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Unique Biochar Phenomena 
Hugh McLaughlin, PhD, PE 
www.acfox.com 
November 23, 2014 @ Tufts
Despite their artistic pretensions, 
sophistication, and many 
accomplishments, humans owe 
their existence to a six-inch layer 
of topsoil and the fact that it rains. 
– anonymous
Hugh McLaughlin - Biochar Workshop
Hugh McLaughlin - Biochar Workshop
Theories for Ancient Practices 
• Prior to steel axes, fire was the main tool for 
modifying the landscape and clearing land 
• Staple crops tend toward starches, which 
require significant potassium and phosphates – 
which have to be added for sustained field 
productivity (and this field was a lot of work) 
• Field preparation by transporting water 
vegetation, like palm leaves, then “cool 
burning” to release fertilizers into soil
Hugh McLaughlin - Biochar Workshop
Hugh McLaughlin - Biochar Workshop
Hugh McLaughlin - Biochar Workshop
This is the tree as it grows. 
About one half of the carbon 
dioxide uptake results in 
additional carbon atoms in 
biomass 
This is when biomass dies 
and becomes detritus: such 
as leaves and tree death 
This is due to microbial 
breakdown of dead biomass – 
95% in one to twenty years
200 CO2 
200 C 
<100CO2> 
100C 
Fate of Reduced “Fixed” Carbon 
- After the plant takes care of 
energy requirements of procuring a 
balanced diet, the excess carbon is 
directed to seeds, biomass growth or 
stored as sugars for the next season. 
- Sugars are excreted into the soil 
biota in exchange for plant nutrients 
(NPK and micro-nutrients). 
- If NPK are available, the plant 
does not “waste” sugars on soil. 
microbes and puts that carbon into 
plant priorities = more plant growth 
-Without plant sugars, soil microbes 
attack each other and soil carbon 
decreases, leading to sterile soil.
Pyrolysis and Carbonization 
convert biomass into biochar: 
one half of the carbon atoms 
are released as volatiles and 
one half converted to biochar 
The volatiles contain carbon 
atoms that the tree removed 
from the atmosphere as it 
grew = carbon neutral 
A minority of biochar is 
slowly oxidized by soil 
microbes; the majority 
is stable for hundreds 
to thousands of years 
<10CO2> 
40C remains in 
stable in the soil 
200 CO2 
50C 
<50CO2>
Climate 
Civil 
Disobedience 
Carbon 
Time-out
Biochar: “invented” 600 million years ago by Mother Nature
Hugh McLaughlin - Biochar Workshop
From: http://www.techtp.com/Torrefaction for High Quality Wood Pellets.pdf, page 7 of 36 
Figure 2: Wood Physical Structure – from tree to molecules of lignin & sugars
From: http://www.techtp.com/Torrefaction for High Quality Wood Pellets.pdf, page 7 of 36 
Figure 2: Wood Microscopic Structure – molecular mixtures at the atomic scale
Pyrolysis & Carbonization Reactions of Wood 
@300C: Below = Torrefied Wood Above = charcoal & biochar 
Hemicellulose Lignin Cellulose 
D 
Extensive 
Devolatilisation 
and 
carbonisation 
(E) 
Limited 
devolatilisation 
and 
carbonisation (D) 
depolymerisation 
and 
recondensation 
(C) 
drying (A) 
E 
D 
C 
A 
E 
D 
C 
A 
glass transition/ 
softening (B) 
300 
250 
200 
150 
100 
Temperature (°C) 
Hemicellulose Lignin Cellulose 
300 
250 
200 
150 
100 
Temperature (°C) 
TORREFACTION
Hardwood Pellets: Dried, Carbonized 200C to 300C
Amorphous Graphite = Domains of Graphene 
From page 
8 
Figure 3: Development of local Graphene domains during carbonization
Page 3 of J. Phys.: Condensed Matter 19 (2007) 
9 
Figure 4: Development of porous 3-dimension structure during carbonization
Figure 1: Yield and Adsorption Capacity of Lab Chars 
100% 
90% 
80% 
70% 
60% 
50% 
40% 
30% 
20% 
10% 
0% 
10% 
9% 
8% 
7% 
6% 
5% 
4% 
3% 
2% 
1% 
200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 
Heat treatment temperature Celsius 
Char yield as wt % of dry biomass 
0% 
Adsorption capacity as wt % R134a at 100C 
Yield 
Ads @ 100C
Hugh McLaughlin - Biochar Workshop
Pivotal Biochar properties: 
Short-term Effects are due primarily to 
• Ash Content – due to pH impact 
• Mobile Matter – due to stimulating parasitic soil 
microbes, which compete for nitrogen, but 
sometimes any microbes are better than none 
Long-term Effects are attributed to only the 
• Resident Matter – because it 
• Adds Volume with high porosity to the soil 
• Increases Cation Exchange Capacity 
• Introduces significant Adsorption Capacity
How does Biochar work in the Soil? 
• Biochar works in conjunction with the 
existing soil, crop and climate. 
• Biochar helps “soil” go back to being soil. 
• Improved Moisture Dynamics – high & low 
• Improved Nutrient Retention (N, P, K) 
• Improved Microbe survival during drought 
• Improved Plant-Microbe synergisms
This begs the question: 
How does Resident Matter accomplish 
the following in the Soil? 
• Improved Moisture Dynamics – high & low 
• Improved Nutrient Retention (N, P, K) 
• Improved Microbe survival during drought 
• Improved Plant-Microbe synergisms 
- and why does it depend on Biochar 
Porosity, CEC and Adsorption?
How does Resident Matter accomplish 
the following in the Soil? 
• Improved Moisture Dynamics – high & low 
Two different moisture regimes, 
with three different mechanisms: 
– High moisture in tight soils (flooding in clays) 
– High moisture in loose soils (flooding in sand) 
– Low moisture in all soils 
• desiccating or drought conditions
- applies to all micro-porous media including chars 
- Also Bulk Density or the box of corn flakes 
- this is the density of the individual corn flakes 
-this is the density of the corn flake “molecules” 
or the corn flake skeleton without vapor volume
Calculating the “density, porosity, voidage” 
of a typical biochar (a good one…) 
• Apparent Density = 250 kg/cubic meter 
• Skeletal Density = 1500 kg/ cubic meter 
– Skeleton = 250/1500 = 1/6 cubic meter 
– Total voidage = 1 – 1/6 = 5/6 cubic meter 
• Assuming 1/3 inter-particle voids 
– Space between particles = 1/3 cubic meter 
– Space inside particles = 5/6 – 1/3 = 1/2 m3
Summary: Biochar is 83% voidage and 
17% graphitic skeleton 
• 33% of the volume is between particles – 
this improves soil drainage and aeration 
• 50% of the volume is inside particles – this 
volume is available to store bulk water 
This available volume improves overall soil 
properties during excess moisture 
– but what about desiccating soil conditions? 
That requires ADsorption of the moisture
Hugh McLaughlin - Biochar Workshop
Mechanis 
m
Hugh McLaughlin - Biochar Workshop
Linear 
isotherms
Non linear 
isotherms
How does Resident Matter accomplish 
the following in the Soil? 
• Improved Nutrient Retention (N, P, K) 
This is the CEC = Cation Exchange Capacity property 
Biochar has both Cation and Anion Exchange capacity 
- Exchange Capacity is due to non-graphitic organic 
side chains, oxidized to organic acid functionalities 
and organic bases due to bound nitrogen molecules 
- Adsorption of Humic Acids also increases EC
How does Resident Matter accomplish 
the following in the Soil? 
• Improved Microbe survival during drought 
• Improved Plant-Microbe synergisms 
Microbes need two things to survive: food and water 
- Biochar adsorbs water and water soluble 
organics via isotherms – and desorbs them when 
background levels are below “equilibrium”
Freshly made Biochar is like raw Ground Beef; 
is it food? – not yet 
Steps to preparing biochar for optimal soil benefit: C-C-I 
- Conditioning: equilibrate with soil moisture properties 
- pH effects, total dissolved solids (salts), liming 
- desorb soluble sugars and other mobile matter 
- Charging: equilibrate with soil fertilizer levels 
- in balance with annual fertilizer fluxes 
- Inoculating: Biasing the Soil Microbial Populations 
- this may not be necessary or even work 
All of which happens during composting or given enough time
Make Biochar, 
and save your world
Options for obtaining Biochar 
• You can buy it – but from who? 
– Some charcoals are good biochars, some are 
BAD – and all need to be tested 
• You can make it 
– For “gardening”, TLUDs work best 
– The other approach is “Retort” processes 
– Equipment is coming to the market – slowly 
• Example: Adam Retort – about 350 kg/batch
How does wood burn? 
• Wood, consists of hemicellulose, cellulose and 
lignin 
– Hemicellulose gasifies at 250 – 300C 
– Cellulose splits into char and volatiles between 300C 
and 450C 
– Lignin splits into char and volatiles between 300C and 
750C 
– Volatilization cools the remaining solid, but the gases 
burn and generate radiant heat (yellow to blue light) 
– Eventually, oxygen can react with the remaining char to 
make CO2, H2O and ash, plus more heat (red light) 
– Putting it all together, we have:
Hugh McLaughlin - Biochar Workshop
Figure 1: Yield and Adsorption Capacity of Lab Chars 
100% 
90% 
80% 
70% 
60% 
50% 
40% 
30% 
20% 
10% 
0% 
10% 
9% 
8% 
7% 
6% 
5% 
4% 
3% 
2% 
1% 
200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 
Heat treatment temperature Celsius 
Char yield as wt % of dry biomass 
0% 
Adsorption capacity as wt % R134a at 100C 
Yield 
Ads @ 100C
Hugh McLaughlin - Biochar Workshop
Hugh McLaughlin - Biochar Workshop
Hugh McLaughlin - Biochar Workshop
Hugh McLaughlin - Biochar Workshop
Any Volunteers for running a Earth mound Kiln? 
H-1.Charcoal burners were a strange breed, living a 
lonely life in the forest, like wild beasts… At its best, 
making charcoal was not for any normal human. The 
time required for charring a small mound varied from 
one to two weeks, but with mounds 30 feet or more 
round, a month was average. During all that time, 
through every kind of weather, the charcoal maker lived 
with his mound, sleeping only in dozes for fear a flame 
might start and explode into a full fire which would 
demolish the mound. There was no time for washing; 
there was seldom more shelter than a bark lean-to.
Earth Kiln – Ohio - 1942
Tropical Products Institute 
- Mark V
Tropical Products Institute 
- Mark V – IN ACTION
Hugh McLaughlin - Biochar Workshop
Hugh McLaughlin - Biochar Workshop
Hugh McLaughlin - Biochar Workshop
Google: 1G Toucan 
Figure 4: Completed TLUD
Figure 7: Half way through burn
Figure 10: 1G Toucan Biochar
Larger than TLUDs, appropriate for 
home gardeners and consuming small 
amounts of scrap wood or “forestry 
slash” are: 
• Two Barrel Retorts 
• Double Barrel Twin Keg Retorts 
• Jack Daniel’s Rickyard Technology
Hugh McLaughlin - Biochar Workshop
Hugh McLaughlin - Biochar Workshop
Google: 
Jolly 
Roger 
Ovens or 
JRO Biochar
Commercial operations require larger 
equipment and regulatory approval: 
• Adam-style Retorts 
• This is a developmental “Chicken or 
the Egg” – Nobody makes them 
because nobody wanted them
The Mobile Adam Retort c/o New England Biochar
http://flowfarm.org/biochar.html
Hugh McLaughlin - Biochar Workshop
Make Biochar, 
and save your world
Unique Biochar Phenomena 
Hugh McLaughlin, PhD, PE 
www.acfox.com 
November 23, 2014 @ Tufts

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Hugh McLaughlin - Biochar Workshop

  • 1. Unique Biochar Phenomena Hugh McLaughlin, PhD, PE www.acfox.com November 23, 2014 @ Tufts
  • 2. Despite their artistic pretensions, sophistication, and many accomplishments, humans owe their existence to a six-inch layer of topsoil and the fact that it rains. – anonymous
  • 5. Theories for Ancient Practices • Prior to steel axes, fire was the main tool for modifying the landscape and clearing land • Staple crops tend toward starches, which require significant potassium and phosphates – which have to be added for sustained field productivity (and this field was a lot of work) • Field preparation by transporting water vegetation, like palm leaves, then “cool burning” to release fertilizers into soil
  • 9. This is the tree as it grows. About one half of the carbon dioxide uptake results in additional carbon atoms in biomass This is when biomass dies and becomes detritus: such as leaves and tree death This is due to microbial breakdown of dead biomass – 95% in one to twenty years
  • 10. 200 CO2 200 C <100CO2> 100C Fate of Reduced “Fixed” Carbon - After the plant takes care of energy requirements of procuring a balanced diet, the excess carbon is directed to seeds, biomass growth or stored as sugars for the next season. - Sugars are excreted into the soil biota in exchange for plant nutrients (NPK and micro-nutrients). - If NPK are available, the plant does not “waste” sugars on soil. microbes and puts that carbon into plant priorities = more plant growth -Without plant sugars, soil microbes attack each other and soil carbon decreases, leading to sterile soil.
  • 11. Pyrolysis and Carbonization convert biomass into biochar: one half of the carbon atoms are released as volatiles and one half converted to biochar The volatiles contain carbon atoms that the tree removed from the atmosphere as it grew = carbon neutral A minority of biochar is slowly oxidized by soil microbes; the majority is stable for hundreds to thousands of years <10CO2> 40C remains in stable in the soil 200 CO2 50C <50CO2>
  • 12. Climate Civil Disobedience Carbon Time-out
  • 13. Biochar: “invented” 600 million years ago by Mother Nature
  • 15. From: http://www.techtp.com/Torrefaction for High Quality Wood Pellets.pdf, page 7 of 36 Figure 2: Wood Physical Structure – from tree to molecules of lignin & sugars
  • 16. From: http://www.techtp.com/Torrefaction for High Quality Wood Pellets.pdf, page 7 of 36 Figure 2: Wood Microscopic Structure – molecular mixtures at the atomic scale
  • 17. Pyrolysis & Carbonization Reactions of Wood @300C: Below = Torrefied Wood Above = charcoal & biochar Hemicellulose Lignin Cellulose D Extensive Devolatilisation and carbonisation (E) Limited devolatilisation and carbonisation (D) depolymerisation and recondensation (C) drying (A) E D C A E D C A glass transition/ softening (B) 300 250 200 150 100 Temperature (°C) Hemicellulose Lignin Cellulose 300 250 200 150 100 Temperature (°C) TORREFACTION
  • 18. Hardwood Pellets: Dried, Carbonized 200C to 300C
  • 19. Amorphous Graphite = Domains of Graphene From page 8 Figure 3: Development of local Graphene domains during carbonization
  • 20. Page 3 of J. Phys.: Condensed Matter 19 (2007) 9 Figure 4: Development of porous 3-dimension structure during carbonization
  • 21. Figure 1: Yield and Adsorption Capacity of Lab Chars 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 10% 9% 8% 7% 6% 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 Heat treatment temperature Celsius Char yield as wt % of dry biomass 0% Adsorption capacity as wt % R134a at 100C Yield Ads @ 100C
  • 23. Pivotal Biochar properties: Short-term Effects are due primarily to • Ash Content – due to pH impact • Mobile Matter – due to stimulating parasitic soil microbes, which compete for nitrogen, but sometimes any microbes are better than none Long-term Effects are attributed to only the • Resident Matter – because it • Adds Volume with high porosity to the soil • Increases Cation Exchange Capacity • Introduces significant Adsorption Capacity
  • 24. How does Biochar work in the Soil? • Biochar works in conjunction with the existing soil, crop and climate. • Biochar helps “soil” go back to being soil. • Improved Moisture Dynamics – high & low • Improved Nutrient Retention (N, P, K) • Improved Microbe survival during drought • Improved Plant-Microbe synergisms
  • 25. This begs the question: How does Resident Matter accomplish the following in the Soil? • Improved Moisture Dynamics – high & low • Improved Nutrient Retention (N, P, K) • Improved Microbe survival during drought • Improved Plant-Microbe synergisms - and why does it depend on Biochar Porosity, CEC and Adsorption?
  • 26. How does Resident Matter accomplish the following in the Soil? • Improved Moisture Dynamics – high & low Two different moisture regimes, with three different mechanisms: – High moisture in tight soils (flooding in clays) – High moisture in loose soils (flooding in sand) – Low moisture in all soils • desiccating or drought conditions
  • 27. - applies to all micro-porous media including chars - Also Bulk Density or the box of corn flakes - this is the density of the individual corn flakes -this is the density of the corn flake “molecules” or the corn flake skeleton without vapor volume
  • 28. Calculating the “density, porosity, voidage” of a typical biochar (a good one…) • Apparent Density = 250 kg/cubic meter • Skeletal Density = 1500 kg/ cubic meter – Skeleton = 250/1500 = 1/6 cubic meter – Total voidage = 1 – 1/6 = 5/6 cubic meter • Assuming 1/3 inter-particle voids – Space between particles = 1/3 cubic meter – Space inside particles = 5/6 – 1/3 = 1/2 m3
  • 29. Summary: Biochar is 83% voidage and 17% graphitic skeleton • 33% of the volume is between particles – this improves soil drainage and aeration • 50% of the volume is inside particles – this volume is available to store bulk water This available volume improves overall soil properties during excess moisture – but what about desiccating soil conditions? That requires ADsorption of the moisture
  • 35. How does Resident Matter accomplish the following in the Soil? • Improved Nutrient Retention (N, P, K) This is the CEC = Cation Exchange Capacity property Biochar has both Cation and Anion Exchange capacity - Exchange Capacity is due to non-graphitic organic side chains, oxidized to organic acid functionalities and organic bases due to bound nitrogen molecules - Adsorption of Humic Acids also increases EC
  • 36. How does Resident Matter accomplish the following in the Soil? • Improved Microbe survival during drought • Improved Plant-Microbe synergisms Microbes need two things to survive: food and water - Biochar adsorbs water and water soluble organics via isotherms – and desorbs them when background levels are below “equilibrium”
  • 37. Freshly made Biochar is like raw Ground Beef; is it food? – not yet Steps to preparing biochar for optimal soil benefit: C-C-I - Conditioning: equilibrate with soil moisture properties - pH effects, total dissolved solids (salts), liming - desorb soluble sugars and other mobile matter - Charging: equilibrate with soil fertilizer levels - in balance with annual fertilizer fluxes - Inoculating: Biasing the Soil Microbial Populations - this may not be necessary or even work All of which happens during composting or given enough time
  • 38. Make Biochar, and save your world
  • 39. Options for obtaining Biochar • You can buy it – but from who? – Some charcoals are good biochars, some are BAD – and all need to be tested • You can make it – For “gardening”, TLUDs work best – The other approach is “Retort” processes – Equipment is coming to the market – slowly • Example: Adam Retort – about 350 kg/batch
  • 40. How does wood burn? • Wood, consists of hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin – Hemicellulose gasifies at 250 – 300C – Cellulose splits into char and volatiles between 300C and 450C – Lignin splits into char and volatiles between 300C and 750C – Volatilization cools the remaining solid, but the gases burn and generate radiant heat (yellow to blue light) – Eventually, oxygen can react with the remaining char to make CO2, H2O and ash, plus more heat (red light) – Putting it all together, we have:
  • 42. Figure 1: Yield and Adsorption Capacity of Lab Chars 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 10% 9% 8% 7% 6% 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 Heat treatment temperature Celsius Char yield as wt % of dry biomass 0% Adsorption capacity as wt % R134a at 100C Yield Ads @ 100C
  • 47. Any Volunteers for running a Earth mound Kiln? H-1.Charcoal burners were a strange breed, living a lonely life in the forest, like wild beasts… At its best, making charcoal was not for any normal human. The time required for charring a small mound varied from one to two weeks, but with mounds 30 feet or more round, a month was average. During all that time, through every kind of weather, the charcoal maker lived with his mound, sleeping only in dozes for fear a flame might start and explode into a full fire which would demolish the mound. There was no time for washing; there was seldom more shelter than a bark lean-to.
  • 48. Earth Kiln – Ohio - 1942
  • 50. Tropical Products Institute - Mark V – IN ACTION
  • 54. Google: 1G Toucan Figure 4: Completed TLUD
  • 55. Figure 7: Half way through burn
  • 56. Figure 10: 1G Toucan Biochar
  • 57. Larger than TLUDs, appropriate for home gardeners and consuming small amounts of scrap wood or “forestry slash” are: • Two Barrel Retorts • Double Barrel Twin Keg Retorts • Jack Daniel’s Rickyard Technology
  • 60. Google: Jolly Roger Ovens or JRO Biochar
  • 61. Commercial operations require larger equipment and regulatory approval: • Adam-style Retorts • This is a developmental “Chicken or the Egg” – Nobody makes them because nobody wanted them
  • 62. The Mobile Adam Retort c/o New England Biochar
  • 65. Make Biochar, and save your world
  • 66. Unique Biochar Phenomena Hugh McLaughlin, PhD, PE www.acfox.com November 23, 2014 @ Tufts