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This article deals about the | This article deals about the production of charcoal. | ||
==Methods== | ==Methods== | ||
Charcoal has been made by various methods. | |||
==Using a clamp== | |||
[[File:Charcoal clamp.JPG|thumb|right|350px|A clamp for charcoal production]] | [[File:Charcoal clamp.JPG|thumb|right|350px|A clamp for charcoal production]] | ||
The traditional method in Britain used a clamp. This is essentially a pile of wooden logs (e.g. seasoned oak) leaning against a chimney (logs are placed in a circle). The chimney consists of 4 wooden stakes held up by some rope. The logs are completely covered with soil & straw allowing no air to enter. It has to be lit by introducing some burning fuel into the chimney; the logs burn very slowly (cold fire) and transform into charcoal in a period of 5 days burning. If the soil covering gets torn (cracked) due to the fire, additional soil is placed on the cracks. Once the burn is complete, the chimney is plugged to prevent air to enter.[3] | |||
Modern methods use a sealed metal container, as this does not have to be watched lest fire break through the covering. | Modern methods use a sealed metal container, as this does not have to be watched lest fire break through the covering. | ||
==Using charcoal kilns== | |||
Several (relatively inexpensive) charcoal kilns can be made which can be used to make charcoal/ See [http://www.biochar-international.org/technology/production the designs at Biochar-international] Most of these require atleast some parts which can not be found in a natural environment (ie metal parts). On the upside however, such parts typically last longer and may be more efficient. Some very simple designs also exist consisting of only a few metal parts (ie 2 barrels), see [http://www.nasa.gov/topics/nasalife/features/biochar.html NASA Langley Research Center's low-tech kiln] | |||
==Why charcoal ?== | ==Why charcoal ?== | ||
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==See also== | ==See also== | ||
* [[Wood]] | * [[Wood]] | ||
* [[ | * [[Charcoal]]/Biochar | ||
* [[Charcoal Making for Small Scale Enterprises]] | * [[Charcoal Making for Small Scale Enterprises]] | ||
* [[Blackpowder]] | * [[Blackpowder]] | ||
Revision as of 16:00, 23 July 2012
This article deals about the production of charcoal.
Methods
Charcoal has been made by various methods.
Using a clamp
The traditional method in Britain used a clamp. This is essentially a pile of wooden logs (e.g. seasoned oak) leaning against a chimney (logs are placed in a circle). The chimney consists of 4 wooden stakes held up by some rope. The logs are completely covered with soil & straw allowing no air to enter. It has to be lit by introducing some burning fuel into the chimney; the logs burn very slowly (cold fire) and transform into charcoal in a period of 5 days burning. If the soil covering gets torn (cracked) due to the fire, additional soil is placed on the cracks. Once the burn is complete, the chimney is plugged to prevent air to enter.[3] Modern methods use a sealed metal container, as this does not have to be watched lest fire break through the covering.
Using charcoal kilns
Several (relatively inexpensive) charcoal kilns can be made which can be used to make charcoal/ See the designs at Biochar-international Most of these require atleast some parts which can not be found in a natural environment (ie metal parts). On the upside however, such parts typically last longer and may be more efficient. Some very simple designs also exist consisting of only a few metal parts (ie 2 barrels), see NASA Langley Research Center's low-tech kiln
Why charcoal ?
An obvious question to ask is why we need charcoal. The answer is that as an energy source, it's more energy dense, and most importantly, the calorific value is higher (heat per weight). This means that a higher temperature can be achieved.
This makes has made the fuel more suitable than wood for transport purposes, atleast if it is burned as is (ie for fueling a steam engine). If it was to be compared to ie a wood gas system, the total amount of energy that can be extracted from charcoal (which is also the original source of charcoal) would without question be lower than that of wood. Perhaps confusing at first glance, this can be explained quite simply: energy is needed to transform wood to charcoal (the first burn (or the "pyrolysis") will waste a lot of energy. Also, a wood gas system is much more efficient overall (steam engines are only 15% efficient, IC engines are 30% efficient).
For other tasks as blacksmithing, the firing of material (ie using a kiln, casting, ...) charcoal is the only natural material that can be used (wood can not be used). Nowadays, blacksmithing is no longer practiced much, and for casting and firing materials, other (non-natural) materials are being used instead (usually as it allows to better control the temperature, use more efficient kiln/forge designs, ...)
Other, more useful purposes of charcoal (from a AT-standpoint) are of a different kind. Water for example can be filtered by means of charcoal. In developed countries, activated charcoal is mostly used rather than regular charcoal, but charcoal can also be used (although it is less efficient).