Gasifier Update

[(unknown)]

After making sure that the fire tube and reactor body were air tight I am still unable to ignite exhaust gas at test port.  If the fan is turned off I can ignite the smoke rising from the unit.  At the test port all I am getting is CO2 and water vapor.  I am now going to rebuild the fire tube to resemble the attached image.  I also need to add a speed control to the fan.  

[Basil]

Hang in there you will get it going.

I use a 6 - 12 volt selection charger for speed control on my fan for now. Just say it's a 2 speed.

I made one from a 55 gallon drum and a 40 gallon hot water heater. It's big. It's a down draft type. Just got to build the rest of it. Cooler, filter and so on. I want to run a larger motor with mine when done. I hope 4x4 chips will be the wood size I will use.

Keep posting. Can't wait you you to get it going.

Good Luck   Basil

[BigBreaker]

Is your fuel dry?  Try getting a wood charge bone dry first.

Is your hearth zone getting hot enough?  one test would be to put a small chunk of aluminum near the bottom.  If you can't melt aluminum, you aren't even close to hot enough.  You need red hot coals in the hearth region.  After a test run, try digging out the top of the wood charge and looking for a charred region where the pyrolysis begins and then a charcoal region where the cracking and CO happens.  You need coals.

Are you introducing too much air?  Try using more or less air flow.  You can burn off all the producer gas before it can be used.  That may be what is happening.

Gasifiers are fiddly things.  Keep at it.  There are other forums dedicated to gasifiers that may be more helpful to you.

[Bruce S]

Kilroy;

Send me an email so I can send you a PDF of a handbook. I'd put it up here but it's 148 pages. May help in what you're doing.

I couldn't see a contact info for you.

I got it a long time back and it really helped me understand what's supposed to be going on.

Made a bunch of sense for downdraft carbs.

Cheers

Bruce S