Bamboo Charcoal Introduction

Bamboos are giant, woody grasses which put out several full length, full diameter, naturally pre-finished, ready-to-use culms ("stems") each year. A single bamboo clump can produce up to 15 kilometres of usable pole (up to 30 cm in diameter) in its lifetime. Bamboo is the most diverse group of plants in the grass family, and the most primitive sub-family. It is distinguished by a woody culm, complex branching, a generally robust rhizome system and infrequent flowering.

It has a tropical and subtropical (cosmopolitan) distribution, ranging from 46 N to 47S latitude, reaching elevations as high as 4,000 m in the Himalayas and parts of China. Bamboo is very adaptable, with some species being deciduous and others evergreen. The taxonomy of the bamboo remains poorly understood, though the general consensus seems to be that bamboo numbers between 60 and 90 genera with 1,100 to 1,500 species.

Described as the "wood of the poor" (India), "friend of the people" (China) and "brother" (Vietnam), bamboo is a wonder plant that grows over wide areas of Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America. Millions of people depend on this plant for their livelihood. It has become so much a part of the culture and memory of societies that the existence of a Bamboo Age has not been ruled out. Its use in food and cooking goes far back in history.

Exports of bamboo shoots from Taiwan alone amount to $50 million (US). Apart from traditional uses, bamboo has many new applications as a substitute for fast depleting wood and as an alternative to more expensive materials. Modern paper industry has expanded to such an extent that 2.2 million tonnes of bamboo are used in India for this purpose. Bamboo furniture is an expanding business. In the Philippines, between 1985-1994, exports rose from $625,000 to $1.2 million.

Bamboo's potential for checking soil erosion and for road embankment stabilization are now becoming known. It is equally important for providing fast vegetative cover to deforested areas. Bamboo's role in the construction field is equally substantial. Hundreds of millions of people live in houses made from bamboo. In Bangladesh, 73% of the population live in bamboo houses. It provides pillars, walls, window frames, rafters, room separators, ceilings and roofs.

In Borneo and in the Naga Hills of India, large communal houses of 100 feet in length have been built of bamboo. Throughout rural Asia it is used for building bridges, from the sophisticated technology of suspension bridges to the simpler pontoon bridges. Bamboo scaffoldings are found throughout Asia, and they are employed on the high rise structures of Tokyo and Hong Kong.

Bamboo is also used for musical instruments of all three types: percussion or hammer instruments, wind instruments, and stringed instruments. In Java, 20 different musical instruments have been fashioned of bamboo. The flute may have been invented by cave people toying with a hollow bamboo stem.

Sustainable Bamboo Resource Systems

Community partnerships + Bamboo resources + Industrial ecology designs = Sustainable economic development opportunities.

PBRG seeks so-called "industrial ecology" design opportunities that usefully link sectors and services across sustainable bamboo resource systems. Doing so creates ways and means for innovative sustainable community and economic development.

How?

By modifying import/export priorities, and connecting people, communities and industries, opportunities emerge for enlisting local knowledge, skills and capacities for robust economic self-reliance and sustainability performance.

Such priorities can spell community resilience as new jobs, revenues and locally-produced goods and services gain value -- an increasingly important dividend as communities seek economic stability by encouraging local "closed-loop" currency circulation in face of adverse globalization impacts and anticipated "peak petroleum" scenarios.

Outlined below is an interdisciplinary "guild" of associated industry sectors and services of international bamboo resource systems. By mimicing natural systems, zero-emission performance expectations can be met.

Sustainable bamboo agroforestry

integrated crop guilds

high protein animal fodder

organic certification

harvesting and processing

seasonal fresh markets

Residential & Commercial building and construction industries

design and construction

interior / exterior materials

wallboard, roofing, sheathing materials

beams and decking

Residential and Commerical Interior Design

Furniture

Art and framing

Electronic hardware casing

Food and Hospitality industries

fresh bamboo shoots

durable and disposable utensils and dinnerware

Tools & Machinery industries

cultivation and harvesting

product manufacturing

design services

Fuels and Carbon-offsets

distillates

charcoal

carbon sequestration

Composites and Textiles

transportation and aviation structural applications

soft and abrasive fabrics

paper and softboard

Food and Hospitality industries

fresh bamboo shoots

recyclable kitchen and dining ware

Organic recycling and bioremediation

composting

vermiculture

land and soil revitalization

erosion control (living and stone cages)

Integrated water management

conservation and restoration

rainwater harvesting

land-form and catchment systems

filtration and purification

The application of bamboo charcoal

The application of bamboo charcoal

The application of bamboo charcoal

1. Fuel material:

It has the virtue of no smoke, no poison, no residue, easy igniting, durable burning, high energy, without destroying the medicine performance when decocting herbal, little possible to induce inflammation when barbequing. Using bamboo charcoal, sanitary than coal, better environmental protection than wood charcoal, safe than liquid petroleum gas, more aroma than cooking by electricity. Used as the fuel of barbecue and picnic, bamboo charcoal is cleanly and flavorful.

2. Water purification:

For bamboo charcoal is a porous material and possesses large area surface and strong absorbability, it used to not only purify tap water, but also cleanse the polluted water, watercourse, and fishing ground, and is a perfect example of environment cleaningtreatment.

3. Environmental protection:

When bamboo charcoal used to fill floor and wall, thanks to it's capability of absorbing and compensating water, depressing mildew and microbe propagation, it will take positive efficacy of preventing from bacteria, adjusting temperature and humidity. With the function of generating anion, bamboo charcoal may keep the residential coziness and promote emotional tranquility.

4. Daily using:

Putting bamboo charcoal into icebox, rice storage, cabinet and car, it can get rid off the bad smell, keep fresh, prevent from moth and mildew, and have dehumidifying effect. If putting a piece of bamboo charcoal into the rice during cooking, it will absorb the remaining pesticide and make rice soft and stickiless. It will reduce oil when fry food and the oil will be kept fresh. Putting bamboo charcoal aside computer and microwave oven, it will prevent from the radiation of electromagneticwave.

5. Health protection:

Using the porous structure and absorbability of bamboo charcoal, it can absorb sweat and the moisture in room, and exhale natural fragrance to improve sleeping. With the function of radiating far infrared, bamboo charcoal can accelerate blood circulation and the process of metabolism, and eliminate the tiredness. It also has remarkable assistant effect for the symptom of shoulder ache, lumbago, neck ache, arthralgia, insomnia, and hard breathing. Therefore, the health protection products made up of bamboo charcoal, for instance, bamboo charcoal pillow, mattress, and car cushion, become the headspring of health.

6. Beauty treatment:

Some developed bamboo charcoal commodities, for example, bamboo charcoal soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, can whiten and clean skin. They have positive effect of preventing and remedying dermatosis. Using the beauty treatment cream blended with bamboo charcoal when making a bamboo charcoal bath has remarkable effect on skin care. Now, several of these products have come into the Japan market.

7. Agriculture utilization:

Using bamboo charcoal to meliorate soil, it will promote the well growth of the plant root. It has been proved that using bamboo charcoal can enhance the yield of peach, and improve the quality. The golf course and greenbelt lawn using bamboo charcoal will have well growth and easy management.

Bamboo charcoal has various of properties

- About Bamboo Charcoal -

The process behind the bamboo charcoal making is relatively straightforward. Pieces of bamboo, which are taken from plants five years or older, are burned inside an oven at temperatures over 800 degrees centigrade.

Bamboo charcoal has the following properties:

1. Porous Structur

Bamboo charcoal has countless small cavities. Compared with wood charcoal, bamboo charcoal has about four times more cavities, 3 times more mineral constituent and 4 times better absorption rate. In terms of surface area, bamboo charcoal's 300m2/gram is 10 ten times more than wood charcoal's 30m2/gram.

2. Supplier of Negative Ions

Bamboo charcoal can generate a good amount of negative (more precisely, negative-charged) ions, which have the property of giving electrons to nearby matters while the charcoal adsorbs positive ions. The air we breathe in is full of charged particles, and bamboo charcoal gives electrons to such particles, making the air richer in negative ions than in positive ions. Various experiences have shown that air rich in negative ions makes us feel better.

3. Warming Effect of Far Infrared Rays (FIR)

A far infrared ray is a kind of electromagnetic waves and is a radiated ray that is capable of warming matters. This ray is well absorbed by organic matters, and the human body absorbs infrared rays ranging in wavelength from 4 to 50µm. Because the infrared rays emitted by bamboo charcoal range between 4 and 16µm, the human body can take full advantage of any healthy effects of bamboo charcoal’s infrared rays. The human body, upon being exposed far infrared rays, warms up like under the sun, and its blood circulation improves considerably.

4. Electromagnetic (EM) Wave Dissipating Power

EM waves are emitted by all sorts of electrical appliances and electronic devices, such as microwave ovens, refrigerators, cellular phones, TV's, personal computers, gaming devices, etc. Studies have shown that excessive amounts of EM waves may be harmful to the human body, and it is conceivable that such phenomena may cause some illnesses in the body.

5. Oxidization Prevention

Oxidization is a process by which materials lose electrons. Bamboo charcoal works as an electron donor. As well as preserving foods, bamboo charcoal skin care products can preserve your skin by preventing oxidization. Water Purifying Power of Microbes A countless number of totally harmless microbes live inside the pores of bamboo charcoal. In the course of water purification, these microbes are capable of decomposing toxic substances like trihalomethane, chlorine, etc. In addition, the purified water becomes like mineral water as many minerals in the charcoal are dissolved.

6. Humidity Regulator

Bamboo charcoal can also be used around the house. Since bamboo charcoal has a high density and is porous, it can be used to soak or release moisture within the house, helping to maintain humidity equilibrium.

7. A Rich Source of Minerals

During water purification processes, bamboo charcoal dissolves its rich mineral contents into the water, so the purified water becomes mineral-rich.

竹炭的优点

竹炭全身都是宝，在日本被誉为21世纪环保新卫士。且在日、韩及东南亚国家己经广泛应用于以下几方面：

一、燃烧材料：使用竹炭燃烧，比煤卫生，比木炭环保，比液化气安全，比电煮饭更清香。作为烧烤、野炊的燃料，清洁而有情趣，在欧美国家作为壁炉用炭，在日本作为茶道专用炭。由于目前对其他薪炭材的砍伐限制，作为燃料的竹炭前景看好。

二、水质净化：因竹炭是多孔型材料，具有极大的表面积，有很强的吸附性。不仅用来处理自来水，还用来处理河道、渔场。

三、环境保护：用竹炭装填地面和墙壁可以遏制由于湿度上升引起的霉菌、微生物的繁衍，起到防霉、调节湿度的功效。加上竹炭的负离子作用，能够保持住宅环境的舒适宜人，使人心神安定。

四、家居日用：将竹炭放入冰箱、米缸、橱柜、汽车祛除异味、防虫蛀、防霉、除湿。在煮饭时放入竹炭可吸附白米所含的农药可庶挡电磁波辐射，有利于健康。

五、 身体保健：利用竹炭的多孔结构和吸附性，可用于汗水及室内湿气的吸附，同时能释放出天然的香气，促进身体健康。竹炭能放射出远红外线，促进血液循环、新陈 代谢，对肩膀酸痛、腰痛、颈痛、关节痛、失眠等症状有明显的辅助疗效。因而用竹炭加工成保健型竹炭枕、床垫等床上用品和汽车坐垫，均能为您 的健康提供多一份保障。

六、美容护肤：己开发出的竹炭香皂、竹酢香皂、入浴用竹酢液能能使皮肤增白清爽，且对皮肤病有一定预防和治疗效果；掺 有超细竹炭粉的竹炭全身都是宝，在日本被誉为21世纪环保新卫士。且在日、韩及东南亚国家己经广泛应用于以下几方面：

一、燃烧材料：使用竹炭燃烧，比煤卫生，比木炭环保，比液化气安全，比电煮饭更清香。作为烧烤、野炊的燃料，清洁而有情趣，在欧美国家作为壁炉用炭，在日本作为茶道专用炭。由于目前对其他薪炭材的砍伐限制，作为燃料的竹炭前景看好。

二、水质净化：因竹炭是多孔型材料，具有极大的表面积，有很强的吸附性。不仅用来处理自来水，还用来处理河道、渔场。

三、环境保护：用竹炭装填地面和墙壁可以遏制由于湿度上升引起的霉菌、微生物的繁衍，起到防霉、调节湿度的功效。加上竹炭的负离子作用，能够保持住宅环境的舒适宜人，使人心神安定。

四、家居日用：将竹炭放入冰箱、米缸、橱柜、汽车祛除异味、防虫蛀、防霉、除湿。在煮饭时放入竹炭可吸附白米所含的农药可庶挡电磁波辐射，有利于健康。

五、 身体保健：利用竹炭的多孔结构和吸附性，可用于汗水及室内湿气的吸附，同时能释放出天然的香气，促进身体健康。竹炭能放射出远红外线，促进血液循环、新陈 代谢，对肩膀酸痛、腰痛、颈痛、关节痛、失眠等症状有明显的辅助疗效。因而用竹炭加工成保健型竹炭枕、床垫等床上用品和汽车坐垫，均能为您 的健康提供多一份保障。

六、美容护肤：己开发出的竹炭香皂、竹酢香皂、入浴用竹酢液能能使皮肤增白清爽，且对皮肤病有一定预防和治疗效果；掺 有超细竹炭美容霜具有特殊的皮肤护理功效。

Bamboo charcoal production

1 Bamboo charcoal production

1.1 Bamboo charcoal production brief

Bamboo charcoal is made of bamboo by pyrolysis process. According to the types of raw material, bamboo charcoal can be classified as raw bamboo charcoal and bamboo briquette charcoal. Raw bamboo charcoal is made of bamboo body such as culms, branch, and root.；bamboo briquette charcoal is made of bamboo residue such as bamboo dust and saw powder and etc. by compressing the residue into certain shape sticks and carbonizing the sticks. There are two kinds of equipment for carbonization, one is brick kiln, and the other is mechanical. Bamboo production process is divided into three stages: raw material preparation, carbonization, finishing process .

◎◎竹炭是以五年以上深山老毛竹为原材料，采用千度高温，历时20多天，在无氧状态下干馏炭化而成。它的分子结构呈六角形，质地坚硬，细密多孔，吸附能力强，是活性炭的最佳原料；竹炭的空隙度高，非常适合作为土壤生物和有机营养成分的载体，可以增强土壤活力，是一种良好的土壤改良剂；竹炭也是良好的净水处理剂、电磁波遮蔽剂、有害气体吸附剂。该产品是一种替代乌岗炭的优良产品，由于其炭质致密，比重大，孔隙多，矿物质含量丰富，且表面积高达700平方米/克，它具有较强的吸附分解能力，吸湿干燥，消臭抗菌及负离子穿透作用等性能，中间以优质颗粒作填充层，经精工细作而成，融工艺性、舒适性、透气性、养生保健功能于一身，其产品具有抑制真菌繁衍、吸湿、除臭、止痒、消肿生肌、防治于一体，集保健性、舒爽性、卫生性于一身。竹炭纤维具有冬暖夏凉，抗菌消臭效果，而聚集竹炭300克━500克时可产生远红外线效果，对人体健康及脑细胞活化非常有益，另可产生负离子空气以提升国民生活品质。