Air Carbon Fuel Cell

Jeff, looking great.
How much time you got left to teach some ?

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Your designs have always been amazing. Very sad to hear of the news of not much time. I will be praying for a miracle for you!

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Maybe the doctors at the Cleveland Clinic will have other ideas. I have an appointment with them Thursday. I plan to leave work Wednesday afternoon and drive to Cleveland and stay in a motel over night. Then after the Thursday morning meeting head back to work. Too many appointments!!! Not to mention Monday and Tuesday at Erie.

So lets wait before commenting. :grin:

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Wow Jeff, I’m at a loss of words. I hate news like this. I’m glad you shared, it’s just been so many for me lately. I too will send prayers.

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Hi Jeff, I like the metal buckets and you new Idea. It makes me want to start on one like this.
Super light weight and if you put some ceramic insulation in the lower bucket that might help with heat.
You have been a inspiration to me ever since you build your red Air Carbon Fuel Cell and coined that title for the charcoal gasifier. It is original and it is yours.
Jeff, you have now just been added to my daily prayer list.
Doctors don’t have the final say.
Only God Does, he holds the keys to death and life. Expect a miracle from God. He Is The Miracle Giver. IN JESUS NAME.
I would not be speaking to you if God had not saved my life.
Bob

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I suspect Cleveland may have something to say about it though. It depends on what you have but I know more then a few that have been given 6 months to live and lived for years. I think everyone here sincerely wishes you the best of luck and will miss you if things do go south.

According to the Egyptians, you can take it with you! Might as well make the best of what time you have left! (although I am unsure whether woodgas is up on that list…) Plus you usually can get at least half the money from it from craigslist for tools like that maybe more. Honestly it looks like about the size of a coffee can or 1 gallon food can if you can still find a metal one, but what -might- work almost perfect is a freon/refrigerant gas cylinder. How hot does that center section get?

My first thought is I hope you get this done, so we can see. :slight_smile:

How hot is the air coming out of the filter on the red one? I would rather have something like the red one to run my foundry furnace rather then put charcoal directly in. However, that means it needs an inline type of fan or venturi type of valve system, since I would like to be able to control the temperature potentially for a kiln.

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Jeff,

Your designs are so peculiarly clever. This forum will keep your existing ideas alive, but I want more. You make me think in new ways. I too am praying that you will be healed of whatever appears to have you at risk.

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I have been collecting charcoal from the bottom of my 95 F250 and was inspired by your air carbon fuel cell design.
I have started buildiing, mostly mental.
Please post your thoughts especially any changes in the grate.
I see the clinker cones others have developed and wonder how you ever cleaned out your unit?
Those are wonderful sealed lid buckets, never have seen that type.

Wish you well and know that your work is inspirational.

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Jeff .

I also am a loss for words.

We are praying for you .

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Thanks Robert, Micheal, Sean, Bruce and Wayne. Hope I didn’t miss someone.

Prayers are welcome! Thanks!

Even Erie gives me more than 6 months. :grin:

The name “Air Carbon Fuel Cell” “ACFC” was placed in the open source world for any body to use.

Slip rolls would be also used for filter housings and etc. Maybe recycle barrel sheet metal, hot water jackets or what ever.

Gas temp out of red gas producer (red cooler/filter) can leave your hand on it. Never had the time to measure it.

I also plan to fuel a foundry with the red gas producer.

I remove the grates and poke out some of the charcoal to clean it. then screen that charcoal and re-use it.

Just about any grate will hold up as long as it is not up inside the oxidation zone. I might try sheet metal bent into angle iron shape.

I will be trying to use more recycled sheet metal instead of new plastic stuff. Still will use plastic hose. Charcoal doesn’t seem to rust metal too bad.

Right now I’m more of a doodler than a doer but that should change in two months. Oh, allow me to change “should” to “will” in that last sentence!

Cheers :grin:

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Thank you for leading me to your ACFC thread. I see that I made a couple of comments, so I obviously followed the thread as it grew. My mind is slipping, so I went back and read most of the thread. For now I have a good picture of what it is. I believe I saw your tractor at Argos but the gasifier was only one tank and you had like exhaust bent into a coil on top.
About your health. Just keep going with maybe a little more dedication to the things you “want” to do. My wife was told to go home and get things in order, I probably wouldn’t be coming home. That was several years ago. I think it was the year she drove me down to Argos. Just as a member of the DOW you have many prayers being sent up for you TomC

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Hi Jeff

to clear my mind, what are the main benefits of isolating the hopper from the redox zone?(for a gasifier with charcoal)

in order of importance

1:keep the hopper fuel always fresh (for maximum responsiveness)

2:reduce the drag to a minimum

3:facilitate maintenance (ashtray cleaning)

4: SEEK OTHER REASONS?

PS: Jeff I am sincerely touched by what happens to you and my thoughts are with you. know that your buildings are a source of inspiration for me

Thierry

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Thanks Tom and Thierry! :grin:

Tom, I am preparing for two reasons. First, it is a good idea. Second, if your prepared chances are you will not need it.

Thierry, the fourth reason would be to not release the moister in the fuel hopper all at once or there about’s. In my climate I can not keep charcoal 100% dry all the time if ever. Not a perfect world. The fifth reason is to keep the variables consistent so reducing the need to adjust air fuel ratio. Consistent vacuum and consistent moisture. The sixth and most important reason is that I like to have fun!

To be honest, just about any design works with charcoal. This is just the silly path I am traveling on.

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Jeff l am thinking about you all day, cant find the right words. Others have sayd it well, miricles happen but keep in mind sometimes no miricles are neaded, the mind can cure half of the desiese so keep up the positive spirit! Looking forward to see you at Argos! :slight_smile:

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Jeff,
I started and cancelled this post several times. I don’t know what to say.
I just hope the doctors are wrong. Take care and keep busy.

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Thank you two from the other side of the world! :grin: Means a lot to me!

Do not fret, let’s all enjoy staying focused on our passions!

I’m sure I well be much better by Argos time, however I’m sure I will need to spend my vacation time on enjoying my back yard and playing in the shop. No early retirement for me now and limited amount of time off. Of course it sure would be spectacular to be with the best crew on the planet! ! !

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If one would weld a 1" long 2" diameter pipe that extends above the grate, would the charcoal on the sides of it be enough where it wouldn’t need refactory cement? Or would the top of the 2" pipe burn off?

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as we all do…

we can’t perform miracles, but i bet we all pray for you… we can’t miss you yet, to much fun to be experienced together…

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Jeff, l have a question for you. I looked up your system on Eddys skech thread, it says the transition between the hopper and gasifier is 5" dia. You ever experianced any problem with pluging/bridgeing?
I plan to use a bit corser fuel on my MB thain clasical engine grade, say around inch dia or so, and l need to make the transition as narrow as possible. Any recomendations?

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Well JeffD, I do have the words. And been living this too, like TomC years stretching. Just make it a s-o-m-e-d-a-y thing.

In the mean time keep focusing on what you leave behind in inspirations.
You been doing great on this for years now.

S-o-m-e-d-a-y will come to each and every one. As is said, “No one gets out of this Life alive.”
Getting “the scare” is what really focuses a fellow down to what is really important.
Being remembered as having grace, dignity and an ethics carrying-forward concern is a great part of that importance.
Not things left behind.

Regards to the AC-FC make-it-real, innovator
Steve Unruh

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