Emerging trends in appropriate kiln designs for small-scale biochar production in low to middle income countries

Timothy Namaswa; David F.R.P. Burslem; Jo Smith

doi:10.1016/j.biteb.2023.101641

Emerging trends in appropriate kiln designs for small-scale biochar production in low to middle income countries

Timothy Namaswa^* (Corresponding Author), David F.R.P. Burslem, Jo Smith

^*Corresponding author for this work

Aberdeen Centre For Environmental Sustainability

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

5 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This paper reviews information about the design and performance of existing biochar production kilns to identify areas for further research and development. The kiln designs are categorized into flame curtain kilns, drum kilns, pyrolytic top-lit-updraft cookstoves, retort kilns, masonry kilns and others. Depending on the design, reviewed kilns can attain yield efficiency of 10–46 % and produce biochar containing 26–87 % fixed carbon with a calorific value of 14–40 MJ kg−1. Comparison of available kiln designs is challenging as some of the data required are either unavailable or derived from experiments that use a single feedstock. However, a qualitative schematic comparison indicates that drum retort kilns are best suited for most applications in low-income settings. These designs would likely be improved to approach the theoretical maximum efficiency whilst improving the quality of biochar and reducing emission levels, by combining appropriate design features from other kilns.

Original language	English
Article number	101641
Number of pages	19
Journal	Bioresource Technology Reports
Volume	24
Early online date	1 Oct 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biteb.2023.101641
Publication status	Published - Dec 2023

Bibliographical note

This being part of PhD work being funded by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in the UK, we are grateful for their support. We also thank the medical illustration team from the University of Aberdeen for professionalizing the diagrams.

Data Availability Statement

No data was used for the research described in the article.

Keywords

Biochar
Kiln
Efficiency
Emission
Pyrolysis
Middle to low income

Access to Document

10.1016/j.biteb.2023.101641Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Namawasa_etal_BTR_Emerging_Trends_in_VOR
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/bync-nd/4.0/).
Final published version, 7.45 MBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589014X23003122

Cite this

@article{6d13fa45cdef44f8a25391c3423287f3,

title = "Emerging trends in appropriate kiln designs for small-scale biochar production in low to middle income countries",

abstract = "This paper reviews information about the design and performance of existing biochar production kilns to identify areas for further research and development. The kiln designs are categorized into flame curtain kilns, drum kilns, pyrolytic top-lit-updraft cookstoves, retort kilns, masonry kilns and others. Depending on the design, reviewed kilns can attain yield efficiency of 10–46 % and produce biochar containing 26–87 % fixed carbon with a calorific value of 14–40 MJ kg−1. Comparison of available kiln designs is challenging as some of the data required are either unavailable or derived from experiments that use a single feedstock. However, a qualitative schematic comparison indicates that drum retort kilns are best suited for most applications in low-income settings. These designs would likely be improved to approach the theoretical maximum efficiency whilst improving the quality of biochar and reducing emission levels, by combining appropriate design features from other kilns.",

keywords = "Biochar, Kiln, Efficiency, Emission, Pyrolysis, Middle to low income",

author = "Timothy Namaswa and Burslem, {David F.R.P.} and Jo Smith",

note = "This being part of PhD work being funded by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in the UK, we are grateful for their support. We also thank the medical illustration team from the University of Aberdeen for professionalizing the diagrams.",

year = "2023",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1016/j.biteb.2023.101641",

language = "English",

volume = "24",

journal = "Bioresource Technology Reports",

issn = "2589-014X",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Emerging trends in appropriate kiln designs for small-scale biochar production in low to middle income countries

AU - Namaswa, Timothy

AU - Burslem, David F.R.P.

AU - Smith, Jo

N1 - This being part of PhD work being funded by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in the UK, we are grateful for their support. We also thank the medical illustration team from the University of Aberdeen for professionalizing the diagrams.

PY - 2023/12

Y1 - 2023/12

N2 - This paper reviews information about the design and performance of existing biochar production kilns to identify areas for further research and development. The kiln designs are categorized into flame curtain kilns, drum kilns, pyrolytic top-lit-updraft cookstoves, retort kilns, masonry kilns and others. Depending on the design, reviewed kilns can attain yield efficiency of 10–46 % and produce biochar containing 26–87 % fixed carbon with a calorific value of 14–40 MJ kg−1. Comparison of available kiln designs is challenging as some of the data required are either unavailable or derived from experiments that use a single feedstock. However, a qualitative schematic comparison indicates that drum retort kilns are best suited for most applications in low-income settings. These designs would likely be improved to approach the theoretical maximum efficiency whilst improving the quality of biochar and reducing emission levels, by combining appropriate design features from other kilns.

AB - This paper reviews information about the design and performance of existing biochar production kilns to identify areas for further research and development. The kiln designs are categorized into flame curtain kilns, drum kilns, pyrolytic top-lit-updraft cookstoves, retort kilns, masonry kilns and others. Depending on the design, reviewed kilns can attain yield efficiency of 10–46 % and produce biochar containing 26–87 % fixed carbon with a calorific value of 14–40 MJ kg−1. Comparison of available kiln designs is challenging as some of the data required are either unavailable or derived from experiments that use a single feedstock. However, a qualitative schematic comparison indicates that drum retort kilns are best suited for most applications in low-income settings. These designs would likely be improved to approach the theoretical maximum efficiency whilst improving the quality of biochar and reducing emission levels, by combining appropriate design features from other kilns.

KW - Biochar

KW - Kiln

KW - Efficiency

KW - Emission

KW - Pyrolysis

KW - Middle to low income

U2 - 10.1016/j.biteb.2023.101641

DO - 10.1016/j.biteb.2023.101641

M3 - Article

SN - 2589-014X

VL - 24

JO - Bioresource Technology Reports

JF - Bioresource Technology Reports

M1 - 101641

ER -

Emerging trends in appropriate kiln designs for small-scale biochar production in low to middle income countries

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Data Availability Statement

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this