Biochar is a carbonaceous residue obtained by thermochemical treatment of plant biomass, such as gasification or pyrolysis. Depending on the type of process, working temperature, residence time, and obviously the type of biomass used, biochar has certain chemo-physical properties that determine its properties, the most famous of which is the soil amendment for agriculture. In fact, following the application promoted by biochar, through the Ministerial Order of 22 June 2015 (OJ 186 of 12 August 2015), biochar was included in the fertilizer legislation (Legislative Order 75/2010 and related updates -Annex 2 -Soil Amendments).

Currently, it can only be classified as biochar, and it is produced only from biomass of vegetable origin from agriculture and forestry as well as olive fruit dander, fruit dander, bran, hazelnuts and husks, and of course from untreated wood processing waste such as wood chips. However, from 16 July 2022, the new European Fertilizer Regulation (EU Regulation 2019/1009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019) will apply, through which the list of biomass that can be produced for biocharcoal will be expanded.

 

It is products from agriculture (including plant and animal matter), forestry and related industries (including fisheries and aquaculture), mowing and pruning of public and private green Spaces and biodegradable parts of industrial and municipal waste, biodegradable parts of waste and residues.
 

Have you ever heard of biochar?
Here, if you don't know it, you've come to the right place!
Biochar is nothing more than charcoal, a granular material that can heat biomass above 400°C in an environment with little oxygen for a period of time that can range from a few seconds to about 30 minutes.

Where does biochar come from?
You might think this is a newly discovered material, but it's not!

The origin of biochar can be traced to the Amazon, where a number of sites known as "Terra Preta dos Indios" have been identified. These soils have a darker color, which is due to fertilization with organic materials and charcoal or biochar. These are not soils that already exist in nature: they were created by humans, and their origins appear to be in the pre-Columbian period (from 450 BC). C).

Thus, Amazonian farmers understand the importance and potential of this land, which has the ability to make their plants grow better and produce more fruit.

How is biochar produced?
Biochar is a by-product produced by the pyrolysis or gasification process of plant biomass. To understand these processes, imagine a match being lit.

The flame produces the heat required for the pyrolysis stage. Gases and vapors burn in the intermediate light zone, leaving coke. When the match goes out, the wood continues pytolysis, releasing a smoke composed of condensed TAR (tar) droplets.

Now let's look at the difference between the pyrolysis process and the gasification process.

Pyrolysis is a thermochemical decomposition process that occurs in the complete absence of oxygen. In practice, woody biomass is heated above 400°C from an external source in a closed and gasless environment: thus there are no conditions for combustion to occur. The supplied heat will produce the splitting of the bonds derived from the biomass, which will form simpler molecules.

The gasification process is carried out at a temperature higher than pyrolysis (more than 850°C) and in the presence of a small amount of oxygen, which is necessary to feed the reactor combustion zone. It supplies the gasifier with heat energy needed to self-feed and support the process.

It is through the gasification process that the mobile power generation plants designed and manufactured by Haiqi produce our biochar.

Biochar produced by syngas plants: green carbon
Haiqi's biomass gasification power generation plant produces high quality biochar due to the specific geometry of the gasification reactor, which is the result of years of research and development by the Haiqi engineering team. Biochar is produced solely through the gasification of virgin wood and has a high porosity and considerable carbon content (~ 70%).

Through laboratory analysis, it is possible to demonstrate the chemical and physical properties of GreenChar that allow it to meet the quality requirements required to obtain qualification as an agricultural soil amendment and its registration in the Mipaaft fertilizer register.

How to use biochar?
Biochar, due to its carbon content and porosity, proved to be a powerful soil amendment. It can be used in the field or in POTS, obviously with different quantities: in an open field or garden, up to 1 kg of biochar can be used per m2 (1 kg/m2). In POTS, the amount of biochar must equal at most 25% of the total amount.

Thus, the product can be used in several sectors: in agriculture, several studies have shown the positive impact of biochar on agricultural yields with improved biological fertility of soil and reduced water and chemical fertilizer usage; This leads to lower prices for farmers, lower environmental impacts, and lower resource and energy consumption.

It can also be used in the horticultural sector; Its role is mainly to provide the plants with the nutrients they need to grow, especially calcium, magnesium, potassium, and nitrogen. As a result, the PH of the substrate increases and the habitability of the plants improves.
Biochar can capture and store CO2 due to its stability over time. This feature makes it a very important tool in the fight against climate change. It is effectively a carbon neutral technology (the balance of emissions into the atmosphere is less than or equal to zero), but also carbon negative (it sequester more carbon than it emits to produce energy).

Thus, biochar seems to be an almost magical product, capable of increasing agricultural yields, improving the health of soil and plants, and even helping to combat climate change!
 

Those who have faced, or will face in the future, problems of economic and environmental sustainability in the management of by-products and are looking for an alternative to the cumbersome or liberal disposal of their by-products or to enhance them in a more profitable way;

Those seeking innovative solutions to reduce their carbon footprint through CO2 capture and storage;

Those who consume electricity and heat and want to produce their own energy from renewable sources with a plug and play system.

All these goals can be achieved with a single integrated technology solution capable of strengthening the image of the brand and the company or community that uses it by reducing its environmental impact.
 

If you are ordering a waste disposal system, its main by-products are：
1. Burned out slag (excluding heavy metals)
2. Fly ash after combustion (fly ash after flue gas purification)

If you order a biomass solid waste treatment system, the main by-products are below: 
1. Biomass carbon ash
2. It can avoid heavy problems according to customer needs and increase the output of by-products required by users.
3. Can be customized production: biochar, wood vinegar liquid, wood tar

 

Yes, in addition to Stirling engine, the mobile energy station can also use other power generation technologies, such as internal combustion generator, ORC and other power generation technologies. Haiqi support customized solutions according to the actual situation of customers.
 

Thank you very much for your attention to Haiqi. At present, Haiqi mobile energy station can provide the following price for your reference according to different needs of customers. This price does not include the pretreatment system module, but only the price of mobile energy station.

1.Flue gas type mobile energy station
The cost is about USD4300/KW~USD5800/KW

2.Gas-fired type mobile energy station
The cost is about USD2900/kw~USD4300/kw

3.If you are willing to become a global partner of HAIQI, we can jointly explore the local market to provide you with a better cooperation model.
 

First year:
The first maintenance time of the system is 1500 hours.
The second maintenance time is 3500 hours
The third maintenance time is 4000 hours

Second year:
The first maintenance time of the system is 3500 hours
The second maintenance time is 4500 hours
 
And so on