To know the raw materials that can be used to make charcoal, firstly we need to know what charcoal is. Charcoal is a dark brown or black porous solid fuel that remains from incomplete combustion or pyrolysis of wood or wood raw materials under isolated air conditions. The main component of charcoal is carbon element. So theoretically, anything containing carbon can be used to make charcoal.
Next, we will discuss some common raw materials that can be used for making charcoal.
WOOD
Raw materials to make charcoal——Wood is one of the main raw materials for making charcoal, and the quality of its charcoal is the best. Wood charcoal has a long combustion time, high heating value, and does not produce pollution. Common wood materials include oak, pine, poplar, etc. However, due to the non renewable nature of wood resources and the increasing awareness of environmental protection among people, the amount of wood raw materials used in charcoal production is also decreasing.
If wood is used to make charcoal briquettes of a certain shape, carbonization is usually carried out first. The process after carbonization is relatively simple: crushing, mixing with water and binder, and finally shaping.
BAMBOO
Bamboo grows rapidly and has a low water content, making it suitable for making charcoal. Moreover, due to the unique fiber structure of bamboo, the charcoal made from it has a delicate texture and a long burning time, making it a high-quality raw material for charcoal. The carbonized bamboo charcoal has a light specific gravity, high calorific value, and fast combustion speed. Bamboo charcoal can also adsorb harmful substances in the air and has a certain environmental protection effect. At present, using bamboo to make charcoal has become a common method.
FRUIT SHELLS
Some fruit shells, such as coconut shells, walnut shells and olive branches, can also be used as raw materials to make charcoal. These fruit shells contain abundant cellulose and lignin, which can be processed to obtain efficient charcoal, making them a highly efficient raw material for resource utilization. The fruit shells here can include various types of fruit tree waste such as shells and grape branches. Fruit shell charcoal has a fast combustion speed and can be used in situations such as hot pot and stove. But the quality and combustion time of fruit shell charcoal are relatively short, not as good as wood and bamboo charcoal.
coconut shells and walnut shells after carbonization
CROP WASTE
Some crop straw, such as rice straw, wheat straw, corn straw, etc., can also be used as raw materials for making charcoal. These straw are often discarded after crop harvesting. Using them to make charcoal can not only reduce the waste of crop straw, but also obtain a green and environmentally friendly fuel. Straw charcoal has low cost, high yield, and is easy to obtain, but its carbon quality is poor, with high ash content, low calorific value, slow combustion speed, and difficult molding.
PLANT RESIDUES
One of the raw materials for machine-made charcoal is plant residues. These plant residues are not limited to straw, but also include coffee grounds, olive kernels, and coconut shells. These plant residues can be transformed into high-quality machine-made charcoal through specific treatments and carbonization processes. This kind of charcoal is not only environmentally friendly, but also has various uses, such as cooking and heating.
SAWDUST
Sawdust is an ideal raw material for machine-made charcoal. However, there are differences in combustion performance among different types of sawdust. For example, sawdust from cork wood such as poplar, paulownia, and eucalyptus does not have ideal combustion performance due to their loose wood structure. In contrast, slow growing hardwoods such as pine, oak, cedar, and bamboo have better combustion performance of their sawdust. In addition, local abundant wood scraps such as broken wood blocks and fine branches can also be used to process machine-made charcoal.
Overall, there are a wide variety of raw materials for charcoal production, mainly wood, bamboo, fruit shells, and crop straw. However, in order to protect the environment and reduce resource waste, we should also pay attention to choosing environmentally friendly and renewable raw materials.
