I tried to build a gasifier, but did not get gas to burn itself

Build video here Wood Gasifier Build - YouTube
What schould I improve?

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It looks like you built it to one of Mr Teslonian’s tar machine specs. The gasifiers he’s made for YouTube will gum up an engine.

What are you wanting to power? You can salvage the tanks you used in this build for something like a small Imbert style gasifier.

I am not meaning to insult you with what I say, it’s not your fault but the design itself.

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im starting to get involuntary facial twitch with the mention of that guy

ok you built a gasifier and it does not produce burnable gas. step one complete
you came to the forum with the most educated and helpful crowd of enthusiastic woodgasers known to man that only want to see others succeed in there builds. step 2 complete

From this point on understand no one here will dock you for a failure, many here started with a failure and have only moved up from there. This design is a inherent tar maker, nothing more. It can be tweaked with and maybe made to work, but if you got this design from that guy on lube tube… well I am sorry that that was your introduction to woodgas was through him, that’s a hard row to hoe

Open top down draft mode way to much oxygen being let in. Joint between barrels leaking more air in, jet size to large letting to much air in. The fire will never get hot enough to crack the tars within the gas. Straight wood on the grate, no beuno. Wood itself cannot let off burnable clean gas, charcoal much be sitting on the grate to start the super heating process, to then in turn bake the wood above in torrified wood, in prep for it to then become charcoal as it funnels down. No way for excess moisture to be evacuated from the hopper as the wood bakes, meaning any moisture within the wood will then go right through the fire cooling it down to the point that moisture and tar will come out with the minimal amount of gas. This can be seen in your flare box that has condensation all over the place. The grate holes appear to be to large, letting char fall out before it heats the restriction area properly
I don’t want to ramble on about the shortcomings of this system, I want to compliment you on the stick welding capabilities, and your equipment that will build you a functioning gasifier in your skilled hands. Just not with this design

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Yup his tar making gasifier he built ruined his engine, opps he didn’t mention this on You Tube because… guess what you tube pays him to do his projects if they work or not. Mostly they don’t work in real life. But boy can you make it look good on a video.
Bob

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Hello Joel and welcome to the DOW.

Thanks for the video and documentation .

Loved the music :blush:

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Hello, and welcome to the DOW Joel.
I agree with WayneK, like your video presentation much.
You are developing some serious grinding-cutting, just-do-it fabrication and welding skills, sir.

You just need a workable design and some I idea what you are trying to achieve.
Since you began with youtube information, really watch through and read this topic we’ve been working on about youtube woodgas makers who CAN flare, and even show IC engines running.
Says ~38 minute to read through this all. Give yourself an hour and a half to really absorb the patterns. HOT blown charcoal → stream made smoke controlled down thru that → using heat/temperature, time, turbulence and the controlled absence of too much oxygen to make converted motor grade fuel gas.

Regards
Steve Unruh

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Okay Joel, after watching the building video what I see you have pretty much built is a charcoal gasifier and not a wood gasifier. What is the difference is that you use charcoal in it. That you make. This is easy to do. You build a fire and burn the wood down to hot coals in a pit. Then shovel the hot coals out and put them into water. When cool you will remove them and let them dry to about 10% moisture. Use a shovel to break up the bigger pieces. Screen off the small dust and fines. Now put the charcoal in you gasifier. Put a air tight lid on it. Now light it up and it should get a nice flare.
Bob

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Hi joel and yes welcom to DOW, I could be wrong as i not one of the experts on wood gasifiers or charco gasifiers, though i dont see that you have a charbed, It might start makeng some gas if you fill the space from your air feed tubes too the grate with wood charco, and put a lid on the top as you need more of an oxygen restricked invirment. and a charbed is # 1. thats why you see us running are air fans back and forth, too create a charbed, if we burn up are charbed from running low on wood. Ir you dont run it low on wood the charbed will maintain itself,after you start running it on wood.

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