Have you tried the vacuum you have in the intake in your cars?
Hello Jan .
I have not measured the vacuum in the intake manifold of the trucks .
Ok, I’m a bit surprised by the resistance I’m measuring between my intake and the pipe on the flatbed. I had a difference of 10" at about 2100rpm, and put an extra tube of 1.4" in diameter there and now I’m at about 7" in difference.
Hello Jan.
If I measure the negative pressure between the motor and hay filter and get 12 inches of water for instance I would expect to measure about 6 inches being pulled on the gasifier.( because of the resistance of the hay and plumbing ) If all is well in the char bed I would expect 2 inches inside the fuel hopper. ( because of the resistance of the char) On the other hand if my hay filter begins to clog I will need more vacuum to maintain the same pull on the gasifier . If my char bed begins to clog I will need more vacuum at the gasifier to maintain the vacuum in the hopper which dictates the amount of air being pulled though the nozzles .
Edit .
In short one needs a certain amount of vacuum showing in the hopper with the least amount of effort from the motor .
Jan, how are you able to experiment in these temps? Heated gloves?
I would like the car to run better, so I could come up to you, without being a stopping block on major roads.
I couldn’t think of anything else to video so while out driving this morning I turned the camera on for a very short time .
This drive is steeper than the camera shows . I went no more than about 1/4 throttle and the truck seems to do well.
Nice vidio on cold startup in the morning, those are important vidios,too know. While i am here,i was going too ask is what is average life cycle of the hopper and all so the WK burn tube–AND i see your hopper water steam extractor, nice size cooling tubes - that’s about what size mine will be ASAP i get it done- I got too see how long my insulated burn tube last- though i have room too switch back too the wk burn tube setup- in the same burn tube housing.THANKS Thiis one i building has extra 35% longer heat exchanger, though its same as your design, I am surprized your short cooling rails are enough too condense out the moisture on the big v10 work truck.SEEMS TOO BE COOL ENOUGH comeing out of the hay filter ?.
PS I have been looking in the book Have wood will travel, and i really like how down too earth simple it is to understand–What i caint seem too see is-- is your hopper cooling tubes / monerator / peice / under slite vacuem from exoust heat exchanger–through filter after seperate drain tank- or just a drain tank no vacuem’s-//??/. THANKS.and hope i am not just too stupid questain’s.
Hello Kevin .
The thin bottom drum has held up well . I have had no problem in over 11 years .
7 years back I changed to the newer type burn tube and it is showing very little wear.
The thin hopper drums have been in use for 4-5 years and are getting thin and I will soon need to redo .
Not real sure I understand the question on the hopper cooling tubes . Any liquid in the hopper gutter and cooling tubes are drained by gravity to the hopper juice collection tank.
The vacuum from the motor has no effect on the air circulation through the hopper cooling tubes .The circulation through the tubes is caused by hot air in the hopper rising and flowing out into the tubes where the ambient air is cooler and cause the air to flow down the tubes and back in the hopper at a lower level . This circulation and air drying will continue an hour or two after the truck is parked .
You might think of a car radiator . The hot water always enters the radiator on top .
Thanks for the explanation, i thought that was the way it moved the steam out of the priolasis zone, I just wassent shore. The way i was thinking would plug up the inside of the heat exchanger. then it would need a clean out method.or loose efectiveness.Those thin hopper &burn tube outer barrels last long enough i gess then for the weight savings, makes a big help too. I know it dont take long for weight to add up. I probly picked up and extra 130 pounds.THANKS. Are you removeing the gutter drum for cleaning very often -needed? THANKS And ware are you getting those small hopper lids.I think i use the same king on my new hopper.
Hey Kevin .
I don’t need to remove the drums to clean the upper or lower gutters . I can reach in from the top with something like a big screw driver and remove any debris of thick or solidified tar . I do need to remove the puffer lid held in place with some springs to get at the upper gutter.
I bought several drums of different sizes from a drum dealer or collector I found on Craigs list several years back . The different sizes have come in handy.
THANKS Wayne Keith - That puffer lid is much lighter that the lid i was going too use, once i find a sorse for smaller barrel lids, i got a 5 gallon barrel size lid with clamp and lower flange- is that lid a little too small or big enough,? barley 12" acrost.
Hey Kevin.
On my dakota truck I have a filler lid that is 18 inch in diameter and on my V-10 the filler lid is 14 inch . I used what I had available at the time .
I think 12 - 14 inch would work fine .
OK thanks Wayne K.-i re measured it and it is 14"-I use that one.
Mr. Wayne I also have one question, … When you stop and park your truck the wood gas still comes out of the gasifier for 10-15 minutes, do you let it smoke out of the system, do you have a burner tube where you burn the gases, or how else? At the tractor, I separate the flexible pipe between the filter and the cooler, the engine empties the filter and shuts off, and I light the gas, but somewhere in the city in a parking lot, it would look very intimidating.
Hello Tone ,
The last half mile or so I like to slack off the power and give the gasifier just a little time to cool. Other than that my shut down procedure is just shutting off the switch key. If you look close you may see very little smoke for a minute or so
Edit
If I am parked for a short while I can just crank back up on wood gas that is left in the system .
Where’s the cooling tubes on the hopper? Pre cooling hopper tube design I see.
Bob