I found the information quite enlightening in The Linsay Publication Issue of: “Gas Engine& producer Gas Plants” By R.E.Mathot. This book describes various systems of early gasification processes. There was one item which seems to have been neglected in the construction of the modern equivalents. It played an important role on “Pressure” gasifiers and was also included on “suction systems of many types. The enrichment of the gas produced by cracking water was highly valued; notes are included of BTU improvement of gas quality, using calorimeters. The inclusion of the VAPORIZER seems to be of little importance today.
GFWHELL With the high exhaust temperatures of gasifier fueled ICE combos It would be a simple modification to wrap a few turns of metal tube around the exhaust manifold and meter water according to demand, there through and conduct said flow of super heated steam to the reaction area of the gasifier. In this way it would be possible to claim some waste heat from the engine and use it to cancel out the endothermic losses of the FT reaction. -----Original Message----- From: Mark Ludlow <[email protected]> To: 'doug.williams' <[email protected]>; 'Discussion of biomass pyrolysis and gasification' <[email protected]> Sent: Sat, Dec 18, 2010 2:07 pm Subject: [Gasification] Drying fuel with IC exhause and other pleasures... If the IC exhaust is saturated at 100C, the best the wood can do is reach an quilibrium moisture content with respect to this environment. Best check a sychrometric chart to convince yourself. It's the partial pressure of water n the exhaust that will, ultimately, inhibit drying, even though if the eedstock is cooler that the I.C. exhaust, some heat may be transferred to t via condensation on its surface. One simply need to know the dewpoint of he exhaust gas to determine whether or not this is a fool's errand. Flush a yrex Erlenmeyer flask with exhaust and fit a stopper with a penetration for n RTD and observe the temperature of condensation, as a first pproximation, and observe the water-carrying capacity along the line of onstant water. This is not 100% accurate, of course, because the specific olume of the gas will change as it cools. Plus, if the dryer is "direct" he gas will quickly mix with surrounding air. What about home-made heat pipes? I use the commercial versions for sensible eat extraction on industrial heat pump systems. Best, Mark -----Original Message----- rom: [email protected] mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of doug.williams ent: Saturday, December 18, 2010 10:29 AM o: Discussion of biomass pyrolysis and gasification ubject: Re: [Gasification] Gasifiers and greenhouses and CO2 augmentation. Hi Toby and Colleagues, You ask a couple of curly questions: >We seem to have moved on from the direct heating (drying) of fuel without eally answering the original question of water content in IC exhaust. I nderstand the indirect heating, like Doug's >nearly horizontal heat xchanger, but what about the direct introduction of engine exhaust gas for rying incoming fuel? Of course not all H2 is converted into H2O in an IC ngine, but one >would hope a significant portion is. Same with CO and CO2. f 15% is H2, is 15% of the exhaust water vapor? I am sure there are equations that will confirm a "perfect" answer, other han mine, which is more H2, more water vapour. So long as the gas is hotter han 100C, wood can be dried down without any problems by direct contact. >Has anyone tried putting a producer gas fired engine exhaust directly into stock of wood fuel? You have possibly missed the exchanges of discussing direct exhaust heat nto a fuel pile to make torrified wood. Ken Calvert specifically used this o overcome the problems of gasification in the tropics, and I had to use it n Papua New Guinea just to get enough dry fuel to start a gasification roject for the first time. We also used it on our first project back in 978 in New Zealand, resulting in the wood blocks catching fire as we learnt he hard way, gaining experience. It's as simple as a drum with a gas space n the bottom, connected to the exhaust as close to the engine as possible o reduce heat loss. It's best to try it and learn by experience if it is or you, but, I would not want to promote this type of direct drying, for nything commercial. >One final thought on greenhouse. Engine exhaust would presumably make most f the CO into CO2 (but not all) and H2 into H2O, benefiting the plants. Without question, it has been already established, that using producer gas hrough an engine without first scrubbing the gas, could place the crop at isk. I do however see a lot of potential to used scrubbed and compressed O2, used in a system of micro-porous support tubing to control white fly nd aphids. >This would seem to be an argument for having not only a gasifier, but an ngine or combustor in greenhouse application. That is how it might appear, but there is very little demonstrated and ested using producer gas to support any argument. >But is there any way to assure a safe level of CO for direct exhaust into a reenhouse? Does it rise or fall in a collum or can one assure a complete eaction in some way? Issues of CO and human safety usually resort to badge monitoring for the ndividual. Plants however only thrive, I have been advised, in a 10% CO2 tmosphere. I cannot imagine it piling up as layered slug of inert gas, as he greenhouse should have a circulation capability if heated. Not sure what ou mean by a complete reaction. Does this help or hinder? Doug Williams, luidyne. _______________________________________________ he Gasification list has moved to [email protected] - please update your email contacts to eflect the change. lease visit http://info.bioenergylists.org for more news on the list move. hank you, asification Administrator _______________________________________________ he Gasification list has moved to [email protected] - please update your email contacts to reflect he change. lease visit http://info.bioenergylists.org for more news on the list move. hank you, asification Administrator _______________________________________________ The Gasification list has moved to [email protected] - please update your email contacts to reflect the change. Please visit http://info.bioenergylists.org for more news on the list move. 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