Applying the CHAB concept at horticultural tunnel greenhouses heated with biomass

Abstract

For heating tunnel horticultural greenhouses in cold season applies the concept CHAB (Combined Heat And Biochar production) which synergistically incorporating thermal energy and biochar production from biomass gasified with TLUD process that produces fuel gas and 12..15 % biochar. Biochar is a vegetal active carbon, sterile, pH > 9 and a high adsorption capacity, used as agricultural amendment and carbon sequestration. Sold with 400...1000 €/t can get zero or negative costs for heat produced. Simulate experiments were performed to a model of the 200 m2 tunnel greenhouses are grown tomatoes. For heating in four cold months consumed 13 t chopped and dried tomato stalks and resulting 1.8 t biochar which incorporated in the ground leads to a negative balance of -6.34 t.CO2/year. Average daily cost for fuel is 5,91 €/day without a biochar recovery and -4.78 €/day for a biochar recovery with price of 680 €/t in EU.