Hi, Kevin.
Your question of feedstock size is rather interesting and one to which I can
easily relate. That said, I hope the following provides a little bit of
insight and doesn't aggravate the experts on this list.
Before we ship our units, they undergo several tests.
Test 1 is a 24 hour non stop test in which we push all of the limits. Said
differently, we look for the weaknesses, leaks, etc.
Test 2 is another 24 hour non stop test. It provides us with systems
calibration.
Test 3 is a 100 hour non stop test. During this period, all of the necessary
data points are established for our automation and management system.
Why am I describing an important phase of our unit fabrication, truncated as
the description may be?
I wanted to point out the importance of properly sized feedstock for, if
there is a screw up with gas flow or aglomeration, the test is stopped and
rerun.
When we test, depending upon the customer's intended feedstock, we test and
evaluate the gas from at least three feedstocks, one of which is a close
approximation of that which the customer will use. Size of the feedstock is
critical unless one really enjoys non stop runs, grumpy technicians and
buckets of coffee.
Pellets: We won't use them. They are seldom uniform (cross sectionally) in
moisture content and generally sealed. With heat, they shatter
magnificently, leaving a pile of sawdust. The exception seems to be
pelletized switchgrass: a great feedstock.
The chip size we like resembles an Oreo cookie, squared. As an approximation
it works to gauge sizes. Overall length or width uniformity doesn't seem to
be as critical as thickness. Still, there is a lot of flexibility and
smaller sizes are okay to integrate, as an exception, not the rule.
Gasifiers are not stoics. Built properly, they have some versatility, but
you have to make friends with your unit before you learn her secrets. Then
you merely have to respect them. .
Charcoal briquettes as a feedstock too often creates a huge problem as they
plug the grate with compacted fines.
The best and my most favorite feedstock is still chunks. 2x4x4 - or
briquettes of almost anything.
Kevin, I would have gladly answered earlier, but you posted hours after my
bedtime. We old folks need our beauty sleep.
Respectfully,
Bill Klein
3i
----- Original Message -----
From: <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2011 10:13 PM
Subject: Re: [Gasification] Any experience with Stak Properties 10K
gasifier?
Dear Bill
Quoting Bill Klein <[email protected]>:
To underscore Greg's email, repeating what I was taught, "The
quality of the gas is in direct proportion to the quality of the
char." Larger feedstock makes great char!
# OK!! Do you think one can make "Engine Grade Gas" using:
1: Wood pellets, 1/4" diameter, 1/4" to 1/2" long?
2: Wood chips screened to -1/4", +1/8"?
3: Wood chips screened to -1/2",+ 1/4"?
4: Wood chips screened to -1", + 1/2"?
Thanks!
Kevin
Respectfully,
Bill Klein
3i
http://www.3iAlternativePower.com
-- Original Message -----
From: Greg Manning
To: Discussion of biomass pyrolysis and gasification
Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2011 7:40 PM
Subject: Re: [Gasification] Any experience with Stak Properties
10K gasifier?
Pete, (and list)
What, and how big, are the fuel chunks ?
most gasifiers do NOT like wood chips, or really "fine" fuel, the
interstitial space the gasifier is designed to run with, is
generally much larger than that of chips or fine feedstock, using
the correct sized fuel, in-turn, lowers the reaction core
temperature, thus creating more, and more consistant amounts, of CO.
(the main flamable gas, in woodgas). (H2 and CH4 are simply "bonus"
gases.....)
Greg Manning.
On Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 6:01 PM, Pete & Sheri
<[email protected]> wrote:
Has anyone here had any experience running an engine using the
Stak Properties 10K gasifier?
They tell me that the JXQ-10 gasifier is a forerunner to this
machine. I have one of those. I?d like to be able to correspond
with others who have this style of machine. Currently I am having
mixed results getting a steady flow of good gas to run my 6.5 KW
Onan 1800 rpm genset from it. On Saturday, I got it to deliver
about 3.8 kw for about 12 minutes, but then the quality of the gas
deteriorated. On Sunday a similar test produced worse results, but
over about a one hour period, with gas quality again deteriorating
as the test went proceded.
I am not writing to waste the time of senior members here by
asking them to troubleshoot my problems, without enough info. Just
want to show what kind of issues I have for those who might be
involved with similar equipment.
My goals are to: 1. See how much power I can squeeze out of
the generator for an extended period of time with this gas source,
and 2. To get some actual experience making woodgas.
Looking back over my videos and notes, I can see a dozen or two
things that I could do better next time.
Pete Stanaitis
_______________________________________________
Gasification mailing list
to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
[email protected]
to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/gasification_lists.bioenergylists.org
for more Gasifiers, News and Information see our web site:
http://gasifiers.bioenergylists.org/
--
Regards,
Greg Manning,
Brandon, Manitoba, Canada
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
Gasification mailing list
to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
[email protected]
to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/gasification_lists.bioenergylists.org
for more Gasifiers, News and Information see our web site:
http://gasifiers.bioenergylists.org/
_______________________________________________
Gasification mailing list
to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
[email protected]
to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/gasification_lists.bioenergylists.org
for more Gasifiers, News and Information see our web site:
http://gasifiers.bioenergylists.org/
_______________________________________________
Gasification mailing list
to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
[email protected]
to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/gasification_lists.bioenergylists.org
for more Gasifiers, News and Information see our web site:
http://gasifiers.bioenergylists.org/
