Convert all those piles of brush to Biochar using the BEF Brush Saw and

The Pyrolysis Pyramid

Thomas B. ReedThe Northeast Biochar Symposium

Amherst, MA.November 13, 2009

• Every cord of wood generates a cord of brush and potentially 1000 lb of BIOCHAR (if you could only reduce it to usable size)

• The Biomass Energy Foundation has developed a “Brush Saw Attachment” for chain saws that quickly reduces humongous brush piles to a dense pile of sticks for disposal or further use.

• On December 8 there was a devastating ice storm in Central Massachusetts, burying the countryside in branches and limbs.

• We moved into our home in Barre, MA. On January 15 and inherited a pile 20X25X5 ft high

• It would have required 5 trips to the dumps to dispose of it

• Instead I developed the Brush Saw Attachment for chain saws

• The rickyard is where we make our own special charcoal required for the mellowing process.To make our charcoal we start with hard sugar maple trees cut from the high ground in Middle Tennessee.

• The trees are split into 5 foot lengths (1.5 meters), approximately 4 inches thick (10 cm) and stacked into a special "rick" formation: four equal stacks together, slanting in toward the center.

• Some folks say it's impossible to make charcoal in the open air, but Mr. Jack always made his charcoal that way, and we are still doing the "impossible" today.

• Burned in the open air and controlled by a hand-held water hose to keep the pile of wood from being reduced to ashes, the result is pure, clean maple charcoal without a trace of smokiness or impurities.

• Once cooled, the charcoal is ground into pieces about 1/4 inches in diameter (1 cm).

Flaming Pyrolysis

Protected Charcoal

Unburned Fuel

VirtualFlare

• On a low wind day:• Derived from Jack Daniels Rick Burning • Pile biomass sticks up to make a pyramid• Spray some lighter fluid on the top two layers

and light • The top layers form charcoal and ignite the next,

then the next, then the next…• The lowest burning level removes the oxygen

from the gas and protects all the upper layers• Wherever white ash show, spray until all out