Biochar making - various kiln designs

Taking this all a step further - what if all could dump to a pit, that could be hosed down as needed and wide enough for a 4in1 front end loader bucked to collect from?

David Hillcat wrote:
Idea: I could the tilt and empty/tip hot biochar straight into a water-containing vessel, that is on the lower level (metal wheel burrow containing some water)? Then tilt the (still-hot) drum back to 60o and go again? I suppose I am thinking that I would like to build up a large pile of feedstock, then have a day of producing many batches, in a constant stream of batches that I walk past and tend to periodically.

This means labour must be reduced as much as possible, both on the feed and product sides.

For sure that could work. Since you'll have a VERY hot barrel  handling is an issue, and since it'll be hot coals and still-burning material that landing zone below needs to be protected including wind protection. Otherwise you could have a fire start below if anything lands on combustible material like weeds or grass. One gotcha I see is the ability to feed material in from the front if the barrel is close enough to the edge to then tilt over to pour into another container with water below.

I'm really impressed with that tilted barrel design.  I had my heart set on a retort utilizing the 55 and 30 gallon drums, but alas, I can find no 30 gallon open head drums with lids and rings in my area.  Almost had one shipped to me by a company that reconditions barrels, but they backed out of the deal saying they were out of stock.  I can get 55 gallon drums all day long.  I think this is the approach I will take.  I think I can find an old hand truck and modify it with a stand so it can lean back at 45 degrees.  Not sure about the wheels though.   They might need to be set out further as well.  I find it hard to believe the wheels aren't melting off the charcoal maker caddy as shown in the video.

This could be a really interesting development.  I wouldn't use it,because I am a small scale orchardist/gardener, but it's really intriguing.  If it could work, it might help many, many people.

John S
PDX OR

I wonder about the focus on "dousing" the char. I try to avoid this as much as possible because I want the char dry and receptive (like a sponge) to the inoculating liquids I will introduce later.

So, my focus is to exclude oxygen rather than introduce water, at least in any significant amount. The barrel tops I cut out earlier are saved and dropped into the barrel on top of the finished char, and sand or clay is used to seal the edges. This has proven effective. It also means the barrel is light and easy for one person to handle.

I have read where dousing the hot char puffs it up and makes it more open to being populated by microbes. One source referred to this as "activation".  They also described a method of "activating" the char chemically, which I don't do.  It makes sense to me that it would puff up at the reaction between the hot char and the cold water.  

John S
PDX OR

Interesting. I've been experimenting with 30-gallon trash cans or 55 metal drums in a fire pit as my approach to "multi-batch". I love the tipper idea, but I wonder if it's as easy as having several 55 gallon drums ready to go and just lidding them once your burn is complete (with or without dousing) and then move to the next barrel. Low-tech, but it may work while you get the tip and storage area built.