Among the many raw materials for biochar, coconut shell is considered a high-quality and efficient choice due to its unique natural structure. The core of coconut shell biochar making is the pyrolysis process. This involves heating the organic material at high temperatures in a biomass carbonization facility under oxygen-limited or oxygen-deficient conditions. This process does not involve combustion (producing carbon dioxide and water). Instead, it drives off volatiles from the material, ultimately leaving behind a solid, stable carbon-rich material—biochar.
For research or commercial coconut shell biochar production, Mingjie Biomass Carbonization Plants are suitable. We offer both skid-mounted small biomass carbonization machine and large-scale biomass carbonization plant. These pyrolysis carbonization plants utilize advanced continuous pyrolysis reactors, energy recovery systems, and exhaust gas purification systems. The biochar production equipment precisely controls the heating rate, temperature, and reaction time to produce high-quality coconut shell biochar.
Large-Scale Coconut Shell Biochar Making Process
Before coconut shells are fed into the pyrolysis furnace, a series of meticulous pretreatment steps are essential.
Crushing and Drying
The purpose of crushing is to reduce the coconut shells to smaller particles, increasing their surface area. This allows heat to be transferred more quickly and evenly to the interior of the coconut shell during pyrolysis, accelerating the pyrolysis reaction.
Drying is also crucial. Coconut shells typically contain a certain amount of moisture. This moisture absorbs a significant amount of heat during pyrolysis, increasing energy consumption and potentially affecting the quality of the pyrolysis product.
Coconut Shell Pyrolysis Process
Pretreated coconut shells are fed into the pyrolysis reactor via a conveyor belt. The Mingjie pyrolysis reactor uses a rotary kiln, which resembles a giant drum. Coconut shells enter from one end of the rotary kiln and slowly move through the kiln as it rotates. During this movement, the coconut shells are heated by the kiln walls, gradually undergoing pyrolysis.
The advantage of a rotary kiln pyrolysis furnace is its ability to continuously feed and discharge materials, making it suitable for large-scale coconut shell biochar production. At the same time, its pyrolysis temperature distribution is relatively uniform, ensuring the stability of biochar quality.
The coconut shell biochar making process utilizes a slow pyrolysis method. This slow pyrolysis process is relatively slow, with the pyrolysis temperature generally ranging from 200°C to 650°C. Within this temperature range, the organic matter in the coconut shell gradually decomposes, the reaction proceeds more fully, and the biochar yield is relatively high.
Biochar Collection
After the pyrolysis reaction is complete, the biochar requires collection and post-processing before it can be transformed into a usable product.
The pyrolysis product is a complex mixture consisting of biochar, pyrolysis gas, and pyrolysis oil.
First, the biochar must be separated from this mixture. A common separation method is a cyclone separator. The cyclone separator uses centrifugal force to separate the biochar particles from the pyrolysis gas and pyrolysis oil. The coconut shell biochar is then discharged through a multi-stage water-cooled screw. The syngas and tar are separated and collected through a condensation system.
Energy Recovery
Untreated syngas is collected after the condensation unit. It passes through a cyclone separator and a cooling/drying unit to remove most dust and moisture. It then enters the combustor, where it is mixed with air and fully combusted, producing high-temperature flue gas. This high-temperature flue gas can be used directly to heat the reactor.
When the system reaches thermal equilibrium, the syngas produced typically exceeds the amount consumed. The excess gas can be collected for other uses.
Exhaust Gas Treatment
The exhaust gas produced during the coconut shell charcoal production process may contain pollutants, they must be treated to meet environmental emission standards. We provide advanced exhaust gas purification systems to ensure that the impact of the entire pyrolysis process on the environment is minimized.
