Prior to finding this site, using scattered information found on the internet, I built a prototype gasifier. As luck would have it, I fired it up the same day that I joined this site. Many mistakes were realized before lighting it. I successfully made water, steam, tar & an inert gas. This unit was built with no specific intended use in mind, rather a learning tool in gasification. Right off, I can see unheated intake air, lack of correct water control & blower output seem to be the obvious problems. My question is whether or not to continue with this project. I am definitely going to build a Keith unit immediately, just wondering if this unit could be salvaged for someone to use as a stationary gasifer on a small generator. Any input would be greatly appreciated. No need to be kind, a clam is a clam !! I have enclosed some pictures. If needed, I will clean it out, take it apart & take more pictures.
Hi
I’m kinda new at this too but i have a china jqx10 that was a good tar maker and i moded it into a imbert hybrid
i built several before before i got the jqx10 with wide spread results.
wayne is probably one of the best NO probably the best mobil gas man i have seen so far. He seems to have gotten it down to a science that even i can soak up
but from my exp on the little unit i have the imbert seems to work a lot better for me then the stratified down draft
my unit now has both it has imbert nozzles and an adjustable stratified valve
It has a 6" fire tube with 4 1/2 " nozzles and a2.5" restrictor in the throat it seems to burn really clean.
i made it’s fire tube out of refactory
I want to build one about that size using waynes design because i think it will be very usable and much liter
good luck
Tom
Hi PeterC
Too many unknowns to comment well without knowing your nozzle/restriction/grate opening areas.
Study Waynes design and I think you would need to have an added thermal break shelf under your condensate gutter to prevent hot output gas from resteaming the collected condensate, a Much larger condensate drain, and increased top dome condensing surface area/finning and/or forced upper cooling air flow to work for any stationary application.
Man you sure can fabricate and weld though.
You have a future here.
Howdy Peter,
You obviously have the ability to build… And an interest.
Most importantly…What do ya wanna do with it, What will the primary fuel be?
Take it. Do a back burn on it (run it updraft) to get the gunk out of the hopper get it clean enough to make reasonable assessment of what is there.
Take detailed pics.
You are at the right site, Get a Premium Membership… Watch the vids and you will a much better idea of how to proceed.
On my first builds… If this info were available
I could have saved hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars if I has access to this info when I built my first “Pellet Launching-Valve Sticking Tar Maker”.
Welcome to the Machine!
All the best
TerryL
Excellent!
I forgot to check if ya had already joined
Yep I realized it was already built…
You will be able to reuse a most of it.
It’s all about re purposing stuff and using what is available. Wayne does an amazing job it.
Looking forward to seeing what ya come up with.
TerryL
Terry, I forgot to answer on use. I am thinking this will be my first learning experience. I would like to get this one running so i could give it to a friend
for some useful purpose, hate to throw it in the junk pile! I am starting on a Keith gasifier for vehicle use.
I just gave my first learning gasifier to a blacksmith friend, he wanted to use it for a gas forge. I dunno if anything will come of it. But if it gets another woodgasser started, then that gasifier did it’s job twice!
Chris, You are exactly right. I figure that if i can get it to at least flare correctly, it would close enough for someone to use it for something. It would be nice if i can use this to learn about gasifier operation, break in etc. I am in the process of taking it apart to take pictures for the experts to review. Absolutely going to build a Keith gasifier. Only wish i found this site sooner!!
Never mind the gasser what you got going in the background?? Those are some nice looking machines you got going. You definatly look like you are a well experienced fabricator. Cant wait to see your next unit.
HI, I MADE THE SAME MISTAKES, YOU CAN ONLY LEARN SO MUCH FROM WATCHING YOU-TUBE VIDEOS, I SCRAPPED MY SECOND GASIFIER TOO SOON, IF I HAD ONLY JUST CHANGED THE HOPPER I THINK IT WOULD HAVE WORKED GOOD. BUT NOW I AM BUILDING MY MODEFIED WAYNE KIETH GASIFIER, AND WILL BE FIRING IT UP THIS MONTH I HOPE, AND YES WITH YOUR FAB SKILLS I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT,
Before you get too carried away you might want to build a condensor for this unit and see what the gas looks like then. Also how much have you ran it. Sometimes you need to establish a good char bed in the unit before it will make good gas. From the looks it looks like an imbert. The jets vs your fuel are very important. The available info depending on where you got it will get you close but that is about it due to diferences in the build geometry. Is your grate adjustable and is your restrictor replacable. Dont give up on this one just yet…it looks like a nice build learn as much as you can before going on the next. Also if tar can leak out that means air can leak in.
Hi Matt, Thanks for the compliments. The pickup in my picture is a twin engine street driven unit. 454 front — 526 jp3 blown injected alcohol hemi in the rear. The car in the shop is my newest creation. 23 t Will have blown gas 502 front ----- 526 blown injected alcohol hemi in the rear These vehicles run on front motor only on the street ---- both engines together at the track. Believe me, this stuff is simple compared to a gasifier!! The good news is that you can’t kick the rods out of a gasifier.
Matt, The gasifier pictured is my first build. I utilized a couple of compressor tanks laying around for the build. The unit ran for a few hours, but as steam built, tar & water were forced out from under the lid. I did not have much tension on the hold down springs. When i took the pictures of it running, the latches were not even on. What would have happened to the steam had i tightened down the top until it did not leak water & tar? I have this unit all apart & pictures taken ---- have to wait until tomorrow for my wife to send them.
