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Here's the numbers, as I spent the day reworking the prototype with the new patent throat design.
1 2x4 burnt.
35 minutes preheat time. A nuisance as it was wet and hard to light. Unless the device is at full heat you are wasting your time. Actually, the wet wood isn't wholly bad, as in the combustion ring some of the water actually gets busted into hydrogen, as it's so fringen' hot, the O gets absorbed by the charcoal immediately. But it's awful for starting. Wet guava burns wonderfully, at less than 1 percent ash.
1.25 minutes uninterrupted gas flow at 50 cfm, calibrated to power a 10 hp generator at 3500 rpm, at 1.10 to 1 fuel mix. Occasional stoking required, perhaps every quarter hour. Mind you, that's running a 2 inch jet with a 16 inch flame, not some silly little candle.
That's almost 10000 watts/hours for 2 dollars. I reclaimed no waste heat for drying fuel, heating residential water, or elsewise, which only butters the bread.
Try to get that with solar. I dare you.
It is, and will be, a pain in the ass forever to run these machines. If you're not intimidated by woodstoves and can build a good fire, these are a godsend. If you expect pushbutton convenience, well, you are out of luck.
quote:
Originally posted by JWFITZ
Here's the numbers.....
1 2x4 burnt....
35 minutes preheat time. ......
1.25 minutes uninterrupted gas flow at...
Somethings not adding up (I'm probably incorrect though as I'm terrible at math).... you have to fire this furnace up for 35 minutes to get 75 Seconds worth of uninterrupted flow?
Loading it every 15 minutes... that's a job in itself.
Guess I want "push button convenience."[V]
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Happy St. Patricks Day
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er, yeah, obviously I'm celebrating. . .hey, I'm out of beer!
That would be one hour 15 minutes at -/+ 10 kw output.
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oh yeah, and the "stoking" is wiggling a lever once the flame starts to get wonky for about 10 seconds. I didn't refuel as I would have no numbers, hence.
You must realize, that one gallon of gasoline represents nearly 2 months of human labor. That is, that I can do more work, ie, watts, with a powered tool than I can with hand tools in 60 days. Driving the average car is actually more fuel efficient than walking, especially if you are carrying a load. When I drive from Hilo to Fern Forest with a load of lumber I can move 1000 lbs of wood 30 miles up 2500 feet for 10 dollars. How long will it take you to do that with a wheelbarrow? How much will you need to eat, and how long will it take? If you are afraid of losing available fuel, which I am, you will immediately understand what I'm after. Unfortunately, so few people have any experience with practical matters that they simply don't get it.
An experiment for doubters: Go out, and with hand tools, make a board. Make the board 6 inches wide, make it one inch thick, and make it four feet long. Make it out of a tree, and dry it so it is stable and workable. Make it finish fine, straight, and dimensional. And then, perhaps ask me about holztman gas.
I still think it's going backwards.
Look at this car, it gets 330 MPG!
And how about this car from India that will get over 59 MPG that is going to be released late 2008 for under $2500.00.
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Happy St. Patricks Day
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It all depends on your vision of what the future holds.
And, I must say, I'm unimpressed with modern mpg, as my 1959 VW beetle would routinely get 40-42 mpg. What have we learned in 60 years? Certainly a modern engine has lower pollutants, but in terms of efficiency very little has been gained. If you've ever driven a Honda Insight, which will get 50+ mpg, I'd rather drive the VW, as it's a better ride, simpler, cheaper, and for a tall guy like me vastly more comfortable to ride in. As well, as you aren't dragging 600 lbs of batteries, there's roof for 4 in a pinch and stuff else wise. And, it's a car that a average mechanic can keep running. I think we've gone well backwards, actually trying to maintain a lifestyle that will not be sustainable.
So, here's the crux. That gas producer is not a simple thing to build. It must be geometrically fabricated to produce the quantity of gas for the IC engine it's designed to run. It's not a project I expect the average hippy to take on, as I find few with steel fabrications skills AND the ability to hand differential equations. That being said, neither is global economics--and I would expect one who is capable of handling either is capable of handling both--or neither.
I see a future, not far off, with gasoline at 9 to 15 dollars a gallon. From my perspective, still cheap. I'd buy gasoline to power tools at 100 dollars a gallon, as it's still more effective than working with hand tools. BUT, the more significant problem is that there will be a threshold at which demand exceeds supply enough that any supplier simply sells to what the market can bear at the moment. Hawaii will not be the place that wins the bidding war. So, we can start to expect to see interrupted supply, and gas stations will close because their tanks are dry. Don't scoff, already it's common to go to a grocery store and not find bread, or other staples. We're in the center of the Pacific ocean, after all.
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quote:
Originally posted by JWFITZ....
Holtzman gas, or "blue gas" or producer gas is the byproduct of the distillation of wood. .....What do you all think?
The 20 somethings here want to know if you are distilling worm wood - they might be willing to help out... ha ha ha...
Ok on a serious note - what an intriguing idea - guava used for fuel. It is incredibly invasive too. Might help solve 2 issues. It returns almost as fast as you cut it.
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Yup, have done both, recommend one.
http://www.gengas.nu/dokument/ebooks/fao...e-fuel.pdf
This is the definitive text on wood gasification if one is so inclined to go to the source.
Otherwise, I type at the computer here powered by guava, sawdust, and other crap.
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Am seriously interested in using direct fire for charging, had just heard about the gas process, and I can see how with a little fire skill and wrenching, this could be the upcountry answer to solar and wind, neither of which are enough for upland forest living! A few hours a day tending fire would be bearable, done right, it could be used for vehicle transport too! With HECO's refusal to even attempt to do anything about insane electric bills, an investment in this technology would be worth it!
At least for local transport, electric is somthing you could wrench yourself (unlike any Hybrid, or even the gas sipping cars, they're no longer owner friendly for repair, even basic). We need a good metal guy with an imagination, I'll be over soon, am definetly in the market!
I am in the process of getting rid of a classic, 1964 Pacific Catamaran! It's 8' abeam and 19'long, with a 23' foam filled aluminium mast! It's been sitting for a few years, but has good paint and is still solid! All glass decks, not tramps! Shot trailer!
I'm going to try albesia as interior paneling in our cabin in Royal Hawn!
Gordon J Tilley
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You're completely on it.
To get this kind of power out of wind or PV would cost 50000 dollars. May as well let strawberry guava be your PV, as they're more efficient, and work even in low light.
I've got it down now, I'm sure there's some efficiency to be brought out in the technology but the big hurdle is the regulating clearing throat design, which, again, I'm in the patent process for. But, I'm doing that mostly to make sure that it isn't commercially fabricated, as it can be a dangerous tech if operated by boneheads. I'll give it away to the right people, as I'm an open source kind of guy. I've had to build 6, count 'em, six units to the to this point. If sloppily run, methane is the offgas, 4 times as dangerous as co2 for global warming. But, anybody that sloppy won't ever get it lit.
As well, I'm only designing for stationary generators, although it certainly crosses over. But, if you like to overbuild, which I do, it's all an advantage for a stationary unit. It takes longer to get to pyrolysis temp but it holds it, and requires less attention.
I'd love to build a mobile unit in the next year. If anybody has a beater small pickup they would like to see run on wood, or even a tonner truck or better, let me know. No fuel injection please. Diesel works, but gasoline is easier. The gas unit will cost about 500 bucks in steel and fluxwire, I'll toss that in and donate the labor. We will make the news.
Happy St. Pats!
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