Production of charcoal. How charcoal is made: production features. Scope of charcoal and its types

How charcoal is made: distinctive chemical-physical properties + 3 types of substance + 8 applications + technological aspects + production conditions + cost accounting + 2 traditional home-made methods.

Charcoal has been around since ancient times. It was made using primitive technologies in small quantities, and the process itself was burdensome and lasted a long time. Over time, when the need for the substance increased, many people thought about how charcoal is made and opened their own production.

Today, a more simplified methodology is used, involving modern equipment, new developments have been introduced and knowledge has been accumulated, so it is easier to get high-quality material.

Since charcoal is in high demand, the business for its production is quite profitable and promising.

Distinctive properties of charcoal

Charcoal, in accordance with State Standard 7657-84, is understood as a solid, porous substance capable of releasing energy during combustion. The composition of the material is mostly carbon.

In many ways, charcoal resembles stone, because. The main element of both is carbon.

Both substances are, in fact, made from wood. However, for coal, wood is used, which decomposed under conditions of limited oxygen access for several centuries. Charcoal is made from charred wood. First, it is partially burned at a low oxygen content.

The material is known for its environmental friendliness. It does not pollute nature with acrid smoke, despite the fact that it is good view fuel.

Also, the substance acts as an adsorbent. The porous structure allows you to purify water, gases, alcohol. Due to the unique chemical and physical properties, such coal is prone to spontaneous combustion, having an increased calorific value, which is practically not inferior to stone coal.

When manufacturers make quality wood products, the output is black coal with a clearly visible brilliant, blue tint. If the material is broken, it is clear that the structure of the tree species is preserved, and the surface is cracked. Thanks to them, they determine how much the substance was subjected to charring.

Worldwide, annual charcoal production reaches 9 million tons. Brazil is the leader. Russia accounts for about 100 thousand tons. The country imports products from China, Belarus, and Ukraine.

The championship in consumption belongs to Japan (60 kg per year per citizen), in European countries the amount of coal consumed per capita is approximately 20 kg. In the Russian Federation, this figure is 100 gr.

Varieties and uses of charcoal.

Coal is classified into 3 types:

• Red, the wood raw material of which are conifers. Its production is achieved by soft charcoal.
• Black, it is made from willow, aspen and other softwood tree species.
• White, obtained from oak, beech, birch, ash, hornbeam, etc. First, the charring process occurs at low temperatures, and then there is a sharp jump to 1000°C. White charcoal does not retain its bark, unlike black charcoal.

Wood material is widely used in various spheres of the national economy. Coal is made for further use in the creation of pure ferroalloys in non-ferrous / ferrous metallurgy.

Metal products are carburized with coal in order to improve their properties and prevent oxidation as a result of carbon saturation. For the most part, coal from wood is required by enterprises that manufacture carbon disulfide, crystalline silicon.

In addition, the substance is made for:

• chemical industry(production of paint solutions, artificial fiber, glass, pesticides, plastic, filters, cellophane, antiseptic);
• construction (as an absorber of moisture and unpleasant odors);
• electrical engineering (due to radiation resistance and non-toxicity, it is used in the creation of radio components, electrodes, conductors, etc.);
• medicine (in the form of tablets, as a medicinal preparation);
• Agriculture, in particular animal husbandry (addition to the usual diet of birds, cattle and small cattle, fertilizer of the top layer of the earth);
• floriculture (organic element terra preta);
• food industry (food coloring, which can be found on food packaging under the brand name E153);
• cosmetic industry(one of the components of products designed to provide care for the skin of the face, body, hairline).

In Japan, the wood product has an even more varied use. Coal is used in laying the foundation, baking cookies, making toothbrushes, and soap. Our people are accustomed to using it in everyday life, as fuel and in cooking.

How coal is made from wood in factories: technological aspects

Charcoal is made from wood by pyrolysis. This is a process consisting in the dry distillation of raw materials. In other words, during production, under the influence of high temperatures (with or without oxygen at all), the decomposition of organic carbon compounds occurs.

For pyrolysis, retort furnaces (pyrolysis boilers) of a stationary or mobile type are used, in which there is a pyrometer that allows you to control the temperature. Raw materials are placed into the loading space manually or automatically.

However, first, the wood is unloaded to the place allotted for this, sorted. If wood raw material is purchased not chopped, it is chopped for firewood.

1. The first stage is drying. Then the temperature is not raised more than 150°C.
2. When excess moisture is removed from the wood material, the temperature is increased and proceed to the next step. Heat is generated in the upper chamber of the oven. Under its action, wood is burned, wood gas is formed, which moves to the nozzle for mixing with secondary air. As a result of these processes, burnt, dry coal is formed.
3. Next, you need to make it calcination. In this way, resin and unnecessary gases are separated.
4. The wood product is then unloaded and allowed to cool.
5. Then crushed is made from it,.

The scheme of the technological process, which takes place in 16-20 hours, during which coal is made, is shown in the figure:

The raw materials are:

• decks;
• hemp;
• branches;
• measles;
• chips;
• whips;
• waste from the manufacture of furniture,
• logs;
• sawdust;
• wood blanks;
• caps;
• peat.

Purchase consumable organized by forestries.

To produce 1 ton of coal, you will have to spend up to 8 cubic meters. m. birch. If soft hardwoods are used, the consumption is greater - up to 12 cubic meters. m. The factories make 3 grades of coal: A, B, C.

Safety rules in the manufacture of charcoal.

According to safety rules, only produced coal, the volume of which exceeds 100 cubic meters. dm, may catch fire spontaneously. Because of this, it is necessary to take measures to prevent spontaneous combustion.

Many entrepreneurs who understand how charcoal is made, alas, do not comply with these requirements and do not protect products from contact with an oxidizing agent. It is also considered a big mistake to allow the accumulation of coal dust.

When workers make charcoal, the rules for labor protection R O-00-97 must be observed, which you can read here - https://ohranatruda.ru/ot_biblio/norma/252437

For the transportation of wood products, it is necessary to use steel barrels, craft, paper, polypropylene bags. Coal is stored in closed warehouses, special bunkers to prevent the ingress of precipitation.

Delivery of goods is carried out in bulk or in packaged form using trucks, covered wagons.

Necessary conditions for the production of charcoal

Make charcoal, before creating the appropriate conditions for this:

• Firstly, this is a room for a workshop located outside the city limits, an open land plot necessary for a boiler. The area, taking into account a separate room for a warehouse, should be at least 200 square meters. m.
• Secondly, staff is required, usually 2-3 workers. They must be provided with a working uniform (overalls, goggles, mask, gloves). In addition to production workers, you need to hire an accountant, a cleaner, a watchman, a sales manager, a driver, and several handymen or loaders.
• Thirdly, equipment.

The technological equipment of the workshop where charcoal is made includes:

The installation that makes charcoal, you need to choose a good one, then the production will be complete. How to define it?

Does not emit a burnt, suffocating odor into the atmosphere. It is released, but remains in the furnace used for thermal decomposition of the next batch of wood and drying. Also, high-quality retort furnaces minimize the loss of energy resources.

On the market there are:

• overall complexes of a stationary type, which make coal in large volumes;
• mobile machines;
• auxiliary equipment.

The choice of equipment is significantly influenced by the planned production volume and the following parameters:

If the process is automated, computer program will regulate the temperature in retorts, drying chambers, give correction commands, reduce worker errors by reducing their number, signal the next stage of the production process.

On the photo you can see the industrial site and working retort furnaces. Their total capacity reaches 20 barrels. This is more than 200 tons of wood matter per month (about 1.5 cubic meters of raw materials). Such equipment pays off within 1-2 years.

Another important condition for production is a certain amount of raw materials. When 25-30 tons of coal are made per month, an average of 225-250 cubic meters is consumed. m. of wood (depending on the species). And additional packaging is required.

Direct and indirect costs for the production of coal from wood.

Charcoal is made with at least 1.5 million rubles. Business is a very costly business. Most of the money will have to be spent on powerful equipment, the average price of which is 800 thousand rubles.

From the installations of domestic production, pay attention to the Zarya units. Good performance was also demonstrated by the Fantastica complexes. The charcoal of the OD-30, OD-60 stoves is made of high quality, the prices for which lie in the range of 680-890 thousand rubles.

Expect that it may take about 200-400 thousand rubles to rent premises and industrial sites. , the cost of buying raw materials will cost 100 thousand rubles. The wage fund and taxes will result in 600 thousand rubles. In addition, consider the cost of advertising, transport - 50 thousand rubles. Registration required documents- about 10 thousand rubles. , utilities - 50 thousand rubles.

Total the total conditional amount of initial investment, at which wood products are made in bulk, is 1.8 million rubles.

The sale of 1 kg of coal occurs at 18-35 rubles. Net profit every month from the production of 100 tons finished products will be 70-80 thousand rubles.

2 traditional ways to make charcoal at home

A simple old-fashioned method is used to make charcoal on a smaller scale than in full-fledged production. Since standard equipment for home charcoal burning is not suitable due to bulkiness and high cost, many people have adapted to burning raw materials in pits and barrels.

First way.

It implies the manufacture of coal in a barrel. This method is more convenient than the one described below.

Make a woody substance in a container with a volume of at least 200 liters. A hole is drilled at the bottom of the barrel to insert a pipe. A vacuum hose must be attached to it, which will supply primary oxygen to the combustion zone. The metal container must be hermetically sealed, so you should find a suitable lid.

An auxiliary tool will be a poker for mixing firewood. Performers need to find a longer steel bar.

The wood material is treated to remove the bark before being immersed in the barrel. It will emit a lot of smoke, and the exit from it is small. Then the logging is sawn into logs 30 cm long.

Firewood is laid out in such a way as to fit snugly against each other. A small fire is made at the bottom of the tank, after which the vacuum cleaner is started. Be sure to control the process in order to lay the next portion on time.

Charcoal should not be allowed to turn into ash. In the process of work, the entire barrel will be filled. Then it is tightly covered with a lid, the air supply is turned off, the pipe is closed.

It remains to wait until the charring is over. The container opens only when its walls are completely cooled. If there are unburnt chocks, they are calmly sent in the next batch.

The resulting coal is now time to sift and pack in bags.

Methods for the production of charcoal.

How is charcoal made? The main stages of production.

The second way.

The bottom is trampled down, and the vertical walls are cleaned a little, so the soil will not mix with the wood. A fire is made from dry firewood 30-40 cm in length. Gradually, people who make the material should put chips, thin branches.

When the fire flares up to the desired degree, you can proceed directly to charcoal burning. Wood raw materials are gradually added, periodically stirring the burning firewood. As with the barrel, the pit must be filled completely.

Do this for 3-6 hours. The duration depends on many factors: air humidity, wood size, density. Burning firewood from hardwood lasts longer, but the result of the work will turn out well.

After filling, the pit is covered with foliage, grass, a small layer of soil. All this is rammed. Coal in such conditions should lie for 48 hours. After cooling, it is ready for sieving.

Charcoal is a very valuable product. Despite the "gas revolution", it will continue to be a good biofuel in the future, an indispensable assistant in many areas.
Even if the demand in the domestic market “sags” a little, it is always possible to arrange the export of products.

So why not learn thoroughly in practice how charcoal is made in order to produce quality product and profit from it? Or, at the very least, provide for their own needs.

Useful article? Don't miss out on new ones!
Enter your e-mail and receive new articles by mail

This business does not require serious investments, education or any special knowledge. His feature is a fast payback period.

As a raw material for the manufacture of coal, waste from enterprises engaged in wood processing and logging is usually used. It can be coniferous or hardwood trees (birch, oak, elm). Depending on the type of wood, the finished product is assigned category A, B or C.

Scope of charcoal

In everyday life, this product is used as an environmentally friendly fuel for barbecues, fireplaces and barbecues. In the municipal sector, it is used for filtering drinking water. Small fractions, which are screened out from raw coal, serve as a food additive that enriches the diet of animals.

In industry, charcoal is used in the production of galvanized wire, non-ferrous metals, steel products, and glass. Thus, the consumers of packaged charcoal are:

• Metallurgical and chemical industry
• Housing and communal industry
• Peasant farms
• Private individuals

Required Equipment

To organize a business for the production of charcoal, you will need the following equipment:

	Name
	Charcoal burning oven PTORS-7G (pyrolysis plant)
	Weight dispenser (packaging of finished products);
	Portable bag sewing machine NewLong NP-7A
	Hydraulic wood splitter "Gorynych 6T"
	Chainsaw and hand tools (axes, cleavers, hacksaws).

The main equipment for the production of charcoal is pyrolysis plant. Currently, there are various options for charcoal kilns on the market, differing in productivity, degree of process automation, and cost. The change in the price of equipment, based on the level of performance, can be estimated in the following table.

One of the largest suppliers of equipment for the production of charcoal is the production and commercial company BMP, which manufactures furnaces under the brand name "Fire Dragon", this company offers more than 10 modifications of pyrolysis plants, costing from 59,000 rubles and ending with a price of 2.1 million rubles.

Table 1. Comparative analysis cost of charcoal kilns based on productivity

To select the optimal equipment in terms of price and performance ratio, we will analyze the furnaces manufactured by BMP (furnace Fantastika 2/3) and SpetsTopResurs (furnace PTORS7D).

Table 2. Analysis of furnace equipment

As can be seen from the presented table, the pyrolysis furnace "Fantastic 2/3" is optimal in terms of price / performance ratio. In this regard, this stove is very often bought by entrepreneurs starting a charcoal production business.

Feasibility study of the project

For organization small business for the production of charcoal, with a capacity of 12 tons per month, the following investments will be needed:

• Charcoal kiln - 199,000 rubles.
• Weight dispenser - 137,000 rubles
• Manual bag sewing machine - 16,500 rubles.
• Wood splitter - 98,000 rubles.
• Chainsaw - 38,000 rubles.
• Hand tools (axes, cleavers, hacksaws) - 10,000 rubles.
• Initial purchase of raw materials - 50,000 rubles.
• Registration in the INFS, ordering a print, other expenses - 10,000 rubles.
• Total 508 thousand rubles.

Profitability of activity

• Subject to 100% load of equipment and work 25 days a month,
• charcoal production will be 10 tons.,
• Average wholesale price for 1 kg. finished products is 20 rubles, so the monthly revenue will be 200,000 rubles.
• Serving staff 3 people (excluding the entrepreneur).
• The net profitability of operations is 25%.
• Return on investment 10-12 months.

Wood-type charcoal production has reached great heights today. Such products served as the beginning of the development of civilization. Currently, there is a wide range of installations that can be used for their intended purpose. The choice of equipment for the production of charcoal must be thorough.

Nuances to be aware of

It should be noted that almost any modern technology, which is used for the production of materials, is environmentally friendly. In addition, the new equipment is energetically effective solution. About 10 million tons of charcoal are produced annually with its help.

As a material for production, various wastes that come from sawmills are used. Solid wood can also be used. The equipment that is necessary for the production of coal does not need special care. It is necessary to hire about three people who will work with the devices in shifts.

What types of equipment are available?

The choice of equipment for the production of charcoal is often complicated due to the presence of different options. The following groups of devices can be distinguished:

1. Mobile units.

2. Stationary technologies.

3. Auxiliary equipment.

Mobile and stationary devices differ from each other only in that in the second case, the equipment cannot be moved to another place. It should also be noted that quite often the plant has a combination of drying and pyrolysis functions.

Installation

Having made a choice in favor suitable type equipment, it is necessary to thoroughly approach the installation procedure. Installation of equipment must meet the requirements of GOST. In addition, the devices must be completely safe from an environmental point of view, since not only waste is burned in furnaces, but also carbon residues. In order to service the installation, it is not necessary to hire skilled workers. This case is not particularly difficult.

Use of the furnace for production

The equipment that is needed for the production of wood-type coal can be classified by cost, as well as by the volume of production produced in one month. The modern retort kiln for the production of charcoal is quite different in appearance from the one that was used earlier.

At the moment, in a business that is associated with the production of coal, a variety of furnaces are common. The differences are based on the method of supplying the coolant to the wood. This avoids contact with the flue gas. In other words, wood products are located in a separate chamber.

The raw material is heated directly from the walls, which, in turn, reach the desired temperature with the help of a coolant. There is such a retort kiln for the production of charcoal, in which the smoke masses exit directly through the wood.

The procedure for feeding raw materials occurs through the activation and loading hopper. To do this, you should use trolleys. Loading can be both manual and automatic - using a special conveyor or a mechanical type cleaver. At the moment when the wood is fully loaded, the trolleys are sent to a special chamber in which drying-pyrolysis takes place.

It should also be noted that the chambers, which have some separate furnaces for the production of charcoal, are capable of placing about three trolleys at the same time. When the temperature sensor begins to show that the wood is already completely dry, the remaining gases will be sent to a special chamber for cleaning. They will be burned without any additional support.

In order to increase the productivity of the charcoal kiln, a special process is provided. It involves sending the remaining heat from the pyrolysis chamber to the drying chamber. Then these compartments change their roles. In other words, the drying chamber becomes pyrolyzed while the other compartment is put into drying mode.

As a result of all this, the trolleys leave the chambers with ready-made coal. Subsequently, they are placed in separate boxes for cooling. After the drying procedure, condensation may form in the chamber. For its output, special pipes are used.

Main stages of production

Charcoal kilns for coal production provide the conditions for pyrolysis. This process is divided into the following main steps:

1. Drying at a temperature of 120 to 150 degrees. In this case, water is released.

2. Beginning of the decomposition process. This is carried out at a temperature of 150 to 275 degrees. At the same time, it stands out carbon dioxide and acetic acid.

3. The main decomposition products are formed and evaporate. All this happens at a temperature of 275 to 450 degrees. In this case, the release of esters, hydrocarbons, acetic acid, carbon monoxide and other things is observed.

4. The wood residue is calcined at a temperature of 450 to 550 degrees. The release of heavy resin, hydrocarbons, etc. begins.

All stages are accompanied by heat supply.

The composition of the finished material

Coal, which is obtained as a result of all of the above treatments, has non-volatile carbon in its composition. Its share is about 78%. The ash content is at the level of approximately 2.5%. Humidity does not exceed six percent.

Charcoal kilns for the production of charcoal are capable of processing long as well as short length waste that comes from sawmills. Approximately 75 cubic meters of birch produce about 7.5 tons of charcoal per month.

Basic expenses

In order to establish production, you will need to perform some operations. It is necessary to order equipment for one charcoal kiln. At this stage, the following expenses are expected:

1. The purchase of a furnace will cost about 300 thousand rubles.

2. On construction works you will need to spend about 30 thousand rubles.

3. The installation of equipment requires about 30 thousand rubles.

4. It will take about 50 thousand rubles to deliver the equipment to the installation site.

working capital

What volume working capital expects beginners and experienced entrepreneurs who decide to engage in such activities?

1. Transportation costs will amount to about 30 thousand rubles per month.

2. To pay wages employees will have to spend about 20 thousand rubles a month.

3. The purchase of raw materials will take about 38 thousand rubles a month. It's about birch.

4. The purchase of material for packaging will take about 4 thousand rubles.

As a result, the entrepreneur will face expenses per month, the amount of which will be about 100 thousand rubles. In order to create a workshop for the production of coal, it will be necessary to spend about 375 thousand rubles. As a result, the minimum cost of organizing your own coal production business will be about 475 thousand rubles.

Home production start

If there is no money to organize a larger-scale production, then at the initial stage it is possible to get by with small losses. You only need a barrel for the production of charcoal. The material is placed in it. After that, you need to make sure that there is no air left in the container. And it is under this condition that the material will be obtained. You can also dig a hole, under which you then need to make a furnace pit. Thus, the entrepreneur will master the technology of charcoal production at home.

When will the costs be paid back in full?

The cost of the products to be produced averages about 12 rubles per kilogram. Wholesale trade coal comes at 15 rubles per kilogram. Profit from one kilogram of sold products, thus, reaches three rubles.

What will be used to pay off the invested funds will be about one and a half rubles per kilogram. Consequently, the entrepreneur will receive a profit of 1.5 rubles. for one kilogram. It can be concluded that the payback period entrepreneurial activity for coal production is about 36 months.

Conclusion

If you decide to set up own business for the production of charcoal, you should be aware that the use of waste from sawmills instead of raw materials will reduce the cost of production. In addition, waste can be disposed of in this way.

Charcoal is inherently a unique material. It has been known since ancient times, but it was only in the last century that it was truly appreciated. Charcoal has many benefits. It does not pollute the environment, it does not contain any harmful components - it is an environmentally friendly product. How to get products from wood by exposing them to high temperatures was known in ancient times. Several varieties of charcoal are known. It all depends on the manufacturing technology and the raw materials from which it is made. The need for this type of fuel is constantly growing, so many entrepreneurs are turning their attention to this type of business.

Charcoal and its benefits

The production of charcoal in modern world given great attention. Plants for production are constantly modernized and improved, which makes it possible to obtain an even higher quality end product. If the technology for the production of charcoal is developed in accordance with all the rules, then it can be considered environmentally friendly and energy efficient.

The birthplace of the production of charcoal on an industrial scale in our country is the Urals. On the African continent, many peoples still use this coal for cooking. It is prepared according to a special method.

Today, two types of coal burning are used: pit and heap. They are used in the event that the need for coal is one-time. None of these methods require additional costs. It is necessary to have firewood, water and turf on hand. The best raw materials for charcoal burning are hardwoods. They produce the highest quality product.

Recently, aspen and coniferous waste have been increasingly used. In this case, in order to obtain high-quality coal, it is necessary to adhere to a special production technology.

The yield of the final product will depend on what kind of wood you are using. In scale industrial production coal output is often much less than originally planned. The most common reason is the ingress of oxygen into the furnace and, as a result, the complete burnout of the source material.

There are three types of charcoal:

1. black - it is made from soft woods (it can be: aspen, willow, linden, alder and poplar);
2. white - it is obtained from hardwoods, which are oak, birch, hornbeam, acacia, ash, and so on;
3. red - only conifers are used for its production. Charcoal is obtained by soft charcoal, the temperature regime should be low.

The benefits of this product are very great. Its use can even be called universal. This alternative fuel is environmentally friendly and safe to use.

Areas of application for charcoal

It is worth noting that the massive use of charcoal has led to the fact that the emission of harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere has significantly decreased. Thus, humanity has a chance to maintain a precarious ecological balance on the planet.

Technology and equipment for the production of charcoal

Despite the fact that the technology for the production of charcoal is simple, it requires certain knowledge and skills. Otherwise, the yield percentage will be small, and the quality of the product will not be up to par.

Any of the known technologies for producing charcoal consists of four stages:

1. Drying. As you know, wet wood will smolder badly.
2. Pyrolysis. This stage is considered the most important in the entire production process.
3. Calcination. At this stage, resins and excess gases are separated from coal.
4. Cooling down.

Until recently, coal production has caused irreparable damage to the environment. The gases released into the atmosphere polluted it. Scientists have developed new technologies that have solved this problem.

The equipment for the production of our product is a special charcoal kiln, in which there is no free access of oxygen.

Modern charcoal kilns are designed so that the gases produced during oxidation are fed into the furnace, where they are burned out and used to maintain the required temperature, which is required to burn the source material. If the wood is not very wet, then these gases are enough to complete the process, which in turn allows you to significantly save energy.

If we are talking about the possibility of using only one container, then in this case there can be no question of the continuity of the process: first, wood is loaded into the oven and melted. The next step is drying the wood. They are allowed to burn out, and the stove is extinguished. Waiting for the coal to cool down. The product is removed and the process is repeated.

The use of removable containers into which firewood is loaded allows solving the problem in the following way: in one of the containers, the firewood is dried, in the other, it is oxidized, in the third, it burns out. The container in which the process is completed is removed and allowed to cool, and another one with new material is installed in its place.

At the moment, there are many different devices for heat treatment wood. Now the greatest attention is paid to those technical solutions that can be applied to timber industrial enterprises and allow recycling of waste from this production.

Such installations are usually easy to use and manage.

Video: charcoal production technology

The sequence of actions in the production of charcoal

The procedure is as follows: the prepared wood is placed in a special loading chamber. Sensors are installed on it, from which a signal is received about the combustion of the material and the drying of coal.

The next step is to unload the coal for cooling. This is the process for a single chamber charcoal kiln.

Finished products are crushed and packaged in paper bags and bags. For industrial use, coal is crushed into large pieces, and for domestic use, into small pieces.

A month can be from 7–9 to 25–30 cycles. Everything will depend on the volume of loaded raw materials. Performance does not depend on the length of the cycle.

Raw materials - there should be no problems with it. Sawdust, waste paper and furniture industry can be used as starting material. But in this case, the quality of coal may not be at the highest level.

The optimal solution to the issue of the supply of raw materials would be to conclude an agreement with a company that specializes in the harvesting and processing of timber. Branches, stumps, branches and so on will be used - this is one of the most economical options. More expensive - buying chopped firewood.

In order to get 1 ton of charcoal, you will need at least 7 cubic meters of wood. This ratio is applicable for single-chamber furnaces. In three-chamber output will be much larger.

Sales of products

Unfortunately, in our country the consumption of these products is not at the proper level.

The ideal marketing option is an overseas partnership. In European countries, this product has been appreciated for a long time, it is in great demand there. But, if it is not possible to organize a business in this way, then you can find buyers in our country.

For example, you can organize the sale of charcoal in bulk: you can offer your products to energy companies and individuals who use individual heating. Coal is used not only in closed furnaces. It is used for cooking barbecue and barbecue. Owners of blacksmith shops and smelters can become buyers of your products. Pharmaceutical companies may also be interested in your offer.

Do not discount large stores where goods for summer holidays, gas stations, restaurants and barbecue houses are displayed. It is possible that the demand will be seasonal. In summer, your products can sell out much faster.

If you are planning to grow your business, try to come up with some kind of logo to put on the bags and register trademark. This is necessary in order for the product to be recognizable.

To avoid unwanted excesses, marketing routes must be thought out in advance (described in detail each of them in the business plan for the production of charcoal).

Profitability of charcoal production

The profitability of production will largely depend on what strategy of behavior you choose in the market. This business is profitable and quite promising. The switch to biofuels is encouraging many to use charcoal.

The demand for these products is steadily growing. Perhaps not as fast as we would like, but if you want to take another free niche in this area economic activity- hurry up. In the near future, the market may become oversaturated with offers, and the struggle for survival will become even more serious.

It doesn't take much to get started in this area. So, you do not need the construction of large technological premises. Buying a large amount of equipment will also be superfluous.

Are you into photography? Then our article is for you. Opening your photo studio from scratch:

In order to install the minimum required amount of equipment to produce 30 tons of charcoal per month, you will need about 500 thousand rubles. What is included in these costs?

Equipment:

• oven - from 20 to 100,000 rubles;
• scales - from 3 to 5,000 rubles;
• electric generator - from 25 thousand rubles;
• chainsaws - from 7 thousand rubles;
• hydraulic splitters;
• packing machine.

Raw material: at the rate of 30 tons/month:

• chopped firewood - from 1300 to 1700 rubles. /m3;
• bags for packaging finished products - 10 12 rubles / piece.

Staff salary in the amount of 5 people - 80-100 thousand rubles. per month.

Monthly income will be about 70 thousand rubles. The cost of 1 kg. charcoal - 18–22 rubles / kg.

The undoubted advantage of technology, equipment, charcoal production is a small initial investment, as well as the absence of problems that you may encounter when starting your own business. The downside is quite a lot of competition. If there are problems with sales, the payback of the project can be at least 2 years. But if you manage to set up implementation at the highest level, then investments can pay off in 3-4 months.

Summary

If we listen to the opinion of experts, we can draw the following conclusions: Russian market charcoal is not fully saturated. Therefore, everyone who wants to try their hand at this field has a good chance of becoming successful businessman. It will be much easier to open such a business for those who are in any way connected with the forestry and woodworking industries. This will help to significantly reduce the level of initial investment.

In conclusion, I would like to note that charcoal is considered an elite fuel, the fuel of convenience and comfort. In modern society, there are more and more people who want to use this type of biologically clean fuel. Do not miss your chance, draw the appropriate correct conclusions.

Charcoal is a microporous high-carbon product formed during the pyrolysis of wood without air access. Its volume of consumption is only increasing every year. This type of fuel is used in a wide variety of fields, whether it be the metallurgical industry, pharmacology, in the production of activated carbon and similar medicines, and in other industries, because coal is 100% carbon. However, most often it is used in domestic needs. It is worth noting that in, charcoal is an essential attribute of any barbecue or cooking on the grill. Similar trends are becoming traditional in our country to a greater and greater extent.

Coal properties and types

Its properties set it apart from other high-carbon fuels. Charcoal burns at a very high temperature - more than 1100 ° C, emits little steam and unburned carbon, therefore it is used in everyday life and industry.

The raw material for charcoal is wood, so setting up your own production line it is important if there are places where forests grow nearby, or the cost of transporting cut trees will be insignificant. The source material is subjected to heat treatment without air access. “Pyrolysis combustion” occurs, resulting in the formation of charcoal. The characteristics of the final product are approved by GOST 7657-84 “Charcoal. Specifications".

Charcoal is a solid combustible substance. It is able to spontaneously ignite at a temperature of 340°C.

After the production of coal, it is necessary to stabilize it, otherwise spontaneous combustion is not ruled out.

The result of production can be 3 grades of coal: A, B, C. The difference between them is in the tree species from which the coal is obtained. Features of the selection of the source material are reflected in GOST 24260-80 "Raw materials for pyrolysis and charcoalization". The following types of trees are suitable for production:

• The first group - birch, oak, beech, ash, maple, hornbeam, elm. Grade A coal is obtained from it. It is divided into 2 grades: the highest and the 1st, which differ in parameters: density, mass fraction of ash and non-volatile carbon, water and other quality indicators. Oak wood can be used for pyrolysis and charcoal burning only on condition that it is not fit for the manufacture of tannins.
• The second group - poplar, linden, alder, aspen, willow. Its mixture with the first group gives grade B coal. When charcoal, conifers can be used: pine or spruce, cedar, fir and larch. Coal of this brand has 2 grades - 1st and 2nd.
• The third group repeats the second - poplar, linden, alder, aspen, willow, while GOST indicates that these rocks can be used for charcoal burning, and in combination with groups 1 and 2 they give grade B coal. It is not divided into grades, but has quality limits.

The classification, reflecting the most suitable varieties of wood for pyrolysis, is conditional. According to statistics, the world leader in the production of charcoal is Brazil (85% of the world market), where fast-growing eucalyptus harvested from plantations is used as a raw material. However, manufacturers operating in the post-Soviet space should adhere to the established GOSTs.

The lowest ash content is grade A “highest grade”, and grade B “1st grade”. The indicator is 2.5%. In brand B, it is much higher - up to 4%. The limiting index of non-volatile carbon in the highest quality coal is not less than 90%, and in grade B - not less than 67%.

When planning to satisfy the demand of industrial enterprises and individuals, it is necessary to organize the production of different grades of coal.

Charcoal production technology

To obtain coal, raw materials are placed in pyrolysis boilers. In aggregates, the wood is subjected to “dry distillation”, it is exposed to high temperature (450-500 ° C) without air access. As a result, the wood decomposes with the release of gas, wood resin. A woody residue is also formed - coal.

Note! In the literature, one can come across the concepts of "pyrolysis", "charcoal", "carbonization", "thermolysis", "dry distillation", "thermal decomposition", and the question involuntarily arises: what is the difference? There is no difference in the essence of the process, but at industrial enterprises it is customary to use the concept of "pyrolysis", assuming the production of not only coal, but also no less valuable resins. Artisanal production - charcoal burning, the purpose of which is the production of coal and leveling the value of by-products.

The production process consists of several successive stages:

Certain types of work require the involvement of qualified personnel and the purchase of equipment.

Checking the quality of the source material

The choice of wood species used for pyrolysis depends on consumer requests for a particular brand of coal and availability. natural resources.

The most dense coal is obtained from dense wood: beech (700 kg/m3), oak (710 kg/m3), larch (690 kg/m3), birch (620 kg/m3). However, porous coal from linden, aspen, and pine is also in demand.

Reception of raw materials is carried out in accordance with the rules established by GOST. Each batch of wood must have documentary support. The documents state:

• purpose of raw materials;
• information about the supplier enterprise: its name, department;
• wood species, length of bars;
• batch weight, humidity, standard designation according to GOST.

On the eve of drying, it is necessary to “cut” the wood into small bars of “tulka”. To do this, you can use a hand saw, but the performance will be low. The best solution is to buy a sawmill. It can be autonomous - on gasoline, or on electricity. Installation cost:

• Taiga T-1B - up to 200 thousand rubles. (works on gasoline);
• Altai 900 Proff - from 170 thousand rubles. (works from the mains).

Wood moisture content is of key importance for pyrolysis. Values ​​of 15-25% are considered optimal. High humidity affects the increase in the duration of the production cycle, increases fuel consumption, and reduces the strength of the final product.

If it is planned to dry the wood in natural conditions, an annual supply should be made. When using special equipment, stocks can be reduced by 4 times.

Drying complexes are chambers equipped with a heat generator. Air heated to a certain temperature is fed into the chamber by a centrifugal fan. The wood is blown and dried. Fuel for the generator - sawdust, bark, firewood, peat and other woodworking waste. The dryers are equipped with timber moisture sensors and a temperature sensor. The systems can operate in automatic, semi-automatic and manual modes and require minimal human intervention in the drying process.

Unit cost:

• SKD-50 - up to 2.2 million rubles; capacity - up to 69 m3;
• SKD-30 - up to 1.9 million rubles, capacity - up to 35 m3.

Pyrolysis + Video of the whole process

The key process - pyrolysis - takes place in a special furnace - a retort. In modern plants for the production of charcoal, the retort furnace is part of the plant, which assumes a continuous production cycle.

The pyrolysis unit has 2 chambers: loading and combustion. Dried sprats are loaded into the first one, and as the temperature rises, the wood begins to decompose, resins and gas are released from it; the latter burns in the 2nd chamber.

The process of heating the wood should be gradual, then part of the resin is coked on the surface of the coal, and the moisture comes out slowly, making the final product better. The desire to speed up the process is not beneficial: the amount of gases increases, and the yield of coal and liquid inclusions becomes smaller.

Compliance with the temperature regime of pyrolysis is of key importance. At 260°C the wood turns brown, with an increase of another 140°C, liquid products are finally eliminated from the raw material, and a further increase leads to the slow removal of residues of heavy resins and gases that are not amenable to condensation. Subject to the technological process, high-quality charcoal with a carbon content of 90-95% will be obtained at the output.

Cost of charcoal stoves:

• Champion - the price is about 215 thousand rubles. This is a furnace that performs one cycle of work - pyrolysis. Its feature is environmental friendliness due to the complete burning of gases. Productivity is low: up to 6 tons per month. Chamber volume - 3 m3.
• Enchantress - differs in price and capacity. The Charodeyka-10 costs almost 2 times more than the Champion - 412 thousand rubles, and the monthly output of coal is 18 tons.
• Fiction 12.5/3 - the price is about 1.8 million rubles. This is not just a furnace, but a whole range of equipment that allows you not to interrupt the production cycle. The furnace consists of 3 chambers with a volume of 12.5 m3: in the first, the raw material is dried, in the 2nd - pyrolysis, in the 3rd - cooling and unloading. The costs are justified, since the manufacturer does not have to buy additional equipment for drying. Unit productivity - up to 25 tons of end product per month. Fantastica models differ in price, functionality and performance. For example, the economical Fantastica 1/3 complex costs about 300 thousand rubles, and its productivity is up to 4 tons per month.

Often, entrepreneurs save on equipment and purchase furnaces worth up to 100 thousand rubles, for example, UVR-5. Drying, the beginning of decay, decomposition of wood and calcination of coal take place in the kiln. An experienced master technologist should control the process, since if oxygen enters during the pyrolysis process, the furnace can overheat and collapse.

When evaluating the operation of the furnace, you should pay attention to the following parameters:

• Unit size. Knowing the parameters of industrial installations is necessary to determine the size of the leased premises.
• duration of pyrolysis. The average cycle time is 2 days.
• Furnace power. It should be taken into account how much coal can be obtained during one production cycle, and compare the volume with the possibility of purchasing raw materials.

When choosing a furnace, you should rely on the planned production volume. If the sales market is predetermined, and among buyers - manufacturing enterprises, the purchase of an expensive furnace will be justified.

The final process is the cooling of the finished product, after which it can be packaged for delivery to the final consumer.

Package

Coal requires packaging for delivery to the consumer. For this use:

• paper bags;
• polyethylene bags.

Buyers who purchase coal at retail prefer packages of 3-10 kg. Paper bags are preferred due to ease of disposal and environmental friendliness.

If coal will be supplied to enterprises, bars or restaurants, then packing in 50-kilogram packages will be required. Usually these are polypropylene bags.

The cost of paper bags - up to 11 rubles. for 1 piece with a capacity of 10 kg.

Polypropylene bags are sold in packs of 50-100 pcs. at a price of 7-8 rubles. per piece

Additional equipment for coal production

capital investments require basic production facilities: sawing machine, dryer, oven. The costs in this case will be from 500 thousand rubles. up to 2 million rubles depending on the scale of production and the type of equipment selected. Additionally you will need:

• Axes and cleavers - up to 10 thousand rubles.
• Weight dispenser for packing coal. Dosers are different: for bulk fine materials, or for coal, crushed stone, briquettes. A device of the second type is what you need when packing charcoal. One of these is SWEDA DVS-301-50-5. The cost of the unit is 130-150 thousand rubles.
• Industrial sewing machine for sewing up bags - from 15 thousand rubles.

Additional equipment costs will amount to about 170 thousand rubles.

The nuances of organizing a business

You can organize an enterprise for the production of charcoal by registering an LLC or IP. For this you need to contact tax office. In any case, the manufacturer must indicate the type of activity - OKVED, which reflects the specifics of the work. For the production of charcoal and wholesale, the codes are suitable:

• 20.14 - "Production of other basic organic chemical substances»;
• 46.71 - "Wholesale trade in solid, liquid and gaseous fuels and similar products."

Both are listed in the respective application. Simultaneously with the submission of documents, applications for the choice of taxation system are submitted. A novice manufacturer can choose a simplified system, provided that the company does not have branches. Subsequently, when expanding production, you can apply for a transition to a different taxation system.

In general, the cost of registering an enterprise will take up to 2 thousand rubles. when registering an individual entrepreneur and up to 15 thousand rubles. when forming an LLC.

Premises for rent

The room must match the size of the equipment. Furnaces can be up to 250 m2 in size and weigh up to 70 tons. The choice of premises is determined by the scale of production. In addition to the production workshop, it is necessary to prepare the premises:

• a warehouse for storing wood stocks;
• finished goods warehouse;
• an office for the work of an accountant, supply and sales managers, a manager;
• utility room for staff.

In general, the cost of renting production space takes from 60 thousand rubles. per month.

Staff

From professionalism and responsibility of work technical staff depends on the quality of products, the durability of the equipment, so it is necessary to invite a master technologist who has experience and is able to organize and control the production process. In addition, you need to hire:

• production line operator;
• loaders;
• a person involved in the organization of supplies and sales (later the position can be divided between 2 people);
• security guard
• accountant.

In general, the cost of staff remuneration will take about 160 thousand rubles.

Market search

The manufacturer is a wholesaler who has small retail outlets and large enterprises buy goods in large quantities. organization of their own retail network unprofitable: you have to spend money on logistics.

Among the main consumers of charcoal are:

• shops: small retail outlets in the markets, supermarkets, gas stations;
• cafes and restaurants;
• enterprises for the production of electrodes;
• glass factories;
• agricultural enterprises: coal is an additive to feed and fertilizer;
• production, in which grinding and polishing of parts is used;
• printing industry;
• enterprises for the production of plastics;
• factories producing activated carbon.

In addition to coal, a by-product is released during production - resin, which is used to make solvents, a softener for rubber compounds, turpentine, rosin.

Yield

By purchasing a furnace with a capacity of about 20 tons of finished product per month, you can calculate the approximate income from production. The cost of taxes, utility bills, transportation, rent is about 270 thousand rubles. per month. For the production of 1 ton of product, it is necessary to purchase 7-8 m3 of birch, up to 12 m2 of softwoods. The cost of 1 m3 of split birch is from 1000 rubles/m3, which means that for the production of 20 tons of coal it is necessary to purchase raw materials for 140 thousand rubles. Sales proceeds at a price of 35 rubles. for 1 kg will be 700 thousand rubles. per month. Profit - 430 thousand rubles. The average payback period of investments is from six months.

Charcoal production - profitable, actual business whose success depends on professionalism employees, striving for the use of new technologies, careful control over the progress of the process of converting wood into coal.