External keyboard should solve that Mike.
Now I want to see video of you running the Studebaker on woodgas. I see it’s all hooked up in the photo…
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Interesting comments. While we are talking volatility, has any one looked at a monitoring system evaluate the quality of the gas in real time, other than say an O2 sensor?
Brit, actually fuel gas quality get real-time eventuated a lot.
The actual usable engine shaft power is the way to do this.
Real easy to compare on small loaded electrical genrator systems.
Varies a lot from early gasifier system batch starting up gasses mix; to mid hopper gasses mix; to end of batch cycle run then more a charcoal gasses mix.
The woosh, or poof, ka-boom has far more to do with the air/fuel mixed space volume capacity than the pure gas strength.
Regards
Steve unruh
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Yes this is a thought, I am planning to get a flue gas sensor. This combined with an 02 sensor can get you an idea of what is being produced. I need to get more data from the lab, but I believe the gas % is some what linear. But am not 100% on that yet.
Systems that operate on vacuum basically most here; So when ever the machine is in operation you are pulling a vacuum on the machine. Just like if you pull a vacuum on a pop bottle when you release it; it pull back. So if you stop your engine, blower or whatever is the pulling the vacuum on the gasifier, the negative pressure on the hopper is relieved and it will pull back. So if your air intake is open, it will pull air back into the hearth along with the gases made downstream both entering the hearth. If you have the air cut off then you will only have the gases pulled back, but no air to ignite it.
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THANKS MATT,that makes 100 percent sense too me now, i had’ent thought of that other vacuem, That must be we allways see wayne unhooking his hook on the drivers side.
Hello Brit .
" Interesting comments. While we are talking volatility, has any one looked at a monitoring system evaluate the quality of the gas in real time, other than say an O2 sensor? "
If you are asking about the composition off the gas , below is a report of tests we did in 2010 at Auburn
There have been modification to the gasifier after 2010 that should make it more efficient
Keyboards for laptops are inexpensive. I bought one for ten dollars (eBay) and my wife installed it in less than 15 minutes. Works like a champ!
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I’m still the experimental stage. I started with 2 screen door springs, but had to add a third stronger spring that I can adjust the tension on to maintain a good seal on the gasket.
First make sure you have a gasket that is sealable. Don’t over do the spring tension trying to seal a lid that is not a good sealable surface for what ever reason.
Russell what is the diameter of the tube your sealing. It just looks like a lot of spring tension for not very many square inches of lid surface.
Good stuff : ) Amazing numbers for wood gas.
RUSSEL that gasifier on the right looks like it would run a motor quite some time,and the spring looks more like a garodge hinge up door spring, likely just the camera distance alusion.NICE BUILD
I have a 5" sch 80 pipe with a 3/8" plate hinged for a lid. Having trouble getting a good seal with a rtv and fiberglass mat gasket. You can see it leaking in the pic I took today. I’m using a small shop vac as a blower for it at this point. Maybe I should weld a flange on top of the pipe for a larger gasket surface ?
Hi Russell
Are you pushing on the inlet or pulling through the system? It might seal under vacuum easy, under pressure will be a lot different tension needed. What are you going to use the gasifier for?
I’m blowing into it with a shop vac for test purposes, I expect you are right about that making it harder to seal. I only built this to learn about gasification and see if it would work. I will be returning to my retirement home in the Philippines soon and would like to have a gasifier in my backyard for outdoor cooking gas, copper coils to a hot water tank, and to run a small generator durring power outages. I think I may wind up going with a charcoal gasifier over there, as charcoal is cheap and easy to get. It’s all just hobby work for me really, to keep busy and it’s very fun and interesting.
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Not sure what too say on the seal area, It may be as Marvin W was saying,i am welding a car rim flange on my hopper,will need some strips of metal added too glue the 5/8" glass rope seal sucurely in place,havent tryed it yet,changeing motor in my truck,moveing it away from fire wall same time.Happy Retirement.
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