Use of Biochar Produced from Elephant Grass by Pyrolysis in a Screw Reactor as a Soil Amendment

This study was carried out to evaluate the agronomic potential of elephant grass biomass ( Pennisetum purpureum Schum) biochar obtained through slow pyrolysis using a semi-continuous pilot screw reactor in the absence of a carrier gas, and under different conditions. The biomass was pyrolyzed with t...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Waste and biomass valorization 2019-10, Vol.10 (10), p.3089-3100
Main Authors: Ferreira, Suelem Daiane, Manera, Christian, Silvestre, Wendel Paulo, Pauletti, Gabriel Fernandes, Altafini, Carlos Roberto, Godinho, Marcelo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agronomy
Biogas
Biomass
Carrier gases
Charcoal
Elephant grass
Engineering
Environment
Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology
Fertilizers
Grasses
Incubation
Industrial Pollution Prevention
Liming
Original Paper
Pennisetum purpureum
Physicochemical properties
Pyrolysis
Reactors
Renewable and Green Energy
Soil amendment
Soil analysis
Soil fertility
Soil mixtures
Soils
Temperature
Waste Management/Waste Technology
Yield
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:This study was carried out to evaluate the agronomic potential of elephant grass biomass ( Pennisetum purpureum Schum) biochar obtained through slow pyrolysis using a semi-continuous pilot screw reactor in the absence of a carrier gas, and under different conditions. The biomass was pyrolyzed with temperature ranging between 400 and 600 °C. The products (biogas/biochar/bio-oil) yields were evaluated. With increasing temperature, there was a decrease in biochar yield, however, the bio-oil yield was relatively constant. Different physicochemical properties of the biochar were evaluated, and the biochar was incubated in the soil for 60 days. After the incubation period the mixture of soil and biochar underwent analysis to determine soil fertility. The biochar produced presented an elevated content of micro and macronutrients, as well as high pH. Agronomic tests showed that biochar presented great potential to be used as an auxiliary liming agent, and as a fertilizer.
ISSN:1877-2641
1877-265X
DOI:10.1007/s12649-018-0347-1