Obtaining energy is one of the human being’s needs. Coal has been one of the most traditional fuels throughout various periods of history. It is a fossil fuel (as is oil) formed by the remains of animals and plants hundreds of thousands of years ago. Charcoal
It is an energy alternative that, from an industrial point of view, has a brief history
At the end of the 19th century, the use of charcoal briquettes, obtained from the recycling of wood chips for the combustion of barbecue grills, began. The wood mixture is processed in a complex heating and waste disposal system . In order not to burn the wood, oxygen is prevented from entering during heating.
Afterwards, the anthracite charcoal and lime are added together with the wood remains. Finally, corn flour is added to bring all the ingredients together. The pieces obtained (called briquettes) are heated to reduce moisture and, consequently, facilitate combustion. This would be a brief explanatory summary of charcoal making.
Industrially obtained charcoal is a relatively recent energy
However, already in antiquity, wood was transformed into charcoal in a rudimentary way. For centuries, there has always been the profession of charcoal, carried out by people who spent hours in the woods to transform wood into charcoal using craft techniques.
In addition to their use in barbecues, in some countries, they are used in homes as braziers. In both cases, coal has toxic components. Anyway, there is a type of charcoal intended for human consumption, more specifically as a medicinal medicine. To obtain it, the charcoal must be previously heated and sterilized. In this way, you get a mixture that can be ingested with water to improve diarrhea , relieve the effect of some drugs or prevent nausea. This use of it is part of natural medicine.
One of the most striking elements in relation to charcoal today is linked to the environment and rural areas. In countries that have important forests, it is profitable to produce charcoal to facilitate the production of fuel for small industries and thus avoid consumption of more expensive and contaminating oil. On the other hand, coking coal used in the traditional metallurgical industry has an unpredictable future, as it is being replaced in some parts of the world by charcoal.
