Charcoal From Wood Gasification

A sustainable resource with great potential

Good news from the Josef Ressel Center for the Production of Powdered Activated Carbon: a recent publication by our PhD student David Gurtner in the journal “Carbon Resources Conversion” was picked up by EurekAlert and his publication was also presented there among the top research results. 

Wood gasification is a well-established method for energy production, generating not only wood gas but also a carbon-rich charcoal powder known as gasification char. Until now, there have been few sustainable applications for this material. However, new research suggests that gasification char holds great potential for the production of activated carbon.

Activated carbon is used in many fields, from water purification and air filtration to medical applications. However, not all carbon sources are equally suitable for producing high-quality activated carbon. Gasification char derived from wood gasification presents unique challenges: it has a soft structure, a high degree of graphitization, and a high ash content, making activation more difficult.

David Gurtner, a doctoral researcher at the JRZ for Powdered Activated Carbon Production, has investigated various methods to enhance the porosity and adsorption properties of activated carbon derived from gasification char. His findings indicate that targeted treatment with steam or CO₂ delivers the best results. A combination of both techniques proved particularly effective, producing activated carbon with a high surface area and fine pore structures – key factors for the adsorption of pollutants and micropollutants.

Another major advantage of activating gasification char is the lower temperatures and shorter process times required compared to conventional methods. This makes the process not only more efficient but also more economically and environmentally attractive.

These research findings open up new possibilities for the sustainable use of gasification char. Instead of being treated as a waste product, gasification char could be systematically converted into high-quality activated carbon – offering a promising outlook for environmental technologies and industrial applications.

David Gurtner was honored for his abstract Integration of Physical Activation into Industrial Wood Gasification Plant: Activated Carbon Production, PAH Removal and Electrical Efficiency Improvement, which he submitted to EUBCE 2025. He was selected for the Student Award and recognized for his outstanding achievements. The European Biomass Conference is one of the most important conferences in this field.

The Josef Ressel Center for the Production of Activated Carbon from Municipal Residues is a cooperation between the MCI, Syncraft GmbH, Innsbrucker Kommunalbetriebe AG, Stadtwerke Schwaz GmbH, and Gemeindewerke Telfs GmbH. This project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Labor and Economics, the National Foundation for Research, Technology and Development, and the Christian Doppler Research Society.