You can get charcoal with your own hands in a less laborious way than digging a hole. In my case, a 200 liter barrel and a vacuum cleaner are used, which has a positive effect on the result.
I started making charcoal because of the current situation, when one could only dream of coal, and even more so coke in our area. But this did not negate the fact that forging it was still necessary to look for something.
Therefore, I decided to go in two directions of the search, which could lead to a fuel, an alternative to coal. I tried to work with household gas (gas forges), and tried to get my own charcoal, as it would cost me a lot of money to buy it. It helped that I had enough fruit trees. My neighbors at the dacha began to actively build cottages, for this they freed construction sites, cutting down and uprooting dozens of trees, and happily giving them to me. However, after studying the question of coal, it became known to me that firewood from freshly cut trees is not suitable for burning - you need wood that is well dried. Therefore, as a test, I began to burn scraps of dried linden boards - on occasion I had plenty of them.
How to get charcoal at home
As for the barrel, it is advisable to take a barrel with thick walls of 200 liters. In the lower part, near the bottom, we cut a fitting. In my case, I received a barrel from a neighbor - the squeegee was already screwed into it, since it was used for a summer shower. Through the fitting, I made a forced air supply to the barrel.
Here I used an old Soviet-made vacuum cleaner.
Connection to the barrel with a metal pipe.
As for the productivity and consumption of firewood: I use 3 barrels, the first is for burning coal, the other two barrels are for ready-made chopped chicks (when I fill the barrel with them, I shake it). So I get the relative rate of firewood per consignment of coal.
At the bottom of the barrel, I make a small fire, and while it flares up, I report the firewood.
Combustion should be monitored at all times. Over time, you will see when the moment comes when the firewood through the blowing has flared up quite well, but has not burned out to ash - then you need to report the next portion of firewood. To maintain the desired airflow, the vacuum cleaner must be constantly turned on and off. To look into the barrel, you may have to put something on the ground, because of the intense heat and smoke, nothing is particularly visible. I made a stand from a stack of rubber for the tracks.
To close the barrel, the easiest way is to take the original top cover - but I didn't find one, so I fitted a sheet two for this. To cover up all the holes through which air can enter the barrel, I used earth diluted with water until the solution was thick. I also sprinkled the choke with earth at the bottom.
At the final stage of sprinkling firewood, there is always a risk that the lower layers of coal may be burned into ash, so I do not let the firewood of the upper layer burn properly. Because of this, a certain amount of firewood is “rejected” - for the next batch.
I do not open the barrel until it has cooled down over the entire surface. If there are any barely warm places, then somewhere else is burning. Usually, when I tightly close the barrel in the evening, it will be cold in the morning, which means it will be ready.
It is also convenient to receive coal in a barrel because it is convenient to unload it. To do this, you just need to turn the barrel over. After receiving the next batch of coal, there is a lot of ash and fine coal fractions in the barrel. Before putting the coal into the bags, I sift all the resulting coal.
Most often, charcoal is bought, it is sold not only in specialized stores, but also at gas stations, as well as in supermarkets. But if you have a sufficient amount of your own firewood in the garden and there is a little space near the fireplace, then with almost zero costs you can get charcoal on your own, it will not be a time-consuming exercise, and it will also not take much time.
Organization of charcoal production at home
First you need to find some kind of old bucket, barrel or large tin container. You will also need a piece of sheet metal with which we will cover the container. It will be useful if the selected, purchased container has some kind of "ears" or handles, thanks to which the container can be easily manipulated, moved and turned over. Use a drill to make several holes on the bottom and sides (about 15-20 centimeters from the bottom of the barrel) of the container. Not far from the fireplace, we dig a small hole equal to the diameter of the selected container, we dig the depth to the level of the side holes.
We fill the tin container with unnecessary wood and put it on a fireplace with a grate, if it is not there, then you can use, for example, a couple of bricks or flat stones. Next, we ignite the wooden waste contained in the container. We are waiting for the end of burning, the wood will begin to darken slowly, but has not yet turned into coal. We put gloves on our hands so as not to burn ourselves, with the help of "ears" or carrying handles we move the container into the prepared pit, cover the barrel with a lid so that the smoke remains inside and maintains the temperature there, and also does not bother us. We leave for several hours, or better overnight (until the barrel cools down). In the morning, the container will contain ready-made and high-quality charcoal. It is no different from the one we buy in the store.
The whole process of charcoal production (without preparing the container and space) takes about six, eight hours in absolutely unpretentious conditions, without special equipment. The production procedure can be modified in various ways. For example, immediately place the container in a dug hole with a small, strong mesh, then just throw soil around the barrel to restrict air access, then the lower fire will bend.
Making charcoal at home generally requires the use of hardwood lumber. The profitability of production depends on several factors, in particular, on the capacity of the container, as well as our desire and hard work. In one process, about five kilograms of coal can be obtained from a standard-sized barrel!
Charcoal is a biofuel suitable for lighting grills, stoves, barbecues and other cooking installations, as well as home fireplaces. To make it, you will need certain knowledge and equipment. Having mastered the technology of how to make charcoal with your own hands, you can get excellent raw materials for household use in a short time without large financial investments.
If we compare charcoal, for example, with peat or firewood, then it has undeniable advantages:
- better heat dissipation;
- absence of smoking smoke and harmful emissions into the air;
- low cost;
- a small amount of ash after complete combustion of the fuel;
- absence of impurities (sulfur, phosphorus, etc.);
- the ability to maintain high temperature for a long time.
Charcoal is obtained by burning, and the raw material for it is wood itself. It is heated to high temperatures in an airless environment. The finished product is packaged and sold to shops, markets, distribution centers, etc.
Due to the large number of positive qualities, charcoal is increasingly replacing other types of fuel. For its production in large quantities, special burning kilns are used, in which wood is burned at a high temperature without access to oxygen. The absence of air helps to maintain the integrity of the wood fibers.
Technology for making charcoal at home
If you do not need a whole trailer of charcoal, then purchasing in large quantities will not be rational. A small amount of fuel for a brazier or stove can be made independently, with a small supply of knowledge and necessary materials.
Selection of raw materials
The quality of the wood will depend on what type of wood to choose for coal production. Better to give preference to logs without bark. Thus, during the burning process, a lot of smoke will not be emitted.
As a cost savings, it is best to use wood that is available or easier to obtain. The coal quality class is determined by the type of wood and marked accordingly:
- "A" - hardwood trees such as oak, elm, birch;
- "B" - a mixture of hardwood conifers;
- "B" - soft species, alder, fir, poplar, etc.
The most common and available type of wood is birch. Excellent coals with high heat transfer and even heat are obtained from it.
Getting charcoal by burning wood in a pit
To make charcoal with your own hands in a pit, you need to prepare raw materials and the very place of its laying. Logs peeled from bark are sawn. The smaller the size of the logs, the better the quality of the coal will be. It is better that the dimensions of each workpiece do not exceed 25 cm.
Next, a cylindrical pit 60 cm deep and 70 cm in diameter is dug. This volume is enough to get about two bags of fuel. The pit walls must be exactly vertical. The bottom is well sealed with legs or any improvised devices. This is necessary so that subsequently the earth does not mix with coal.
When the pit is prepared, you need to make a fire in it. For this, brushwood or dry bark are suitable. Do not use chemical agents for ignition. The main task is for the bottom to be completely covered with branches, so you constantly need to add new ones as the previous ones burn out.
Wood is laid out in a well-flared fire. Logs are placed as tightly as possible to each other. When the first layer burns out, new logs are placed on top of it, and so on until the hole is filled to the top.
The time when the logs turn to charcoal depends on the density of the wood. Their hard rocks will get better quality coal, it will take longer for them to burn out. From time to time, you need to rake burnt logs with a pole or a long stick.
After 3-4 hours, the log pit should completely burn out. The finished fuel is left to cool completely before packaging. To do this, coal is thrown with fresh grass, ground is thrown on top and everything is tamped well.
It will take about 2 days for the fuel to cool. After that, it is dug up, sifted and put into bags. The charcoal is completely ready for further use.
As well as for burning coal in a pit, it is first necessary to prepare the wood. The logs are cleaned and sawn. You also need to prepare a barrel of thick metal. The volume is selected individually, according to the principle of what is available or how much coal is planned to be prepared. There are two ways to make do-it-yourself charcoal in a barrel.
- Heat-resistant bricks are placed on the bottom of the container, ribs up. A fire is made between them using paper, chips, brushwood, etc. Prepared logs are laid on top until the coals cover the surface of the bricks. A metal grate is placed on the burnt wood, and the next batch of logs is placed on it. There should not be large gaps between the logs and their layers. As soon as the barrel is filled to the top, and a flame appears on the surface, it is closed with a metal sheet or lid. The readiness of the coals is determined by the color of the outgoing smoke. If it is gray in color, then the barrel is tightly corked and the fuel is left to cool. After the coals are taken out and used at their own discretion.
- A platform is prepared on which the barrel will be installed. For this, a sheet of non-combustible material, such as steel, is laid on the bricks. A fire is made between the bricks. A barrel filled with wood is installed on top. The container does not close completely. The slots are necessary for the release of gases during the oxidation of wood. When the process of gas release stops, the barrel is left on the fire for some time, then removed, and the gas outlet holes are tightly closed. In this form, the coal is left to cool, then it is checked for readiness and quality.
The process of making charcoal at home is quite laborious, but the result is excellent biofuel without harmful impurities.
Scope of use of charcoal
Home use of charcoal is far from the only area of its use. Scorched wood can be used in industry for the following purposes:
- for the "filling" of filters;
- to saturate steel with carbon, to obtain pure alloys;
- for the production of glass, plastics, etc .;
- in pharmaceuticals for the manufacture of activated carbon;
- to create natural food colors;
- for use in agricultural needs.
The high concentration of carbon makes charcoal a powerful reducing agent. Such properties made it possible to use it in metallurgy, chemical, paint and varnish and electrical industries.
In this article, we will take a closer look at how to get charcoal at home. This will allow you to significantly save on the purchase of finished smokeless fuel.
How charcoal is made at home
Main advantages
Charcoal is obtained by pyrolysis, the raw material for which is wood. In the process of pyrolysis, wood is heated to high temperatures in an oxygen-free environment. The finished product is delivered to factories and store shelves for mass consumption. It is sold packaged and used in everyday life to replace firewood when cooking on the grill or as fuel for a biofireplace.
We buy ready-made charcoal in the store Product benefits include:
- absence of harmful substances (sulfur, phosphorus) in its composition;
- almost complete absence of emissions into the atmosphere: that is why fuel can be used in decorative fireplaces without a chimney;
- complete combustion: no large amount of ash is formed;
- high calorific value;
- renewability: plant raw materials are renewable in nature.
Scope of application
Charcoal is used industrially for the following purposes:
- for use in filters;
- for melting crystalline silicon;
- for use in metallurgy (saturation of steel with carbon, obtaining pure alloys);
- for the production of glass, some types of plastics, paints;
- for the manufacture of natural dyes for the food industry;
- for the manufacture of activated carbon;
- for use in agriculture;
- for use as a convenient household fuel for stoves, fireplaces, barbecues.
When burned in stoves and fireplaces, this type of fuel burns practically without flames, providing an even and intense heat. The most highly valued product is grade A, which is made from hardwood.
Important! If charcoal is used indoors (for heating or cooking), it is recommended to light it up without the use of chemicals for kindling. This will avoid the appearance of unpleasant odors and the ingestion of harmful substances. In this case, the ignition of coals is carried out using paper and dry sticks.
Production technology
The widespread use of charcoal in industry requires its preparation in large volumes. The raw material for this is large waste from the woodworking industry. That is why furnaces for burning coal are installed on the territory of woodworking enterprises or in the immediate vicinity of them.
Organization of coal production near woodworking enterprises The charcoal technology makes it possible to obtain a product with the highest possible carbon content from raw wood. For this purpose, all other substances of organic and inorganic origin are removed from the raw materials by means of pyrolysis.
Pyrolysis is the process of thermal decomposition of a material under conditions of oxygen deficiency.
The production of coal from wood includes the following steps:
- Preliminary preparation of wood raw materials.
- Drying of wood. Pyrolysis requires a minimum moisture content in the raw material and the obligatory drying of wood at a temperature not exceeding 150 ° C.
- Pyrolysis process. The semi-finished wood product is heated to 150-350 ° C, while limiting the flow of oxygen into the chamber. As a result of the thermal decomposition of wood, the process of coal formation begins with the release of pyrolysis (combustible) gases.
- Calcination process. To isolate gaseous residues of excess substances (primarily resins) from coal, the heating is increased to 500-550 ° C.
- Recovery process. The resulting coal is cooled.
Observing all technological requirements, high quality charcoal with 90% carbon content can be obtained on an industrial scale.
The industrial charcoal furnace consists of:
- cylindrical or rectangular body,
- combustion chamber.
How charcoal is made in an industrial oven Manufacturing process:
- install two retorts on top of the chamber (closed-type containers);
- fill retorts with raw materials;
- heat the wood from the outside;
- the walls of the tanks will transfer heat to the contents, in addition, the heat released by the wood during the thermal reaction is used in the pyrolysis process.
Making coal from wood in an industrial furnace:
- in one of the retorts of an industrial furnace, the pyrolysis process takes place;
- the raw material is dried in the second retort;
- combustible gases released during pyrolysis are burned out;
- the released heat energy is spent on drying raw wood;
- the finished product is calcined;
- unloading and preparation for packing is carried out: for this, large pieces are crushed to the required fraction;
- coal is poured into bags or packages;
- the product is briquetted if necessary.
In addition to the industrial furnace, there is also a continuous furnace. In this case, all operations for converting wood raw materials into fuel take place in one container at the same time. In height, this container is divided from top to bottom into different temperature zones: drying, pyrolysis, calcination, recovery.
Making charcoal in-house
If you have the right raw materials and want to save money on the purchase of this expensive fuel, then you will be interested in information on how to make charcoal with your own hands.
For wood raw materials, it is better to use the material that is available in large quantities or which is easier to obtain.
The quality of the fuel obtained depends on the characteristics of the wood:
- grade A - made of hardwood (birch, elm, oak, hornbeam);
- grade B - softwood (fir, pine, spruce) + wood from list A;
- grade B - soft wood (willow, alder, linden, poplar, etc.).
The most accessible and widespread raw material is birch firewood. The fuel obtained from them by pyrolysis technology is characterized by a high heat of combustion and an even heat. Such coal is ideal for barbecue.
To make charcoal at home, use one of two methods.:
- using a homemade charcoal oven, which is made from a metal barrel;
- by burning in a pit (classical technology).
Manufacturing in a furnace from a metal barrel
A metal barrel with thick walls is used, the volume of which is selected in accordance with the amount of processed raw materials. Typically a 200 liter container is used. If gasoline or other oil products were stored in the barrel, it is first burned out.
Important! Under no circumstances should chemical reservoirs be used, since the pyrolysis process can be disrupted in this case. In addition, there is a high risk of penetration into the fuel or the formation of compounds hazardous to health obtained during combustion.
Self-made charcoal in a barrel Manufacturing method No. 1:
- Place six refractory or ordinary solid bricks on the bottom of a barrel with a volume of 100-200 liters on the edge.
- Make a fire between them using paper, chips or splinters.
- Gently add the pieces of wood so that the coals fill in the gaps as they burn.
- Place a metal grate on the bricks.
- Put firewood on the wire rack to the very top in dense layers, row by row.
- Fill the barrel and wait for the flames to appear on the surface.
- Close the barrel with a piece of sheet metal, leaving a small gap at the edge for minimal air flow. The fact that the process is nearing completion can be recognized by the color of the smoke: when the wood burns out, their color will change to gray.
- Slide the lid of the drum so that the container is hermetically sealed.
- After the closed barrel has cooled completely, the finished biofuel can be unloaded.
Note! To speed up the process of burning wood will help the forced supply of air into a pre-made hole in the bottom of the container. For pressurization use a garden vacuum cleaner-blower or a conventional household unit, included "on the exhale".
Manufacturing method No. 2:
- Prepare a platform isolated from the ground. The platform is made of bricks laid on a piece of sheet iron.
- Place the wood between the bricks and build a fire to heat the barrel.
- Place the barrel on the platform.
- Fill the barrel with tightly packed pieces of wood and close it practically tightly with a metal lid. Small slots or holes are required for gases to escape.
- When the temperature inside the barrel rises to 350 degrees, thermal decomposition of birch or other wood firewood will begin. In this case, gas will escape from the barrel. The cessation of the release of gases means the end of the oxidation process.
- Leave the barrel on the fire for a while.
- Remove from heat and plug the vent holes in the cover.
- Leave the container to cool completely.
- Open the lid and check the quality of the charcoal made by yourself.
Pit firing
This method is already several centuries old.
Making charcoal in a pit Preparation method:
- A cylindrical pit with vertical walls is made in the ground. With a pit depth of 50 cm and a diameter of about 80 cm, you can get a couple of bags of coal.
- Compact the bottom tightly to avoid soil getting into the finished fuel.
- Make a fire of chips and branches in the pit.
- Place the prepared wood in dense layers in a fire that has burned well along the entire bottom. Firewood is added as it burns out until the entire pit is filled with coals (this takes about 3-4 hours).
- Cover the pit with green leaves and grass.
- Cover with a layer of earth and tamp.
- After two days, the pit can be opened, removed, sifted the finished fuel, and then packaged in bags.
Bagged ready-made charcoal Attention! To get good quality charcoal, you need to use firewood without bark. This will significantly reduce the amount of smoke in the process. Keep in mind that pieces of wood longer than 30 cm are inconvenient to use and take longer to burn through.
Conclusion on the topic
Having an idea of how to make lump charcoal yourself, you can prepare high-quality biofuel and significantly save money. The raw materials for this can be trees cut down during the clearing of the site or purchased firewood. With a certain experience and skill, you can get good quality charcoal without underburning or overburning.
Charcoal or activated carbon is an environmentally friendly material that is resistant to aggressive environments. This material is used in many areas. It is irreplaceable as fuel for fireplaces and barbecues, as it does not form smoke during combustion. When ignited, charcoal gives off only heat, which speeds up the process of barbecue cooking. In industry, this material is used to make pure silicon. Also charcoal is suitable for the production of glass, crystal, paints and plastics. At home, charcoal is used quite often both in summer and in winter. It can always be found in any store with goods for tourists or gas stations.
How charcoal is made
Charcoal is a low ash material. There are no chemical impurities in this material, which makes it absolutely safe. The material has a fairly high thermal stability and serious electrical resistivity.
Scientists have recently discovered that coal has the ability to absorb unpleasant odors and harmful elements in a room.
These properties make charcoal demanded and popular among the population. Brazil is the largest charcoal producer today. The consumption of this material per person per year is very high. For the manufacture of raw materials are taken from hardwood varieties of tree species. Coal from them turns out to be very dense and durable. Quite often you can find charcoal made from coniferous or shrub waste.
Since different raw materials are used for the manufacture of coal, several varieties of this material are formed:
- Charcoal for grilling;
- Fireplace fuel;
- White coal.
To obtain a quality product, it is very important to adhere to the production technology. If the technology is violated, the coal turns out to be rather small and cracked.
Useful information: how to make barbecue charcoal
The production of coal for industrial purposes is carried out in special furnaces, which are most often located on the territory of woodworking factories. The location is due to the fact that the production of wood products involves the generation of waste in very large quantities. It is this waste that is the raw material for the manufacture of charcoal.
Industrial coal production consists of several stages:
- To begin with, all the wood is dried at a temperature of 150 ° C. If you use wet raw materials, the technological process will be disrupted and the product will turn out to be of poor quality.
- The next process is called pyrolysis. At this stage, at a temperature of 15-350 ° C, cellulose undergoes thermal degradation, as a result of which coal is formed.
- The third stage is called calcination. At this moment, the temperature in the furnace increases to 500-550 ° C in order to evaporate the gasified tar residues from the coal.
- After that, the coal is cooled.
The process is quite simple and to obtain a quality product you only need a good oven and adherence to all the intricacies of the process.
Do-it-yourself charcoal making
Such natural fuel for home use can be made by hand. First of all, it is necessary to prepare quality raw materials. It is necessary to use bark-free wood.
If you do not adhere to this condition, home-made charcoal will generate a lot of smoke.
Also, when harvesting raw materials, its size is very important. The estimated size of the workpiece should not exceed 30 cm. Pine, birch, linden, aspen, alder and poplar wood can be used as raw materials for the manufacture of coal. Also for the barbecue, you can use charcoal from cherries or wood of any tree with stone fruits, charcoal from this raw material gives a pleasant aroma to meat. At home, you can make coal using a large iron barrel-shaped container.
There are several main ways to make coal in a barrel.:
- The first method involves making a fire in a container. In order to obtain coal in this way, you must take a container with a volume of at least 200 liters. It is necessary to install 6 bricks in the container for further lighting of the fire. Raw materials must be immersed in a barrel slowly and carefully until they are covered with bricks. Then you need to install the grate for the next batch. To obtain a sufficient amount of coal, the barrel is filled to the top. When the flame reaches the top, the container must be covered with a steel sheet. When closing, it is necessary to leave a small gap, thanks to which the combustion process will take place much faster. A hole is made at the bottom of the barrel through which air will flow inside. When the smoke becomes gray, the barrel must be closed completely and left to cool completely.
- The second way to make coal using a barrel is that the container is installed on a previously erected platform and filled with raw materials to the very top. After that, the barrel is covered with a lid made of non-combustible material. A fire is made under the bottom of the barrel, which will heat the container to the desired temperature. During the heating process, gas will come out of the barrel. When the gas stops escaping, the container is removed and hermetically sealed.
After the barrel has cooled down, the charcoal can be used.
Getting coal at home is a process that needs to be closely monitored. Cooking coal at home can be done in a very simple way, which results in several bags of this ecological fuel. To do this, you need to dig a cylindrical hole with vertical walls.
The diameter of the hole should be at least 80 cm, and the depth should be at least 50 cm. In order for the soil not to mix with the raw materials, it is necessary to properly tamp the soil with your feet.
When the pit is ready, you need to make a fire using small twigs or brushwood. When the fire flares up, you can gradually add the prepared raw materials, up to the very top of the pit. As soon as the pit is filled with burning wood, it should be covered with grass or leaves, which should also be covered with a layer of soil. In this form, firewood should be in the pit for at least 48 hours. This method is suitable for summer residents and farmers.
Making charcoal at home
Charcoal is also obtained at home using a stove. This technology allows you to get a quality product that can be used not only for barbecue, but also for home fireplaces. Raw materials for coal are thrown into the furnace until they are completely burned out. The firewood should burn out before the collapse process begins. Also, the finished charcoal in the oven should have a red color.
Hot firewood must be transferred to a prepared container, which is closed with an airtight lid.
It is believed that a ceramic container is most suitable for this purpose. The use of iron containers must be accompanied by adherence to all fire safety rules. The container with firewood is closed and left to cool completely. When the charcoal has cooled completely, you can use it. This method is quite simple if you follow all the rules for making a stove.
Do-it-yourself charcoal furnace
You need a blueprint to make a stove that mines charcoal.
The structure of this apparatus consists of:
- Combustion chambers;
- Gas tunnel;
- Firebox;
- Blown;
- Thermometer;
- Hood;
- Loading window.
The material from which the furnaces can be built must be refractory and withstand high temperatures. To prevent heat loss, it is necessary to carry out thermal insulation. For this, special materials are used that can be purchased at any hardware store. The drawings indicate the joints of the parts and how they are fastened. They make a homemade stove strictly in accordance with all fire safety rules. This equipment will allow you to safely produce charcoal at home in sufficient quantities. Also, for the manufacture of coal, you can build a brick stove according to the model of Russian village stoves or rough. A small amount of charcoal is produced with such a furnace.
The process for making coal is pretty simple. To obtain a quality product, you must adhere to the manufacturing scheme. The combustion process of raw materials must be carefully monitored and fire safety rules must be followed. Raw materials must be selected of high quality. Birch and cherry charcoal is most often used in domestic open spaces. The smoke generated from the charcoal of this wood gives an original and pleasant aroma.
Charcoal production (video)
Summing up, we can safely say that charcoal is the cleanest and most environmentally friendly fuel. It is used in heavy industry and at home. In the home, charcoal is used to cook delicious food on the grill or to keep the fireplace warm. Making coal with your own hands allows you not only to save money, but also to get rid of waste in the manufacture of wooden products or dry wood at a summer cottage.