The mild autumnal weather has allowed young people at Wings Cumbria to continue with their fantastic project of building a charcoal burners house as well as having a very interesting combined history and science lesson!
Charcoal burning was traditionally big in the iron industries of the Weald, Forest of Dean, Lake District but is now practised widely as part of woodland management.
Charcoal is made for a variety of purposes, including for drawing, tandoori ovens, animal feeds, filtration, and charcoal fines for biochar/soil improvement.
Wood is heated with restricted oxygen until it begins to pyrolyse or release volatile compounds these are either released into the air (clamps and kilns) or captured, burnt and the heat produced continues to convert timber to charcoal until most of the volatiles are removed.
Well done team! We can't wait to see the finished project, let's hope the Cumbrian weather keeps being kind!