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Module 2a
Carbonisation and Agglomeration
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Carbonisation
Agglomeration– Relevance– Agglo-briquettes
Process description– Overview– Photo series
Case study in Mali– Background– Setup– Market and feasibility–
Bottlenecks– Conclusions
Torrefaction
Outline
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Overview of carbonisation processesA large variety of processes,
ranging from traditional to very modern, from smallscale to large
scale, etc.
A useful subdivision:
Direct heating
Indirect heating
Heating withrecirculating gases
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Often traditional systems, like the Brazilian Beehive or
Americal Missouri kiln
Characterised by: Long cycle times (x0 days) Moderate
efficiencies (max 25%) Pollution through emissions to air and
groundwater Low capital costs, high labour requirements
Carbonisation: Direct Heating
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Carbonisation: indirect heating
The Dutch “Twin Retort” system
The Russian “Ecolon” system
Indirectly heated by combustionof carbonisation gases
Semi-batch systems Good efficiencies (ca. 30%) Cooling separated
from reactor
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Heating with recirculating gases
Large systems, high capital costs, low labour costs Wood flows
downwards and converts gradually to charcoal Heating is performed
by recirculating combusted, cleaned
gases Efficiencies are often high (35%) Sometimes combined with
liquid product recovery High level of process and product control
possible
Reichert/Degussa retort Lambiotte CISR retort
Lambiotte/SIFICretort
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Heating with recirculating gases
Lurgi SIMCOA plant, Western Australia Two retorts, 7 m diameter,
35 m high Production is 13,000 tonne of charcoal/year/retort
Efficiency 30%-40% Carbonisation and cooling integrated Only 20-40%
of heat provided externally, the rest
is provided by the carbonisation reaction itself Capital costs
10 MUS$ in 1989
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Comparison of systems
Indirect systems better than recirculating systems, although
efficiency is a bitLower and operational costs are not included
Recirculating systems have low reactor utilisation, probably
because ofintegrated drying
University of Hawaii Flash Carboniser is very promising, but
doubts remainregarding status of technology
Efficiency Capital costs per tonne of charcoal Production per
unit reaction volume
(%) (kEuro/tonne charcoal) (tonne charcoal/year/m3)
Direct heating
JCKB retort 23% 0.18 12.6
University of Hawaii 50% 0.18 594
Indirect heating
Twin Retort Carboniser 33% 0.38 70
Policor (Ecolon system) 25% 0.06 71
Enviro Carboniser 53% 0.14 192
LSIWS carboniser n.d. 0.27 63
Heating with recirculating gases
Reichert 34% n.d. 34
Lambiotte CISR 30% 0.36 16
Lurgi process 35% 0.32 10
Rheinbraun process n.r. n.d. 265
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CarbonisationHeating of biomass in absence of air, while
maximising charcoal production.
• Temperature: 500 - 700 °C
• Residence time: 8 hours - a number of days
Can be produced very high-tech as well as traditionally
Global use of charcoal in 2000, 40.5 million tonne, and 19.8
million tonne just forAfrica (mainly for cooking)
In Europe, FSU, USA and Japan charcoal is a luxury product.
Applications are i) fuelfor cooking or barbecue, ii) as reducing
agent in the steel industry, iii) as feedstock foractive coal
production
Efficiencies of traditional systems range from 8% (wt. basis) to
25% (wt. basis).
Efficiencies of high-tech systems are >30%, because
combustion of the volatile gasesprovides heat.
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Examples of carbonisation
Drum carbonisation in Sudan Twin-retort carbonisation inthe
Netherlands
Modern systems generally cannot compete with traditional
systemsin developing countries, mainly because of high capital
costs.
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Examples of carbonisation
Estonia & China
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Relevance– World wide > 2 billion people depend on woodfuel–
Over 40 million tonnes charcoal produced in 2000 (50% in Africa)–
High woodfuel consumption leads to deforestation in urban areas–
Search for alternatives like: gas, kerosene, alternative
biofuels
Agglo-briquettes: alternative for wood-based charcoal– Small,
round briquettes (ø 25-30 mm)– Made from carbonised agro residues
like cotton stalks or bagasse– Can be used in same cookstoves as
traditional charcoal– Simple and low investment technology with a
labour intensive
process
Background agglomeration
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Overview
Process (1)
Carbonisation Transport
Agglomeration
Packaging
Agro-residues
Water
Binder Electricity
Curing
Drying
Preparation
Distribution
Carbonisationunits Sacks
Agglomerators
Hammer mills
Drying tables
Curing ovens
Sacks
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Training course on Renewable Energy Raw material: cotton
stalk
Process (2)
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Training course on Renewable Energy Gathering of cotton stalk
from the field
Process (3)
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carbonisation units
Process (4)
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Training course on Renewable Energy Carbonised cotton stalk
Process (5)
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Training course on Renewable Energy The carbonised stalk is
packed for transport
Process (6)
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Prior toagglomeration,the stalk isground to apowder using
ahammer mill
Process (7)
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several agglomeration units
Process (8)
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Process (9)
Production ofthe actualagglo-briquettes
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Process (10)
After agglomeration, the briquettes are left to dry
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Process (11)
The driedagglo-briquettes arecured in aspecial oven,which
givesthem highstrength
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Process (12)
The finishedbriquettes arepacked andtransported tothe
market,where they aresold to thecustomers
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Process (13)
The briquettescan be usedjust liketraditionalcharcoal
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Case study: agglo-briquettes in Mali (1)
Background and Setting– In Bamako > 100,000 t/a charcoal is
used for cooking– Use of wood and charcoal causes severe
deforestation– In South of Mali over 480,000 ha cotton is grown
(2000)– Most of the cotton stalk is burned in the field as a means
of
disposal
Agglo-briquettes in Mali– Work on production of agglo-briquettes
in Mali started in the
late 1990s with trial runs, consumer tests, market study, anda
feasibility study in 2002
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Project Setup
Case study: agglo-briquettes in Mali (2)
Agglomerationplant
Cottoncoal
Cottoncoal
Cotton coal production
• Potential of >100,000 t/a cotton coal
• By cotton farmers
• Training provided
• Carbonisation units provided
Agglomeration plant
• Near Bamako (25 km)
• Capacity 2.000 t/a
molasses
Binder supply
• Two sugar plants in Mali
• Sufficient molasses available
Briquettes
Agglo-briquettes
• Sold in Bamako
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Market Study
Case study: agglo-briquettes in Mali (3)
Quality
• Comparable / better than charcoal
• “Water boiling test” positive
Acceptability
• 50 households and 20 smallconsumers
• Attractive product
• Less smoke
• Longer combustion time
Price level
• Similar to charcoal
Marketing
• Large market potential inBamako (>100,000 t/a)
• Distribution through existingchannels
• Publicity and promotioncampaigns
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Production costs
Financial feasibility– Investment costs: ~ 250 kEUR *– Annual
operating costs: ~200 kEUR– Income from sales: ~ 250 kEUR– Simple
payback period: ~ 5 years
* Due to learning effects, investment costs may drop
other inputs(25%)
cotton coal(23%)
Molasses(10%)
Personnel(30%)
Depreciation(12%)
Case study: agglo-briquettes in Mali (4)
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Main factors that influence feasility– Production and price of
the cotton stalk charcoal– Sales and price setting of the
agglo-briquettes
To eliminate risks a pilot project is recommended– Large scale
cotton stalk carbonisation and logisitics experiment– Production at
25% of capacity– Large scale marketting study with cured
agglo-briquettes
Case study: agglo-briquettes in Mali (5)
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Agglo-briquettes are a good alternative for fuelwoodand charcoal
where agro-residues are available
The production process is low capital investment
andlabour-intensive
Agglo-briquettes have clear benefits– Reduction of
deforestation– Reduction of CO2 emissions– Generation of employment
and additional income for farmers– No need for subsidising imported
fossil fuels
Conclusions
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TorrefactionRoasting – partial carbonisation
of organic material in absence
of oxygen
Main product: Torrefied biomass/
Bio-char
Process conditions
T = 280 - 400 °C
P = atmospheric
solid ~ 5 - 15 min
Autothermal operation by burning
Gases
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Torrefaction
“Torrefaction products” produced at differenttemperatures
Torrefaction pilot plant; capacity ~ 100 – 150 kg/hr input
Lab-scale pilot plant (~ 20 kg/hr)
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION
TERIMAH KASIH