I am starting them out at $5000.00 and they go up from there. We can put 4 different gasifiers on the units and we can upgrade the machine to 5kW. All just depends of fuel type and power requirements.
OK its been a long haul developing these systems. But I have the first production version just about complete. Just some minor things like the skins and paint. Im running test on the machine now and doing some tuning on the machine. I will be delivering this first one personally to a customer in California. I will leave Monday morning.
But any ways the machine is running under a constant 1300 watt load and it doesnt even faze the machine. This is a 2 kW system and I can load it beyond that for as long as the batteries can handle it. With the automated grate and hopper shaker the machine runs with very little intervention. The engine is a 9.5 hp Kohler Command Pro with the alternator at a 1:1 pulley ratio. I may a size larger on the alternator so its one size larger than the engines pulley. This should give it enough torque range to fully handle a 2 kW load. The alternator is capable of 220 amps. Ill have video of this as soon as possible, Ill probably do one while Im at the customers location.
I have two more of these due very quick and then I will be working a 5 kW CHP verison that will have a Kohler 31 hp direct injected engine. Cant wait.
Good luck Matt and looking forward to a video of your system in the hands of a happy customer. Dan
Hey MattR
I am glad you chose to focus on the name brand line of Kohler engines. Be better for your customers to have engines world wide serviceable. Only weakness in the whole Kohler line up is their single cylinder 15-22 dual cam “V” shaped valve cover engines. They have had to revise the internal “dual reciprocating balance system” for premature failures. Bypass these and just get one of the 16-20 hp V-Twin Courage engines with out problems.
You’ll like the 31 hp watercooled FI Ageis. Same as my ECH730 FI air cooled.
On your engine kW shaft power conversions be aware there is a large difference between Gross and Net power ratings.
I’ve been making up the most gasiline fuel efficient push mower possible based around a late model 6.5 hp marked engine. No guts in comparision to a 6.5 hp marked B&S. The 160cc GVC Honda is an actual 4.4 hp NET rated and powers like it. The B&S is 173cc and just has more grunt.
Your 9.5 hp Kohler is an actual to the shaft (on gasoline) 8.5 hp / 6.4 kWme NET rated.
Regards
Steve Unruh
Thanks guys, yeah Steve I really like the Kohler engines. They seem to be a good quality machine and the customers like em too. Do you think I should go with a little larger engine to achieve the 2 kW requirement with this type of setup. I wish I could get a little more out of it. If I go to a larger pulley on the alternator I think the loss in RPM will take it the other way. But I guess I wont know unless I try it. The engine pulls pretty good with the 1:1 ratio but it cant keep with heavy loading for long durations.
The DC system is the way to go with woodgas. This machine is really nice, I can just charge up the batteries and run it for a surprising long time. When it is running and your pulling power loading is no issue as the alternator is self regulating and if for any reason it stalls out you still have power. I used it to cut the crates for the others machines and it supplied power to make its own parts. This was just on battery power without it running. I’m tempted to try my welder but the inverter is a modified sign and I’m afraid of what it might do to my welder. Im really looking forward to the 31 hp CHP system I have the engine already sitting here. Looks like a very nice engine with some high tech technology. Ive never seen a small engine like this with direct injection. This one is going to be a fun one.
I didn’t get on the road yet, still trying to get everything done. I have to ship two machines before I leave and get this one painted and then reassembled. I should be in good shape tomorrow, I have those machines packaged up and the turnkey has fresh paint on it. My boy and I will ship those out and reassemble it and We’ll hit the road some time after noon.
Hi MattR.
Nice things about using the Kohler system of engines is the US EPA and especially the EU factory certifications. And the worldwide Kohler service network.
Use the larger, heavier, more expensive 14 gross HP rated engine? Possible of course.
But what if the power limitation is the gasifers system abilty to supply fuel?
I think first try a few things on this existing engine first. They get the higher Groos horsepower and torque ratings loaded running these engines without the air cleaner and muffler systems. Try that first. Do put a stubbed straight pipe ~12" long on the engine exhaust side. Yep be noisy as hell. IF you then get the power you want you could make up different air (think a K&N element based) and exhaust systems.
Other possibilties would be to remove the original gasiline caburetor for it’s flow resrictive venturi and an osset flywheel keyway to advance the ignition timing. But those changes then mean no more gasiline running posibilties and voiding yout Kohler warranties.
No better power with the inlet and exhaust opening up than a larger engine would not help and you’d need to focus in the gasifier supply side.
A bigger pulley on the driven alternator MAY reduce it’s engine loading but at the sacrifice of then output watts AND spun slower, cool itself poorer and drive up it’s internal heating up.
Matt any system will have a limitation point no matter if you intentionally design one in or not. A good systems designer factors in the human element also too.
Examples from here on the DOW:
SeanF found he had to add direct reading hearth temperature gauges to prevent operator/engine overheating of his hearths. This gave him a feedback point for his heavy right foot.
Mr Wayne recently wrote that he on his V-10 on a fast trip blended in gasoline fuel to reduce the demang on his gasifier to reduce it’s heat load.
Now young man ChrisKY has taken possesion of Mr Waynes fastest capable woodgas fueled rig that got Mr Wayne speeding pulled over. ONLY Chris’s restraint control over his right foot will prevent him from exceeding safe legal limits - the gasifier/engine system will not control this.
So. You will not have any control either on the fuel input and loading down sides over the operators useage of these systems. An engine power limitation will be the safest way to contol gasifier hearth, charging alternator and inverter loadings and heatings up. The loaded down engine to a point will “fail (to produce power and heat) safe”.
Point is reached when the engine heavly loaded RPM down for too long overheats from not enough engine fan heat removal.
See my picture of a previously fine for ~200 hours at 50-60%engine loading now after only 20 hours at 80F days at 90-100% loading. This is a Honda 160CC lawn mower engine upsized loaded from a 20" to a 22" blade. Still Fine on normal yard grass - hates the forced tall stuff now. Overheats cooking the oil and picture did not come out quite well enough to show the aluminum beads of “sweat” on the spark plug from cylinder head and piston crown overheating and pinging.
Ha! The dollar fine to me for not keeping the patches of fields weeds out of blooming seed head would have been 3X the price of a new replacement engine. Fair trade off to me. Your customer/users WILL be making these same decisions but expecting you to pay the replacement costs.
So I think try and see if you can squeez up a bit more power out of your current set-up before you would give them too much power.
Let a must do “hotrod” user be the one to engine oversize at his own then owned systems overheating risk.
Regards
Steve Unruh
Looks good Matt. What type of batteries are you using on your unit?
The Exide 6 v batteries, from what I understand these are a true deep cycle and are the best bang for the buck. But these are just for testing, I leave the battery part up to the customer, this way they can select the best battery to fit their budget. I may offer to set up the machine with the gel type batteries but I need more info on shipping these. The shipping is another reason I dont offer the batteries as well.
Hi Matt, Have you looked into Edison cells?
Dave
Yeah Dave, I might have to experiment with this tech later on.
Well I did take some video but the files are messed up and I can not get them to play on any player. Thats OK this customer ordered two more of the 2 kW systems so Ill get another chance to take video. They are going to make a very generous investment into my company and are also going to help with further development. They have multiple companies and have a lab with high end equipment specific for gasification. So more to come on that.
So moving on Im now working not only on those two, 2 kW machines, but Im also working the more advanced 5 kW CHP system. This machine features the fuel injected twin with liquid cooling. I think I mentioned some where on here that it was direct injection, that is not the case. It looked that way in the box but it is multi port injection still impressive for a little motor. For this build Ive built a more advanced ES-III gasifier. It features stainless steal guts and is heavily insulated with ceramic insulation and heat shielding. I found a very good alternative to building the reduction cones from scratch, McMaster Carr has butt weld stainless steel pipe reducers that come in perfect sizes and match the imbert specks very closely. They are much more heavy duty than I can make and it makes easier for to manufacture this. I ordered a 4 x 6 reducer and a 2 x 4 reducer and then inverted the 2x4 and inserted it into the 4x6 then welded it together. Ive tigged SS before but never mig welded the stuff. I was very surprised how well it is mig, it welds very nice and clean. Another feature is the ash clean out, I did this on the Farm All and it worked pretty well. There is V shaped channel at the bottom of the machine with a 2" pipe nipple welded to each end. One of the caps will have a plunger on it, to clean out the ash you remove both caps and use the one cap with the plunger to push the ash out of both ports.
Well more to come on this build, lots of work to do yet before it looks like a machine. Hope to have this guy up and running by the end of the month. So Ill keep ya’ll posted as things progress, Im very excited about the 5kW CHP this I believe will be the machine that will define my company.
Matt: Looks pretty good! Great to hear about the company connection with lab etc.!
I have to say that the plunger style cleanout is pretty ingenous.
Matt, I like your ash clean out too and I am planning something similar only with one pipe cap and a spring auger like they use in animal feeding applications. A fitting on a crank handle or a cordless drill should spin the ashes out in short order. This auger will bend so above bed cleanouts are a lot easier without dealing with hard to seal doors.
Don Mannes
Yup that is where I am planning on going with this too. I think the jeep wiper motors will have the power to get the task done as well.
Wheew!! finaly got two more done. The last two months have been busy, I built three turnkeys and two other gasifier plants since the beginning of July. All turnkeys all required on the fly engineering. The 5 kW system was the first of its kind and the 2 kW systems are now going through their manufacturing engineering phase. The pics show the first production version of the turnkey systems. They will undergo some fine tuning to make them more friendly to manufacture but are now very close to what will be required for faster manufacturing process.
Both of these 2 kW systems are going to the lab for testing, things will evolve even more as we learn the capabilities of the machines. The gears are already turning.
Ready for a week off 
Matt,
Very nice clean looking units.
Don and Matt,
I used a bulb auger for my ash cleanout, passing the shaft through a tee and drilled plug. Just another idea to consider!
Hi Billy
That is an absolutely brilliant idea!
I wish I had seen that it a month ago!
You could have a bolt/threaded rod extending from the bottom of your grate to just touch the auger blades and that could agitate your grate at the same time !
Thanks patrick
That is indeed a great idea. I still hope to incorporate one in one of my ammo cans. Thanks for the pictures too.
that is very nice, I too will build something like this.
The AFR’s will now become standard equipment on the generators from now on. Very cool little gadgets.