I looked at this and was VERY impressed with the volume of quality charcoal he produced.
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What if you flip the process on its side and do it like a coke battery. In coke production some of the gas produced is burned, some it sent to recover chemicals, and some of it is cleaned and used like producer gas itself in the steel mill for process heat.
I see no reason why staged Charcoal battery could not produce more charcoal, more efficiently by copying the technology already in use for over 100 years in Coke production. The trick is the staging… Each cell in the battery move through a cycle where the adjacent cells provide heat at the beginning of the charge, then the cell produces heat and fuel gas as it finishes the product. Its a continues rather than batch process.
See animation:
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My latest charcoal maker. Hardwood chips are delivered free from tree removal company. I screen dried chips between 1" and 3/8" screens.
Stovepipe Retort
Top half insulated
Gas exit holes
Boiler firebox
Engine fuel
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That is very impressive, you could almost put another tank above it with all that heat coming of the top. The forced air on the bottom would really speed up the time.
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That’s a great looking retort Bruce , you should manage a few miles on each load .
My needs increased last week when the storms went through luckily i had a head start with fuel in reserve stored away , but after 5 days straight with no power i started getting very low after running generator for 4 hours a day to keep all battery’s charged as much as possible and manage through while they battled to get some power on we were the lucky ones we got power after 5 days , my next door neighbours’ are still without mains power , and wont be connected for another 2 weeks while they rebuild the poles and lines affecting them . i have now run extension power cords over there property’s and into there house so they can at least have tv/ computer , fridge . lights and kettle with out having to run the generators all the time , and i used some powerline internet adapters as well so they could use my wireless internet as well as all phone lines are down too .now to replenish my hard wood charcoal supply while staying toasty warm in the middle of winter .
I get 2 saucepan’s full of charcoal every load and the embers i leave will start the process all over again .
Dave
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It’s the best way to passively make fuel for sure! I always forget it’s opposite seasons in the Southern hemisphere
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Dave, I am inspired by both your ingenuity and your neighborliness!
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I decided the day after the power came back on that i would clean out the gasifier and check the nozzle, crikey what a mess inside , i really ran the generator hard this week and so i have a lot more crumbly slag that broke off the nozzle without trying too hard at all , plus i seem to have a lot more build up on the inside and out side of the nozzle , maybe i should think of getting a few more sent over when i have some spare cash .
I have found a supply of really nice standard 200 litre and also tall but slightly smaller diameter drums with locking rings that will fit inside a standard 200 L/ 45 gall drum .
Hexaloy carbide nozzle still useable the broken edge was from me poking at a while ago trying to clear the slag from the Centre
Not sure of the last time i cleaned out the gasifier must have been a while back though .
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I’d say it held up pretty well for some hard use and abuse in a grid down situation!
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Did I mention that I bought three more of those hexaloy nozzles. I didn’t even open the box to see if they were the same size yet. I figure I can make a simple fire out of almost anything laying around but nozzles, not so much. Maybe I should order more. I’ve been real careful poking anything through the one I’m using.
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Best way to make high value charcoal. Five thumbs up. 
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Tom you did mention that , i think they posted to you for free , but when i bought one they charged more than the cost of the Nozzle itself , i have a friend lives in Texas who used to send me stuff , but we sorta lost contact past few years . but he said the us post sends stuff up to a certain weight and size for about $14 so how the guy selling the Hexaloy gets his shipping price i have no idea .
last time i wanted 3 he was going to charge 3 times the shipping at nearly double the price of the nozzles , boy he sure knows how to make money
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I think when I got the single unit the shipping was something like $4.50 U.S. I know I only paid 75 cents more for the shipping on the three. We don’t even buy relatives gifts and ship them because of what the postal service charges. We just buy off Amazon and the shipping is free. Do you get free shipping from Amazon? Anyway if it would help in any way I’d be glad to act as a middle man for moving stuff your way. The local post office is only a mile and a half away. That’s within my Agoraphobic limits.
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Hi Tom , never use Amazon , when i did try to buy stuff i seen being used on here or other sites they wont ship to Aus and when i click on the local Aus Amazon they either don’t have it or its at least 3 times the amount of the US item , i buy mainly Ebay , Ali express or Bangood some times there is a small shipping but never that much to stop me buying it .
Thanks for the offer i will make sure i have enuff pocket money from the wife before i buy more goodies and if i am ok will message you .
Cheers Dave
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Bruce, How many pounds of charcoal does this system produce per load?
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Bryan,
I don’t know about pounds, but about 40 gallons per load.
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Now that is really harvesting the energy… you get the energy heating the boiler, and the charcoal to run your engine, well done.
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