To make charcoal:
Use organic (carbon-rich) matter, such as wood (untreated), coconut husk, or bone.
Place the stuff in an environment of high heat and low oxygen, but with some capacity for the container to release gasses, so as to avoid an explosion.
For example, inside a loose tin container, or wraped in aluminium foil with some holes in it. Place those inside of a hot grill, or a hot smoker. I think inside a normal hot fire (or an underground fire pit/dakota fire pit) might also work, but I'm not sure.
The DIY "Everything nice stove" also seems to work. There are various other 'charcoal retorts' or 'biochar retorts' or 'top loading up draft retort' or 'rocket stoves' posted online, that can get very hot.
A handheld torch an adequate container could also work.
Hours later, the charcoal is done when smokey gas stops coming out from the container. The charcoal should be light, easy to break, and relatively tasteless. See youtube for examples if you want.
To 'activate' the charcoal:
50% NaCl (salt) solution. Crumble and soak in 500 gram (1.1 lb) salt per 1 liter (4.2 cup) water, for 24 hours.
Strain, rinse, dry in 100c oven/sun.
or 5.85 grams salt per 1 gram charcoal
As derived from these experiments:
http://library.queensu.ca/ojs/index.php ... /4244/4344
http://www.ajol.info/index.php/bcse/art ... 7872/68278
http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?pid=S07 ... ci_arttext
Use organic (carbon-rich) matter, such as wood (untreated), coconut husk, or bone.
Place the stuff in an environment of high heat and low oxygen, but with some capacity for the container to release gasses, so as to avoid an explosion.
For example, inside a loose tin container, or wraped in aluminium foil with some holes in it. Place those inside of a hot grill, or a hot smoker. I think inside a normal hot fire (or an underground fire pit/dakota fire pit) might also work, but I'm not sure.
The DIY "Everything nice stove" also seems to work. There are various other 'charcoal retorts' or 'biochar retorts' or 'top loading up draft retort' or 'rocket stoves' posted online, that can get very hot.
A handheld torch an adequate container could also work.
Hours later, the charcoal is done when smokey gas stops coming out from the container. The charcoal should be light, easy to break, and relatively tasteless. See youtube for examples if you want.
To 'activate' the charcoal:
50% NaCl (salt) solution. Crumble and soak in 500 gram (1.1 lb) salt per 1 liter (4.2 cup) water, for 24 hours.
Strain, rinse, dry in 100c oven/sun.
or 5.85 grams salt per 1 gram charcoal
As derived from these experiments:
http://library.queensu.ca/ojs/index.php ... /4244/4344
http://www.ajol.info/index.php/bcse/art ... 7872/68278
http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?pid=S07 ... ci_arttext