Digestate Biochar as a Lagoon Cover and Additive

该项目旨在评估从生物质原料中提取的生物炭EcoChar（排放控制有机炭）在减少生物质泻湖排放的有害气体方面的有效性。该EcoChar项目涉及描述EcoChar和EcoChar的特性，进行小规模测试，并分析EcoChar的其他好处，如营养吸收。该项目将验证EcoChar作为传统厌氧消化（AD）泻湖覆盖材料的低成本，高效和生态友好型替代品的潜力。清洁空气战略将强制要求减少开放式泥浆和固态存储（泻湖）的排放，目前不需要覆盖。大量的氨从目前对元素开放的露天储存库、储罐和泻湖中流失到大气中。预计任何新建的仓库都需要一个固定/刚性的盖子。然而，现有的基础设施将能够使用更广泛的选择，包括稻草/有机层或轻质骨料材料。典型的非刚性泻湖覆盖物具有局限性，不透气体和液体。泻湖盖有助于控制有害气体，控制气味和沼气捕获。在许多情况下，固定覆盖的成本过高，因此使用其他方法使现有商店符合要求至关重要。生物炭作为一种覆盖物，一旦其作为排放抑制剂的作用结束，也可以用作潜在的肥料和土壤改良剂。此外，生物炭被认为是一种有效的固碳方法，当应用于土壤时。AD泻湖使用露天盆地/池塘储存AD过程后的生物炭。AD系统通常涉及封闭的反应器来处理各种类型的有机废物，例如农业废物、废水和食品加工残留物。它经历厌氧微生物分解，促进沼气（主要是甲烷）的生产，可用作可再生能源。然而，由于有机物的分解，它也会排放有害气体，如氨，硫化氢，甲烷和二氧化碳。这些气体对环境和健康构成威胁，造成空气污染。EcoChar项目还将把AD作为制备生物炭的潜在原料。沼地由部分降解的有机物组成，富含营养物质，是一种合适的原料。通过热化学过程（热解）将生物质加工成生物炭有助于更好地管理生物质处置，从而减少废物，并将改善整个过程的循环性。

This project aims to assess the effectiveness of biochar derived from digestate feedstock, EcoChar (Emission Control Organic-Char) - in reducing harmful gases emitted by a digestate lagoon. This EcoChar project involves characterising digestate and EcoChar, conducting small-scale testing, and analysing the EcoChar for additional benefits such as nutrient uptake. This project will validate the potential for EcoChar to be used as a low-cost, efficient, and eco-friendly alternative to traditional Anaerobic Digestion (AD) lagoon cover materials.The Clean Air Strategy will mandate emission abatement for open slurry and digestate stores (lagoons), where they are currently not required to be covered. Significant amounts of ammonia are lost to the atmosphere from open stores, tanks and lagoons that are currently open to the elements. It is expected that any newly constructed store will need a fixed/rigid cover. However, existing infrastructure will be able to use a wider range of options, including straws/organic layers or lightweight aggregate materials.Typical non-rigid lagoon cover has limitations and is impermeable to gases and liquids. A lagoon cover helps contain harmful gases, controls odour and biogas capture. Fixed covers will be cost-prohibitive in many situations, and it is therefore vital that other methods can be used to bring existing stores into compliance. Biochar as a cover can also be utilised as a potential fertiliser and soil conditioner once its role as an emission suppressant concludes. Moreover, biochar is recognised as an effective carbon sequestration method when applied to soil.AD lagoons use open-air basins/ponds for the storage of digestate after the AD process. AD systems typically involve enclosed reactors to treat various types of organic waste such as agricultural waste, wastewater and food processing residues. It undergoes microbial breakdown anaerobically facilitating the production of biogas, primarily methane, which can be utilised as a renewable energy source. However it also emits harmful gasses such as ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, methane, and carbon dioxide due to the decomposition of organic matter. These gases pose environmental and health risks, contributing to air pollution.The EcoChar project will also look at AD digestate as a potential feedstock for preparing biochar. Digestate is composed of partially degraded organic matter making it rich in nutrients and a suitable feedstock. Processing digestate into biochar through a thermochemical process, pyrolysis, facilitates better management of the digestate disposal thus reducing waste and will improve the circularity of the overall process.