I have been thinking of building light camper shell out of 3/4 or 1" square tube too cover the gasifier with aluminum sheet riveted or laged too the tubeing, with windows and cirtains like any camper/ just tall enough cover bbb/ with pop up roof near hopper , if needed to fill hopper .make a good place too store wood for long trips on rainy snowy drizely days. or a place too nap when bbb is shut off. use one or two box fans in summer to venalate, with side rack cooling tubes in same place and out side of camper area.less bbb noticable/ and campers have fires in the heater burn tube allso only bigger/ all are fire is in between the piston and cylinder head,
Kevin, I would NEVER enclose a gasifier, EVER … Just make sure you build your system so it will shed water and snow with wind … If you want a camper shell then do a gasifier trailer … I sleep like a baby in my little truck’s camper. I have a 4" thick foam mattress in it. Gas piping is all underneath … Mike L
Dont some of the guys here have gasifiers in enclosed trailers./ I realize it could shoot me some wood chunks and smoke if tube was still hot. thinking on makeing a baskit mesh half barrow to catch ash and wood if the murffys law happens as it wood on open trailer, not actualy planning on sleeping in it. IF the roof is vented no hydrogen can build up as it is lighter than air and it will exit the roof vents or sealing fans,THANKS for comment Mike.
Kevin, be careful about enclosures around gasifiers. Problem number one is the carbon monoxide that is deadly to breathe. It would have to be sealed off from the passenger compartment. And then the next problem is explosive mixtures that can collect if the gas is not adequately ventilated. Wayne keeps warning about the danger of explosions from contained gas mixing with air.
Thats why its not a bad idea too have a retainer compartment just in case. I would have too vent the roof like i said , and allso vent the bed of the truck too keep any co2 from building up i suppose, just thinking on containing the charco in case of a royal puff back,wouldent want the stuff flying in the woods,or hitting cars, kind of like an insurence facter, if a puffback container is built, or set up properly, should work, what so great about a trailer, it has a lieability facter, no puff back containers just in case of the burnout or air gets in system, may not be a bad idea too pipe the top of the fuel hopper too at least a 30 gallon barrow with holes in the bottom to let the preasure too excape/ there by containing the majority of a puffback.
Moved to new thread. I’ll echo the “don’t enclose carbon monoxide” sentiment. If you vent properly it should be fine. You’ve seen the volume of smoke these make… don’t expect to be inside your camper shell after opening the lid.
Your scenario about char thrown out of the gasifier is one most of us never have seen and I’m not sure is possible. Wood gasifier systems full to the brim will have wood chunks on top, not ignited or dangerous; in addition there’s no volume of gas to catch - its actually the least likely to puff when stuffed full. When it’s almost empty there’s more gas to propel an object but almost no wood left to throw around. The stored gas is above the “payload” anyway, so you’d expect any wood or char to get pushed down into the gasifier, not upwards.
I did have a “spectacular” moment some months back when lighting up the gasifier, the char bed decided to erupt when I tried to light it. Char was thrown about then! But it was cold char, and could only have happened in that exact situation, a cold startup with only dry charcoal and a perfect gas/air mix laying “waiting” in the bottom.
I was thinking on a good size roof fan with duck work to keep smoke out of enclosed area, and other regular fans too keep air moveing.I had a hot puff back on the first gasifier i built a few months back , after putting lid back on after looking at coals, she let loose poped my lid off and through some wood and mostly ash 15 feet up, as it pushed my lid off that i had hammered on too hot water heater tank, snug press fitt lid 3/4 " wrap. It dident pop bang,kind of a fuzed thrush, note’ able. awakening. Like you said mostly empty is when likely too thrush smoke and ash. SWEM .THANKS for the safty concerns all.