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Characterization and Monitoring for Different Types of Biochars
  • Jael Estrada,
  • Dimitrios Ntarlagiannis
Jael Estrada
Rutgers University Newark

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Dimitrios Ntarlagiannis
Rutgers University
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Abstract

Biochar is the carbon rich product of organic waste pyrolysis under oxygen-free conditions. Biochar properties are inherited from the raw materials used and can be enhanced with production methods. The versatility of the raw materials, along with the tweaks in production methods, enable biochars to have a widely varied range of properties, that make it suitable for a multitude of applications. This versatility, in turn, makes characterization, and performance monitoring challenging especially in large scale applications, typical of biochar use. Biochars have unique electrical properties that could be used to fill this gap. The complex electrical properties of biochar remain largely unstudied; this work explores them for different types and concentrations of biochar in porous media. Early measurements on the complex conductivity signatures of biochars, show promising results for both characterization and mass/volume estimation. Biochar surface properties appear have a profound effect on complex conductivity signals, suggesting the potential use of such methods as characterization and monitoring tools, even in large scale operations.