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Fuels
Published in Kenneth M. Bryden, Kenneth W. Ragland, Song-Charng Kong, Combustion Engineering, 2022
Kenneth M. Bryden, Kenneth W. Ragland, Song-Charng Kong
Charcoal is made by heating wood in the absence of air to produce wood char, which is mostly solid carbon. The most prevalent use of charcoal is for cooking and heating in small stoves in developing countries. Because the energy density by weight of charcoal is high relative to the energy density of wood, it can more easily be transported to market than wood. Many users of small cookstoves prefer charcoal to wood or other biofuels because charcoal combustion does not produce as much smoke as wood, and a charcoal stove requires less tending. However, charcoal stoves can produce high levels of carbon monoxide and present significant risk when used indoors. In many commercial applications, charcoal is a relatively clean burning fuel. In some countries, “charcoal” briquettes are made commercially from a mixture of pulverized coal, clay, and a binder such as starch. The heating value and composition of charcoal vary depending on the material used to make the charcoal and the processing method. Carbon content in charcoal is generally 65–95% by weight. The remainder constituents of charcoal are primarily oxygen and ash. The HHV of char is generally 27–31 MJ/kg.
Biomass as a Source for Heat, Power and Chemicals
Published in Subhas K. Sikdar, Frank Princiotta, Advances in Carbon Management Technologies, 2021
The main composition of the charcoal will depend on the raw material used and of the method and temperature of carbonization, but in general, it is formed by carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and traces of nitrogen. The higher the carbon content of the original material, the higher the calorific value of the charcoal, which will be much greater than the rest of the solid biofuels. In some cases, the ash content limits the use for industrial purposes.
The Other Energy Sources
Published in Anco S. Blazev, Power Generation and the Environment, 2021
Biochar is charcoal which is used for particular purposes, especially as a soil amendment. It is a possible source of carbon sequestration as it produces negative carbon dioxide emissions, so it has the potential to help mitigate climate change via carbon sequestration.
Physicochemical and hygroscopic properties of charcoals produced from residues of two tropical woods from Cameroon
Published in International Journal of Coal Preparation and Utilization, 2023
Zam Jean Freddy, Zobo Mfomo Joseph, Ndiwé Benoit, Fongnzossie Fedoung Evariste, Mouangue Ruben, Ndjomo Maximilien, Biwolé Achille Bernard
In Africa, wood energy accounts for an average of 70% of the total energy used across the continent (IEA 2018). Existing estimates indicate that more than 90% of the African population depends on either woodfuel or charcoal for cooking and several other applications, such as metallurgy and handicrafts (Kituyi et al. 2001). Sustainable charcoal is a renewable and environmentally friendly biofuel because it can be produced from large volumes of residues generated by wood processing units (Mfomo et al. 2020). Charcoal is an increasingly important source of energy in Cameroon. Annual national consumption of charcoal in Cameroon is 200,000 tons/year (INS 2008). Furthermore, as a special forest product, charcoal has scored an export volume of around 144.2 tons between 2009 and 2017 (Mahonghol 2019). One of the largest areas of charcoal consumption in Cameroon is the city of Douala. This city, located in the littoral Region of Cameroon, on the Atlantic Ocean coast at the bottom of the gulf of Guinea has an equatorial climate with a long rainy season during the year (Abanda 2018) and a population of just more than 3.9 million inhabitants (Stat population, Douala, Cameroon 2022). In the city of Douala, charcoal consumption has increased from 3.19 kg/inhabitant/year in 1989 to 4.38 kg/inhabitant/year in 2013, representing an increase of 1.37 kg/inhabitant/year in two decades (Eba’a Atyi et al. 2013).
Prediction model for biochar energy potential based on biomass properties and pyrolysis conditions derived from rough set machine learning
Published in Environmental Technology, 2023
Jia Yong Tang, Boaz Yi Heng Chung, Jia Chun Ang, Jia Wen Chong, Raymond R. Tan, Kathleen B. Aviso, Nishanth G. Chemmangattuvalappil, Suchithra Thangalazhy-Gopakumar
One of the challenges for today’s society is the ever-increasing demand and depletion of fossil fuels. In addition, the burning of fossil fuels contributes to greenhouse gases and global warming. To reduce the dependence on fossil fuels and the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the development of the material for energy storage and conversion has become more crucial. On top of that, the material must be cost-effective and of high performance for it to be industrially viable. In view of this, biochar has emerged as one of the effective options for energy storage and mitigation of global warming through carbon sequestration. Biochar is a charcoal-like substance that can be generated via thermochemical conversions of biomass such as pyrolysis, hydrothermal carbonization, gasification, and torrefaction. Among the biomass-to-biochar conversion processes, pyrolysis has received great attention for its advantages such as low capital cost and operating cost and versatility in applications. In the pyrolysis process, the biomass is heated at temperatures usually above 400°C under an oxygen-deprived environment, producing biochar, bio-oil, and syngas.
Emission sources and full spectrum of health impacts of black carbon associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban environment: A review
Published in Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 2021
Muhammad Ubaid Ali, Lin Siyi, Balal Yousaf, Qumber Abbas, Rashida Hameed, Chunmiao Zheng, Xingxing Kuang, Ming Hung Wong
Charcoal is microcrystalline, non-graphitic form of carbon with porous structure. Charcoal has an extensive surface area with high degree of porosity and surface reactivity. The most important physical property of charcoal is large surface area (500–2000 m2/g) which allows the adsorption of dispersed and dissolved substances from liquids and gases (Bansode, Losso, Marshall, Rao, & Portier, 2003). It consists of fine pores (micropores) which is the basis of its remarkable adsorption properties. In the recent years, it has been increasingly used for the prevention of environmental pollution and effectively removes toxic and bio-refractive substances such as insecticides, herbicides, chlorinated hydrocarbons, heavy metal ions, and phenols, typically present in many water supplies (Ansari & Masoudi, 2004; Ansari & Nikravan Shalmani, 2005).