On July 9th, Dr. Reed wrote: "Pyrolytic gasification Wood + Heat ==> Charcoal + vinegar gas ( acetic acid etc.) is a piece of cake compared to total gasification in which lignin contributes phenolics to make tars." Also, on April 24th on the Stoves List, he commented: "I read that the lignin content of most wood is 15-25%, but that Mesquite is 64%."
This morning as I was nearing the end of a cooking session using a pair of TLUD stoves, I added some 1" cubes of mesquite hardwood so I could extend the burn time of both of the stoves. I noticed a short burst of tarry smoke when I dropped three or four of these little chunks into each stove (near the end of the run). (Usually, I remove the pot or pan and toss several chunks of junk softwood into the stove..This time I wanted a little more heat, so I threw in the Mesquite chunks.) From this observation, should I conclude that dry Mesquite would not be a good fuel to use in a Micro Gasifier where engine grade gas was desired? Would it be a more difficult task to break down the Tar in the hearth? If one could somehow find the magic in the proper hearth design and the exact air flow rate, could the tar be totally consumed. I guess if it wasn't totally consumed (cracked), one would end up with a nasty mess in the cyclones, coolers, and filters. If one used mesquite charcoal in the micro gasifier, would the problem go away? By "micro gasification", I'm thinking of hearth restrictions in the range of 2.5 to 3.5 inches in diameter. Is the extra lignin a good thing to have, or should I start collecting cedar and scrap construction lumber for future use? -- Ray Menke _______________________________________________ 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/
