Biochar Produced from Bagasse Pellets

By:Mr Darren Chen

Position:Project Sales Director

Mar 10, 2023

The uncontrolled greenhouse gas emissions have forced global temperature to rise by 0.2 °C every year, finally reaching 1.5 °C by 2100. Thus, Negative Emission Technologies was proposed, aiming to offset the emissions.

Biochar as soil additive was widely applied as one of the most effective practice to reduce greenhouse gas. Soil amendment biochar helps to raise water storage capacity and decrease soil nutrient leaching, which in turn increases soil fertility and can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions because it stores carbon in the soil. Soil carbon sequestration of terrestrial ecosystem has attracted great interest in recent years.

Carbon credits can be obtained through biochar production. Completed life cycle analysis on the biochar has been accepted by carbon credit trade platforms. So biochar production can reduce carbon footprint. The carbon credits can be traded legally to generate income.

SIMEC focus on technology R&D for converting diversity of biomasses, including bagasse, into qualified biochar which comply with EBC-Agro Organic criterion, with lower content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and H/Corg ratio (molar).

In December 2022, SIMEC was commissioned to conduct a research program of sugar cane bagasse pelletization and carbonization. According to the agreement with research institute in Sweden, SIMEC prepared the bagasse raw material originating in Guangxi, China for the test. Dry bagasse consists of 45% cellulose, 28% hemicellulose, 20% lignin, and 1% minerals, etc. The pelletization and carbonization tests yielded ideal results.

Sugarcane Bagasse

Bagasse Pellets

On December 20, 2022 the pelleting test yielded high quality φ8 mm bagasse pellets. Moisture content of the feedstock was controlled to be around 14%. On December 26, 2022, bagasse pellets were converted into biochar through a slow pyrolysis process.

Analysis Result of Bagasse Pellets and Biochar:

Parameter	Bagasse Pellets	Biochar
Moisture as Received	10.08%	1.15%
Ash Content	4.86%	13.19%
Volatile Matter	77.07%	7.49%
Fixed Carbon	18.07%	79.32%
High Calorific Value	4734 kcal/kg	6994 kcal/kg
Low Calorific Value	4055 kcal/kg	6750 kcal/kg

The bagasse biochar pellets are analyzed for 16 PAHs content and H/Corg ratio which is performed according to guidelines for the sustainable production of biochar - EBC, Version 10.1E - of 10/01/2022.

Bagasse Pellets

Biochar Pellets

Biochar Pellets

The following analysis results show that SIMEC can produce top quality bagasse biochar which equals EBC-Agro Organic standard.

Parameter	EBC-Feed	EBC-Agro Organic	EBC-Agro	LOQ	Unit	db
Naphthalene				0.1	mg/kg	2
Acenaphthylene				0.1	mg/kg	< 0.1
Acenaphthene				0.1	mg/kg	< 0.1
Fluorene				0.1	mg/kg	< 0.1
Phenanthrene				0.1	mg/kg	0.8
Anthracene				0.1	mg/kg	0.4
Fluoranthene				0.1	mg/kg	0.2
Pyrene				0.1	mg/kg	0.1
Benz(a)anthracene				0.1	mg/kg	< 0.1
Chrysene				0.1	mg/kg	< 0.1
Benzo(b) fluoranthene				0.1	mg/kg	< 0.1
Benzo(k) fluoranthene				0.1	mg/kg	< 0.1
Benzo(a) pyrene				0.1	mg/kg	< 0.1
Indeno(1,2,3-cd) pyrene				0.1	mg/kg	< 0.1
Dibenz(a,h)anthracene				0.1	mg/kg	< 0.1
Benzo(g,h,i)perylene				0.1	mg/kg	< 0.1
Total 8 EFSA-PAH excl. LOQ	1	1	1		mg/kg	(n. c.)
Total 16 EPA-PAH excl. LOQ		4	6		mg/kg	3.50
Benzo(e) pyrene	< 1	< 1	< 1	0.1	mg/kg	< 0.1
Benzo-(j)-fluoranthen	< 1	< 1	< 1	0.1	mg/kg	< 0.1
H/C ratio (molar)						0.25
H/Corg ratio (molar)	＜0.7	＜0.7	＜0.7			0.25

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Biochar Produced from Bagasse Pellets