Manufacturing technology of high quality charcoal. Equipment for the production of charcoal

Charcoal is a microporous high-carbon product formed during the pyrolysis of wood without air access. Its consumption is only increasing every year. This type of fuel is used in various fields, be it the metallurgical industry, pharmacology, in the production of activated carbon and similar medicines, in other industries, because coal is 100% carbon. However, it is most often used in household needs... It is worth noting that in, charcoal is an essential attribute of any barbecue or cooking on the grill. Such tendencies are becoming more and more traditional in our country as well.

Coal properties and types

Its properties compare favorably with other high-carbon fuels. Charcoal burns at a very high temperature - more than 1100 ° C, emits little steam and unburned carbon, therefore it is used in everyday life and industry.

The raw material for charcoal is wood, so setting up your own production line is important if there are places where forests grow nearby, or the cost of transporting cut trees will be insignificant. The starting material is subjected to heat treatment without air access. "Pyrolysis combustion" occurs, resulting in the formation of charcoal. The characteristics of the final product are approved by GOST 7657-84 “Charcoal. Technical conditions».

Charcoal is a solid, combustible substance. It is capable of spontaneously igniting at a temperature of 340 ° C.

After coal production, it must be stabilized, otherwise spontaneous combustion is possible.

The result of production can be 3 grades of coal: A, B, C. The difference between them is in the tree species from which the coal is obtained. The specifics of the selection of the starting material are reflected in GOST 24260-80 "Raw materials for pyrolysis and coal burning". The following tree species are suitable for production:

• The first group is birch, oak, beech, ash, maple, hornbeam, elm. Coal grade A is obtained from it. It is divided into 2 grades: the highest and the 1st, which differ in parameters: density, mass fraction of ash and non-volatile carbon, water and other quality indicators. Oak wood can be used for pyrolysis and charcoal burning only if it is not suitable for the manufacture of tannins.
• The second group is poplar, linden, alder, aspen, willow. Its mixture with the first group gives coal of grade B. When charcoal, conifers can be used: pine or spruce, cedar, fir and larch. Coal of this brand has 2 grades - 1st and 2nd.
• The third group repeats the second - poplar, linden, alder, aspen, willow, while the GOST indicates that these rocks can be used for charcoal burning, and in combination with groups 1 and 2 give grade B coal. It is not divided into grades, but has limiting indicators of quality.

The classification reflecting the most suitable types of wood for pyrolysis is arbitrary. According to statistics, the world leader in the production of charcoal is Brazil (85% of the world market), where fast-growing eucalyptus collected from plantations is used as a raw material. However, manufacturers working in the post-Soviet space should adhere to the established GOSTs.

The smallest ash content has a grade A "premium", and grade B "1st grade". The indicator is 2.5%. In grade B it is much higher - up to 4%. The limiting index of non-volatile carbon in the highest quality coal is not less than 90%, and in grade B - not less than 67%.

When planning to meet the demand of industrial enterprises and individuals, it is necessary to organize the production of different grades of coal.

Charcoal production technology

To obtain coal, raw materials are placed in pyrolysis boilers. In aggregates, the tree is subjected to "dry distillation", it is exposed to high temperatures (450-500 ° C) without air access. As a result, the decomposition of wood occurs with the release of gas, wood resin. A woody residue is also formed - coal.

Note! In the literature you can find the concepts of "pyrolysis", "charcoal burning", "carbonization", "thermolysis", "dry distillation", "thermal decomposition", and involuntarily the question arises: what is the difference? There is no difference in the essence of the process, but at industrial enterprises it is customary to use the concept of "pyrolysis", implying the production of not only coal, but also no less valuable resins. Handicraft - charcoal burning, the purpose of which is to produce coal and level the value of by-products.

The production process consists of several sequential stages:

Separate types work requires the involvement of qualified personnel and the purchase of equipment.

Checking the quality of the source material

The choice of wood species used for pyrolysis depends on consumer requests for a particular coal grade and availability. natural resources.

The densest coal is obtained from dense wood: beech (700 kg / m3), oak (710 kg / m3), larch (690 kg / m3), birch (620 kg / m3). However, porous coal from linden, aspen and pine is also in demand.

Acceptance of raw materials is carried out in accordance with the rules established by GOST. Each batch of timber must be accompanied by documentary support. The documents indicate:

• the purpose of raw materials;
• information about the supplier: its name, department;
• wood species, length of beams;
• batch weight, moisture content, designation of the standard in accordance with GOST.

On the eve of drying, it is necessary to "cut" the wood into small pieces of "tulka". To do this, you can use a hand saw, but the performance will be low. The optimal solution is to buy a sawmill. It can work autonomously - on gasoline, or on electricity. Installation cost:

• Taiga T-1B - up to 200 thousand rubles. (runs on gasoline);
• Altai 900 Proff - from 170 thousand rubles. (works from the mains).

The moisture content of the wood is of key importance for pyrolysis. The optimal values ​​are 15-25%. High humidity affects the increase in the duration of the production cycle, increases fuel consumption, and reduces the strength of the final product.

If it is supposed to dry wood in natural conditions, you should make an annual supply. With the use of special equipment, stocks can be reduced by 4 times.

Drying complexes are chambers equipped with a heat generator. Air heated to a certain temperature is supplied to the chamber by a centrifugal fan. The wood is blown and dried. Fuel for the generator - sawdust, bark, firewood, peat and other woodworking waste. Dryers are equipped with lumber moisture sensors, temperature sensors. The systems can operate in automatic, semi-automatic and manual modes, require minimal human intervention in the drying process.

Unit cost:

• SKD-50 - up to 2.2 million rubles; capacity - up to 69 m3;
• SKD-30 - up to 1.9 million rubles, capacity - up to 35 m3.

Pyrolysis + Video of the whole process

Key process- pyrolysis, - takes place in a special furnace - a retort. In modern charcoal plants, the retort furnace is part of a continuous production plant.

The pyrolysis unit has 2 chambers: loading and combustion. Dried sprat are loaded into the first, and when the temperature rises, the wood begins to decompose, resin and gas are released from it; the latter burns out in the 2nd chamber.

The process of heating the wood should be gradual, then some of the resins are coked on the surface of the coal, and moisture is released slowly, making the final product of higher quality. The desire to speed up the process is not beneficial: the amount of gases increases, and the output of coal and liquid inclusions becomes less.

Compliance with the temperature regime of pyrolysis is of key importance. At 260 ° C, the tree becomes brown, with an increase by another 140 ° C, liquid products are finally eliminated from the raw material, and a further increase leads to a slow removal of residues of heavy resins and gases that are not amenable to condensation. Subject to technological process the output will be high quality charcoal with a carbon content of 90-95%.

The cost of charcoal furnaces:

• Champion - the price is about 215 thousand rubles. This is a furnace that performs one cycle of work - pyrolysis. Its feature is environmental friendliness due to the complete combustion of gases. Productivity is low: up to 6 tons per month. Chamber volume - 3 m3.
• Enchantress - differs in price and capacity. The Enchantress-10 costs almost 2 times more than the Champion - 412 thousand rubles, and the monthly output of coal is 18 tons.
• Fantasy 12.5 / 3 - the price is about 1.8 million rubles. This is not just a furnace, but a whole set of equipment that allows you not to interrupt the production cycle. The furnace consists of 3 chambers with a volume of 12.5 m3: in the first there is drying of raw materials, in the second - pyrolysis, in the third - cooling and unloading. The costs are justified as the manufacturer does not have to purchase additional drying equipment. The capacity of the unit is up to 25 tons of the end product per month. Fantastic models differ in price, functionality and performance. For example, the economical Fantastica 1/3 complex costs about 300 thousand rubles, and its productivity is up to 4 tons per month.

Often, entrepreneurs save on equipment and buy furnaces worth up to 100 thousand rubles, for example, UVR-5. Drying takes place in the furnace, the beginning of decay, decomposition of the wood and the calcination of the coal. An experienced master technologist should control the process, since if oxygen enters during the pyrolysis process, the furnace can overheat and collapse.

When evaluating the operation of the oven, you should pay attention to the following parameters:

• Unit size. Knowing the parameters of industrial installations is necessary to determine the size of the rented premises.
• Duration of pyrolysis. The average cycle time is 2 days.
• Furnace power. It should take into account how much coal can be obtained during one production cycle, and compare the volume with the possibility of purchasing raw materials.

When choosing a stove, you should rely on the planned production volume. If the sales market is predetermined, and among buyers - manufacturing enterprises, the purchase of an expensive stove will be justified.

The final process is the cooling of the finished product, after which it can be packaged for delivery to the end consumer.

Package

Coal requires packaging for delivery to the consumer. To do this, use:

• paper bags;
• plastic bags.

Retail buyers prefer 3-10 kg packs. Preferred paper bags due to ease of disposal and environmental friendliness.

If coal is to be supplied to enterprises, bars or restaurants, it will need to be packed in a 50-kilogram package. These are usually polypropylene bags.

The cost of paper bags is up to 11 rubles. for 1 pc. with a capacity of 10 kg.

Polypropylene bags are sold in packs of 50-100 pcs. at a price of 7-8 rubles. per piece

Additional equipment for coal production

Capital investment require the main production facilities: sawing machine, dryer, oven. In this case, the costs will be from 500 thousand rubles. up to 2 million rubles. depending on the scale of production and the type of equipment selected. Additionally you will need:

• Axes and cleavers - up to 10 thousand rubles.
• Weight batcher for packing coal. Batchers are different: for free-flowing fine materials, or for coal, crushed stone, briquettes. The device of the second type is what you need when packing charcoal. One of these is SWEDA DVS-301-50-5. The cost of the unit is 130-150 thousand rubles.
• An industrial sewing machine for sewing up bags - from 15 thousand rubles.

Additional equipment costs will amount to about 170 thousand rubles.

Nuances of business organization

You can organize an enterprise for the production of charcoal by registering an LLC or an individual entrepreneur. To do this, you need to contact the tax office. In any case, the manufacturer must indicate the type of activity - OKVED, which reflects the specifics of the work. For charcoal production and wholesale, the following codes are suitable:

• 20.14 - "Production of other basic organic chemicals";
• 46.71 - "Wholesale trade in solid, liquid and gaseous fuels and similar products."

Both are indicated in the respective statement. Simultaneously with the submission of documents, applications for the choice of the taxation system are submitted. A novice manufacturer can choose a simplified system, provided that the company does not have branches. Subsequently, when expanding production, you can apply for the transition to a different tax system.

In general, the cost of registration of the enterprise will take up to 2 thousand rubles. when registering an individual entrepreneur and up to 15 thousand rubles. when registering an LLC.

Premises for rent

The room must correspond to the size of the equipment. Furnaces can be up to 250 m2 in size and weigh up to 70 tons. The choice of premises is determined by the scale of production. In addition to production workshop, it is necessary to prepare the premises:

• warehouse for storing timber stocks;
• warehouse finished products;
• office for the work of an accountant, supply and sales managers, manager;
• utility room for staff.

In general, the cost of renting production space is from 60 thousand rubles. per month.

Staff

The quality of products and the durability of the equipment depend on the professionalism and responsibility of the work of technical personnel, therefore, it is necessary to invite a master technologist who has experience and is able to organize and control the production process. In addition, you need to hire:

• production line operator;
• movers;
• a person involved in organizing supplies and sales (later the position can be divided between 2 people);
• security guard;
• accountant.

In general, the cost of personnel remuneration will take about 160 thousand rubles.

Sales market search

The manufacturer is a wholesaler with small retail outlets and large enterprises purchase goods in large quantities. Organization of its own retail network unprofitable: you will have to spend money on logistics.

Among the main consumers of charcoal are:

• shops: small retail outlets in markets, supermarkets, gas stations;
• cafes and restaurants;
• enterprises for the production of electrodes;
• glass factories;
• agricultural enterprises: coal is an additive to feed and fertilizer;
• production, which uses grinding and polishing of parts;
• printing industry;
• enterprises for the production of plastics;
• factories producing activated carbon.

In addition to coal, a by-product is released during production - resin, which is used for the manufacture of solvents, a softener for rubber compounds, turpentine, rosin.

Profitability

By purchasing a furnace with a capacity of about 20 tons of finished product per month, you can calculate the approximate income from production. The costs of taxes, utilities, transportation, rent are about 270 thousand rubles. per month. For the production of 1 ton of product, it is necessary to purchase 7-8 m3 of birch, up to 12 m2 of soft-leaved wood. The cost of 1 m3 of chopped birch is from 1000 rubles / m3, which means that for the production of 20 tons of coal, it is necessary to purchase raw materials for 140 thousand rubles. Sales proceeds at a price of 35 rubles. for 1 kg will be 700 thousand rubles. per month. Profit - 430 thousand rubles. The average payback period is from six months.

Charcoal production is profitable, actual business, the success of which depends on the professionalism of employees, the desire to use new technologies, careful control over the process of converting wood into coal.

Charcoal is considered a versatile material. Its use is not limited to fuel production. Coal is widely used in construction works as an insulation material, in agriculture as additives and an element of livestock feed.

Charcoal is successfully used in metallurgical and chemical industries. The specified material is entirely composed of carbon, which makes it environmentally friendly and efficient. In all respects, the production of a product is a profitable event that requires the use of special equipment and materials.

Types and areas of use

Before choosing equipment for the production of charcoal, you need to decide on the type of material that will be used in the process. There are three types of charcoal:

• white, obtained from ash, oak, acacia, birch (hardwood);
• black, obtained from willow, poplar, aspen, linden (softwood);
• red, made on the basis of exclusively coniferous wood.

The latter type is produced by a special method. The material is softly charred. During the process, the raw material is placed in a special oven, where it burns out at a temperature of 355 0 С without air access. Raw materials are burned, but not completely, forming coals.

In most cases, for production activities use the black type.

The scope of application is quite wide. Raw materials are versatile materials used in many industries:

• in the form of fertilizer in agriculture;
• as a material for smoke powder;
• as a raw material for the manufacture of activated carbon used in medicine;
• as a reducing agent in industry;
• as a cleaning material for water, gas and waste water emissions from chemical plants;
• in the form of feeding for livestock in animal husbandry;
• for the smelting of rare metals;
• for the production of gas masks as a means of trapping poisonous gases;
• in the manufacture of electrodes;
• in the production of paints;
• for polishing printed parts;
• in the manufacture of plastics;
• in the manufacture of resistances and contacts installed in electrical engineering;
• in the production of glass;
• as a building insulating material.

Applied equipment

Charcoal production requires the use of equipment:

• generator of electrical energy;
• a device for splitting firewood of hydraulic type;
• charcoal kiln;
• chainsaw;
• scales.

The main equipment for the production of charcoal is the charcoal kiln. It is a mechanism in which wood burns out to form charcoal.

A feature of the technology is the need to use a special pyrolysis oven. In the process of pyrolysis, carbon decomposes with a small amount of oxygen. In special charcoal kilns, pyrolysis technology is used, in which wood burns out, but does not burn completely, turning into coal.

The minimum cost of such ovens is 20-100 thousand rubles. Similar prices apply to equipment that has already been in use. New high-capacity furnaces will cost several times more. Their price reaches 2 million rubles. Modern models are capable of processing wood up to the formation of coal dust, which is in high demand in a number of manufacturing areas.

The cost of a standard electricity generator is 20 thousand rubles. The minimum price for a chainsaw and scales starts from 5 thousand rubles. average cost total equipment is 150-450 thousand rubles. The final price depends on the quality and performance of the equipment.

Coal manufacturing technology

For the production of coal, a special technology is provided, consisting of 4 stages:

• exposure of wood to fire when conditions are met (pyrolysis);
• calcination;
• cooling down.

At the first stage, it is necessary to thoroughly dry the incoming raw materials. Raw wood smolders poorly. Before lighting it, a drying procedure is required. Raw materials are placed in a special block of a charcoal kiln. It is supplied with flue gas heated to 150 0 C. The duration of the procedure depends on the moisture content of the wood used. The higher its moisture content, the longer it takes to process it with gas.

After drying, the moisture content of the raw material should be at minimum values. For pyrolysis, which occurs at the second stage of coal production, raw materials with a maximum moisture content of 5% are suitable.

The pyrolysis process goes through several stages:

• the temperature in the furnace increases to 300 0 С;
• at the specified value, the percentage of moisture content of the raw material reaches zero, it actively absorbs heat;
• wood charring occurs;
• the charred material is exposed to an elevated temperature reaching 400 0 С;
• there is a smoldering of raw materials with an active release of heat;
• when smoldering, the material becomes charcoal.

At the end of the pyrolysis process, a feedstock with a high carbon content is obtained. Its level reaches 75%.

After pyrolysis, the resulting coal is calcined. At this stage, the gases and resins contained in it are separated from the raw materials.

On the the final stage the technology of coal production provides for its cooling. The procedure is to reduce the temperature inside the oven. Unloading coal from it is possible when the raw material will not self-ignite when exposed to oxygen. The optimal temperature of coal with the possibility of unloading it is considered to be 40 0 ​​C. Sometimes, unloading begins already at 85 0 C.

Diagrams for making charcoal at home

Three schemes for its production at home will help to significantly simplify the process of coal production and avoid significant financial expenditures on equipment:

• based on a wood-burning stove;
• in a pit;
• using a barrel.

The first method is considered to be the simplest and lowest cost. It is not recommended to use this method indoors. The production of charcoal requires tightness of the equipment used and the absence of oxygen in the furnace. It is not recommended to stay indoors while wood is burning. With it, carbon dioxide, dangerous to humans, is actively released, leading to poisoning.

Wood is put in a conventional stove and set on fire. As soon as the wood fires up, it is necessary to cover the blower with the doors. This creates conditions inside the kiln similar to those inside a specialized charcoal kiln. It takes about 15-20 minutes to smolder coal. The raw material will need to be cooled.

Making coal in a pit is the most primitive but useful method. Subject to a number of conditions, it is possible to achieve a final product with good properties.

The procedure for making coal in a pit consists of the following stages:

1. on the open area a cylindrical pit is pulled out of the ground, 0.8 m wide and 0.5 m deep;
2. the bottom of the pit is covered with a sand-clay mixture and carefully compacted to avoid mixing of raw materials with the ground;
3. material for ignition is laid out at the bottom of the pit, which is suitable for small brushwood with birch bark;
4. the first small portion of firewood without bark is added to the mixture of brushwood;
5. wood materials, pre-peeled from bark, are added to the firewood, chopped into pieces of 30 cm each;
6. a new portion of firewood is added to the burnt-out portion of firewood until the pit is filled to the very top;
7. in the process of burning firewood, it is necessary to carefully stir them, due to this, the density of their fit increases;
8. it takes about 1.5 hours to burn wood, after which the pit will need to be sealed by covering it with a layer of thick sheet metal that can stop oxygen access to the pit;
9. cooling of coal in the pit lasts several days;
10. the finished raw material is taken out of the pit, sifted and packaged.

Making coal in a barrel

This method is considered more perfect. As equipment for it, a concrete barrel is used, on the bottom of which refractory bricks are laid in a vertical position. Firing material is laid between the bricks, and a metal grate is installed on top of them, on which chopped firewood is laid out.

As the wood fires up, the barrel is covered with a dense layer of sheet metal on top. The production of charcoal in this manner requires a special tightness of the barrel used. Tight sealing is necessary when the smoke from burning wood takes on a gray tint. The barrel remains in the closed position until the moment it cools.

At the last stage, the finished coal is taken out of the container, sorted and packaged.

The production of charcoal has reached great heights today. Such products served as the beginning of the development of civilization. Currently, there is a wide range of installations that can be used for their intended purpose. The choice of equipment for the production of charcoal must be thorough.

Nuances to be aware of

It should be noted that almost any modern technology which is used for the production of materials is environmentally friendly. In addition, the new equipment is energetically effective solution... About 10 million tons of charcoal are produced annually with its help.

As a material for production, a variety of wastes are used that come from sawmills. Solid wood can also be used. The equipment required for coal production does not need much maintenance. It is necessary to hire about three people who will work with the devices in shifts.

What types of equipment are available?

The choice of equipment for the production of charcoal is often complicated by the availability of different options. The following groups of devices can be distinguished:

1. Mobile units.

2. Stationary technologies.

3. Auxiliary equipment.

Mobile and stationary devices differ from each other only in that in the second case, the equipment cannot be moved to another place. It should also be noted that quite often the plant has a combination of drying and pyrolysis functions.

Installation

Having made a choice in favor of a suitable type of equipment, it is necessary to thoroughly approach the installation procedure. The installation of the equipment must meet the requirements of GOST. In addition, the devices must be completely safe from an environmental point of view, since the furnaces burn not only waste, but also carbon residues. There is no need to hire skilled workers to service the installation. This case is not particularly difficult.

Using the oven for production

The equipment that is needed to produce wood-type coal can be classified by cost, as well as by the volume of production produced in one month. The modern retort furnace for charcoal production is quite different in appearance from the one that was used earlier.

At the moment, in a business that is associated with the production of coal, a variety of stoves are common. The differences are based on the way the heat carrier is supplied to the wood. This avoids contact with the flue gas. In other words, the wood products are housed in a separate chamber.

The raw material is heated directly from the walls, which, in turn, reach the required temperature with the help of a heat carrier. There is such a retort furnace for the production of charcoal, in which the smoke masses come out directly through the wood.

The raw material supply procedure takes place through the activation and loading hopper. For this it is worth using minecarts. Loading can be either manual or automatic - using a special conveyor or mechanical splitter. At that moment, when the wood is fully loaded, the trolleys are sent to a special chamber, in which drying-pyrolysis takes place.

It should also be noted that the chambers, which have some separate furnaces for the production of charcoal, are capable of placing about three trolleys at a time. When the temperature sensor shows that the wood is already completely dry, the remaining gases will be directed to a special chamber for cleaning. They will be burned without any additional support.

In order to increase the productivity of the charcoal furnace, a special process is envisaged. It involves sending the remaining heat from the pyrolysis chamber to the drying chamber. Then these bays change their roles. In other words, the drying chamber becomes pyrolysis while the other compartment is switched to drying mode.

As a result of all this, the trolleys leave the chambers with ready-made coal. They are subsequently housed in separate cooling boxes. Condensation may form in the oven after drying. For its output, special pipes are used.

Main stages of production

Charcoal kilns for coal production provide conditions for pyrolysis. This process is divided into the following main stages:

1. Drying at a temperature of 120 to 150 degrees. This is accompanied by the release of water.

2. The beginning of the decomposition process. This is done at temperatures ranging from 150 to 275 degrees. This produces carbon dioxide and acetic acid.

3. Major decomposition products are formed and evaporated. All this happens at temperatures ranging from 275 to 450 degrees. In this case, the release of ethers, hydrocarbons, acetic acid, carbon monoxide and others is observed.

4. The wood residue is calcined at a temperature of 450 to 550 degrees. The release of heavy tar, hydrocarbons, etc. begins.

All stages are accompanied by the supply of heat.

The composition of the finished material

The coal, which is obtained as a result of all the above treatments, contains non-volatile carbon. Its share is about 78%. The ash content is about 2.5%. Humidity does not exceed six percent.

Charcoal kilns for the production of charcoal are capable of processing long as well as short waste that comes from sawmills. About 75 cubic meters of birch produce about 7.5 tons of charcoal per month.

Basic expenses

In order to establish production, you will need to perform some operations. It is necessary to order equipment for one charcoal kiln. At this stage, the following costs will be incurred:

1. The purchase of a stove will cost about 300 thousand rubles.

2. On construction works you will need to spend about 30 thousand rubles.

3. The installation of equipment requires about 30 thousand rubles.

4. The delivery of the equipment to the installation site will take about 50 thousand rubles.

Working capital

What volume of working capital awaits beginners and experienced entrepreneurs who decide to engage in such activities?

1. Transport costs will amount to about 30 thousand rubles per month.

2. To pay wages employees will need to spend about 20 thousand rubles a month.

3. The purchase of raw materials will take about 38 thousand rubles a month. It's about birch.

4. The purchase of material for packaging will take about 4 thousand rubles.

As a result, the entrepreneur will be faced with expenses per month, the amount of which will amount to about 100 thousand rubles. In order to create a workshop for the production of coal, you will need to spend about 375 thousand rubles. As a result, the minimum cost of organizing your own coal production business will be about 475 thousand rubles.

Home production launch

If there is no money for organizing a larger-scale production, then at the initial stage it is possible to get by with small losses. You only need a barrel to make charcoal. The material fits into it. After that, it is necessary to make sure that there is no air left in the container. And it is under this condition that the material will be obtained. You can also dig a hole, under which you will then need to make a furnace pit. Thus, the entrepreneur will master the technology of producing charcoal at home.

When will the costs fully pay off?

The prime cost of the products that will be produced, on average, is about 12 rubles per kilogram. Wholesale trade coal costs 15 rubles per kilogram. Profit from one kilogram of products sold, thus, reaches three rubles.

What will be used to pay off the invested funds will amount to about one and a half rubles per kilogram. Consequently, the entrepreneur will receive a profit of 1.5 rubles. for one kilogram. It can be concluded that the payback period entrepreneurial activity for coal production is about 36 months.

Conclusion

If you decide to establish own business for the production of charcoal, you should know that the use of waste from sawmills instead of raw materials will reduce the cost of production. In addition, you can dispose of waste in this way.

One of the more specific materials used by many people in Everyday life, is charcoal, it is also called activated carbon. The use of such raw materials as fuel has been practiced for a long time. Then, in its production, simple, time-consuming manufacturing methods were used, the volumes of coal production were small. But as you know - demand creates supply!

Now, especially in forest regions, industrial production of charcoal is developed. Technology, equipment, new ideas and solutions used today are characterized by modernity and wide diversity. In a complex - this situation allows you to quickly get high quality raw materials, such a business is profitable, has great prospects.

Charcoal is a solid, porous, high-carbon raw material. Charcoal making comes from wood material, by heating in the absence of access to oxygen (possibly with a small amount of it), retorts, furnaces, heaps are used for this. The raw material mainly consists of carbon, which combines its properties with coal.

Both of these substances are obtained from wood. Only in case coal source material is wood of natural origin, decomposed in the absence of air for several centuries. Coal is obtained by partial combustion of wood, with limited air access. Such raw materials are recognized as one of the best types of fuel, they are environmentally friendly, the smoke released during combustion does not have a harmful effect on the environment.

The raw material has a high porosity, which explains the good sorption properties. This allows you to purify water, gases, alcohol. It is important that the chemical and physical properties of raw materials can cause its spontaneous combustion (enters into active interaction with oxygen). The substance has a high thermal conductivity, which is significantly influenced by humidity and temperature, it is almost the same as that of coal.

High-quality raw materials after the end of the production cycle have a clear shine with a bluish tint. When crumbling such a product, you can see that the wood structure is preserved, the raw materials are covered with cracks.

The yield when processing dry wood material will be up to 40% of the original mass.

There are special criteria for assessing the quality of charcoal

Scope of application of charcoal and its types

Charcoal is of the following types:

1. Red- the production uses light charcoal of needles.
2. Black- made from aspens, willows.
3. White- use: oak, beech, birch, ash, hornbeam. At the initial stage of production, light charring occurs, then it rises to a high temperature (1000 degrees). At the same time, unlike other types, white charcoal does not preserve bark.

Raw materials different types has become widespread in various different areas both for the purposes of the national economy and in industrial production in the production of ferrous and non-ferrous metals.

Raw materials practically do not contain phosphorus, sulfur - which makes them invaluable for metallurgy.
Metal products are carburized with coal, which allows increasing the carbon content, thereby improving their properties, avoiding oxidative processes. The largest share in terms of raw material consumption is occupied by enterprises producing carbon disulfide and silicon products.

There are a number of other areas that are in dire need of charcoal, let's name the main ones:

1. Chemical industry, in the manufacture of:

• varnishes;
• paints;
• artificial fibers;
• glass products;
• chemicals and poisons;
• plastics;
• filter elements;
• cellophane products;
• antiseptic agents.

1. Building sector as a means of absorbing moisture and odors.
2. In electrical engineering raw materials are valued for their resistance to radiation, toxins - they are used to create various parts, conductive elements, electrodes.
3. The medicine distributes raw materials in tablet form as a remedy.
4. The agricultural industry uses raw materials in the following areas:

• food supplement for birds;
• food additive for cattle;
• food additive for small ruminants;
• increasing the nutritional properties of the topsoil.

1. Floriculture- as an organic element.
2. Food industry- as a dye, it is marked on the packaging of the finished product with the letter and number E 153.
3. The cosmetics industry uses raw materials in products for the face, skin, body, hair.

In the territory Russian Federation- the classic purpose of raw materials, this is fuel for kindling home stoves, when preparing food. The production of birch charcoal makes it possible to obtain heat, without the occurrence of a flame. It is not recommended to start a fire using chemicals, while you can avoid harmful and unpleasant odors. Roll the paper, place the shavings around in the shape of a hut. In case of fire in the hut, it is necessary to enclose wood material. After that, fill the structure with coal. As soon as the coals are kindled, distribute them evenly over the entire area, wait until the last tongues of flame disappear and the coals acquire a gray tint.

There are different technologies for the production of charcoal

Production technology

Charcoal production consists of a number of sequential operations:

1. Drying of raw material.

Despite the fact that dried wood can be used in the production of charcoal, it is necessary to remove the residual moisture from the material, which, one way or another, is present in the base raw materials. So, immediately after reducing the size of the base raw material, it is subjected to a drying process. In order to effectively dry the raw material, it is placed in a special container, which is specially designed for coal, then the raw material is processed using hot smoke. To reduce costs, the drying container is placed as close as possible to the pyrolysis oven, which produces the required heat.

1. Pyrolysis process.

The processing of raw materials at this stage involves heating it to a certain temperature. Pyrolysis assumes that the process takes place without air access, while the raw material is processed at high temperatures to coals, and combustion is excluded.

1. Calcination.

When calcined, the temperature rises to more than 400 degrees, the process allows you to completely exclude resin and gases from the raw material.

1. Cooling of raw materials.

This is the last step in the manufacture of charcoal, it consists in the fact that the raw material is gradually cooled.

Upon completion of the cooling process, raw materials are packed and transferred to the warehouse. Described technological operations make it possible to produce high quality products, which, for supply to the market, are simply enough to pack in paper containers of different sizes.

The production technology, despite its simplicity, requires strict adherence to safety and fire safety measures. Be sure to mount the fire alarm, have on hand the required number of fire extinguishers to ensure safety, these measures will allow you to quickly localize it in the event of a fire.

The most suitable material for the production of charcoal is wood in chocks up to 60 cm in size. When buying a solid log material, there is a need for an additional worker whose task will be to grind the material to the required size.

You can produce charcoal both on an industrial scale and at home.

Making at home

It must be understood that home production Is an excellent solution if you need a small amount of raw materials. Such ecological fuel is perfect for small blacksmiths, cooking barbecue and barbecuing, buying raw materials for these purposes is a penny. Charcoal kilns for the production of charcoal, used in mass production, have large dimensions and a high price - they are not suitable for home conditions. In practice, the following methods are widely used:

• burning in a metal barrel;
• burning wood in a pit.

Using a metal barrel oven

Let us examine in detail how charcoal is obtained using a metal barrel. The barrel must be made of thick metal. It is unacceptable to use a container for chemicals. If previously oily products were stored in the barrel, the container must be processed.

Bricks resistant to temperature effects are placed at the bottom of the container, in the space between the bricks, a fire is placed until the coal is at the height of the bricks. After that, it is necessary to install the lattice, wood material is tightly laid on its surface.

Fill the barrel, wait for the flame to develop. Cover the container with a massive sheet of metal, leaving a small gap.

To speed up the process, a small hole must be made in the lower part of the container, through which air can subsequently be supplied with a vacuum cleaner. But this part is not of particular importance for the general process.

Control the color of the smoke coming out. After it is gray in color, the gap from above must be eliminated. Next, the container is left until completely cooled, after the resulting raw material is sieved and packaged.

Burning in the pit

The ancient technology of producing charcoal using a pit is discussed in detail below. The advantages of this method include its simplicity, the absence of additional costs for the manufacture of raw materials. It is necessary and sufficient - to prepare the wood material, to dig a hole in the shape of a cylinder.

The vertical sides of the pit must be made vertical, the radius of the pit is 40 cm, the depth is up to 50 cm. The lower part of the pit must be carefully compacted, this will prevent mixing of the soil and finished raw materials.

A fire is made directly in the pit, it is important - do not use chemistry. After the bottom of the pit is completely filled, wood material prepared in advance (peeled from bark and sawn into pieces up to 30 cm) is placed in it.

When the laid wood burns out, it is necessary to replenish it with a new portion, repeat the laying until the pit is finally filled with coals. This method takes about 3 hours.

A completely filled pit is covered with grass and earth, and compacted. The raw material is allowed to cool for 48 hours, after which the finished coals are sieved and packaged. From one pit, up to 2 bags of raw materials come out. The quality of raw materials depends on the observance of all the nuances of the technological process, however, the type of wood selected to obtain the raw material has a greater influence.

Industrial production

The industrial production of charcoal takes place today according to two technologies, which require different equipment:

• burning wood material using continuous furnaces;
• burning wood using cyclic kilns.

Which equipment to use depends on:

• the way of organizing the process of firing the original product;
• what kind of wood is used to obtain the finished product.

Not so long ago, there was an acute shortage of equipment for the production of charcoal on the domestic market. There were two main areas: affordable Chinese-made stoves, which entrepreneurs bypassed due to dubious quality; much more expensive counterparts from European countries - entrepreneurs simply could not afford to buy such equipment.

Today there is a way out - equipment from a domestic manufacturer, in terms of cost and quality, the product is well suited for the Russian consumer. Thus, the issue of purchasing high-quality and affordable equipment is easy to solve. However the question integrated organization profitable industrial production charcoal is more challenging.

In the production of charcoal, it is necessary to comply with fire safety rules

Safety regulations

In accordance with safety regulations, the minimum volume of coal that can be subject to spontaneous combustion is 100 cubic decimeters. When working with volumes that are higher than the indicated, measures are necessary to exclude spontaneous combustion of raw materials.

It is unacceptable to strictly restrict raw materials from interaction with oxidizing substances. It is also important to prevent the accumulation of dust from the coal.

In the production of charcoal, it is necessary to adhere to the rules of labor protection R O-00-97.

When moving the finished raw materials, barrels of steel, bags of paper, polypropylene are used. Coal is stored in closed warehouses, special containers, the purpose of which is to protect raw materials from precipitation. Transportation is carried out in packages, or simply in bulk in closed wagons or trucks.

Production costs

To start a charcoal business, you need about 1.5 million rubles. Main part Money required for the purchase of equipment (650-900 thousand rubles). From domestic equipment we recommend furnaces OD-30, OD-60, these installations are used for the production of high quality raw materials.

You should also consider the following costs:

• rental of premises - up to 400 thousand rubles;
• wood purchase - up to 100 thousand rubles;
• salaries, payment of taxes - 600 thousand rubles;
• advertising, transport - 50 thousand rubles;
• payment of utility bills - 50 thousand rubles;
• paperwork - up to 10 thousand rubles.

As a result, for a confident start of industrial production of charcoal, 1.8 million rubles are needed.

The sale of 1 kg of finished products brings profit in the range from 18 to 35 rubles. The monthly net profit will be about 80 thousand rubles from 100 tons of raw materials.

Activated carbon is a product of value for various spheres of human activity. As an environmentally friendly fuel, charcoal will occupy an increasing share in the world market, despite the prevalence of gas and oil. Raw materials can be sold, if not for the needs of the domestic market, then for export. It is useful to learn the charcoal production process at least to meet your own needs for raw materials, although its industrial production seems to be a promising and profitable business.

How charcoal is made: distinctive chemical and physical properties + 3 types of substances + 8 areas of application + technological aspects + production conditions + cost accounting + 2 traditional methods of production at home.

Charcoal has appeared since ancient times. It was manufactured using primitive technologies in small quantities, and the process itself was burdensome and took a long time. Over time, when the need for the substance increased, many thought about how charcoal was made, and opened their own production.

Today, a more simplified methodology is used, modern equipment is involved, new developments have been introduced and knowledge has been accumulated, so get quality material simpler.

Since charcoal is in high demand, the business for its production is quite profitable and promising.

Distinctive properties of charcoal

Charcoal, in accordance with Gosstandart 7657-84, is understood as a solid, porous substance capable of releasing energy during combustion. Most of the material contains carbon.

In many ways, charcoal resembles stone coal, because the main element of both is carbon.

Both substances are essentially made from wood. However, for coal, wood is used, which decomposed under conditions of limited oxygen access for several centuries. Charcoal is made from charred wood. Before it is partially burned with a low oxygen content.

The material is known for its environmental friendliness. It does not pollute nature with caustic smoke, despite the fact that it is good view fuel.

Also, the substance acts as an adsorbent. The porous structure allows you to purify water, gases, alcohol. Due to the unique chemical and physical properties, such coal is prone to spontaneous combustion, having an increased calorific value, practically not inferior to stone.

When manufacturers make quality wood products, the output is black coal with a clearly visible shiny, blue tint. If the material is broken, it can be seen that the structure of the tree species is preserved, and the surface is cracked. Thanks to them, it is determined how much the substance has undergone charring.

Worldwide, the annual production of charcoal reaches 9 million tons. Brazil is the leader. Russia accounts for about 100 thousand tons. The country imports products from China, Belarus and Ukraine.

The first place in consumption belongs to Japan (60 kg per year per one citizen), in European countries the amount of coal consumed per capita is approximately equal to 20 kg. In the Russian Federation, this figure is 100 grams.

Varieties and uses of charcoal.

Coal is classified into 3 types:

• Red, the wood raw material of which is coniferous species. Its production is achieved through soft charcoal burning.
• Black, it is made from willow, aspen and other soft-leaved tree species.
• White, obtained from oak, beech, birch, ash, hornbeam, etc. First, the charring process occurs at low temperatures, and then there is a sharp jump to 1000 ° C. White coal does not retain bark, unlike black coal.

Wood material is widely used in various spheres of the national economy. Coal is made for further use in the creation of pure ferroalloys in non-ferrous / ferrous metallurgy.

Metal products are carburized with coal in order to improve their properties and prevent oxidation as a result of saturation with carbon. Most of the coal from wood is required by enterprises that produce carbon disulfide, crystalline silicon.

In addition, the substance is made for:

• chemical industry(production of paint solutions, artificial fiber, glass, pesticides, plastic, filters, cellophane, antiseptics);
• construction (as an absorber of moisture and unpleasant odors);
• electrical engineering (due to radiation resistance and non-toxicity, it is used in the creation of radio components, electrodes, conductors, etc.);
• medicine (in the form of tablets, as a medicinal product);
• Agriculture, in particular, animal husbandry (addition to the usual diet of birds, cattle and small cattle, fertilization of the upper layer of the earth);
• floriculture (organic element terra preta);
• food industry (food coloring, which can be found on food packaging under the E153 brand);
• cosmetics industry(one of the components of products designed to provide care for the skin of the face, body, hair).

In Japan, the wood product has an even more varied purpose. Coal is used for laying foundations, baking cookies, making toothbrushes, and soap. Our people are used to using it in everyday life, as fuel and for cooking.

How coal is made from wood in factories: technological aspects

Charcoal is made from wood by pyrolysis. It is a dry distillation process of raw materials. In other words, in the course of production, decomposition of organic carbon compounds occurs under the action of high temperatures (with limited or no oxygen at all).

For pyrolysis, retort furnaces (pyrolysis boilers) of a stationary or mobile type are used, in which there is a pyrometer that allows you to regulate the temperature. Raw materials are placed in the loading space either manually or automatically.

However, first, the wood is unloaded to the designated place and sorted. If wood raw materials are purchased not shredded, they are chopped for firewood.

1. The first stage is drying. Then the temperature is not raised more than 150 ° C.
2. When excess moisture leaves the wood material, the temperature is raised and proceeds to the next step. Heat builds up in the upper chamber of the oven. Under its action, wood is burned, wood gas is generated, which moves to the nozzle for mixing with secondary air. As a result of these processes, burned, dry coal is formed.
3. Next, you need to calcine it. Thus, tar and unnecessary gases will be separated.
4. After that, the wood product is unloaded and allowed to cool.
5. Then they make crushed from it,.

A diagram of the technological process that takes 16-20 hours, during which coal is made, is shown in the figure:

The raw materials are:

• decks;
• hemp;
• branches;
• measles;
• chips;
• whips;
• waste generated in the manufacture of furniture,
• logs;
• sawdust;
• wood harvesting;
• mouthguards;
• peat.

Purchase consumable organized by the forestry.

To make 1 ton of coal, you will have to spend up to 8 cubic meters. m. birch. If soft deciduous trees are used, the consumption is higher - up to 12 cubic meters. m. The factories make 3 grades of coal: A, B, C.

Safety rules for the manufacture of charcoal.

According to safety rules, only produced coal, the volume of which exceeds 100 cubic meters. dm, may spontaneously ignite. Therefore, it is necessary to take measures to prevent spontaneous combustion.

Many entrepreneurs who understand how charcoal is made, alas, do not comply with these requirements and do not protect their products from contact with an oxidizing agent. It is also considered a big mistake to allow the accumulation of coal dust.

When workers make charcoal, labor protection rules R O-00-97 must be followed, which you can familiarize yourself with here - https://ohranatruda.ru/ot_biblio/norma/252437

To transport wood products, you need to use steel drums, craft, paper, polypropylene bags. Coal storage takes place in closed-type warehouses, special bunkers, in order to exclude the ingress of atmospheric precipitation.

Delivery of goods is carried out in bulk or packed using trucks, covered wagons.

Required conditions for the production of charcoal

Charcoal is made, before creating the appropriate conditions for this:

• Firstly, this is a workshop room located outside the city, open land plot required for the boiler. The area, taking into account a separate room for the warehouse, must be at least 200 sq. m.
• Secondly, it requires personnel, usually 2-3 workers. They must be provided with a working uniform (overalls, goggles, mask, gloves). In addition to production workers, you need to hire an accountant, a cleaner, a watchman, a sales manager, a driver, and several handymen or movers.
• Third, the equipment.

Technological equipment of the shop where charcoal is made includes:

The installation, which makes charcoal, you need to choose a good one, then the production will be complete. How to define it?

Does not emit a burnt, suffocating odor into the atmosphere. It is released, but remains in the firebox, which is used for thermal decomposition of the next batch of wood and drying. Also, high-quality retort furnaces minimize energy losses.

On the market there are:

• dimensional complexes of stationary type that make coal in large volumes;
• mobile machines;
• auxiliary equipment.

The choice of equipment is significantly influenced by the planned volume of production and the following parameters:

If the process is automated, computer program will regulate the temperature in the retorts, drying chambers, assign teams to make corrections, reduce employee errors by reducing their number, report on the onset of the next stage of the production process.

In the photo you can see the industrial site and the working retort furnaces. Their total productivity reaches 20 barrels. It is more than 200 tons of wood substance per month (about 1.5 cubic meters of raw materials). Such equipment pays for itself within 1-2 years.

Another important condition for production is a certain amount of raw materials. When 25-30 tons of coal are made per month, an average of 225-250 cubic meters is consumed. m. of wood (depending on the species). And in addition, you will need a container for packing.

Direct and indirect costs of producing coal from wood.

Charcoal is made at an amount of at least 1.5 million rubles. The business line is very costly. Most of the money will have to be spent on powerful equipment, the average price of which is 800 thousand rubles.

Pay attention to the Zarya units from domestically produced installations. Fantastic complexes also showed good performance. The charcoal of the OD-30, OD-60 furnaces is made of high quality, the prices for which are in the range of 680-890 thousand rubles.

Expect that about 200-400 thousand rubles can be spent on renting premises and an industrial site. , the cost of purchasing raw materials will cost 100 thousand rubles. The wage fund and taxes will result in 600 thousand rubles. In addition, take into account the cost of advertising, transport - 50 thousand rubles. Registration required documents- about 10 thousand rubles. , utilities - 50 thousand rubles.

Total the total notional amount of initial investment, at which wood products are made in mass quantities, is 1.8 million rubles.

1 kg of coal is sold at 18-35 rubles. Net profit each month from the production of 100 tons of finished products will be 70-80 thousand rubles.

2 traditional ways how charcoal is made at home

Charcoal is made using a simple old-fashioned method on a smaller scale than in a full-fledged production. Since standard equipment for home charcoal burning is not suitable due to its bulkiness and high cost, many have adapted to burning raw materials in pits and barrels.

The first way.

This implies the production of coal in a barrel. This method is more convenient than the one described below.

Make the wood substance in a container with a volume of at least 200 liters. A hole is drilled at the bottom of the barrel to embed the pipe. A vacuum hose must be connected to it, which will supply primary oxygen to the combustion zone. The metal container must be hermetically sealed, therefore a suitable lid must be found.

A poker for mixing firewood will become an auxiliary tool. Performers need to find a longer steel bar.

The woody material is processed before being immersed in the barrel to remove the bark. It will emit a lot of smoke, and the exit from it is small. Then the logging is cut into 30 cm long logs.

Firewood is laid out in such a way as to fit snugly together. A small fire is made at the bottom of the tank, after which the vacuum cleaner is started. It is imperative to control the process in order to lay the next portion on time.

The transformation of charcoal into ash must not be allowed. In the process of work, the entire barrel will be filled. Then it is tightly covered with a lid, the air supply is turned off, and the branch pipe is closed.

It remains to wait until the end of charcoal burning. The container opens only when its walls are completely cooled. If unburned lumps are encountered, they are calmly sent in the next batch.

The resulting coal is now time to sift and pack in bags.

Charcoal production methods.

How is charcoal made? The main stages of production.

Second way.

Charcoal is made in one more way - in a pit. It is dug out in the form of a cylinder. You can make two bags of products from a pit with the following parameters: 50 cm - depth, 80 cm - diameter.

The bottom is trampled down, and the vertical walls are slightly cleaned up, so the soil will not mix with the wood. A fire is made of dry wood 30-40 cm in length. Gradually, people who make the material have to put in chips, thin branches.

When the fire flares up to the desired degree, you can proceed directly to charcoal burning. Wood raw materials are gradually added, periodically stirring the burning firewood. As with the barrel, the hole must be completely filled.

This is done for 3-6 hours. The duration depends on many factors: air humidity, wood size, density. Burning hardwood firewood takes longer, but the result of the work will turn out to be great.

After filling, the pit is covered with foliage, grass, a small layer of soil. All this is compacted. Coal in such conditions must lie for 48 hours. After cooling, it is ready to be sieved.

Charcoal is a very valuable product. Despite the "gas revolution", it will be a good biofuel in the future, an irreplaceable assistant in many areas.
Even if on domestic market the demand will "sag" a little, you can always arrange the export of products.

So why not learn in detail in practice how charcoal is made in order to produce a quality product and profit from it? Or, at least, provide them with their own needs.

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