| Summary: | Biochar from biomass pyrolysis offers a geotechnical solution to the major global issues of climate change, soil degradation and food shortage . The focus of this study is to generate stable and nitrogen enriched biochars and high quality bio oils from co -pyrolysis of biomass with bone matter at low temperatures. The biochar can act as a fertilizer because of its mineral contents while at the same time promotes carbon sequestration when used as soil amender. By improving the use of biochar, it may be possible to also utilize the bio oil for renewable generation. Currently, the biochar production process suffers from the draw backs such as the use of high temperature of up to 500°C, low biochar yield and poor bio oil quality which as rendered its applications beyond solid fuels. This work has focused on the co-pyrolysis of bone matter (BM) with pistachio (PS), Pine wood (PW), and Wheat straw (WS) at low temperatures to produce carbon and nitrogen rich biochar and improved bio oil. A prototype tubular reactor was designed and commission for pyrolysis of BM in the temperature range of 150°C to 600°C and mixing BM from 2.5wt% to 20wt%. The analysis of the biochar product showed that the addition of BM to the biomass increased their biochar yields with up to 10wt% BM addition. This was linked to the ability of the BM to interact with the biomass and retain condensable compounds at temperatures between 300°C and 350°C. Addition of BM above 10wt% was found to reduce the overall biochar yield from the biomass and promote gasification. At 10wt% bone addition, the carbon and nitrogen contents of the biochars were both increased compared with the biomass on its own, while the oxygen content decreased.
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