Rotating Heater Pyrolyzer (RHP): A new pyrolysis technology for biochar production

Biochar provides an effective and inexpensive carbon sequestration technology to combat climate change. It is formed through a process known as pyrolysis; where biomass is thermally decomposed in the absence of oxygen. In this study, a new pyrolysis reactor called the Rotating Heater Pyrolyzer (RHP) was designed and built for biochar production. RHP derived biochar properties were compared to biochars produced with a standard batch pyrolysis reactor (Pyrolytic Shaker Reactor (PSR)) to determine RHP performance. Using several biochar characterization techniques, the soil amendment potential of two solid anaerobic digestate feedstocks were investigated. Woodchip RHP derived biochar processed between 2-3 hrs exhibited similar biochar yield, electrical conductivity, methylene blue adsorption and colour intensity to woodchip PSR biochars produced at 400 °C. Flower waste digestate biochars were found to have properties beneficial for soil amendment, including lower skeletal density, higher electrical conductivity and methylene blue adsorption compared to food waste digestate biochars