of 8700 Btu/lb for dry wood,
– 1000 Btu/lb latent heat of water,
– .4 Btu specific heat for wood and 1 Btu specific heat for water,
– Starting temperature of 75 F and exit temperatures of 500° F.
• ~800 Btu used in processing, this energy is approximately
equal to that of the VOC’s and hemicellulose.
• ~3575 Btu left in remaining torrefied product, which weighs
~.33 lbs, for a HHV of 10,800 Btu/lb.

Agri-Tech Producers, LLC

 Torrefied Wood: A Coal Substitute

• Torrefied wood is a much better fuel for co-firing with

coal than untreated wood.
• Torrefied wood can be ground to a particle size, similar
to that of pulverized coal, with the same or less energy
use.
• Untreated wood requires many times the energy use, in
grinding (by a factor of 7.5 to 15), to achieve a similar
particle size.

Agri-Tech Producers, LLC

 Biochar Opportunities
• The living parts of trees, the leaves and bark, have a
much higher concentration of minerals, than does the
wood from the trunk of trees.

• In addition, this material tends to turn into a fine

powder, when torrefied, and can be screened away from
the torrefied wood chips.

• This may permit this fine material to be used as biochar.

• Agri-Tech is interested in working with farmers, forest

landowners, researchers, etc. to fully explore the
potential of such biochar.

Agri-Tech Producers, LLC

Agri-Tech Producers, LLC
 ATP’s Partner: Kusters Zima Corporation
101 Zima Park Drive / I-85 Business
Spartanburg, S.C. 29301 Complete Manufacturing
Tel: (864) 576-0660

8.74 Acres (35,362 Sq. Meters)

• Water & Waste Water Equipment
Grit Removal & Washing
Building Constructed in 1969 Course & Fine Screenings
80,128 Total Manufacturing Sq. Ft. Classifiers
(7,444 Sq. Meters) CSO Screens
Dewatering
Kusters Zima has over 40 years
experience in engineering and • Carpet & Textile Equipment
manufacturing machinery for Continuous Preparation
many various industries. Dye Washers & Scour Ranges
• Complete Metal Fabrication including Steamers
Welding, Cutting, Forming and Piping. Liquid Dispensing
Water & Dry Lint Removal Systems
• Machining Capabilities that include
CNC Turning and Vertical Milling
Centers. • Contract Sales
Piece Parts & Components
• Complete Mechanical and Electrical Customer Specific Design & Build
Engineering with the latest Software
Versions of SolidWorks and AutoCad.
Build to Print

• Complete Mechanical and Electrical

Assembly and F.A.T. for Production
Machines and Prototypes.

• Installation and Start-up Supervision.

Contact Information
Joe James, President
Agri-Tech Producers, LLC
(803) 462-0153
JosephJJames@bellsouth.net
www.agri-techproducers.com

Agri-Tech Producers, LLC

Questions?
Recording will be available at:
http://www.saferalliance.net