WASTE FACILITY

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Northern Rivers Tweed Valley
RIC
BB
PROJECT 540
SUGAR MILL
GARDEN
WASTE FACILITY
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The Project 540 Kiln has the specific intent to
sequester atmospheric CO2, in many small
localities, and to make soil good to the seventh
generation. Geoff Moxham
www.bodgershovel.com

Constraints and goals Accessible sensors
 Validate simple visual tests Cheap
low-emission designs Household uses of process
heat Finessing efficient solutions
including  Vortex flow induced in chimney
stacks  Pre-heated and controlled air to
tuyeres Multiple purpose dampers
vents Building and testing prototype kilns
Catenary and sprung-arch trolley
kilns  Side-loading carriages  Quenching and
inoculating tanks Educational outreach  Community
kiln-building projects  Market and show
presentations Phoenix Kiln series  20 L
60L 3 cu m, small farm
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Phoenix Rising
 Human scaled for 1 person  Output must justify
the input ______________________________________
___________ Compact method producing usable
amount of char. Metal shell of washing
machine makes smoke proof shell. Lined with
fire brick Contains and store the heat  Worked
well no need to top up fuel during burn
Ben Speirs www.absorberroof.com Mark Feltrin
www.gasificationaustralia.com
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Inside the kiln
Simple parts
Lifting the lid
Double drum retort
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Future steps - Using the heat
Creating independence
 Heat for clothes drying Hot water Home
heating  Refrigeration Micro-gasification  Ele
ctricity generation Thermoelectric
Organic Rankine Cycle
Ben Speirs www.absorberroof.com Mark
Feltrin www.gasificationaustralia.com
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Inoculating Biochar

• Charring the weeds
• Lantana vines
• Camphor Laurel trees
• Bamboo
• Crush finely smaller than ¼ in, while wet
• worms can transport the fines
• Course meat grinder
• Garbage disposal grinder, drip on inoculant
• heavy drum roller
• lawn mower over wet char in a bay
• Inoculate with
• Urine, worm juice, compost percolation
• Sea minerals, brewed crop specific teas
• Biodynamic compost soil
• Application 4t/ac 2 lb/sy. Improves to 1lb/sf
• Animals
• Chickens, cows, ducks, pigs, pets, humans

If composted returns CO2 to atmosphere in 3-5
yrs. Biochar sequesters 30-40 of C for
thousands of years.
Charcoal pores Tilling it in is urban
renewal, with quality public housing
Hyphae Microbial C reef
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mullumcommunitygarden.wordpress.com
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Sugarcane Farming Tweed Valley - Robert Quirk
Mulching with green cane tops returns C to
soil rather than going up in smoke Nitrogen
added, 2lb/ac facilitates break down of machine
harvested trash Legumes planted directly into
trash in fallow period Legumes add nitrogen Add
lime at 2t/ac then scrapes top 8 inch into
mounds giving equivalent 4t/ac of lime in the
mounds Plant cane  into the  mounds improves
aeration on land subject to flooding Traffic
controlled to inter-rows reduced
cultivation minimizing soil damage, maximize
soil life Lime cultivate only once every 6 yrs
50kg N/ha 250kg K/ha 6kg P/ha
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Apply char at rate 2-4 ton/ac in 15 plots with
some having no char Test for crop yield,
leaching of nutrients, nitrogen cycling,
emissions of CH4 N2O
Preliminary results indicate reduction in
emissions of N2O with applications of 10t/ha
green-waste biochar
High sulphate soils
No agronomic benefit found to char Trails
continuing with reduced N
High N20 with normal cultivation
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Biochar field site Tweed Valley NSW
Lab tests at DPI show up to 95 reduction in N20
emissions
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30 MW cogeneration plant fueled by remnants from
sugar production Saves 400,000 tons of greenhouse
gases per year 220 million capital cost Future
potential for biochar production.
On farm collection of cane trash and use for
biochar production requires proof of agronomic or
climate benefit. There is interest in small scale
production for return to fields as trials
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No green waste to landfills fees 80
/ton on weigh bridge 40 / ton Carbon
Pollution Reduction Scheme Self hauled green
waste 6000 t/yr Bio solids 2000 ton/yr
Pickup green waste kitchen 4000t/yr Total
12000 ton/yr Row compost for 6 to 8 weeks
Sieve to separate Fines for compost 5000
t/yr Chips for mulch 4000 t/yr Pyrolyze -
biochar 3000 t/yr Send back to
community Residential gardens Community
gardens Broad acre application on farms Small
horticultural farms Macadamia, avocado, bananas
Food Links Project Build resilience against
climate change peak oil
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Thank you From the Project 540 Team www.bodgersho
vel.com biochargardener.wordpress.com