Charcoal Kiln

Basics

• A Kiln for making Charcoal
• If powered by fuel and not electricity, it diverges from Ceramics Kiln / Heat Treatment Oven development in that the Syngas and/or Pyrolysis Oil can be utilized (either as fuel to increase overall efficiency, or as separate products
• If going for basic charcoal, to an extent the “pit method” / a Kon Tiki system can be more effective

Types

Basic

• Earth Pit Kiln
• Kon-Tiki Kiln
• Paint Can Pyrolysis and a Campfire or Rocket Stove
  • MAY be able to use this to turn a Paper Brick / RDF Brick from Small Scale RDF into a Charcoal and maybe even graphite brick
  • A larger device based on 55 Gallon Drums would be more effective

Advanced

• Highly Efficient Gas Fueled Kiln
• More Bio-Refinery type designs for producing Syngas / Pyrolysis Oil
• Continuous Charcoal Kiln

Existing DIY/OS Designs

Greenhill Forge (YouTube Channel) 's Design

• A Video by the YouTube Channel "Greenhill Forge" Titled "Free Off Grid Energy | Wood Gasifier Step 1: The Retort" ( ~25 Minute Watch )
• A Quite Advanced Charcoal Retort

Generic 55 Gallon Drum + Chimney Designs

• Basically a 55 Gallon Drum with a Chimney (Such as Stovepipe )
• Can be done vertically which is simpler for INITIAL setup / has less need for welded attatchments etc
• If done with the barrel Horizontal however, it is a far easier setup to use

Vertical Drum

• A Video by the YouTube Channel "BrandtCreekFarm" Titled "Charcoal Retort" ( ~4.5 Min Watch )
  • A 30 Gallon Drum INSIDE a Cut Open 55 Gallon Drum
  • About as simple as it gets, short of a Paint Can on a Bonfire
• A Video by the YouTube Channel "Creative Cement" Titled "How to make charcoal from drums" ( ~10 Minute Watch )
  • Other than some metal raw materials, it seems all that was used was an Angle Grinder , a Stick Welder with a 7018 or similar rod, and measuring tools (also mud as sealant)

Horizontal Drum

• A Video by the YouTube Channel "Andrew Devo" Titled "DIY charcoal kiln" ( ~20 Second Watch )
• A Video by the YouTube Channel "Kevin Rodgers" Titled "Building a Charcoal Retort for Biochar | Pyrolysis Process & Tilted Barrel Method Success" ( ~2 Minute Watch )

Temporary Trash Can Section

Trailer Mounted

• A Video by the YouTube Channel "WoodlandsTV" Titled "Making Charcoal with the Exeter Retort" ( ~7 Minute Watch )
• A Video by the YouTube Channel "Pressvess" Titled "Pressvess BBMR Mobile Charcoal Retort" ( ~11 Minute Watch )
• A Video by the YouTube Channel "New Leaf Nature & Wellbeing CIC" Titled "HOW OUR CHARCOAL KILN WORKS" ( ~2 Minute Watch )

Freestanding

• A Video by the YouTube Channel "Heavy Iron Acres" Titled "Charcoal retort kiln" ( ~5 Minute Watch )
• A Video by the YouTube Channel "Cannon Bottom Creations" Titled "How to Make A Charcoal Retort Kiln" ( ~16 Minute Watch )
• A Video by the YouTube Channel " Thrive Off Grid " Titled "DIY Charcoal Retort For BioChar and Gasification Fuel" ( ~30 Minute Watch )

Internal Links

• The Biochar Economy
• Biochar-Lime Co-production System
• Rocc Biochar Kiln
• Air Curtain Burners
  • As per This Video by the YouTube Channel "The Biochar Initiative" Titled "CharBoss Demonstration, Bandon Dunes" ( ~8 Minute Watch ), these can be adapted to at least PARTIAL Charcoal Production

External Links

• FAO - Charcoal from portable kilns and fixed installations by FRED C. SIMMONS, FAO Forestry Officer
  • "FRED C. SIMMONS is now serving on a United Nations Special Fund project in Chile. Recent improvements in charcoal production facilities and methods - IN 1956 THE Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations issued a 116-page bulletin under the same title, prepared by Professor J. Savard and Mr. J. Condreau of the Centre technique forestier tropical at Nogent-sur-Marne (France). This discussed in detail charcoal production methods in use at that time, particularly in Europe and North America. It also covered the theory of carbonization of wood and recovery of by-products, and yields obtainable by different methods from a variety of species.
  • Mentions the forbidden ASBESTOS LINED KILN lol, came up in a search and figured i'd throw it in here - User: Eric