Hi Patrick, I like to think itâs âourâ oven but I wonât test that assumption. After a 72 hr cure I will put it in the BBQ for an hour to drive off any water. Stephen I think if it comes to that I will go the disposable nozzle route.
Thanks for the feedback, David Baillie
Finished the tank and lid , welded it to a mount and bolted it to the back rack. The white PVC is the final filter housing. Oh so slowly coming together
Time for the dreaded plumbing. Removed the air housing and was pleasantly surprised a 2" abs fitting fit the existing rubber fitting on the air intake.
First pic the original air intake box looking crowded in there.
Second pic 2" abs elbow reduced to 11/4 to clear the exhaust pipe, drilled through the side plastic. Hopefully clear sailing nowâŚ
Finished the dreaded plumbing today. All set to fill and test fire.
Pic one back view Left to right Final filter, Starter blower, Main tank Attached to main tank air inlet is the exhaust recycling hose. Hose off final filter is looped to the starter blower.
Pic two drivers side left to right Cyclone, final filter
Pic 3 from front looking back. Left to right Main tank, temperature guage, cyclone. At bottom right you can see the air fuel intake/mixer.
Flaring soonâŚ
FIlled it up, fired it up and off it went⌠Never that easy of course. I could not get enough air into the mix at first. I had to drill some secondary air holes. Iâll replumb it for more air. Ran great thoughâŚ
Video:
Very happy, enjoy!
Sure sounds like your on the right track. Amazing how this stuff just works and homemade too boot.
well all projects have hiccups. For me it was breaking a bone in my arm at the wrist. Annoying. Project hiccup was a leaky fuel shut off valve causing that too rich run on the first video. Here is a better longer one showing a more accurate run. Lots of fun too, enjoyâŚ
Very nice!
You stated it has a lot less power than you had hoped. What if you went with a 3/4" or 1" nozzle? Do you think that might help? Also, what year is it? Is it a 2 or 4 cycle? I have a 2003 Polaris Sportsman 400 which is a 4 cycle that I am hoping to run on charcoal someday.
Hi bill, it is a 2003 Kawasaki prairie 4 stroke. I think it had exactly the power I expected; rough guess a third less. I would be better off cooling the gas for more density or enriching with a drip if I need more power. I havenât found any power increases with bigger nozzles on the other builds. Also same as the tractor Iâm usually doing something where full throttle would get me killed :smile
Best regards, David Baillie
My poor atv has sat ignored all winter. I finally figured out a long standing problem though⌠the rubber vibration mount from the carb to the engine was split along the bottom. A 12 dollar part totally non related to the gasifier end was messing me up. Took off the gas tank to access everything and decided to redo the plumbing. Abs pipe with rubber transitions for flex.
Well sheâs all back together and I added a new twist. The new nozzle is a piece of titanium I ordered off eBay and threaded. Itâs supposed to have a 200 degree Celsius higher melt point then stainless⌠time will tell. Anyone try this yet? Hopefully run this weekend.
Remember our problem is not with meting, but with catastrophic oxidation. Keep your reaction temp below 1200C and the oxidation rate for titanium is fairly slow. I look forward to seeing your updates.
Is the quality of gas any better, worse or indifferent the higher temperature of the charcoal being burned at the nozzle? Iâm just wondering if we can keep a SS nozzle from melting by mixing exhaust at the inlet, would that be a good indicator of the best gas? Or do we get that temp as hot as we can?
1000C is a good temp (well below the melting temperature), but that wonât prevent the oxygen from reacting with the metal and eating it away.
Bruce understands the science better then me. If Iâm not wrong the reaction becomes less efficient as the temperature is lower so itâs finding that sweet spot of efficient reaction and nozzle longevity. Someone chime in to clarify any errors there.
David. Curious to know how youâre titanium nozzle works out since I am grappling with that issue right now.
You and me both. Iâm away til Monday so it will have to wait nowâŚ
I am afraid titanium might not be the best choice. I work with titanium and it is very reactive when heated. If l hit it with a hamer it sparks like nothing else. I realy look forward to seeing how it performs thugh!
I have sayd it before and l will say it again. The best nozzle for a charcoal gasifier is a masive cast iron or steel pipe with a small hole in it. I have driven about 2000km with it on my Seat and it looks like it was put in yesterday. You just have to have enough mass to dispose all the radiant heat of the charcoal.
Something like this?