阅读说明：本技术 混合生物炭及其生产方法 (Mixed biochar and production method thereof ) 是由 孙达镐 于 2020-04-29 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及包含具有半碳化中心部分和碳化表面部分的生物质的混合生物炭及其生产方法。此外,与常规生物炭相比,根据本发明的混合生物炭在改良土壤和促进作物生长方面表现出优异的效果,并因此可以用作促进作物生长和改良土壤的制剂。(The present invention relates to a mixed biochar comprising biomass having a semi-carbonized central portion and a carbonized surface portion and a method for producing the same. In addition, the mixed biochar according to the present invention exhibits excellent effects in soil improvement and promotion of crop growth compared to conventional biochar, and thus can be used as a preparation for promoting crop growth and soil improvement.)

1. A hybrid biochar comprising biomass having a semi-carbonized central portion and a carbonized surface portion.

2. The mixed biochar of claim 1,

wherein the pH of the central portion is 4.0 or more and less than 7.5, and

the surface portion has a pH of 7.5 or higher.

3. The mixed biochar of claim 1,

wherein the central portion has a carbon content of 50 wt% or more and less than 80 wt% with respect to the total weight, and

the surface portion has a carbon content of 80 wt% or more with respect to the total weight.

4. The mixed biochar of claim 1,

wherein the central portion is a portion including the center of a cross section of the biomass and occupying 10 to 30 area% with respect to the total area of the cross section of the biomass, and

the surface portion is a portion other than the central portion.

5. A method of producing a mixed biochar, the method comprising:

a step of preparing biomass; and

a step of subjecting the biomass to semi-carbonization and carbonization,

wherein the semi-carbonization is performed at a temperature lower than the carbonization,

the semi-carbonization is carried out at 150 to 350 ℃, and

the carbonization is carried out at 350 ℃ to 500 ℃.

6. The method of producing mixed biochar of claim 5, wherein the step of preparing biomass comprises: a step of pulverizing the biomass to a diameter of 1mm to 10 mm; and a step of drying the partially or completely enclosed biomass to a moisture content of 5% or less.

7. The method of producing mixed biochar of claim 5, wherein the semi-carbonizing and carbonizing step comprises: a step of semi-carbonizing the biomass at 150 ℃ to 350 ℃ for 10 to 60 minutes; and a step of carbonizing the semi-carbonized biomass at 350 ℃ to 500 ℃ for 1 to 5 minutes.

8. The method of producing mixed biochar of claim 5, further comprising: a step of spraying vegetable oil to the biomass before the semi-carbonization and carbonization steps.

9. The method for producing mixed biochar of claim 5, wherein the semi-carbonizing and carbonizing step includes the step of subjecting the biomass to an emulsion bath at 150 ℃ to 250 ℃.

10. The method for producing mixed biochar according to claim 5, wherein in the semi-carbonizing and carbonizing step, the central portion of the biomass is semi-carbonized at 200 ℃ to 320 ℃ for 20 to 60 minutes, and the surface portion of the biomass is carbonized at 350 ℃ to 500 ℃.

11. The method of producing mixed biochar of claim 5, further comprising: a step of fiberizing the semi-carbonized biomass and carbonized biomass after the semi-carbonization and carbonization steps.

12. The method for producing mixed biochar of claim 11, wherein the fiberizing is comminution by applying shear forces to the semi-carbonized biomass and carbonized biomass.

13. A formulation for promoting crop growth and improving soil, the formulation comprising the mixed biochar of any one of claims 1 to 4.

14. The crop growth promoting and soil improving formulation of claim 13, further comprising a microorganism.

15. The crop growth promoting and soil improving formulation of claim 14, wherein the microorganisms are contained in a central portion of the mixed biochar.

16. A deodorant composition for livestock barns, comprising the mixed biochar of any one of claims 1 to 4.

17. The deodorant composition for livestock houses according to claim 16, which absorbs moisture in an amount of 300 to 400% by weight relative to the total weight of the composition.

18. The deodorant composition for livestock houses according to claim 16, wherein the average diameter of the mixed biochar is 0.1mm to 5 mm.

19. A nursery bed soil comprising the mixed biochar of any one of claims 1 to 4.

20. A seedling bed soil according to claim 19, wherein the seedling bed soil includes:

one or more inorganic raw materials selected from vermiculite, perlite, zeolite, diatomaceous earth and kaolin; and

one or more organic raw materials selected from peat moss, coir, bark and compost.

21. A seedling bed soil according to claim 19, wherein the seedling bed soil comprises 5 to 50 wt% of mixed biochar relative to the total weight of the bed soil.

22. A controlled release fertilizer comprising the mixed biochar of any one of claims 1 to 4.

23. The controlled release fertilizer of claim 22, wherein the controlled release fertilizer comprises one or more additives selected from the group consisting of livestock manure compost, urea, highly hygroscopic resin, liquid fertilizer and NPK complex fertilizer.

24. The controlled release fertilizer of claim 23,

wherein the mixed biochar comprises pores, and

the controlled release fertilizer comprises an additive in the pores of the mixed biochar.

25. The controlled release fertilizer of claim 22, wherein the controlled release fertilizer is in the form of pellets, briquettes, or spheres.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a mixed biochar that can promote crop growth and improve soil properties, and a method for producing the same.

Background

Biomass is a concept, which refers to an amount (mass) of a biological resource (bio), and to a bio-organic substance that can be used as an energy resource and a raw material. This biomass is a renewable organic matter resource that can be used to produce energy and fuels by thermochemical or biological/chemical conversion. Meanwhile, in korea, a large amount of biomass is discharged to various fields, and only a part of them is incinerated while most of them remain as they are. Therefore, there is an urgent need to make plans to efficiently utilize these resources.

The energy produced from biomass has carbon-neutral properties, since it does not emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in terms of carbon recycling. However, biochar produced using biomass has negative carbon properties that sequester carbon into soil, and thus has attracted considerable attention in terms of coping with climate change, environmental restoration, renewable energy, improvement in agricultural productivity, and organic waste resource management.

In particular, biochar is a solid substance with a high carbon content that is produced when biomass is pyrolyzed under oxygen-limited conditions. In addition, biochar is converted into non-degradable carbon by pyrolysis, which is a stable form and thus is not easily decomposed by external factors. Thus, biochar can contribute to mitigating climate change by capturing carbon dioxide and storing it for long periods of time. In addition, when biochar is inserted into soil, agricultural productivity can be improved by improving adsorption capacity, improving chemical properties such as neutralization and improving ion exchange capacity, improving biological properties such as increasing biomass and increasing microbial activity due to providing habitats for microorganisms, and improving physical properties such as increasing air permeability of soil, improving moisture retention capacity of soil, and reducing soil volume weight. Therefore, the biochar can be widely applied to the fields related to environment and energy.

However, the conventional biochar has a high pH and is mainly composed of carbon, and thus has a disadvantage of hindering useful microorganisms from being propagated in soil. Thus, biochar is used only for simple soil improvement purposes, such as reducing carbon dioxide production by carbon sequestration, and preventing soil acidification or removing heavy metals.

For example, korean laid-open patent No. 2014-0000540 (patent document 1) proposes a method of reducing carbon dioxide discharged into the atmosphere by adding biochar obtained by pyrolyzing corn residues to soil. Further, korean laid-open patent No. 2015-0028654 (patent document 2) discloses biochar beads for removing heavy metals in soil by mixing sodium alginate with biochar obtained by pyrolyzing woody biomass. However, the patent literature aims at using biochar obtained from agricultural or forestry byproducts for carbon sequestration or soil quality improvement, but has disadvantages in that it requires a lot of time and cost for its production, its use is limited, and the obtained effect is insufficient.

Therefore, as a result of various studies, in order to show the effects of biochar such as improvement of soil environment and increase of crop yield, the present inventors have confirmed that, when mixed biochar in which a central portion of biomass is semi-carbonized and a surface portion thereof is carbonized is used, soil can be improved and crop growth can be promoted, thereby completing the present invention.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem

An object of the present invention is to provide a mixed biochar exhibiting effects of promoting crop growth and improving soil quality by having improved pH and improved nutrients; and a method for producing the same.

Technical scheme

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a mixed biochar comprising a biomass having a semi-carbonized central portion and a carbonized surface portion.

Further, the present invention provides a method for producing mixed biochar, the method including a step of preparing biomass, and a step of subjecting the biomass to semi-carbonization and carbonization, wherein the semi-carbonization is performed at a temperature lower than the carbonization, the semi-carbonization is performed at 150 ℃ to 350 ℃, and the carbonization is performed at 350 ℃ to 500 ℃.

In addition, the invention provides a preparation for promoting the growth of crops and improving soil, which comprises the mixed biochar.

In addition, the present invention provides a deodorant composition for livestock houses, which comprises the above-mentioned mixed biochar.

In addition, the invention provides the seedling bed soil containing the mixed biochar.

In addition, the present invention provides a controlled release fertilizer comprising the above mixed biochar.

Advantageous effects

The mixed biochar according to the present invention includes a central portion, which has a weakly acidic pH and a low carbon content and contains organic substances other than carbon, and thus can promote crop growth and improve soil properties as compared to conventional biochar, thereby being more suitable for crop growth. In addition, the mixed biochar can be in a pellet or briquette form without any special additive, and thus has the advantage of being useful not only as a soil improving agent but also as a controlled release fertilizer and deodorant composition for livestock houses.

The formulation for promoting crop growth and improving soil according to the present invention comprises the mixed biochar and microorganisms as described above, and thus has excellent crop growth promoting properties and soil improving properties. In addition, the formulation does not cause the problem of fine powder being blown up by wind during application, which is a disadvantage of the conventional soil improvement formulations.

The deodorant composition for livestock houses according to the present invention has deodorizing properties similar to charcoal or activated carbon, is excellent in feces adsorbing ability, is soft in texture, and thus can be used as a substitute for conventional sawdust for livestock house mats.

In addition, the controlled-release fertilizer according to the present invention has excellent crop growth promoting properties because the fertilizer components are slowly released during the growth of crops.

Here, the effects of the present invention are not limited to the above-described effects, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art from the following description.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a reactor according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a temperature distribution within a reactor according to another embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 3 a is a photograph of a central portion of the mixed biochar according to the present invention, and fig. 3B is a photograph of a surface portion of the mixed biochar according to the present invention;

fig. 4 a is a photograph of a central portion of the mixed biochar according to the present invention, which is observed with SEM, and fig. 4B is a photograph of a surface portion of the mixed biochar according to the present invention, which is observed with SEM;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged photograph of particles obtained by pulverizing the mixed biochar according to the present invention using a shear force pulverizer or an impact pulverizer; and

fig. 6 is a photograph of a chinese cabbage cultivated with the soil for a nursery bed according to the present invention and a chinese cabbage cultivated with the soil for a nursery bed of comparative example 4.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail.

The "central portion" and "surface portion" in this specification refer to the inner portion and the outer portion of the object, respectively.

Mixed biochar

The present invention provides a hybrid biochar comprising a biomass having a central portion and a surface portion, the central portion and the surface portion having different physical and chemical properties.

The biomass has a semi-carbonized central portion and a carbonized surface portion. Here, the carbon content in the semi-carbonized center portion may be 50% or more and less than 80%, 55% or more and less than 75%, or 60% or more and less than 70%. Further, the carbon content in the carbonized surface part may be 80% or more or 90% or more.

Further, the pH of the semi-carbonized central portion may be 4.0 or more and less than 7.5, 4.5 or more and less than 6.5, or 5.0 or more and less than 6.0. Further, the pH of the carbonized surface part may be 7.5 or more or 8.0 or more.

The central and surface portions of the biomass of the mixed biochar have different carbon content and pH. Specifically, the central portion of the biomass is semi-carbonized and thus has a lower carbon content than the surface portion, but contains other organic substances, and thus microorganisms are easily propagated. Further, the central part has a weakly acidic pH value, and thus when the mixed biochar is provided to the soil, the central part can modify the soil to have a pH value suitable for the growth of crops.

The central portion may be a portion that includes the center of the cross-section of the biomass and occupies 30% area or less or 5% to 30% area with respect to the total area of the cross-section of the biomass, and the surface portion may be a portion other than the central portion. Specifically, the central portion may be a portion that includes the center of the cross section of the biomass and occupies 10% to 30% area or 10% to 20% area with respect to the total area of the cross section of the biomass, and the surface portion may be a portion other than the central portion. When the area of the central portion is within the above range, the produced biochar is carbonized to an increased degree, and thus has a high pH value and a high carbon content. Thus, limitations may arise in terms of unfavorable crop growth and microbial propagation.

Further, the biomass has a semi-carbonized central portion and a carbonized surface portion, and thus may include pores. In particular, the biomass may comprise a plurality of pores in each of the central portion and the surface portion.

Biomass can be obtained by subjecting the biomass raw material taken out as it is to carbonization and semi-carbonization, or by subjecting the biomass raw material to any form of processing. In particular, the biomass raw material may be pulverized or crushed into an appropriate size, or may be processed into pellets.

For example, the biomass raw material may be used without particular limitation as long as it includes cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and the like. In particular, the biomass raw material may be woody biomass or herbaceous biomass.

Further, the woody biomass can be, for example, sawdust, wood chips, waste wood, forest by-products, and the like. Specifically, the woody biomass may be pine waste wood or oak waste wood.

Further, the herbaceous biomass may be, for example, corn stover, palm kernel, coconut shell, nut shell, rice hull, sorghum straw, miscanthus, reed, straw, Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB), fallen leaves, and the like. In particular, the herbaceous biomass may be straw, miscanthus, reed or EFB.

The mixed biochar as described above includes a central portion having a weakly acidic pH and a low carbon content, and contains organic substances other than carbon, and thus can promote crop growth and improve soil properties as compared with conventional biochar, thereby being preferably used for crop growth. Thus, the mixed biochar is suitable for application to a soil improving formulation. In addition, the mixed biochar can be in a pellet or briquette shape without any special additive, and thus has the advantage of being used not only as a soil improvement agent but also as a controlled release fertilizer. In addition, the mixed biochar has deodorizing properties similar to charcoal or activated carbon, is excellent in fecal adsorption capacity, is soft in texture, and thus can be used as a substitute for conventional sawdust for animal house mats.

Method for producing mixed biochar

Further, the present invention provides a method of producing a mixed biochar, the method comprising: a step of preparing biomass; and a step of subjecting the biomass to semi-carbonization and carbonization, wherein the semi-carbonization is performed at a temperature lower than the carbonization, the semi-carbonization is performed at 150 ℃ to 350 ℃, and the carbonization is performed at 350 ℃ to 500 ℃.

First, biomass is prepared.

In the step of preparing the biomass, the biomass may be processed to achieve uniform carbonization of the biomass and to improve heat transfer efficiency. For example, the steps include: a step of crushing the biomass; and a step of drying the partially or completely enclosed biomass to a moisture content of 5% or less.

Specifically, the pulverization may be that the biomass is put into a pulverizer to be pulverized. Here, the pulverization may be performed so that the biomass has a diameter of 1mm to 10mm or 3mm to 5 mm. When the pulverization is performed so that the diameter of the biomass is smaller than the above range, the semi-carbonized central portion, which is a feature of the present invention, cannot be formed due to an excessive carbonization reaction in the semi-carbonization and carbonization steps, which will be described later. Further, when the pulverization is performed such that the diameter of the biomass exceeds the above range, the reaction time is prolonged, which is wasteful and may lower the productivity.

Further, the drying may be drying the partially pulverized or completely pulverized biomass at room temperature or in a drying apparatus. Specifically, the drying may be drying the pulverized biomass so that the moisture content is 5% or less or 4% or less. When the above-described drying step is performed, the reaction efficiency can be improved during the subsequent heat treatment. When the moisture content of the biomass exceeds the above range, there is a problem that the time for the subsequent semi-carbonization and carbonization becomes long.

Next, the biomass is semi-carbonized and carbonized.

The semi-carbonization is performed at a lower temperature than the carbonization, the semi-carbonization is performed at 150 to 350 ℃, and the carbonization is performed at 350 to 500 ℃.

Specifically, the step may include: a step of semi-carbonizing a biomass at 150 ℃ to 350 ℃ for 10 to 60 minutes; and carbonizing the semi-carbonized biomass at 350 ℃ to 500 ℃ for 1 to 5 minutes. More specifically, the step may include: a step of semi-carbonizing a biomass at 180 ℃ to 330 ℃ or 200 ℃ to 300 ℃ for 15 to 40 minutes or 20 to 35 minutes; and a step of carbonizing the semi-carbonized biomass at 380 ℃ to 500 ℃ or 400 ℃ to 500 ℃ for 1 to 5 minutes.

The semi-carbonization can sequentially decompose hemicellulose, lignin, cellulose, and the like constituting the biomass into carbon. When the semi-carbonization is performed at a temperature lower than the above temperature range, the semi-carbonization is not performed and toxic substances such as benzene, tar, and acetic acid contained in the biomass remain as they are, so that there is a problem that the biomass is not suitable for application to soil. In contrast, when the temperature during the semi-carbonization exceeds the above temperature range, there is a problem that carbonization proceeds to increase the pH and the carbon content.

Further, when the half-carbonization time is outside the above range, there is a problem in that the heat treatment reaction excessively proceeds or insufficiently proceeds, and thus a half-carbonized state having a preferred carbon content and a preferred pH value cannot be achieved.

Further, the semi-carbonization may be performed in a commonly used heat treatment apparatus. For example, the semi-carbonization may be performed in a heat treatment apparatus such as a rotary kiln reactor, a moving bed reactor, a tower reactor, a screw reactor, a multi-bed reactor, or a microwave reactor, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Further, in the step of carbonizing the semi-carbonized biomass, a surface portion of the semi-carbonized biomass may be further carbonized. Here, by heat-treating the semi-carbonized biomass to carbonize only a surface portion of the semi-carbonized biomass, the central portion and the surface portion of the biomass may have different physical and chemical properties.

When carbonization is performed at a temperature lower than the above temperature range, there is a problem that the surface portion of the biomass is not sufficiently carbonized, and when carbonization is performed at a temperature higher than the above temperature range, there is a problem that not only the surface portion but also the center portion of the biomass is carbonized, and thus there is no difference in physical and chemical properties between the center portion and the surface portion.

Further, when the carbonization time exceeds the above range, there is a problem in that the surface portion is not sufficiently carbonized or not only the surface portion but also the central portion is carbonized due to excessive or insufficient heat treatment reaction, and thus there is no difference in physical and chemical properties between the central portion and the surface portion.

The carbonization can be performed in a commonly used heat treatment apparatus, and the types of heat treatment apparatuses that can be used are the same as those described in the semi-carbonization step.

Here, the semi-carbonization and carbonization may be performed by heat-treating the biomass under an anoxic condition. The anoxic condition may be formed by injecting a reducing gas into the reactor, and the reducing gas may be carbon dioxide (CO)₂) Argon (Ar), nitrogen (N)₂) Helium (He), or a mixture thereof, but not limited to these examples.

In addition, a step of spraying vegetable oil to the biomass may be further included before the semi-carbonization and carbonization steps. When the thermal treatment is performed after spraying the vegetable oil to the biomass as described above, the oil absorption of the vegetable oil and the semi-carbonization of the biomass can be simultaneously performed. When semi-carbonization is performed after spraying the vegetable oil as described above, there are effects of improving the carbonization rate of the surface portion, improving the uniformity of semi-carbonization and carbonization, and performing constant carbonization. Specifically, since the temperature of the surface portion of the biomass to which the vegetable oil is applied rapidly rises (since the thermal conductivity of the emulsion is about 20 times higher than that of wood), the surface is carbonized and the inside is semi-carbonized, so that the mixed biochar can be easily produced.

The vegetable oil may include one or more selected from coconut oil, corn oil, cotton seed oil, molybdenum oil, palm oil, peanut oil, rapeseed oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, sunflower seed oil, almond oil, beech oil, brazil nut oil, cashew nut oil, hazelnut oil, lemon oil, and orange oil, but is not limited to these examples.

Here, the vegetable oil may be used in a content of 1 wt% to 20 wt% with respect to the total weight of the biomass.

The steps of semi-carbonizing and carbonizing the biomass may be performed simultaneously by changing the conditions of the respective parts in one heat treatment apparatus, or may be performed separately by two heat treatment apparatuses under respective predetermined conditions. That is, in the semi-carbonization and carbonization steps, the biomass may be semi-carbonized in one heat treatment apparatus and then carbonized in another heat treatment apparatus. Here, in the case of spraying vegetable oil, it is possible to produce relatively very uniform and stable mixed biochar even using only one heat treatment apparatus, and thus it is very effective in reducing the equipment investment and improving the productivity.

In particular, the semi-carbonization and carbonization steps may include a step of subjecting the biomass to an emulsion bath at 150 ℃ to 250 ℃.

Here, the emulsion bath may be a heat treatment performed by putting the biomass into an emulsion (oil) heated to a high temperature by bathing. Specifically, by heating the biomass prepared in the step of preparing the biomass by bathing the heated emulsion (oil), the half-carbonization of the center portion and the carbonization of the surface portion can be performed. During the emulsion bath as described above, moisture contained in the biomass is discharged from the biomass in the form of steam through a high-temperature atmosphere, and the emulsion is sucked into and fills the pores from which the moisture is discharged, due to a pressure difference from the outside. Due to the high temperature emulsion, the biomass filling the emulsion in this way may undergo a structural change in the composition of the biomass. For example, hemicellulose, which is a constituent component of biomass, is a component that decomposes at a relatively low temperature, and due to a high-temperature atmosphere, hydroxyl groups (OH) in a molecular structure are removed by an oxidation reaction, leaving only a carbon component. Due to such reactions, semi-carbonization of the biomass is possible, the reaction can be controlled by the temperature of the emulsion, and besides hemicellulose, lignin and cellulose components can also initiate the same reaction.

Thus, oil absorption of the emulsion and semi-carbonization and carbonization of the biomass can be performed simultaneously by the emulsion bath. Here, since the moisture in the pores is removed by the high-temperature emulsion, the drying step can be omitted, and since the emulsion fills the pores, carbonization of the central portion can be prevented.

The emulsion may be one or more selected from vegetable oil, animal oil, and the like, excluding mineral oil such as fuel oil, for example, petroleum, kerosene, and light oil. Here, examples of the vegetable oil include soybean oil, grape seed oil, corn oil, palm oil, sunflower oil, castor oil, and examples of the animal oil include one or more oils extracted from animals selected from the group consisting of cattle, pigs, chickens, and fish.

Here, the emulsion bath may be performed at 160 ℃ to 220 ℃ or 180 ℃ to 220 ℃. When the temperature is lower than the above range, there are disadvantages in that the time required for semi-carbonization of biomass is significantly increased, and a separate deoiling process is required to remove the emulsion since the emulsion on the surface of the semi-carbonized biomass is not evaporated after the emulsion bath and a part of the emulsion remains on the surface of the semi-carbonized biomass. In contrast, when the temperature exceeds the above range, there is a problem in that the fuel consumption for heating the emulsion is significantly increased, while the semi-carbonization efficiency of the biomass is not significantly increased, and thus the efficiency is decreased. Further, since most emulsions have a boiling point of 250 ℃ or less, the emulsions volatilize at a temperature equal to or higher than the above temperature, which may cause a problem of lowering economic efficiency.

The emulsion bath may be carried out for 5 to 30 minutes, 10 to 25 minutes, or 10 to 20 minutes. When the emulsion bath treatment time is out of the above range, there is a problem that the semi-carbonization reaction does not sufficiently or excessively proceed.

Further, in the semi-carbonization and carbonization steps, the surface portion may be carbonized at 350 ℃ to 500 ℃ while the central portion of the biomass is semi-carbonized at 200 ℃ to 320 ℃ for 20 to 60 minutes. For example, in this step, the semi-carbonization and carbonization of the biomass may be simultaneously performed by heat-treating the biomass in a reactor having a surface temperature of 350 ℃ to 500 ℃ under anoxic conditions for 20 to 60 minutes.

As shown in fig. 1, when a reducing gas is injected into a reactor whose surface is heated to 400 to 500 ℃, the internal temperature of the reactor is formed and maintained at 200 to 300 ℃. Here, as shown in fig. 2, the internal temperature of the reactor may show a temperature gradient in which the temperature decreases as approaching the central axis of the reactor. Due to the difference in heat conduction of the biomass itself in the reactor having such a temperature gradient, the carbonization reaction can be performed in the surface portion of the biomass at 350 ℃ to 500 ℃, and the semi-carbonization reaction can be performed in the central portion of the biomass at 200 ℃ to 320 ℃.

Here, the semi-carbonization and carbonization may be performed for 20 to 60 minutes, 20 to 50 minutes, or 20 to 40 minutes. When the treatment time is shorter than the above range, the carbonization reaction at the surface portion may not sufficiently proceed, whereas when the treatment time exceeds the above range, there may be caused a problem that the semi-carbonization reaction at the central portion excessively proceeds.

In addition, a step of spraying vegetable oil to the biomass may be included before the semi-carbonization and carbonization steps. When the heat treatment is performed after the vegetable oil is sprayed to the biomass as described above, the oil absorption of the vegetable oil and the semi-carbonization and carbonization of the biomass may be simultaneously performed. Specifically, since the temperature of the surface portion of the biomass to which the vegetable oil is applied rapidly rises (since the thermal conductivity of the emulsion is about 20 times higher than that of wood), the surface is carbonized and the inside is semi-carbonized, so that the mixed biochar can be easily produced.

Here, the vegetable oil may be used in a content of 1 to 20 wt% with respect to the total weight of the biomass.

Further, the production method may further include a step of fiberizing the semi-carbonized biomass and the carbonized biomass after the semi-carbonization and carbonization steps.

Specifically, the fiberization may be pulverization by applying a shearing force to the semi-carbonized biomass and the carbonized biomass. The pulverizer which applies a shearing force is, for example, a disk mill, a roll mill, a ball mill, a tube mill, a fine mill, or the like.

The existing biochar is generally pulverized using a hammer crusher, which is a pulverizing apparatus, but when the biochar is pulverized using a pulverizer that applies a shearing force as described above, tissue is fiberized (sponged) to expose an organic matter-containing layer of a central portion (inside) of semi-carbonized biochar, so that a surface area can be increased. Therefore, the mixed biochar pulverized with the pulverizer for applying a shearing force as described above can further improve the crop growth promoting and soil improving ability. Further, in the case of the mixed biochar pulverized using the pulverizer that applies a shearing force as described above, unlike the conventional biochar, fine powder is not blown out during the application, and thus the work convenience is excellent.

Preparation for promoting crop growth and improving soil

In addition, the present invention provides a preparation for promoting crop growth and improving soil comprising the above mixed biochar.

As described in the above-mentioned mixed biochar, the mixed biochar according to the present invention is weakly acidic in the central portion and neutral in the surface portion, and thus is very suitable for planting crops and improving the physicochemical properties of soil. In addition, since the mixed biochar according to the present invention structurally includes pores in the central portion and has a low carbon content but contains organic materials other than carbon in the components, the mixed biochar provides suitable space and nutrients for the propagation of microorganisms in soil, thereby achieving the effects of improving the soil environment and promoting the growth of crops.

In addition, the crop growth promoting and soil improvement agent may further comprise microorganisms. When the microorganism is used in soil, plant cultivation can be assisted by the activity of the microorganism, such as increasing an effective component or decomposing a substance in soil. Therefore, by increasing the supply of organic substances, the decomposition of harmful substances by microorganisms, and the supply of nutrients, the effects of improving the soil environment and promoting the growth of crops can be further achieved.

In addition, the microorganism may be contained in the central portion of the mixed biochar. In the central portion of the mixed biochar, pores are formed by a semi-carbonization reaction, and the pores can be used as carriers for propagation of microorganisms.

The microorganism may be one or more selected from the group consisting of actinomycetes, filamentous fungi, lactic acid bacteria, photosynthetic bacteria, yeasts and beneficial bacteria.

Actinomycetes decompose organic substances that are difficult to decompose or produce antibiotics, such as Streptomyces hygroscopicus (Streptomyces hygroscopicus), Streptomyces griseus (Streptomyces grieus), and the like.

Filamentous fungi decompose organic substances, such as Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma hamatum, Aspergillus niger, Acremonium strictum, and the like.

Lactic acid bacteria promote decomposition of organic substances or dissolution of phosphoric acid to promote crop growth, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus (Lactobacillus acidophilus), Lactobacillus bulgaricus (Lactobacillus bulgaricus), Lactobacillus plantarum (Lactobacillus plantanum), Lactobacillus casei (Lactobacillus casei), Streptococcus faecalis (Streptococcus faecalis), and the like.

Photosynthetic bacteria supply oxygen to plant roots through photosynthesis, fix free nitrogen, secrete substances promoting crop growth, and decompose and remove harmful substances, such as Rhodobacter capsulatus (Rhodobacter capsulatus), Rhodobacter sphaeroides (Rhodobacter sphaeroides), Rhodobacter rubrum (Rhodobacter rubrum), and the like.

Yeasts decompose organic substances to produce organic acids, antibacterial substances, etc., and secrete various growth-promoting active substances, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), Galactomyces geotrichum (Galactomyces geotrichum), myceliophthora burgdorferi (Hyphophia burtonii), etc.

Beneficial bacteria decompose organic substances and control crop diseases, such as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus stearothermophilus, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus licheniformis, Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas cepacia, etc.

As described above, the formulation for promoting crop growth and improving soil according to the present invention comprises the mixed biochar and microorganisms as described above, and thus has excellent crop growth promoting and soil improving properties.

Controlled release fertilizer

In addition, the present invention may provide a controlled release fertilizer comprising the above mixed biochar.

The average diameter of the mixed biochar can be 0.1 to 5mm, 0.5 to 4mm, or 1 to 3 mm. Here, the mixed biochar may be fiberized by a fiberizing method in which pulverization is performed by applying a shearing force in the method for producing the mixed biochar as described above to control the average diameter thereof. When the controlled release fertilizer comprises the fibrillated mixed biochar as described above, it is possible to effectively remove odor from compost or the like derived from animal manure and to improve the maturity and performance of the rottenness degree of the produced controlled release fertilizer.

Here, the controlled-release fertilizer may include one or more additives selected from the group consisting of livestock manure compost, urea, highly hygroscopic resin, liquid fertilizer and NPK complex fertilizer.

The high hygroscopic resin is not particularly limited as long as it is a commonly used high hygroscopic resin contained in the controlled release fertilizer, and may be, for example, one or more selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acid, a copolymer of isoprene and maleic acid ester, a copolymer of starch and polyacrylate, a polyvinyl alcohol-based compound, a polyacrylamide-based compound, a polyoxyethylene-based compound, a carboxymethyl cellulose compound, and a copolymer of acrylamide and acrylic acid.

The liquid fertilizer is a liquid, and any liquid fertilizer can be used without any particular limitation as long as it is a commonly used liquid fertilizer.

The NPK compound fertilizer is a fertilizer containing nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and K (potassium), and is not particularly limited as long as it is a commonly used NPK fertilizer.

In addition, the mixed biochar includes pores, and the controlled release fertilizer may include an additive in the pores of the mixed biochar. For example, the controlled release fertilizer may be prepared by an infusion process in which an additive is infused into pores of mixed biochar by dissolving the additive in a solvent and then adding the mixed biochar. As described above, when the controlled-release fertilizer contains the additive in the pores of the mixed biochar, wettability to moisture is reduced due to surface tension of the carbonized surface portion of the mixed biochar, so that the controlled-release property in which the additive (effective component) is gradually eluted during the growth of crops can be improved.

The controlled release fertilizer may be in the form of pellets, briquettes, or balls.

In addition, the controlled release fertilizer can easily control the elution time of additives and the like by controlling the carbonization degree of the mixed biochar. Specifically, based on the fact that the elution rate of the additive becomes faster as the carbonization degree of the mixed biochar increases, and the elution rate of the additive becomes slower as the carbonization degree decreases, the elution time and rate of the additive and the like can be easily controlled by controlling the carbonization degree of the mixed biochar.

As described above, the controlled-release fertilizer comprising mixed biochar according to the present invention has an advantage in that it can be molded without using additives in the form of pellets or briquettes. In addition, the controlled-release fertilizer according to the present invention has a controlled-release property in which an additive as an effective component is gradually eluted, thus having an excellent soil improvement effect, and is suitable as a controlled-release fertilizer.

Seedling bed soil

In addition, the invention provides the seedling bed soil containing the mixed biochar.

The seedling bed soil may include: one or more inorganic raw materials selected from vermiculite, perlite, zeolite, diatomaceous earth and kaolin; and one or more organic raw materials selected from peat moss, coconut coir, bark and compost.

The nursery bed soil may contain 5 to 50 wt% of mixed biochar relative to the total weight of the bed soil. Specifically, the seedling bed soil may include 10 to 40 wt%, 15 to 35 wt%, or 20 to 30 wt% of the mixed biochar, relative to the total weight of the bed soil.

The soil for a nursery bed as described above contains mixed biochar and thus has very excellent crop growth promoting properties.

Deodorant composition for animal house

The invention provides a deodorant composition for livestock houses, which comprises the mixed biochar. The deodorant composition for livestock houses according to the present invention comprises the mixed biochar, has deodorizing properties similar to charcoal or activated carbon, is excellent in feces adsorbing ability, is soft in texture, and thus can be effectively used as a substitute for conventional sawdust for livestock house mats.

The mixed biochar of the deodorant composition for livestock houses can be fiberized by a fiberization method in which pulverization is carried out by applying a shearing force as described in the aforementioned method for producing the mixed biochar to control the average diameter thereof. Here, the average diameter of the mixed biochar may be 0.1 to 5mm, 0.5 to 4mm, or 1 to 3 mm. The conventional biochar has needle-shaped crystals and thus has a limitation in that it is difficult to use it as a barn mat, but as described above, the deodorant composition for barns comprising the fiberized mixed biochar has spherical or elliptical crystals and thus has an advantage in that it can be used as a barn mat.

Further, the conventional biochar includes hard tissues since the entire biochar is carbonized, and when the conventional biochar is pulverized by a conventional method, there are problems in that the particles of the biochar are hard and pulverized into sharp needle shapes during the pulverization process to injure livestock. Therefore, the conventional biochar cannot be used as a substitute for sawdust for a mat for a livestock house. Meanwhile, the mixed biochar according to the present invention has a fibrous (spongy) tissue, and thus has a softer and more elastic particle shape, and has excellent deodorizing properties and an excellent ability to absorb moisture contained in animal house manure. Thus, the mixed biochar can be used as a substitute for sawdust for animal house mats.

Specifically, the deodorant composition for livestock houses may absorb 300 to 400 wt%, 350 to 400 wt%, or 360 to 380 wt% of moisture with respect to the total weight of the composition.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples. However, the following examples are only for more specifically illustrating the present invention, and the contents of the present invention are not limited by the following examples.

Example 1 production of Mixed biochar with Simultaneous semi-carbonization and analysis of the properties of the biochar

Examples 1-1 to 1-3 and comparative examples 1-1 to 1-4: production of biochar

Waste wood pulverized to a diameter of 4mm was put into a rotary kiln reactor, argon gas was injected into the reactor to form an anoxic condition, and then the surface of the reactor was heated to a temperature listed in table 1 below and subjected to a heat treatment for 30 minutes to allow semi-carbonization and carbonization of the waste wood (biomass) to be simultaneously performed, thereby producing biochar in each of examples 1-1 to 1-3 and comparative examples 1-1 to 1-4.

[ TABLE 1 ]

Experimental example 1 analysis of properties of biochar

In order to analyze the basic properties of the biochar produced in each of examples 1-1 to 1-3 and comparative examples 1-1 to 1-4, industrial analysis, elemental analysis, and pH, CEC, and EC measurements were performed.

Specifically, in the industrial analysis, 3g of biochar was placed in a crucible, heated at 105 ℃ for 24 hours, covered with a lid at 450 ℃ for 30 minutes, and uncovered at 750 ℃ for 30 minutes, which were sequentially performed to calculate the contents of moisture, volatiles, fixed carbon, and ash. Further, in the elemental analysis, the contents of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen in the biochar are measured using an elemental analyzer. Further, the pH value was measured using a pH meter by mixing the sample and distilled water at a weight ratio of 1:5, and EC means conductivity and was measured using an EC meter. CEC is a cation exchange capacity, and ICP analysis was performed by filtering the filtrate with Whatman No. 2 filter paper after stirring with 1M ammonium acetate solution. The results obtained in this case are shown in tables 2 and 3.

[ TABLE 2 ]

[ TABLE 3 ]

As shown in tables 2 and 3, in the case of the biochar of each of examples 1-1 to 1-3 in which the surface temperature of the reactor was in the range of 350 ℃ to 500 ℃, the pH of the surface portion was 6.5 to 8.4, indicating weak acidity to neutrality. Further, it was confirmed that the toxic substances were present when the surface temperature of the reactor was less than 350 ℃ and were removed when the surface temperature exceeded 500 ℃, but the pH and carbon content of the surface portion were high, and thus the propagation of microorganisms was impossible.

Experimental example 2 surface Structure analysis

The surface structures of the central portion and the surface portion of the biochar of example 1-1 were examined with the naked eye and SEM. The results obtained in this case are shown in fig. 3 and 4.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show biochar according to example 1-1 of the present invention, A of FIG. 3 is a photograph of the center portion of the biochar of example 1-1, which is visually inspected, and B of FIG. 3 is a photograph of the surface portion of the biochar of example 1-1, which is visually inspected. A of FIG. 4 is a photograph of the center portion of the biochar of example 1-1 as examined by SEM, and B of FIG. 4 is a photograph of the surface portion of the biochar of example 1-1 as examined by SEM.

Referring to fig. 3 and 4, it can be confirmed that the shapes and structures of the central portion and the surface portion of the mixed biochar according to the present invention are different.

Example 2 production of biochar using emulsion bath method, and analysis of the properties of biochar

Examples 2-1 to 2-8 and comparative examples 2-1 to 2-3: production of biochar

The waste wood pulverized to a diameter of 4mm was put into an emulsion bath apparatus, and emulsion bath was performed for 20 minutes under the temperature conditions as shown in the following table 4 to carbonize the surface portion while semi-carbonizing the center portion, thereby producing biochar in each of examples 2-1 to 2-8 and biochar in each of comparative examples 2-1 to 2-3. In addition, soybean oil is used as the emulsion.

[ TABLE 4 ]

	Emulsion temperature (. degree.C.)
		Comparative example 2-1	0
Comparative examples 2 to 2	50
		Comparative examples 2 to 3	100
Example 2-1	150
		Examples 2 to 2	160
Examples 2 to 3	170
		Examples 2 to 4	180
Examples 2 to 4	190
		Examples 2 to 6	200
Examples 2 to 7	210
		Examples 2 to 8	220

Experimental example 3 analysis of properties of biochar

In order to analyze the components of the semi-carbonized biochar and carbonized biochar produced in each of examples 2-1 to 2-8 and comparative examples 2-1 to 2-3, the U.S. NREL standard analysis method was used. Specifically, the dried sample of biochar was put into 72% sulfuric acid, reacted at 30 ℃ for 1 hour, then distilled water was added thereto, and the resultant was reacted at 121 ℃ for 1 hour. Then, the resultant was filtered with a crucible filter, and then the liquid filtrate was analyzed using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and spectrophotometry. The results obtained in this case are shown in tables 5 and 6.

[ TABLE 5 ]

[ TABLE 6 ]

Experimental example 4 experiment on effects of growing crops and reducing greenhouse gases

The biochar of example 1-1 was applied to the cultivation of potatoes and peppers, and the soil to which the biochar was applied in this case was analyzed for greenhouse gases. Here, the results obtained are shown in table 7 (potato) and table 8 (pepper) below.

Specifically, the greenhouse gas emission amount is calculated by formula 1, where X is the usage amount (kg) and Y is the greenhouse gas emission amount (kg/ha).

[ EQUATION 1 ]

Y＝0.5523X-742.57

Further, the marketable tuber weight means the weight of tubers having a weight of 80g or more, and the marketable tuber yield means the weight ratio of the marketable tuber weight to the total tuber weight (total yield), and the marketable tuber yield are measured by a method of harvesting potatoes and directly inspecting the potatoes.

In addition, the fertilizer used in this case was a customized compound fertilizer No. 16 produced by south sea chemical company, and the controlled release fertilizer was Orega produced by south sea chemical company.

[ TABLE 7 ]

[ TABLE 8 ]

As shown in tables 7 and 8, it was confirmed that when the biochar according to example 1-1 of the present invention was applied to cultivation of potatoes and peppers, the yield was increased by about 80% or more compared to the untreated group, and the productivity was also increased by about 10% or more compared to fertilizers used in the conventional practice. Furthermore, greenhouse gases were also demonstrated to be reduced by about 68.5% to 73.5% compared to conventional practice.

Experimental example 5 test for soil improvement Effect

The biochar of example 1-1 was added to normal soil, and then the soil was analyzed for its composition. The results obtained in this case are shown in table 9 below, and O.M (%) indicates the content of organic substances based on the total weight of soil.

[ TABLE 9 ]

As shown in table 9, as a result of adding the biochar according to example 1-1 of the present invention to normal soil, it was confirmed that the overall soil properties including pH were improved.

Example 3 production of biochar by semi-carbonization and carbonization simultaneously after spraying vegetable oil, and analysis of the properties of biochar

Examples 3-1 to 3-3 and comparative examples 3-1 to 3-4: production of biochar

Soybean oil occupying 5 wt% of the total weight of the waste wood was sprayed on the waste wood crushed to a diameter of 4mm, and the resultant was put into a rotary kiln reactor. Subsequently, argon gas was injected into the reactor to form an anoxic condition, and then the surface of the reactor was heated to a temperature listed in the following table 10 and subjected to a heat treatment for about 30 minutes to allow semi-carbonization and carbonization of the waste wood to be simultaneously performed, thereby producing biochar in each of examples 3-1 to 3-3 and biochar in each of comparative examples 3-1 to 3-4.

[ TABLE 10 ]

Experimental example 6 analysis of properties of biochar

In order to analyze the basic properties of the biochar produced in each of examples 3-1 to 3-3 and comparative examples 3-1 to 3-4, industrial analysis, elemental analysis, and pH, CEC, and EC measurements were performed. Industrial analysis, elemental analysis, and pH, CEC, and EC measurements were performed in the same manner as in experimental example 1, and the obtained results are shown in tables 11 and 12.

[ TABLE 11 ]

[ TABLE 12 ]

As shown in tables 11 and 12, biochar produced by semi-carbonization and carbonization treatment after spraying vegetable oil in the case of examples 3-1 to 3-3 had a neutral or weakly acidic pH value in the surface part, no toxic substances, and microbial propagation was possible, so that it can be seen that examples 3-1 to 3-3 were suitable for soil.

EXAMPLE 4 grinding of Mixed biochar

500kg of the mixed biochar of example 3-2 was put into a hammer mill, which is an impact mill, or a disc mill, which was pulverized by applying shear stress, and pulverized for about 5 minutes.

Experimental example 7 Observation of particle shape of Mixed biochar by pulverizing type

The shape of the mixed biochar pulverized in example 4 was observed under magnification with a magnifier, and the results are shown in fig. 5.

As shown in fig. 5, particles pulverized using a disc mill of a shear pulverizer are generally observed to be fibrous (sponge-like), whereas particles pulverized using a hammer mill of an impact pulverizer have a very sharp needle-like structure.

Example 8 experiment on the adsorption rate of animal manure of the pulverized type and the particle size of cut pieces

100g of the mixed biochar pulverized in example 4 and 100g of pine sawdust (sawdust for animal house mat) were collected as samples, and the maximum fecal adsorption rate of 100g of the samples was measured by stirring while adding liquid manure of pig house to the animal house feces by weight ratio. The measurement result values are shown in table 13.

Specifically, the maximum stool adsorption rate was determined as the maximum stool adsorption amount based on the time point at which the sample and the stool completely delaminated by leaving at room temperature for 5 minutes after the stirring, and then the stool on the surface of the sample was collected by knocking. Further, the particle size was measured using 100g of each sample and a particle size separator.

[ TABLE 13 ]

As shown in table 13, the particles pulverized using a disc mill of a shear mill generally exhibited a specific gravity similar to that of sawdust for mats and had the highest maximum moisture content relative to the sample weight. Therefore, it can be seen that when the pellets are applied to a mat for a livestock house, the absorption capacity of excrements is improved, the deodorizing effect is excellent, and thus the replacement cycle of the mat is longer.

It can also be seen that the particles pulverized using the hammer mill of the impact pulverizer generate a large amount of fine powder, have a high unfilled proportion and a minimum moisture absorption capacity, and thus are not suitable as a substitute for animal house mats.

Example 5 production of bed soil for raising seedlings and raising seedlings Using the same

Example 5-1: production of seedling bed soil

The growth status of Chinese cabbage was examined by planting Chinese cabbage after mixing 90g of the nursery bed soil sold by Ongjing corporation with 10g of the mixed charcoal of example 3-2, and the results are shown in FIG. 6.

Examples 5-2 to 5-3

Celery cabbages were planted and the growth conditions thereof were investigated in the same manner as in example 5-1, except that nursery bed soil sold by the company of nongjing and the mixed biochar of example 3-2 were mixed in a weight ratio of 8:2 or 7:3 and the mixture was used.

Comparative example 4

The growth condition of the chinese cabbage was investigated in the same manner as in example 4-1, except that the nursery soil sold by the company nongjing was used.

As shown in fig. 6, the chinese cabbage cultivated in the nursery bed soil of each of examples 5-1 to 5-3 had better root and leaf growth state than the chinese cabbage cultivated in the nursery bed soil of comparative example 4.

Example 6 production of controlled Release fertilizers

Example 6-1: vacuum infusion

20g of an NPK fertilizer (manufacturer: Namhae Chemical Corporation, trade name: Orega) was dissolved in 180g of water to prepare an aqueous fertilizer solution. Thereafter, 100g of the mixed biochar of example 4, which was pulverized with a shear force pulverizer, was added to the aqueous fertilizer solution, and vacuum treatment was performed to infuse NPK fertilizer into the pores of the mixed biochar. Next, the resultant was dried at 105 ℃ for 60 minutes to produce a controlled release fertilizer.

Example 6 to 2

A controlled-release fertilizer was produced in the same manner as in example 6-1, except that the vacuum treatment was not performed.

EXAMPLE 9 analysis of Fertilizer content under different infusion conditions

The weight of the mixed biochar before infusion, the weight of the mixed biochar after infusion, and the weight of the mixed biochar after infusion drying of the controlled release fertilizers produced in examples 6-1 and 6-2 were measured and shown in table 14.

[ TABLE 14 ]

As shown in table 14, it can be seen that example 6-1 produced by vacuum infusion absorbed more fertilizer aqueous solution about 74g and contained more fertilizer 13g even after drying, compared to example 6-2 produced by normal infusion without vacuum treatment.

Experimental example 10 evaluation of controlled Release Properties of controlled Release Fertilizer-crop growth

The controlled release fertilizer of example 6-1 was applied to cultivation of radish, cabbage, lettuce, and compared with the untreated group to which the controlled release fertilizer was not applied. The length and thickness of the stem and the length and thickness of the root of the cultivated radish, cabbage and lettuce were measured, and the results thereof are shown in table 15 below.

[ TABLE 15 ]

As shown in table 15, it can be seen that radishes, cabbages, and lettuce cultivated in soil treated with a controlled-release fertilizer showed better stem and root growth than radishes, cabbages, and lettuce cultivated in soil not treated with a controlled-release fertilizer.

Experimental example 11 evaluation of controlled Release Properties of controlled Release Fertilizer-elution Properties of fertilizer

5g of the controlled release fertilizer of example 6-1 was added to 50g of distilled water, and after 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours, the contents of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphoric acid in the distilled water were measured, and the measurement results are shown in Table 16. Specifically, the nitrogen content in the distilled water was calculated as the total weight of the distilled water to which the controlled release fertilizer was added.

[ TABLE 16 ]

As shown in Table 16, it can be seen that the controlled-release fertilizer of example 6-1 continuously eluted a constant content of fertilizer components.

In the foregoing, the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described by way of example, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described specific embodiments, and those skilled in the art can appropriately modify the scope of the present invention within the claims.