EUBCE 2024 - Donatella BARISANO - Development of Small-Scale Gasification Plant and Evaluation of the Produced Biochar for Agricultural Application

Development of Small-Scale Gasification Plant and Evaluation of the Produced Biochar for Agricultural Application

Short Introductive summary

Small-scale gasification plant for power production can be a useful technology for valorization of biomass residues locally available. In this sense, the technology of downdraft reactor can be a suitable option. To evaluate the possibility of valorizing the produced biochar in the agricultural sector, material from residual white spruce gasification campaigns was properly collected at the plant (i.e. to avoid contamination by tar condensation) and subjected to characterization analysis. A representative pool was subjected to proximate and ultimate analyses and extracted for PAH compounds presence via GCMS. To evaluate its use as soil amendment, the material was used in germinability and phytotoxicity tests according to standard protocols. When the biochar was used as a stand-alone medium in laboratory conditions, seed germination of both watercress and Chinese cabbage was severely hampered. At the contrary when mixed with potting soil in a greenhouse trial, both the germination rate and fresh weight of Chinese cabbage plants after three weeks was significantly higher compared to the control. None of the plantlets growing on biochar-based mediums showed symptoms of plant damage.

D. Barisano, ENEA Research Centre, Rotondella, ITALY
S. Arpaia, ENEA Research Centre, Rotondella, ITALY
F. Nanna, ENEA Research Centre, Rotondella, ITALY
A. Villone, ENEA Research Centre, Rotondella, ITALY
D. Cirillo, CMD, San Nicola La Strada, ITALY
C. Caputo, CMD, San Nicola La Strada, ITALY