Hi guys glad I found is place wood gas is something I been interested in and trying to learn more. But I know nothing about how to get started. The mine part I am interested in is a generator for when the power gets knock out. So any input on how to get started would be a great help
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Hi JonathanB.
Read here:
Focus on the small generators fueling with wood charcoal first.
And those taken out to real loaded running hours.
Regards
Steve Unruh
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As SteveU said. No end to the information. Check out Gary Gilmore’s videos.
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Welcome, and I have been there. Don’t over think a system like I did.
Read G.G.'s Simple fire work.
https://www.driveonwood.com/library/simple-fire/
Watch his video.
Then scrounge up a couple of metal buckets and build one. It’s easier than you think.
Hope this helps.
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One like that would be great just a few questions I could not understand from the video. One being how the blower and flitters were hooked up? How the batter was hooked up? And if all those fittings on the barrel for the tubs were regaler stuff from a hardware store or if they were something specia? Also how was the lead put on the barrel with that latch and what that red thing on the side was for
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OK. That video was about a more advanced stage Simple fire so maybe a little more confusing. This video is simpler. This is still a Simple fire without any acknowledgement to Gary Gilmore but it is an easy to understand video of a simple fire constructed without having to do any welding and using box store parts. This one has a nozzle that feeds from the bottom and Gary’s usually feed from the side but other than that there is no difference.
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I guess it would help if we explained the point of the Simple Fire. A wood gasifier must in various stages eliminate all the volatiles in the wood as it works it’s way into the reaction zone where the chemical compounds are converted into fuel grade gas. By first producing charcoal, all those volatiles are burned out before the fuel stock is put into your hopper. These are updraft charcoal units. Don’t put any effort into trying to figure out what these guys here are doing with downdraft charcoal units yet. It will just confuse you. As the charcoal is reheated in the reaction zone outside the nozzle the gas made rises upward through the feed stock in the hopper and is cooled by passing though all the surface area of all the bits of char. From there all you have to do is filter out the dust that is pulled through the system, first by some kind of suction blower and later by the suction of the engine. Other than charcoal dust, there is no tar or other evil substances in the produced gas to damage your engine. As Mark says, it’s as simple as getting a couple of buckets and a couple of fittings and hoses. Enough talk. Build something.
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Hello Jonboy and welcome aboard .
As mentioned by Mark , do not over complicate a simple fire there is no need at all to change the basic design of the gasifier other than use a different material for the nozzle to give you extended life between change outs , the filtering of the gas can be improved on as well by using a larger container for more surface area of filter cleaning material .
if you look through the posts you should see a post on charcoal nozzles there are a few good alternatives for long lasting nozzle’s on there .
If i can be of help drop me a message i have been running generators for a number of years and so have managed to work round most problems that come with stationary units ,
Dave
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