# Air Carbon Fuel Cell
**URL:** http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640
**Category:** Charcoal Gasification
**Created:** [May 10, 2015, 5:07am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640 "2015-05-10T05:07:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Jeff](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/Jeff)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2015, 5:07am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640/1 "2015-05-10T05:07:41Z")
This is where I’ll post stuff about just my gasifier design not the filters, engine or etc.
Basically it’s an updraft producer that uses a grate. The grate makes it easyer to clean out and eliminates a clean out hatch that could leak air.
It started out as a small hole about 3/4" like a nozzle then about a 2" hole with a grate then a much larger grate area and now back to the 2" hole/grate area.
Below is a photo of the newest version. The producer is upsidedown. I’ll keep adding photos as I get the time.
Jeff
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### Author:  [@TomC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/TomC)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2015, 5:24pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640/2 "2015-05-10T17:24:55Z")
Is that a ring with the grate in it that drops into the producer or am I looking at the bottom of the producer and you have a 2in. nozzle. The grate then allowing the ash to fall out the bottom. Are the fins for stiffness or do they allow air to get to the nozzle when sitting on a flat circle.TomC
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### Author:  [@ook187](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/ook187)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2015, 7:49pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640/3 "2015-05-10T19:49:55Z")
Ain’t it fun how tank tapers slip into each other … Once they get “air tight” I tack braze them and then smear RTV on the joint …The guys will be able to pick up the whole system I’m taking to indiana … I hook up the trailer without a jack … 3 weeks I think ??? Mike
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### Author:  [@Jeff](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/Jeff)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2015, 11:22pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640/4 "2015-05-10T23:22:57Z")
Mike, cannot wait to check out the trailer…!
Tom, it’s upsidedown. Basically just a flat plate with a hole in the middle and a grate to keep all the charcoal from falling out. Then I added some fins to fasten the grate in place. So MAYBE the fins will also cool the plate, preheat the air, stiffen the plate and transfer more heat into the water pan to help evaporate and humidify the intake air. The fins are welded to the plate and the plate can be bolted or welded to the bottom of a tank/drum. I welded this one.
Jeff
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### Author:  [@Jeff](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/Jeff)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2015, 3:34am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640/5 "2015-05-11T03:34:38Z")
This is the other side or inside view:
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### Author:  [@Jeff](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/Jeff)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2015, 5:09am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640/6 "2015-05-17T05:09:59Z")
A video of the updates.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_uUU_7_RKQ?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque
Jeff
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### Author:  [@BillSchiller](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/BillSchiller)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2015, 11:25pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640/7 "2015-05-18T23:25:57Z")
I like it Jeff. The only charcoal gasifier I understand is the simple fire, that’s because I seen it up close. I want to add a charcoal unit to my lawnmower for shorter runs. What did you mean in the video when you said, “magic spark plug”?
A nice clean looking setup. If it wouldn’t be too much to ask, do you have drawings of the gasifier you are willing to share with us?
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### Author:  [@Jeff](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/Jeff)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2015, 5:04am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640/8 "2015-05-19T05:04:36Z")
Hi Bill and thanks for the reply,
Wallace called them magic spark plugs. Magic in that they don’t work. They are a racing plug for go carts. The way they are designed is so they take up more room in the combustion chamber and raise the compression a bit but not much I’m sure. Some say they work and some say junk. I would need a sensitive way to measure HP to know one way or another.
I doubt that I’ll ever have time for drawings but pictures and videos work for me. I share all this stuff maybe the problem is that it gets spread out over too many forums…
How best to explain it? Pictures or videos? And which parts need explained? It’s dirt simple… 😁
Jeff
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### Author:  [@BillSchiller](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/BillSchiller)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2015, 5:19am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640/9 "2015-05-19T05:19:39Z")
Doe the grate in the first picture fit in a housing? It appears different than what is on the tractor. Is the second picture a restriction plate that fits inside the bottom of the tank? Is there a pressure release other than where the springs are?
I am also curious how your water filter works. What are you using for a filter in the housing?
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### Author:  [@Jeff](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/Jeff)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2015, 5:36am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640/10 "2015-05-19T05:36:56Z")
The water filter is 30 micron paper. I really mean a water filter, like the kind you might have for your house.
In the first pic the producer is up side down and the grate looking like screen material is below and out side of the round fined plate( when right side up) . The second pic shows the other side or inside of the round fined plate. The hot charcoal sets on this surface that has the furnace cement on it. The round hole could be thought of as a restriction plate or I think of it as the grate area. Oh not shown is the pins that hold the grate in place.
The fill lid has springs and the water pan, that encloses the grate and round fined plate, has springs.
Jeff
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### Author:  [@Jeff](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/Jeff)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2015, 5:01am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640/11 "2015-05-26T05:01:58Z")
Fill lid and draft port for blowing up the producer as they used to say.
First filter or sock filter:
Top just lifts off. Doubles as a pop off:
Final filter or water filter:
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### Author:  [@Jeff](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/Jeff)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2015, 5:09am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640/12 "2015-05-26T05:09:06Z")
Condensation trap at the end of the cooler:
This is the air humidifier pan that also encloses the grate area. The metal ring protects the humidifier pan because I go through brush and high weeds.
This is where things get hot:
Sorry about my fat fingers getting in the way.
One more:
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### Author:  [@Jeff](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/Jeff)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2015, 5:14am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640/13 "2015-05-26T05:14:17Z")
After the smoke clears at the top draft port, with the help from a blower. The blower moves right next to the carb to help with easy starting.
The blower is removed and the hose gets connected to the carb right before pulling the starter rope.
Cheers,
Jeff
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### Author:  [@BillSchiller](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/BillSchiller)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2015, 5:16am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640/14 "2015-05-26T05:16:56Z")
So the pan under the grate holds water?
Nice clean looking tractor and gasifier.
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### Author:  [@Jeff](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/Jeff)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2015, 5:18am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640/15 "2015-05-26T05:18:56Z")
> [@BillSchiller](#):
>
> So the pan under the grate holds water?
Hi Bill,
Yes, the pan has about 1/2 inch of water in it. I like to drain the condensation water into this pan.
Thanks for the reply question,
jeff
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### Author:  [@TomC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/TomC)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2015, 4:46am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640/16 "2015-05-27T04:46:33Z")
The diameter of the grate looks to be about 4 inches. Do you have a 1/2 to 1 inch nozzle in the opening above the grate. Surely you aren’t running a 4 inch nozzleTomC
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### Author:  [@Jeff](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/Jeff)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2015, 4:51am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640/17 "2015-05-27T04:51:31Z")
Hi Tom,
No nozzle just a grate with a two inch opening. I did try a 4" or there about opening but it was not as stable as the 2".
Thanks for the reply,
Jeff
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### Author:  [@Jeff](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/Jeff)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2015, 4:53am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640/18 "2015-05-27T04:53:23Z")
Oh, I forgot to mention that the humidifier pan has 4 air inlet holes.
Jeff
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### Author:  [@ray\_menke](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/ray_menke)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2015, 12:33pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640/19 "2015-05-27T12:33:03Z")
Jeff, what is the shut-down procedure when you stop the system for the day? What happens to the glowing charcoal above the grate? Does it just keep burning, sort of like an air leak in a charcoal retort? On my Simple-Fire units, I have the one inch nipple for an air inlet, and at shut-down, I just screw on a one inch pipe cap. No air gets in, and the charcoal is ready for a re-start. Do you plug the 4 inlet holes?
Ray
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### Author:  [@Jeff](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/Jeff)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/air-carbon-fuel-cell/1640/20 "2015-05-27T16:40:50Z")
Hi Ray,
I pull the hose off the carb and stick a rag in the end of the hose. Next I slide an old bolt into each of the four air inlet holes. That seems to do the trick.
Good question,
Jeff
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