Biocharcoal manufactoring and development of pyrolysis processes

About pyrolysis

Pyrolysis also called dry distillation is method in which material is heated in inert or almost inert atmosphere. In BioSampo we have over 10 years of experience about practical charcoal manufactoring. We use traditional slow pyrolysis method in our equipment.

We are able to do pyrolysis with 5 different retorts, each for different purpose. We are able to use temperature range from 300 – 2800 °C. For inert atmosphere we can use vacuum, nitrogen or argon gasses. We are able to make physically activated carbons with carbon dioxide flow. Best surface area(BET) for our activated carbons has been 1200 m²/g from Finnish wood material.

Keijing GSL 1000 pyrolysis retort

We can use about 4 kg of wood to make charcoal with this retort. Retort can reach up to 1000 °C temperature for pyrolysis. It is possible to use vacuum when starting the run. During the run it is possible to use nitrogen or carbon dioxide flow for purging the chamber.

Lab Furnace activation retort

Quartz glass retort capable of 1000 °C with inert and mixable atmosphere for activating carbon. It is possible to precisely control gas flows between nitrogen and carbon dioxide. Sample amount is about 50 g. Sample must be charcoal before activation. The purpose of activating carbon is to increase the materials specific surface area[m²/g].

Protective gas is nitrogen, activating gasses can be carbon dioxide and water vapor. Best results so far has been Finnish spruce activated carbon with specific surface area(BET) of 1200 m²/g.

Xinduction 1600 °C pyrolysis retort

Pyrolysis retort is able to process about one liter of charcoal to higher purity. Retort can be heated up to 1600 °C temperature and the protective gas is nitrogen.

2800 °C grafetization retort

This pyrolysis retort is modified graphetization oven. It can be used to purify charcoal to graphite. It can heat up to 2800 °C temperature and inerting method is vacuum and argon gasflushing. Retort is induction oven and sample size can be a few hundred grams. Sample is heated in graphite crucible and it is possible to pelletize the sample with hydraulic press.

The objective is to reach high purity biocharcoal and synthetic graphite. It is also possible to treat carbon fibers in the oven.

Outdoor retort pyrolysis equipment

One of the oldest equipments in the BioSampo. This reliable highly automated dry distillation unit is capable of storing pyrolysis heating curves and we can report them. The retort has been designed in BioSampo and it can reach temperatures of up to 420 °C.

Solid material sample size can be 10 – 27 kg, which is ideally 50 mm cube. As a chip or dust it possible to fit less than 10 kg. Samples can be wood or other dry material.