Two Augusta State students are crafting a small-scale device that may be suitable for a homeowner to use to improve soil fertility. Alexander Bauer with the help of Jeremy Robinson began the research for their BioChar Project in summer 2009 and constructed the biochar device this semester.
“This has been generating increasing interest in the developed world for about three decades. This interest has two aspects: first, the agricultural benefits, and second, the possibility of sequestering carbon in the soil long-term,” says Charlotte Christy, associate professor in the Department of Biology. Dr. Christy and Hauke Busch, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Physics, are the students’ supervisors for this project.
Mr. Bauer is working on the practical aspects as well as energy calculations for an inexpensive, home-use-size BioChar device. “Jeremy constructed the device out of a keg and copper pot which was welded together. We filled the device with leaves and small branches and added insulation to the outside of the keg to keep in heat,” he says.
According to Dr. Christy, the device will make fine particles of charcoal from partly burnt vegetation which will then be incorporated into the soil. “Charcoal decays very slowly and improves the soil’s ability to support plant life,” she adds.
With the home-use-size BioChar device, homeowners who may have a lot of sand or clay will be able to use the device to add the charcoal to their yards. Dr. Christy states that by adding the charcoal, it increases the ability of sandy soil to hold water and mineral fertilizers, improving the oxygen levels in the clay. “Soil that already has adequate amounts of humus or decomposed organic matter is unlikely to benefit from charcoal,” she says. Dr. Busch says that the project will also be used to help evaluate if it is a viable method to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The biochar device is still in its experimental phase as Mr. Bauer and Mr. Robinson continue to work on the construction of the device. “If Alexander’s device proves workable and efficient, I hope that either he or another student will be able to use it to generate enough biochar for a small demonstration project on campus,” says Dr. Christy.
Nov 2, 2009
Featured