A good “brand” plug seems to avoid the described problem, i tend to replace any “cheap chinese plugs” even before i fire up the engine for the first time. Or i just might be lucky so far
Towards power output; i only compare the max output with original settings on the carb with gasoline vs the advertised numbers and guess what?
The advertised numbers are “almost” never achieved. It seems that they only take the wire gauge from the windings apply a formula to calculate the amps multiplied with the voltage and voila, you’l have your rating…
They never indicate an efficiency that is real … ( advertising 1 as power efficiency instead of 0,8 or worse ? )
I am in the middle of doing to much stuff on the same time, now thinking of 3D printing an special wood gas carb with airmix valve onboard…
But between the running around from one not finnished project to another, i keep reading the postings on DOW and enjoy the DONE achievements.
Dreaming on coming over there, grabbin some beers and learn how to build a WK… Quite a few fella’s to visit on my todo list… Matt and Garry are leading the top of the list
Yup I need to pick up some more plugs, I generally get either Bosch or NGK for small engines.
So I did install an additional jet ring. Not sure what If anything really changed or not. It actually seemed to run cooler, but I was getting condensate in the tar trap and better consistency. The engine seemed to like it and no valve issues yet. I think I may take it back out and use it when I install the second burn chamber.
I went ahead today and designed the next generation machine. It has the second stage designed into it and if for what ever reason it doesn’t work out, Ill just increase the reduction zone to take up that space. This I think will be the most refined gasifier I will have ever produced. Manufacturing was a big part of it design and we should be able to produce this much more cost effectively. Its built in sections that are stacked vs building side ways. It will have two blowers with an SS shroud surrounding the machine to aid in gas cooling and then to condenser. The blower is integrated at the top of the condenser and doubles as a manifold to exit gas to engine. There will be a ball valve on either side of it to change it direction for either blower mode or engine run.
More details this is the tedious part of creating the CAD models. One change is the hopper vibrator is going away in exchange for a automated fork. Because this is designed specific for pellets then there is no reason we couldn’t extend a fork type device down and agitate it every so often. This I think will be much more effective with out the noise of the hopper vibrator. Those dang things still catch me off guard and scare the crap out of me when Im not expecting it. The pellets should flow past this with out issue and it will be adjustable up and down. Ignition port is set up to work with our igniters with out special revisions. On standard units it will have a simple plug to remove to light manually. Ash bin door I think is going be pretty cool looking and add some bling, we will do this out of SS. It will retain a blow off lid over the gas cooler plenty enough for a safety valve plus this gives full access to the cooling tubes for cleaning. Cyclone is eliminated less cost and less complicated. This machine will fill both a standard version plug into an Evolution Version with out build modification. Unlike the Utility machine where it share parts from the Flex R1 chip version. They are completely backwards from one another, so that complicates manufacturing a bit and then there are all kinds of special little features the Flex has that the Utility does not.
Ok so today it was rainy and cold and my work I have going is outside working on the Evolution Machine Im trying to get done. I dont work well in cold wet conditions, so I stayed inside and began work on the generator auger feed integration into the Flex Power System.
This enclosure design follows the stacked section design of this gasifier. It will reduce the amount of welding and should be a lot easier to construct, saving a lot of cost. It only stands 54" so the loading platform will be eliminated again saving more cost. Then the controls will also be cleverly integrated into the top portion cleaning it up a bit and once again saving more cost.
The Flex Gasifier will be able to be removed completely with little effort if you needed room to work on the generator inside the enclosure. The panel in between will also be removable. The Flex could also be removed for other applications if the user wanted too.
I think we will be able to produce a 5 kW unit using a stock Predator 13500 watt generator for around $10k maybe even less.
Well after what 6 days of 12 plus hours a day designing this thing its about there. There is always more detail I can add but all basic manufactured components and features are complete and designed and this is ready to produce.
Here is the latest rendering it is now color correct, the light color is supposed to represent SS. If I had KeyShot I could make this look as realistic as if it were real.
Ok it never stops!! Here is the new Flex Mini!! lol
Yeah Im scraping the bucket construction idea. For the cost of those buckets we can just make the hopper and ash bin easy enough. But for the filter I decided to go with the 10 gal barrel drums. They are more expensive but still a cost reduction while building this a bit more stout.
So I ran this puppy today on Oak chips. Wait till I get some pictures of the back yard here, there are mountains of them here!! They ran awesome in the machine. This machine has the first triple bank cyclone final filter system. I ran something 1/2 hour 45 minutes or so and checked the drains. The third one I checked first and bone dry, the middle had a tea spoon of nearly clear condensate and the first one had maybe twice that with slightly dirtier condensate but still all water no tar present at all “so far”
Still some bugs yet, for some stupid reason the 02 sensor signal is not changing I have to investigate that yet, I have too add some more support the engine generator chassis. Its not strong enough as is too much vibration. I ll post the FB videa here and you can hear it. Much louder than the engine.
Seems how its still January here in Mich; I took a few days to stay inside out of our miserable weather. to work on the next gen Evolution Power System. I was going to leave it alone, but after working on the new Flex and seem how that has laid out the foundation I had too.
The Evolution is simply the chip version of the Flex, they are both capable of the same specs just different fuel. I basically managed to cram all the technology of the current Evolution with the same fuel capacity into this new design platform and in a smaller package. Over all, it is larger than the Flex and the gasifier is a bit larger than the old version. It has more than twice the gas cooling capability. I shaved off a few inches of the foot print and got its over all height down to just 62", so just a small step stool is all that we be required to load it. Shedding the loading plat form was a big criteria as that was a time eater and added some cost. It should be a little lighter weight and over all better quality.
We have some nicer weather on the way here and I hope to perform a full hopper run on this current machine build Im working on. Its been about two years since Ive had one I could test the hopper capacity run time. Im hoping with the newer reactor cores will show some improvement as the gas is very clean on these new ones. Im also going to run a new filter at the carb on this one to test.
So back to work Im now going to work on what may be called the Evolution Mini. This will be the successor of the current Utility. I think I will be able to get its price point down to only a third of the current Utility machines price point.
Well that was easy, nice when all the parts are already designed. Just had to make some mods and here it is. The Evolution Mini (Chip fuel Gasifier) This will be the successor to the Utility starting as soon as post this. lol
The filter is kinda cool it is a 6 pass system. Each barrel has a core tube with an outer slip over tube. So the gas goes up the center and then it has to come back down the outer then back up the barrel and enter into the next one with the same arrangement. This allows the upper so you can stuff it with hay if you wish to do so. I think I am most likely going to offer the triple bank cyclone with the base version as standard. So far its been impressive in its performance.
I did some fine tuning on the SS cad model and as this one will take the place of the Utility. So it will have all the same features just more cost effective and faster to manufacture.
The barrel filter I upgrade to a quad core cooling tube set up, internally. Hopefully I can get all three of these little guys built for Argos.
Well I had some time this weekend to work on more design work and I moved on to a project that Ive been kicking around for quite some time. This is a full pellet processor that inputs fire wood, ultimately this will evolve to where it can mix other renewable waste in with the wood.
The idea is for this to compliment the standardized fuel machine, while cutting down hands on fuel processing. If it works than Ill design a rack system where you could load enough in to produce enough pellets to fully load the Flex Power System. 375 lbs of fuel in one shot with out any help from the user other than loading one time. Turn it on and go about your business.
I plan to offer a charcoal reactor with it that will run on the char pellets from the Flex Power System. This will make fuel for the Flex Power System and then the Flex Power System will make char pellet fuel for the processor. But first need to get it built and working first and then Ill tackle that if I get to that point.
The blades are for representation only. They will be blades using chain saw chain. We will produce the holders and make the chains. They will sort look like these in the link bellow.
This will most likely be able to grind chips as well. So even bad chips will work in it its all the same it will just turn it to dust and then into a usable fuel in the form the 1/4 inch pellet ready to run out of the shoot.
Im going to use the Predator 22 HP vertical shaft engine. Yes I do plan to offer electric driven from the unit as an alternative. But the engine system the idea is to run for free from the Char Pellets from the gasifier. So one reason to go way overboard on the engine HP. I have no idea what this is going to need for power. So if in doubt over engineer it.
It might not be over engineered depending on how fast you want to go. Anything bigger then about 5hp for an electric really creeps up in current draw and price and you are really into 3-phase range. I was just thinking damn, i don’t want to take care of yet another engine.
Yeah Im hoping a 13 HP engine will work and that puts us at around 5 to 6 HP running on syngas. Ill most likely end up salvaging something used somewhere. Ill look for a used lawn mower or something for the proto type. No budget for this, I have most of the parts from other failed development projects.
