Hi Rolf,
I referred back into my files, and see we had quite an exchange of
information on this project, two on the 27/2/15,1 on 28/2/15, and the
last on 2/3/15, concluding it appears with a SKYPE call. If you have
forgotten, then please read through it all again, as nothing has changed
technically, and you still have to start this project without $$.
I reply within the text.
On 07/01/17 10:54, Energies Naturals C.B. wrote:
How amazing!
In such a short time sooo many good ideas!
And I think Doug is right:
First step is a demo unit to learn with and to show the feasability of the
project by baking a few test pieces.
You showed me some small blocks on SKYPE, has Pilar not actually made
any of the larger tiles?
Second is a first upwards step towards a semi "serious" unit.Perhaps together
with a professional ceramist.
Isn't Pilar a qualified ceramist? She first needs protection for her
process if the test firings are satisfactory, patent applications take
time and $$.
Third would be after there is a real commercial perspective . Here comes the
idea of additional charcoal production back.
A more sophisticated installation, perhaps like Roland Siemons'would be great.
Know how, money, investment,and partners wanted!
Given the time line of acquiring better firing experience, my guess is
that you will need 1-2 years to reach the stage of looking for
investment partners. This could be speeded up if you can get $$ in
during the first phase. Have you considered "Crowd Funding"? I see it
works for small high risk start-up ideas, but would need expertise to
ensure the Broker selection has the right credentials.
I have just spoken to Pilar, the ceramist. She is recovering from a severe
infect and not yet fully operational.
But she tells me a 150-250 l unit, 0.5 x 0.5 x 1m could do to bake the
necessary standard 300x300 x 5 mm test pieces.
We built a circular retort about this size back around 1983/4 and found
that the refractory of the walls need to be glowing at the highest
temperature required, before you could change from oxidizing to
reduction conditions. As the long term option is to use old brick kilns,
I suggest that you obtain bricks from an old kiln. You can then make
several kilns and continue firing while they cool alternately. A sheet
metal wrapper will hold it all in place, but I suggest that if you can
put a high temperature refractory wool around the bricks first, then the
sheet metal, it will reduce the case from glowing red hot. A top lid
just the same as Agua Das used is all you need for loading and observing
the process. Gas entry would be best into a bottom combustion chamber
with a brick grill.
If you build a square kiln, you don't want a great waste of space, as
the glowing refractory plays a heating role, but get advise as it is not
within my design experience for your need.
This is a call to any one who can provide some expertise to Rolf.
A seemingly simple Agua Das gasifier, perhaps with more sophisticated air
control could perhaps work.
Brass smelts at roughly 1200 °C, quite similar to the 1300 we need.
It's about as simple as you can get but needs scaling up to possibly 3-4
times as show, speeding up the heating times of the loaded kiln, and
possibly allowing a bigger kiln to be used. It does however need
compressed air for the very important injector nozzle, so Paul will have
to work out some details for you. I can tell you from experience, that
1,300C is obtainable, because we has glass furnaces able to get the
first melt at 1,350C. As I said, measuring the temperatures needs
specialized Pyrometers.
I guess I can find a siutable kiln and convert it to gas. I have never done
this, so any hint and help is welcome!
The next step is building the right kind and size of gasifier. Next the
burner(s), matching both gasifier and kiln the kiln.
I think Paul will be able to supply all you need to know about the
gasifier, and as you see from the AD demonstration, no burner is
required as it burns like a jet flame, but must impinge onto the
refractory of the combustion chamber.
Have you enough confidence to start, or what else will you need?
Doug W.
