Hi Guys
In theme with this fuel bridging problem phenomena here is a video by New Zealander Steven Amptramp back in April this year on his first operating his largish VictoryGasWorks “Woody” model gasifier on an unloaded 13 hp single cylinder engine:
He is reaching the correct conclusions that he is underdrawing this large 4 cylinder engine capable sized gasifer. He can’t make this gasifier smaller. I think his Radia Pine wood will be fine once he figures out to irregular side chunk it up to prevent flat on flat chunk stacking.
His only solution past increased engine loading to increase the gasifer internal heat WILL be to shake it.
He sure could use this DanC style bracket shaker with a DC starter motor mounted to it. (He’s dedicated off-grid since 1996.) EASY to make a DC starter spin out of balance counter weighting at the drive gear assembly. And they were designed for intermittent operation anyhow.
A comment on his youtube CNCmachiningisfun channel video back to this thread topic would be nice. Google owned now YouTube will not play nice with my yahoo address and any longer allow me post comments - barely lets me even watch anymore.
Hey Pepe like your newer grate grid. Up-bumping on a grate with some of the hard, hard, wood chars like oak and hickory can be beneficial to fracture the lumps for more new reactive edgesexposure .
Always a mistake though with soft, soft wood chars like pine and others as is will crumble them up and the gasses flow clog at the grate.
Hi Steve; Yes this google yahoo thing is a pita, it stopped me from commenting(coincidentaly to Steve)unless I accepted google plus. I did accept g. plus and was very unhappy with it’s prying and demanding ways. So I went to help and found out how to delete g. plus and did it. My youtube account seems to be working better now. Lots of folks unhappy with these forced upon us changes. Also agree,you have to keep it hot! Dan
Hi All,
Dan, I thought you said I would like my new vibrator? I love it, man, thanks for your vids, they are great teaching tools from one of the most determined gassers I know.
Here’s a vid of my last run, my best engine run yet. Next up is a new filter system. I noticed I forgot the 2 outer bolts on my motor mount, that’s the vib heard in the vid. I also didn’t pound in the milk can cover all the way so I got an air leak. Maybe that contributed to my lower temps, but still a great run. I also noticed that my air adjustment was on the lean side from my previous run. I saw some comments about this here recently. All interesting 75% tidbits.
Enjoy, Pepe
Sorry, Video got deleted by accident on You Tube. I’ll work on reconstructing it.
Pepe
I knew you would like it as it shakes the daylights out of the whole unit. I hardly ever use my grate turner anymore as the vibrator not only shakes the hopper, it shakes the grate too. kill two birds with one stone. Your small engine is not going to keep the heat high enough for Tar elimination(at least I do not think so).You need to get a thermocouple and check the tenps. in the restriction area.Try to get and keep at or above 2000°F. No tar can survive that.Soon that thing will be running itself. Have fun, Dan P.S. Thanks for compliments!
Hi Dan, The 8 hp is the only engine I had ready to run. I have a twin cylinder 18 HP B&S engine on a rider that will be next up as soon as I check it out on gasoline. My 4 cylinder IH Cub tractor has only about 10 - 11 HP, totally surprised me considering it easily pulls a 12" plow. Is your thermocouple permanently installed and what brand, etc is it?
Thanks, Pepe
Pepe; The only sure way to know for sure is to check temps… My thermocouple is NOT permanently installed. I just check once in a while until you get the feel of your unit. Once you get use to it and run it on the same size and type of wood on a regular basis, you will only check it now and then. I am posting three pics for you. just go on line with the info in the pics and you should be able to find them. I think the thermocouple was 20-30 dollars and the pyrometer(meter) was appx.60 dollars. If you don’t have a port to reach the restriction hole, you will have to make one. First two pics are labels on thermocouple package tube and the third pic is the actual pyrometer. I’m proud of your successful hard work, keep it up. Dan
Hi Dan, Thanks for the compliment and information. It’s certainly nice to have a trusted source that we consult with. My neighbor has a 1966 or so 4 wd scout with a 4 cyl low rpm high torque engine that I can have for “scientific purposes”. 152 cc, 92 HP. I haven’t taken a good look at it yet, but will today. I don’t have a lot of time or bucks to rebuild anything.
Pepe
Hi Pepe; Just watched your newest video. I can’t respond to comments on youtube now because I deleted Google SUCKS(plus) because they are very intrusive on putting photos and more out there weather we like it or not. Anyways, Your 18 h.p. engine may be fine. You will be able to tell when you can check your temps. with a thermocouple. In an emergency you could do like I did in my log splitter video and siphon off gas from flare tube to run smaller engines. You waste a little gas that way but you keep the temps. up with the vacuum and keep the Tars out and keep your small engines running. Dan
With my GEK gasifier and the Pyrocoil GEK Wiki / Tower of Total Thermal Integration option I can run my generator with as little as a 700 watt load and still maintain enough heat. The heat from the exhaust is used to heat the upper section of the gasifier. This is supposed to char the wood chips also but the generator I am using ATM is a marine generator with a water cooled exhaust manifold. So there is not as much heat available as there could be (it is only the manifold outer jacket that is being cooled, the water is not being put into the exhaust as it would in a boat).
With this set up I only get a very small area in the auger that gets any sticky tar build up and after about 70 hours running it is a small area only around 3 MM thick.
Hey Guys,
Gary, thanks for the info and comment, that is one neat looking set up.
Dan, I like the idea of pulling gas off like you mentioned, now if I could only find that one way valve I “had”! I’m going to play with the rider here, real soon, yeah!
Rather than try to put the puffer back in my movie I’ve made a short clip (15 sec ) and here’s the link to it.
LOL Pepe, I think the first time that happens we all have that neck snapping reaction. Shows your saftey equipment is working thank goodness. Now I get a unexpected scare from my vibrator when it randomly kicks on and I am standing close. Gary, That GEK is a nice unit. APL has come a long way and are very open and helpful with their research. I like that preheat system alot and it seems to work great!
I have been happy with building my GEK however it is very disappointing that they will not approve my membership to their forum. I have made some modifications to the preheat system due to not being able to get the gas pipe they use here in Australia. What I did is add another double jacket for the preheat and it works very well. Except if I shut down my generator and restart it can fill with unburnt gas. This results in a very sharp explosion of the gas in the preheat chamber when the fresh comes in and mixes with it. It does not cause any problem except for stained underwear.
Hi Gary; yes, had to scrub a few of them stains out as well.LOL! Don’t know way APL’s won’t let you into forums. Sounds like you could use a backflow preventer valve between your double jacket and the intake of the Gasifier if possible. Dan
Thank Danny, will think about a valve on it, all air comes in via a 1" water pipe socket. A non returned valve for water would create too much increase in vacuum I am sure.
Hi All,
Thought I’d post my 2 fer 1 safety awareness situations. Firstly, my spring loaded lid works and directs the blast AWAY from the operator side of my machine. Secondly, the operator doesn’t work right and could have gotten a face full. That’s a real “hs” smile afterward!
Some have seen them, but there’s a lot more that need to see what can happen in a flash.
Be safe, Pepe
Here’s the new link, it’s only 37 or so secs.
Hi Pepe
You are lucky to catch those puffs on camera, I have had several that have knocked my hat off, but never on camera. They are brilliant educational tools!
I had one like the second one in your video a few days ago. The gasifier had been in use and shut down for a few hours, then I relight it. My 200 litre fuel hopper blew the lid out before my relief valve on the top of the gasifier opened. My fuel hopper must have filled up with combustible gas when I shut it down from the previous run. It left the relief valve stuck open more than 40 MM with wood chips stuck under it. I hate to think what may have happened without the valve.
I thought this was a good DYI “throttling” design. He claims it’s airtight, but I’m not sure I’d use it for a shutoff. Those of us with near hits will appreciate the caution and invest in globe or gate valves (depending on temp exposure-, globe valve low heat, brass gate valve for heat).
Hello fellow gassers,
I’m going to build a monorator top for my gasifier from a 24" diameter water storage pressure tank my neighbor donated to science. I can make my total unit height 16" shorter using this tank and retain the existing volume of fuel loaded. I think I’m looking at a 2+ hour run time. We’ll see. Hopefully this will wring more water out.
Pic 1 Both ends have the same shape and a 3 1/2" crown.
Pic 2 This will become the new lid.
Pic 3 This will become the loading end since it already has a hole in it.
Pic 4 The plan. The monorator will bolt to the existing studs for the old hopper (last pic). There’s plenty of room to bolt it down through the large open lid. At least I’ll be doing something in the shop while winter plays out. Going to minus 10 F this week.
Yes the flanges in the last pic are not shown on the diagram, good catch, lol.
Pepe http://jamclasses.drbanjo.com/static/dimages/1_0.jpg http://jamclasses.drbanjo.com/static/dimages/2_0.jpg
Speaking of monorator hoppers, check out this article. http://mars.ymex.com/~s-20222/gengas/monorator-eng.html
Figure 5 monorator design will replace my drawn diagram, much less welding, much less cutting and easier welding for the internal condensate “fence”. This design supposedly will handle wet fuels. Fits my purpose to lower my unit height.
Arvid, I like your lid and handle design, nice. I’ll be doing something similar for the 24" diam monorator hopper.
Good info, good read.
Pepe
