# Charcoal testing, the real thing
**URL:** http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/charcoal-testing-the-real-thing/2769
**Category:** Charcoal Gasification
**Created:** [October 15, 2016, 11:21am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/charcoal-testing-the-real-thing/2769 "2016-10-15T11:21:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@k\_vanlooken](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/k_vanlooken)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2016, 2:26am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/charcoal-testing-the-real-thing/2769/21 "2016-10-17T02:26:39Z")
Hi Gary,
Cowboy Charcoal… 😛
Actually easy to test, if you have a spare stainless pot with lid… (any pot or can with a lid will do)
1: drill a small hole in the lid
2: fill the stainless pot with crumbled charcoal, put the lid on
3: put on open fire or on glowing charcoal (or a very hot electric plate/grill)
4: observe the fumes
5: observe the color, smell, and the taste of the fumes
6: light the gasses coming out of the hole in the lid
7: Observe the color of the flame
where as for meat, its all about taste, medium, au point etc…
for gasifiers the rule is: well done…
If you use the charcoal , smokeless grade, no fumes, no odor, properly sized, then your gasifier will work, your engine will start (if it also can run on gasoline of course)
Put this kind off charcoal in any type of Gilmore style gasifier, it will work…
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### Author:  [@k\_vanlooken](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/k_vanlooken)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2016, 4:40pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/charcoal-testing-the-real-thing/2769/22 "2016-10-30T16:40:27Z")
Latest test…
Samples exposed up to 1200°C
duration-sequence:
ambient to 650 degrees: 1 hour time frame ramp up
650 soaking time: 1 hour
650 to 1000 degrees: 1 hour ramp up
1000 soaking time: 3 hours
1000 to 1200 degrees: 1 hour ramp up
1200 degrees soaking time: 3 hours
cool down time 48 hours
results: the good charcoal, same as before , lost about 14-15%
The bad charcoal, again, 35%
so, once there is no more oxygen present, only heat applied… nothing changes… ( remember this is not labtesting but ordinary workshop )
on the pictures you can see what happends where oxygen is present… ( turning white )
                  
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### Author:  [@k\_vanlooken](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/k_vanlooken)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2016, 4:44pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/charcoal-testing-the-real-thing/2769/23 "2016-10-30T16:44:18Z")
This picture is about one piece of rubberwood, i did put on top of the lid, to compare and to reduce the oxygen in the oven… even wen i flooded the oven with argon…
only ashes remain…
the white ash on the wood is only very superfacial, rubbed of easy and only little
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### Author:  [@k\_vanlooken](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/k_vanlooken)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2016, 3:00pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/charcoal-testing-the-real-thing/2769/24 "2016-12-19T15:00:26Z")
Testing the oven with pure CO2 as oxydiser
Look how the flare pops up… CO2 / Bamboo Charcoal and heat…
Tomorrow i will know how much Carbon is consumed with the Co2…
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVpmIZsyMhY)
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### Author:  [@k\_vanlooken](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/k_vanlooken)
#### Post date: [January 5, 2017, 8:31am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/charcoal-testing-the-real-thing/2769/25 "2017-01-05T08:31:10Z")
Charcoal consumed during this process: 30% from input material
But a nice blue flame if all the CO2 is converted into CO
More CO2 input then can be converted, results in a reddish coloration from the flame…
Ergo: imho, red coloration comes, in this case, from excess CO2
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgsEiEEatqM)
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### Author:  [@k\_vanlooken](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/k_vanlooken)
#### Post date: [January 5, 2017, 8:33am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/charcoal-testing-the-real-thing/2769/26 "2017-01-05T08:33:05Z")
Opening the door of hell ?
Taking the glowing charcoal for a dive…
Carefull not to burn yourself…
Soaked the clothing , headscarf and gloves with water before opening the oven…
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVEIvvFOBdc)
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### Author:  [@k\_vanlooken](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/k_vanlooken)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2017, 2:22pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/charcoal-testing-the-real-thing/2769/27 "2017-03-01T14:22:27Z")
Guess what gas i am making here ?
Input = upgraded charcoal and water/steam injection
Starts with pure CO, mixed with H2 and then becomes CH4 from the catalyst…
Gas to be: SNG for the TATA
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa8CFryzMak)
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### Author:  [@JayMcB74](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/JayMcB74)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2018, 12:10am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/charcoal-testing-the-real-thing/2769/28 "2018-04-20T00:10:31Z")
Ran across this manual from the army core of engineers. Talks in detail about activated charcoal for filters. Thought some of you might find it interesting.
[http://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerDesignGuides/DG\_1110-1-2.pdf?ver=2013-08-16-101110-540](http://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerDesignGuides/DG_1110-1-2.pdf?ver=2013-08-16-101110-540)
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### Author:  [@k\_vanlooken](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/k_vanlooken)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2018, 12:36am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/charcoal-testing-the-real-thing/2769/29 "2018-04-20T00:36:29Z")
Great article Jason, thanks for the link
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