• Biochar Production
    At Celignis Biomass Lab

Background

Biochar is a carbon-rich solid material produced by the pyrolysis of biomass. This involves heating the feedstock in the absence of oxygen, which results in the formation of a high-carbon material that can potentially be used in a wide variety of applications, including: as a soil amendment, a component of biobased materials, and in pollution remediation.

Biochar can be made from a variety of feedstocks, including wood, agricultural residues, and municipal solid waste.

There are two key considerations when producing biochar from biomass:

1. Biochar Yield - Defined as the percentage by mass of the original biomass that ends up as biochar.

2. Biochar Quality - A wide-encompassing term that considers how suitable the physical and chemical properties of the biochar are for the desired end-use.


Both of these parameters are affected by the conditions under which the feedstock is pyrolysed. These conditions include temperature, heating rate, and residence time. For example, high temperatures will lead to lower yields of biochar, as more of the biomass becomes volatile at higher temperatures, but can also result in the formation of a biochar of higher quality for certain applications (for example those that require a material of a higher carbon content).

The type of feedstock used for biochar production also greatly influences the yield and quality of biochar. Click here to read more about the compositional components of feedstocks that affect biomass pyrolysis.


Production of Biochar at Celignis

Screening Feedstocks and Pyrolysis Conditions

At Celignis we have equipment for the lab-scale production of biochar, under slow pyrolysis, from a wide variety of biomass feedstocks. This equipment allows us to employ a wide range of pyrolysis conditions (e.g. temperature, residence time, and heating rate etc.). We can use your chosen pyrolysis conditions or we can suggest, based on our understanding and analysis of the starting feedstock, appropriate conditions for the production of biochar of the desired specifications. We often find it very useful to firstly undertake a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the feedstock in order to inform our selection of suitable pyrolysis conditions.


If you are looking to produce and compare biochars from a variety of different feedstocks then there are two possible approaches we can follow. In one approach we can pyrolyse all samples using the same pyrolysis conditions, so that direct comparisons can be made between feedstocks, or we use different conditions for each feedstock, based on our analytical and/or TGA data of the samples.

Ideally, each feedstock should be processed using both approaches so that biochars between samples can be compared but also the assumed optimal biochar from each sample can also be produced.


If your focus is instead on understanding in detail how a specific feedstock behaves during slow-pyrolysis and on optimising the biochar produced for your desired market applications than we can formulate a Design of Experiments (DoE) to study the effects of varying process parameters on biochar yield and quality. Our DoE experts have extensive experience in forumlating an experiment plan that covers all the important parameters, and their ranges, whilst also reducing the number of experiments needed. The outputs of these experiments can then, if needed, inform a subsequent smaller subset of experiments to narrow-down the final chosen value for each parameter.


Undertaking Feedstock Pre-treatments and Strategies to Improve Pyrolysis

The Celignis team can undertake feedstock pre-treatment experiments that may help in improving biochar yields and/or quality. These may include washing or soaking the biochar samples in water or other solvents, which can help remove any contaminants or impurities that may, for example, contribute to the formation of undesirable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during pyrolysis.

We can also potentially explore the use of certain additives during the pyrolysis process (e.g. potassium hydroxide) that may help to reduce the formation of other undersirable side-products.


Testing the Biochar According to Specified End-Use Requirements

We have a wide array of analysis packages to assess the quality of the biochar produced. Relevant analyses and services related to several end-use applications are listed and linked-to below:


Approaches to Improve Biochar Quality Post-Pyrolysis

We can also work on experiments to upgrade (e.g. activate and/or functionalise) the produced biochar to potentially increase its value and suitability for your desired end-use applications.

Click here to read more about our services for the upgrading of biochar.

Additional Information on Biochar Production at Celignis

Feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions about our services for the production and evaluation of biochar. Relevant members of the Celignis biochar team will be happy to assist. Those team members with the most experience with undertaking these experiments and interpreting the resulting data are listed below.

Dan Hayes

Celignis CEO And Founder

PhD (Analytical Chemistry)

Dreamer and achiever. Took Celignis from a concept in a research project to being the bioeconomy's premier provider of analytical and bioprocessing expertise.

Edgar Ramirez Huerta

Biochar Project Developer

MSc

Has taken a major role in developing Celignis's capabilities for biochar analysis and project development. His thesis covered the evaluation of high value applications for high-carbon materials.

Kassiani Pliatsika

Plant-Growth Applications

MSc

Passionately believes in biochar for a sustainable bioeconomy. Involved in the development of our tests for assessing the soil-amendment potential and plant-growth effects of biochar.



Other Celignis Tests and Services for Biochar

Global Recognition as Biomass and Biochar Experts

Celignis provides valued services to over 1000 clients. We understand how the focus of biochar projects can differ between countries and have advised a global network of clients. We also have customs-exemptions for samples sent to us allowing us to quickly get to work no matter where our clients are based.

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Feedstock Evaluation

Our analysis packages can screen biochar feedstocks. We can estimate biochar yield and quality using feedstock chemical composition and can estimate biochar composition using the ultimate and major/minor elements analyses of the feedstock. With TGA analysis we can also monitor feedstock behaviour under pyrolysis conditions.

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Biochar Analysis

We have an extensive array of analysis packages to evaluate the suitability of biochar for a range of applications. These analyses cover properties relevant to combustion, soil amendment, feed, and biomaterials. Our reports compare the results against internationally-recognised limits for using the biochar in specific end-products.

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Biochar Combustion Properties

Biochar can be a superior fuel versus virgin biomass due to its greater carbon content and energy density. We offer a wide array of analysis packages to fully evaluate biochar as a fuel. For example, we can determine both organic and inorganic carbon and can monitor the behaviour of the biochar ash over wide temperature ranges.

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Soil Amendment & Plant Growth Trials

We can test biochar for several properties (e.g. water holding capacity, electrical conductivity etc.) relevant to its use in soil amendment. We can also grow plants in biochar-amended soils and assess the impacts of this approach on germination, plant growth, plant health, and soil biology.

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Analysis of PAHs in Biochar

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons can be formed during the pyrolysis of biomass and accumulate in biochar, leading to potential risks to the environment. We can accurately quantify a range of different PAHs and determine if their concentrations exceed regulatory limits. We can also develop strategies to reduce the amount of PAHs in biochar.

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Surface Area and Porosity of Biochar

The suitable markets for a biochar are often greatly dependent on its surface area and pore size-distrubtion. We provide detailed reports on biochar surface area and porosity and can provide guidance on the implications of the results. We can also work on strategies to increase the surface area and modify the pore-size distribution of biochar.

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Thermogravimetric Analysis of Biochar

TGA is a powerful analytical technique for the study of biochars because it allows us to examine the thermal stability of the material as a function of temperature. The thermal stability of biochars is an important factor to consider when evaluating their potential use as a soil amendment or for carbon sequestration.

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Biochar Upgrading

There are several different methods (covering physical, chemical and biologial routes) by which we can upgrade your biochar in order to increase its value and make it more suitable for the desired market applications. We are able to fully characterise the changes in physicochemical properties associated with upgrading.

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Biochar for Carbon Sequestration

Biochar's efficacy as a means for sequestering carbon depends on a range of factors (e.g. feedstock and pyrolysis conditions). We can undertake a range of analytical tests to help you determine the stability of your biochar's carbon. We can also suggest alternative approaches to improve carbon sequestration potential.

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Technoeconomic Analyses of Biochar Projects

Our TEA experts work with you to evaluate the economic prospects of your biochar facility, considering various scale, technology, and feedstock options. We apply accurate costing models to determine CAPEX/OPEX of simulated and pilot scale processes which are then used to determine key economic indicators (e.g. IRR, NPV).

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Research Project Collaborations

Celignis is active in a number of important research projects focused on biomass valorisation. Biochar is a key component in some of these ongoing projects as well as in several prior projects. We are open to participating in future collaborative research projects where our extensive infrastructure and expertise in biochar can be leveraged.

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