Egypt as an agricultural country produces 30-35 million tons of agricultural residues each year, with only 7 million tons used as animal feed and 4 million as organic manure. Normally, agricultural wastes are simply left in the field to decompose to maintain long-term soil fertility or burn. Although burning is convenient, quick, and cost-effective, and allows fast preparation of the field for the next rotation, it adds a lot of gases to GHG emissions resulting in severe impacts on air quality, biodiversity, and human health. The last issue presents obstacles to human development and threatens natural resources and the environment.

The term carbonization of wastes for biochar processing includes the technologies of pyrolysis, hydrothermal carbonization, flash carbonization, and gasification. Biochar has multifunctional values that include the use for the following purposes: soil amendment to improve soil health, nutrient, and microbial carrier, immobilizing agent for remediation of toxic metals and organic contaminants in soil and water, catalyst for industrial applications, porous material for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and odorous compounds, and feed supplement to improve animal health and nutrient intake efficiency and, thus, productivity. Biochar contributes to EU circular economy objective significantly and reduces the linear economy of using agricultural and bio-wastes for landfilling and incineration.

However, good quality biochar often requires a complex production process with a robust and effective furnace to make biochar production at high prices. Farmers can’t produce biochar by themselves; thus, it is an obstacle for poor farmers. 

The present research focused on the fact that farmers can deal with their large volumes of crop residues by converting it into biochar using simple  designed reactor manufactured from low cost local materials (used barrels)and  some agricultural resides for heating the feedstock (slow pyrolysis).

The study includes analyses for the different types of biochar produced using different agricultural wastes. Although a significant difference was observed in specific surface area, average pore diameter, pH, CEC, and EC, the study found that different types of biochar produced have suitable properties for soil amendment and carbon sequestration. 

Conclusion:

This category of unit can be suitable for clean, healthy, distributed low-tech biochar production by developing country smallholders and micro-entrepreneurs; “backyard” producers utilizing yard waste; small and urban farmers; nurseries; communal gar