charcoal burning

[Ian Leach]

When I first met my Mrs, she invited me over for a bbq so I said I would supply the charcoal as made my own, this was greeted with some disbelief as to quality , until I went, her half barrel bbq was so hot I had to go find some welding gloves out the van so I could turn the steaks

 

I had a cheap bbq when I first used my own charcoal the bottom of it was glowing it was that hot.

[Ian Leach]

Stupid question, is wood used green or seasoned?

 

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I've always used seasoned wood, green wood produces more smoke and less charcoal

[openspaceman]

You get lots of white vapour/gasses coming out the holes.

 

This is mostly water then followed by VOCs, next is acetic acid from hardwood.

As the burn gets hotter the gasses ignite. The flames settle from roaring yellow to steady blue.

 

Once the wood gets above 300C the pyrolysis offgas is tar vapours, CO methane and some hydrogen but if the chunks are large and damp water being given off from the wetter parts dilutes the offgas so it won't sustain a flame. The yellow is carbon particles glowing in the flame as hydrogen and oxygen combine preferentially, the carbon then burns as more oxygen diffuses into the flame.

 

The blue flame is mostly carbon monoxide burning after most of the tarry compounds have burned off.

 

Whilst very high quality charcoal, that chinks like metal, is made by the japanese from green wood to make char cleanly you need very dry wood. Charring takes a fraction of the time drying does because to dry wood you have to supply a lot of heat through the already dry layers. As pyrolysis is mildly exothermic between about 330C and 440C a chain reaction inside the wood occurs as long as the endothermy of vaporising water does not rob heat from the reaction.

 

If you wish to make some char without using the boy scouts tin can method get some very dry straight bits of wood and set them in a tin can vertically. A whisky bottle can is fine, pierce several small holes at base and set on ground with some soil ready to block the holes. soak a bit of kerosene on top and light the top. Control the rate of burn by covering holes. Once the fire reaches the bottom snuff out and let the char cool. With 10% dry wood this will yield about 25% of the dry wood as a moderate volatiles char.

[openspaceman]

I've always used seasoned wood, green wood produces more smoke and less charcoal

 

I agree and making charcoal without flaring the offgas is polluting, especially as in the short term methane is some 20 times worse at absorbing re radiated infra red than CO2.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

some great info guys

[Cracker]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fojgpct6dBA]exeter biochar retort - YouTube[/ame]

 

This looks like the way to go, higher efficiency.

[458 Lott]

I make it in Devon

Takes 48 hours

Not cost effective unless u plan

We chip anything upto 2.5 inches

Anything above that that's straight is cut for charcoal and firewood

We burn the bits we can't chop we don't use log splitters

And roots go in the kilns

Roots and big bits in middle as hottest part

Only burn when weather dry rain cools kiln

Wood needs to season for at least 6 months

If u bring whisky saw and axe Do a days graft cutting for the kiln and i will teach u

Only use hardwood or your customers won't come back

 

Whisky is needed as there is much dust we prefer it to dust masks

Shoot straight stay alive

[openspaceman]

 

This looks like the way to go, higher efficiency.

 

How would you define higher efficiency?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I make it in Devon

Takes 48 hours

Not cost effective unless u plan

We chip anything upto 2.5 inches

Anything above that that's straight is cut for charcoal and firewood

We burn the bits we can't chop we don't use log splitters

And roots go in the kilns

Roots and big bits in middle as hottest part

Only burn when weather dry rain cools kiln

Wood needs to season for at least 6 months

If u bring whisky saw and axe Do a days graft cutting for the kiln and i will teach u

Only use hardwood or your customers won't come back

 

Whisky is needed as there is much dust we prefer it to dust masks

Shoot straight stay alive

 

I very much like the way you roll fella! Im up for this!

[hedgesparrow]

I make it in Devon

Takes 48 hours

Not cost effective unless u plan

We chip anything upto 2.5 inches

Anything above that that's straight is cut for charcoal and firewood

We burn the bits we can't chop we don't use log splitters

And roots go in the kilns

Roots and big bits in middle as hottest part

Only burn when weather dry rain cools kiln

Wood needs to season for at least 6 months

If u bring whisky saw and axe Do a days graft cutting for the kiln and i will teach u

Only use hardwood or your customers won't come back

 

Whisky is needed as there is much dust we prefer it to dust masks

Shoot straight stay alive

sounds interesting whereabouts in Devon would like o come down to see hows its done whisky no prob