Charcoal Production in Portugal: Operating Conditions and Performance of a Traditional Brick Kiln

Towards sustainable charcoal production: Designing an economical brick kiln with enhanced emission control technology

In this research, a brick kiln integrated with pollutant emission control technology was designed and applied in order to produce charcoal from Eucalyptus Globules wood. The batch operation carbonization of wood biomass was undertaken in a 1.25 m 3 volume brick kiln. A wet-packed scrubber was designed and constructed by filling gravels in a depth of 40 cm with aggregate sizes of 48-60 mm, 27-33 mm and 16-20 mm from the bottom to the top respectively aiming to treat emission from the charcoal-producing unit. The characteristics of the charcoal produced were determined to be composed of 9% moisture content, 1.5% ash content, 38% charcoal yield and a heating value of 27.53 MJ/kg. On the other hand, the wet scrubber integrated into a brick kiln was found to remove Hydrocarbons, C O 2 and CO by 97.8%, 98.5% and 99% respectively, which makes it efficient and practical way of controlling the gasses released during producing of charcoal.

Enhancing wood to charcoal conversion efficiencies from smallholder plantation charcoal production systems: Implications for carbon emissions and sustainable livelihood benefits in North Western Ethiopia

Charcoal production stemming from small-scale Eucalyptus camaldulensis plantations has brought about significant socio-economic benefits and improved livelihoods in Ethiopia. Nevertheless, the current practice involves the use of traditional earth mound kilns, leading to inefficiencies, reduced charcoal income, and environmental pollution. This research aims to assess charcoal conversion efficiency, perform a cost-benefit analysis, and measure gas emissions from improved charcoal-making kilns sourced from Eucalyptus camaldulensis small-scale plantations in comparison to traditional earth mound kilns in northwestern Ethiopia. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was executed, with a significance level set at 0.05. The study results indicate a significant (P < 0.001) disparity in charcoal conversion efficiency across the various tested kilns, with the ranking as follows: Green mad retort kiln (33.7%) > Casamance kiln (32.09%) > MRV steel kiln (28.25%) > traditional earth mound kilns (23.55%). The improved charcoal-making kilns enhanced wood-to-charcoal conversion efficiency by 20-43% compared to traditional earth mound kilns. In terms of financial viability, Casamance improved kilns generated the highest equivalent annual charcoal income (117,126.9 ETB/year), followed by Green Mad Retort (82,893.8 ETB/year) and MRV steel kilns (58,495.9 ETB/year). As anticipated, traditional earth mound kilns yielded the lowest net present value (47,304.3 ETB/year). Traditional earth mound kilns also exhibited significantly longer carbonization times (P < 0.001), taking 3.6 times longer than the Mark V kiln and 2 times longer than the Casamance kiln. Furthermore, the statistical analysis demonstrated that improved charcoal-making technology reduced carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 36.1-50.7%, carbon monoxide (CO) emissions by 39.2-54.3%, and methane (CH4) emissions by 29.6-47%. In conclusion, the use of improved charcoal-making kilns has demonstrated significant enhancements in charcoal conversion efficiency, charcoal income, and environmental sustainability. Given these positive outcomes, we strongly recommend a decisive transition from traditional to cleaner, sustainable, and less emissions-intensive charcoal making kilns.

Improving traditional charcoal production system for sustainable charcoal income and environmental benefits in highlands of Ethiopia

Charcoal production from Acacia decurrens has shown considerable advantages for enhancing livelihoods and boosting government revenue in Ethiopia. However, the current reliance on unsustainable traditional Earth mound kilns diminishes these benefits, causing reduced charcoal income and notable environmental damage. Therefore, there is a pressing need to improve the traditional charcoal production system. The objectives of this study were evaluating different improved charcoal production approaches on charcoal conversion efficiency, financial profitability, and gas emission reduction potential compared to traditional charcoal making in the Fagta lokoma district, Ethiopia. Charcoal was produced from Acacia decurrens small-scale plantation, using improved kilns (Green mad retort, MRV portable steel, Casamance) and traditional Earth mound kilns, with three replications of production. Statistical analysis revealed a significant increase in charcoal conversion efficiency (at P ≤ 0.001), with the MRV steel kiln exhibiting the highest efficiency (41.57%), followed by the Green mad retort (36.14%) and Casamance (34.07%). Conversely, the traditional Earth mound kilns displayed the lowest conversion efficiency (24%). The findings demonstrated that improved charcoal-making kilns enhanced wood-to-charcoal conversion efficiency by 41-72% compared to traditional kilns. Moreover, the study reveals a significant increase in average charcoal income per hectare (at P ≤ 0.001), with higher earnings (284,824.4 ETB) at MRV steel kiln, and lower-income (71,580 ETB) at traditional Earth mound kilns. Improved charcoal-making kilns significantly (P ≤ 0.001) reduced harmful gas emissions compared to the traditional Earth mound method. Reduction percentages were substantial for various gases: CO2 (46-57.9%), CO (29.4-56.6%), NO (61.7-86.1%), NOx (56.6-86.2%), SO2 (41-62.8%), and CH4 (35.7-57%). In coclusion, the improved kiln technology has substantially enhanced the efficiency of charcoal conversion, resulting in beneficial effects through emissions reduction. To champion sustainability and cultivate positive socio-economic outcomes, it is imperative to extensively adopt these eco-friendly kilns in areas where charcoal production is prominent.