wood gasifier

[bcannon]

I've been researching and still having issues on understanding the build - anybody have a kind of connect the dots kind of instruction? I'm mechanically inclined but not totally grasping it.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Are you trying to build your own wood gasifier?

In what sense is the term gassifier being used here? One to harvest the volatile gases for us in an IC engine? Or a wood gasifier that burns wood more efficiently for heating purposes?

 

[ptt811]

I dont know anything about the Gassers but I put in a outdoor wood boiler last year and I used this Site a bunch....These guys are very knowledgable and some build and sell the units. Check it out and I hope it helps.

http://outdoorwoodfurnaceinfo.com

 

[shibumiseeker]

I've been researching and still having issues on understanding the build - anybody have a kind of connect the dots kind of instruction? I'm mechanically inclined but not totally grasping it.

What's giving you trouble? There's two primary ways of using wood other than for heat. One is to burn it in an oxygen starved environment producing lots of carbon monoxide and methanol (and tars and other VOCs). This uses the wood itself to be the heat source for the process. The other way is to heat it in an oxygen free environment. This produces methanol and lots of tars and other VOCs. This requires an external heat source.

Which type are you looking to build? The first one often uses the action of an engine to draw air through the gasifier to support the partial combustion. The other is simply an airtight container with a pipe sticking out of it running to a condenser to collect the products.

Once you understand the process the design of the equipment is relatively simple for each. There are a very few plans out there on the net, but not many and they tend to be pretty homebrew anyway. I've made each type of gasifier, it's pretty easy to get the basic concept.

 

[bcannon]

I am trying to build the one you can run a generator on or a small vehicle on - not sure what type that is - i know there are people selling them but want to keep expences minimal - i want to build one -

 

[shibumiseeker]

http://www.woodgas.net/files/FEMA_emergency_gassifer.pdf

This document has been around for YEARS. I first got it as hard copy back in the early 90s. It pretty well has everything you need to know about design and implementation including step by step instructions.

 

[bcannon]

Thanks for info - website has what I was looking for - I'm going to study and build one - will let you know the outcome -

 

[Kmcinnes]

you might also check out this utube channel, the guy was on the first doomsday preppers show and was in my opinion the most down to earth. he uses a gasifier for many different applications.

http://www.youtube.com/user/engineer775/videos?sort=dd&view=0&page=1

 

[longbow]

Thanks for info - website has what I was looking for - I'm going to study and build one - will let you know the outcome -

Just noticed this thread a few days back. Thanks for the links!

I have customer working on a multi-million dollar gasification unit that he is trying to get a patent on as we speak. The links helped answer a couple questions I had looking over his design. If he gets it to work, he has 10 plus orders to build and operate at some interesting places.

 

[45fan]

The university of Southern Illinois recently put a wood gassifier online for electric power production. Not sure how much of the details are publicly available, but I do know it was a pretty big deal when the decision to build it was made.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Now you've gone and done it... being the tinkerer that I am I'm now convinced that I can build a gassifier...

 

[shibumiseeker]

Now you've gone and done it... being the tinkerer that I am I'm now convinced that I can build a gassifier...

You can my friend. You've got the mad skillz and if *I* with my poor machining skills can do it, you can easily do it. Point in fact now that I've had my welding class, I am planning on building another one if you want to be involved in this if you ever get back.

 

[legamin]

It's difficult to produce enough dense smoke to operate a significant sized motor...but...
If you find a 55 gallon steel drum and a 30 gallon steel drum intact with its top, build a frame inside the larger barrel that allows you to maintain a steady low, hot coals fire about 12 inches from bottom of smaller barrel. Make grate for ash buildup and removal, be able to finely control your draft. The key is in the fuel. Chop it into kindling-like bits for the smoke generator and open your removable/sealable lied to arrange the initial criss-crossed layers with plenty of fuel touching the bottom. Remember that this fuel is NOT supposed to catch fire! It is only to be brought up to about 460 deg.-550 deg. F. to create a rapid heat decomp that yields the maximum smoke output. If you get to excited about your fire beneath, it will burst into flames and use up the fuel that you want for your motor creating uneven motor speed. Keep the smaller smoke chamber sealed except for a quick access sliding panel to feed it more small soft kindling sized wood. This is a high maintenance way to run any motor for the long haul and most people seek out alternative power within a year of the initial learning and tweaking period.....good luck!

 

[HeadlessRoland]

Used to have a link to a wood-gasified car.
Very cool, rarefied stuff. Wouldn't set any land-speed records and as I recall, the fuel had to be uniform pellets re-fed every 15-20 minutes, but still amazing to think about.

 

[CountryBoy19]

You can my friend. You've got the mad skillz and if *I* with my poor machining skills can do it, you can easily do it. Point in fact now that I've had my welding class, I am planning on building another one if you want to be involved in this if you ever get back.

Yes, lets do it!!! Give me about 6 weeks and I should be back.

For those that are interested, I found some more info searching the interwebs.
http://www.build-a-gasifier.com/
http://powerityourself.com/solar-energy/how-to-build-your-own-high-efficiency-gasifier/
http://www.mdpub.com/gasifier/index.html
http://www.motherearthnews.com/gree...ewable-fuel-option-to-power-your-vehicle.aspx

 

[briand212]

go to yahoo and search groups for woodgas
the woodgas group has a treasure trove of info on using woodgas to power about anything

 

[jeremy]

Curious...

 

[Hoosier.Patriot]

I'm in the same boat...

I've been researching and still having issues on understanding the build - anybody have a kind of connect the dots kind of instruction? I'm mechanically inclined but not totally grasping it.

I'll be following this post for some help on this one too...