two more failures one finding an updraft gasifier can work , a down draft gasifier can work . But an updraft and down draft at the same time does not work . I found an internal leak . I need to bypass the hopper heater It has a leak that is reducing the down draft …
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Pipe from cyclone . donut ball of tar . opened gasifier chipped out fuel from gasifier . used 1/4 inch screen , put fuel held by screen back in gasifier . used both propane and map gas torch to light gasifier . had successful run , low power 48 amps at 48 volts . I think I must have developed leak on engine side of intake manifold . air mix pulsing air , very low vacuum .
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running on three out of four cylinders 2,3,4 . had 110 amps at 48 volts .Run ended after rubber pipe connectors melted . one melted patched it , next in line melted wrapped a lot of wet gloves around it , third in line melted , run ended .
Have temperature probe on order . grate shaker took temperature probe out . using Sea Foam .
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For those searching this topic for moisture issues, see 1961 Land-Rover Series II post 64 and Gasifier the hive post 26.
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the auger has failed on every run , I wanted to run for an hour , The run lasted a half hour . Today I emptied out fuel hopper and reset auger . I hope this time the auger will not imitatively come apart as it has all the other times , when I get it back together . I put some parts under water after the fittings melted . I replaced the fittings with metal parts and aluminum foil .
The gasifier actual ran on cool side under 700 c .
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The blower to the flare caught fire , so I thought it was time to turn on the engine . Turned off gas to flare , turned off blower , blew out fire , turned on ignition , turned on gas to engine and started engine . I reconnected air preheat , gasifier had temp of 700 c . Run lasted 15 minutes . Not sure why it stopped . Do not have blower for flare . Need to make more fuel .
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Hi Henry,
Your setup looks imbertish to me. Nothing wrong with the imbert.
I think you will appreciate a visit to my site where I show the evolution
of my imbert gasifier on a 4’ x 4’ platform. I ran into some burn
problems, but ironed them out for a successful imbert gasifier. Some of
it a similar approach as yours. It took me a long time to iron out the
crinks but I ended up with a great imbert burner. Check out “My first small
engine run” in the Small engines section.
Pepe
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Do you have a grate shaker? Maybe it got plugged up?
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One way to troubleshoot would be to try to flare again, as soon as the engine quit.
No flare= bad gas.
It appears that your flaring blower failed, so maybe you need to take a step back fix that first anyway.
Why did the blower catch fire? Shouldn’t the gas be too cool for that by the time it reaches a blower?
Pete Stanaitis
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I opened bottom of gasifier and took out char material . fresh fuel was in gasifier but none would fall to bottom . I could not reach . I poked it with wrench and it all dropped down . The auger failed , I will extend auger . I would put in grate shaker but want to get auger working first . Found the temp probe is sticking into the heating tube for incoming air . Pepe actually did use copper tube for air preheat . Capacitor blew out on fan , small scorch mark on circuit board . plastic fan blade melted and shredded , other blower is fine . no idea when I will get back to work on this .
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Henry, Thanks for posting your updates. Your unfortunate troubles have given us some real life examples for this troubleshooting topic. We patiently await your next steps.
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some time ago engine backfired and blew hose off blower , this could have damaged fan . I could have installed backfire preventor , I just did not purchase inch and a half cross fitting to install it .
I think I was having difficulty starting engine and restarted blower to draw more gas .
You should shut off flare before starting engine , But if engine does not start , you lost all flow thru gasifier .
I think at this time due to internal leak in hopper heater gasifier was both updraft and down draft .
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Hi Henry,
I suggest you place a spring loaded pressure relief valve
in the blower line, might prevent blow aparts.
Pepe
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Have one just did not install it . Like you I had to use over head hoist to dismantle , reassembly gasifier . When I bypassed hopper heater I found a tube blocked with a donut of tar so it could be the hopper was not sealed but was path of most resistance , when the normal path got blocked gas flow went thru hopper bypassing cyclone . I have put extension on auger , tried brazing . side of cast to steel took . side of cast to stainless steel did not , should try nickle silver brazing rod . Just trying to put it together again .
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Last run , started engine at 417 c . Installed grate shaker . auger cycled and grate shaker came out .
shut down and put hitch ball off truck in hole in gasifier . restarted gasifier restarted engine .
Power at 48 volts was 150 amps . I had found 4 inches of nickle silver brazing rod used all but 1/4 inch . Auger pulled out of chuck . repaired auger about 5 times in 45 minutes . gasifier reached 700 c
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I moved the flare and fan past the engine . I now see this as a mistake , as all tar from starting gasifier winds up in engine . I will consider making a second forge blower flare and moving it out of the building . I will still start engine at over 400c . Matt said something about not using engine to pull temp up to operating temp of 700c . So far there has been no other way to bring gasifier to 700c .
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