We are now open for Discussion fellow wood gasifiers.
Earlier today a new thought came out of my brain, so here it is on paper. Very rough sketch hope you can follow it.
Oh the other thing is it will be married up to a WK Gasifier but NO Questions about the building of that please. This can be married to other types of gasifiers too. I will open a building thread later on the Premium side.
Okay in the red outline is the plank in the hopper, and how it will be welded the the fire tube top plate and welded to the fire tube. Also how the hot wood gas goes up through the lower part of the gasifier into the plank and preheat even more the incoming preheated air.
I want thank @gasman, and @Chris for there part of the plank hopper ideas and different designs they have come up with.
Not sure where the original design concept came from. Chris has a build started, but has more important things to attend to at the moment.
The only places on top of the plank that touches the hopper is air pipe flange coming into the hopper and the 2 gas flanges going out the hopper. All 3 will be sealed tight to the outside of the hopper pipes.
Bob
Okay first thing to address is a straight wall square hopper, according to @SteveUnruh you can have some problems with vacuum flexing, cracking welds and such. Also loud popping noises from the metal. This will call for extra bracing. Thanks Steve for the heads up on this.
Bob
Great to see enthusiasm is still alive on the site!
I have had quite a couple of squere hoppers, l have one at the moment actualy, and never had any problems. I do however use 2mm sheet steel wich is quite sturdy, but then again, it shuld be if you want the hopper to last some time.
Some flexing might occur if you choose bigger sice hopper.
Thanks for the input Kristijan on your builds. The panel pieces I have come up with have some enforcement bracing in it already and they are not flimsy ether. I have a tendency to over build things anyways. I like the way Wayne , Al, and most of the others are building super strong. And looking at your builds you do put some thick steel and heavy duty welds into your gasifier builds. This build will be going into a full size truck, so weight is not as big of a problem as a midsize truck.
Bob
I dont read blue prints good so i will watch for while, the more heat that recycles is good too a point that deminishis with too much weight. Too many extras add more weight, may be more suitable for stationary generator type set up too keep heat up at lower idle running. Though i think any simple too clean plank/wood heater will help if not blocking the flow of the chunks.The WK design on your dakota is a great overall design with less heat exiting the gasifier/ heat exchanging units,and not too heavy if not over built with thick steel, my square hopper design i built was way over done and was wsy heavyer than i expected’ and it had my 3/4 ton truck springs leanning from the excess weight.With my exturnal heated hopper , the gas hitting the cooling rail after the cyclones and hopper heater is in miled summer about 350 f tops so far.Though i am looseing a lot of heat from around the hopper heater with out any high temp insulate around the hopper heater jacket. Though with my over weight built WK heat exchanger the gas hitting the cooling rack was about the same temp though the wk had less heat loss too the outside.Good ideas on thr way for your build project, keep us posted on the project. my next build is planed for trailer just for easy excess for cleaning and or leak fixing excess. stay cool, the 4th and 5th this year were hotest this year so far cooked. Allso as i seen how the wk trucks looked in person not on utube, i am building another WK design with lighter heat exchange material and barrel hopper for lighter overall unit.Good luck with your plank heating Addition design.
