Hi Ray,
I tried already a lot of set ups and did a lot of testing with different feedstocks.
I did find out that of course there is a huge difference if you put a homogeneous mixture inside or a lot of different sizes.
Dough i did not experience “problems with tar and smoke” since i use as indicator the halt of escaping burning gasses ( exceeding 800°C)
it is for some people a kind of waste, but it pays of when using the charcoal in the gasifier or just use it as cooking fuel…
i did test about the cooking and the result was that the charcoal from the indirect method gave 60% more energy for cooking then the charcoal from the direct method.
i have so many results already, don#t know where to start , sure don’t know where it will end, but having a hell of a good time…
In 2008 i was in the states quit a few times and for the purpose of gasifying i sold a few briquetting machines which would produce hard briquettes from sawdust till wood chips, size briqeuttes 60mm, even made briquettes from paper dust !!
i wanted to start a project in USA to convert all dry green waste into briquettes for gasifying,… but then came the european crisis…
but still possible and a solution in preventing bush fire…
Koen: I heard briqeuttes aren’t any good for gasification. Something about the compaction interferes with gases exchange. I know commercial ones have clay in them to hold them together as well, though obviously you wouldn’t want to add that to your briqeuttes.
Hi Brian,
see a briquette as a piece of coal… the briquettes i made where only compacted by pressure , no additives to hold them together.
Applying a given amount of heat to a given amount of surface to a given kind of combustible results in a transformation from a solid state into a gaseous state.
I could try to go into it deeper, but it is obvious that as long you choose the right circumstances any combustible can be used as fuel.
The size of the briquette, the degree of compaction and the sort of combustible used will define how much energy you can set free in a given time.
look at a wood-pellet… the density is higher then wood, but the ratio surface-density-combustible makes it a perfect fuel.
Try anthracite as fuel for a gasifier… same principal … works fine if you use the correct sizing
Or the charcoal in our gasifiers… size, moister density…
anyhow, a briquette or pellet from the right sizing with the correct proporties (even charcoal dust or small particles) will be a good fuel for a gasifier.
Good news ?
With the collected fumes from an earlier set up- charcoaling unit, we did perform some tests with the liquids as a kind of pesticide - herbicide…
results are coming soon, but looking really promissing.
We used them on a corn crop field, rubber threes, palm threes, pineapple field…
The amount of regular pesticide is only half as usual, the places without any normal pesticides are having far less weed then places without treatment…
We did it as a kind of test, fun, just to find out “if” it would be helpful… after the raining saison when the weed comes up faster then the sun rises…
Its so promising that we are going to conduct a full scale test…
Did made some charcoal from Rice Husks for testing later on…
Was not difficult ,inside the drum , but this morning when all was cold, they still reacted very rapidly with the air when i exposed them.
(did noticed after 3 hours that the drum went from cold to 200°C again… )
Any how, the test results (gasifier) from today i will post in my other topic…
More news at www.renewableenergythailand.com, click to the MIT - Links for more interesting ways how to handle/manufacture charcoal…
Koen,
Very nice setup. I know it isn’t portable, but you might want to insulate using clay “fire” bricks to make it more of a kiln, then you don’t lose as much energy from the flames heating that up. Off the top of my head it is like 50% clay and 50% ash, mix it up, let dry and then bake it. Or you can just use ash for the insulating material. Ash is actually a refractory material.
You might also try a rocket stove or two for each barrel to get them going. I am sure you have a lot of waste bamboo, but no sense in burning up more then you have to.
How did you make rotating pipe connection before running it through the condenser?
The pesticides will work, but you have to hit the weeds early, and it might not be a complete kill. From what I have seen, you hit them with the pesticide, see the kill, then go back and spot spray with the commercial pesticide, or just hand weed.
Hi Sean,
Yes you are right.
This is just one of the testing set ups to finding things. Always have imp4ovements in my mind
But at some point have to do instead of thinking…
Any way i have always room for improvements
In this setup, the barrel is rotating over the tube, inside the drum i have holes in the tube wich allows the vapors escaping. I use 6 m long iron tubes as condensors at this moment. Aas mentioned… thinking, testing , studying, improvement.
Same time started a project here for using the liquids on a rubber tree plantation, using it as coagulant as well…
Have now 15 acres with 3500 tree’s to study.
Also setting up a plantage for bamboo cultivation, about 60 acres.
Preparing for the project presentation to the chiefs of district the 18th december. With producing electric power from bamboo charcoal in my gasifier…
All should be an educational project, with the intrests of already a lot of people… 2 universitys from the states also.
I need more tsting to do and have to cut myself into pieces to do everything… but i am lovin it…
Koen,
I applaud your efforts there. A simple and economic solution to provide people luxuries we take for granted here.
I am curious, have your heard of pyrolysis of plastic? I’m not sure of the waste generated there. I am going to experiment with this also. It’s basically the same as you making char except you would put plastic in the barrels. I haven’t done enough research on it to find out if different temperatures produce different grades of fuel and if so, what those temperatures are. Here are some videos to get you started.
Old plastic items are actually sold for recycling in Thailand, so it may not be as attractive to the locals. You can use virtually the same process with old tyres to make Diesel.
Hi Gary
Be very careful of pyrolysis of tyres the molecular structure of the diesel produced is highly abrasive to the injector nozzles, as well as the oil is highly toxic, if you get it on your hands you will get very sick.
I have tried this already and born the cost of new nozzles and landed up on a drip in hospital !
Not to mention the vapors !
Please do some homework on this before trying !
Thanks Patrick
Yes Bill, i know pyrolyses quit well. I designed a lot of auxilary equipment for the processes.
As Garry mentioned, here the collectors come by your doorstep and pay you by the kilo…
But garbage is an issue and gasifying is an desired option.
Its one of the many things here about what i am doing here … bring awareness and perform research and development.
Building a small gasifier that works is only as dificult as the resources you have… Here its very hard to find the things what you think was needed to do the job ,… but since i grew up with mc gyver on the tv, i imagine everything can be done with a paperclip and ducttape ;-p
Any how… being at school also helped a lot to gather the knowledge, and i guess i will never be able to quit school…
Honnestly ? I have no idea
I use the bamboo growing around here, not even knowing there name …
But i think, using the bamboo around, is not so bad idea…
If you look into google research, “bamboo charcoal is made from”, then the different names will come up…
Koen thanks for all the information here. I really didn’t know how you make charcoal in any volume.
I think I have asked this before but why take the effort to make the charcoal instead of just burning the bamboo chunks directly in the gasificer like Wayne burns wood? Just seems like alot of extra work. I guess if the gasificer is simpler to operate maybe it would be more acceptable to the general public.
Dan,
Now you have stuck a stick in it and stirred up this long-running friendly controversy.
BTW, Dan, I also live in NH (Hooksett).
I run a charcoal powered 1976 MGB that is almost ready for prime time. I chose charcoal for many reasons, but first is the energy to weight ratio for charcoal along with it’s lighter weight charcoal gasifier. Wood fuel is more powerful by volume and charcoal is more powerful by weight. Processing charcoal is a pain, but this magic black stuff has so many other amazing uses.
I think I saw one of your videos on you tube a while back.
I lived down in that area for years. Had a house in Salisbury right on route four. You are probably one of the few people who would actually know there is a Salisbury NH.
Hooksett sure has changed in the last 10 years or so. I worked in bow back in the late 90s and couldn’t believe how much the area changed when I was down there a few years ago.
