Gasifier Experimenters Kit

The workshop weekend was a rousing success- the highlight of which was likely the Ken Boak and Darryl led effort to convert a Lister diesel to spark ignition for 100% woodgas operation.  This settled the long running debate as to whether a spark plug in the precombustion chamber of a Lister will actually light a wood gas fuel/air charge.  The answer is yes.  It also answered the related question of whether the pull rate of a standard 6/1 Lister is high enough to keep the gasifier hot and above tar making temps.  The answer is also yes.

This is great news for Listerheads.  It renders obsolete the previous dual fuel scenarios for listers, which had repeatedly proven touchy to control and dissatisfying conceptually, as some liquid fuel was still required.

Hopefully Ken and the rest of the crew will put info and a kit together soon to enable others to do the same.   In the interim, Ken’s forum “press release” and video is copied below.

Video of spark converted lister on 100% wood gas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXX2GBHoeuo

There are many more videos of this on ken’s main youtube page. see here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/kenboak#p/u

The forum thread on the Lister conversion is here:  http://www.gekgasifier.com/forums/showthread.php?t=312

For more general pictures on the workshop, see the gallery in the forum here: http://www.gekgasifier.com/gallery/browseimages.php?c=20 These photos include the BEK and 10kw skid projects.  We’ll report in more detail on those projects in a separate note.

If you are one of the 60+ people who attended the workshop and are in possession of pictures or videos, please do upload them to the forum gallery at the above link.  We internally didn’t get too many pictures, as we were busy.

Thanks again to everyone who joined us for an amazing weekend.  I am very honored by the impress and dedication of the people who are self-selecting to come to these workshops and participate.  Thank you all for making it happen and travelling from so far and wide to be here.  We might just have a Homebrew Computer Club of individual scale energy in progress.

Another workshop is already in the planning for this May or June.

thanks,

jim

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we currently have about 30 of the 60 available spaces filled for the workshop weekend feb 19-21.  there tends to be a deluge right at the end, so if you want to join us, you should try to rsvp soon.  info on the workshop is copied below.  rsvp’s need to go to the GEK forum here: http://www.gekgasifier.com/forums/showthread.php?t=299

the weekend should be good fun.  we have a great collection of people of many impressive talents joining us– many of which are flying in from the far hinterlands.  so far the distance award is a toss up between the phillipines and ireland.  or at least it is a toss up until i go look at a map and figure out which is further from berkeley.  most of the attendees so far are listed in the forum thread (minus the luddites among us).

one new thing we’ll have at the workshop is the new GCU control box integration the locals have been refining for the genset skid.  this centralizes the control of mixture, grate shaking, auger drive, and temp/pressure measurements.  all inputs have now been acquired and the output functions have been put on individual tethers.  very interesting new modes of control and optimzation are now possible.  you can see the pictures of the clear top control box here, as well as how the pyrocoil is fed hot exhaust gas from the IC engine: http://www.gekgasifier.com/forums/showthread.php?t=305

hope you see many of you soon at all power labs.

jim

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Gasification PowerExchange Workshop #7:
Next Gen GEK 10kw gasifier genset skid and BEK biochar running.

Gasification Lecture and Demo: Friday, February 19, 7:30-9:30PM
Building, Running and Testing: Saturday and Sunday, February 20 & 21, 11am – 7pm
Location: ALL Power Labs, 1010 Murray Street. Berkeley, CA
Contact: jim ^at^ allpowerlabs.org
Cost: Free if you are a GEK or BEK owner, either through self build or purchase. $100 if you are not.
RSVP to forum thread here: http://gekgasifier.com/forums/showthread.php?t=299

The next of our quarterly gasifier workshop weekends is set for Februrary 19-21.  The purpose of this ongoing series of workshops is to help bring more people to successful operation of small scale gasifiers.  The event is open to GEK user/owners, as well as anyone with any other type of gasifier- or just a budding interest in the whole thing.  So come join us while we progressively make small-scale gasification a reasonable proposition, accessible to regular mortals, and adequately advanced for honest everyday use.

The February workshop will introduce and demo the 3rd generation of our 10kw gasifier genset skid.   We now have the final answer for how we’ll deliver a fully integrated gasifier genset unit, and this workshop will be the occasion to explore its particulars.  Since the last workshop we’ve decided to replace the Honda 24hp V-twin motor with a Kohler 26hp V-twin model.  The Kohler has a variety of features that make it a better fit our application– most importantly it comes with water cooling, making CHP applications much easier.  Combining heating production with electricity generation is a typical request we get from people wanting these units, thus we want to include this potential in the core component choices.  The integrated gasifier genset skid continues to be based on the common 4′x4′ pallet form factor for ease of shipping as well as close proximity of components to realize the full TOTTI heat recycling architecture.

Here’s the Honda version of the skid from the last workshop, as well as the new Kohler water-cooled engine replacement.  http://gekgasifier.com/forums/showthread.php?t=299
The video of the first start of the Honda version is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JrLbu3Ndyw&feature=player_embedded

The workshop will also offer the first public demo and poking opportunity for the new BEK (Biochar Experimenters Kit).  The BEK is a multi-modal pyrolysis system intended to create characterized char over a varied fixed bed pyrolysis architectures: direct combustion (updraft, TLUD, stratified downdraft), indirect combustion retort, and inert gas heat transfer pass through bed (and often combinations thereof).  Each mode can be run in batch or continuous feed with augers for fuel intake and char removal.  The goal of the BEK is to provide the tool that will let all of us figure out which char types are “best” for which soils and generally accelerate all aspects of char for soils R&D.   More information on the BEK is here: http://www.gekgasifier.com/reactor-options/pyrolysis-biochar/

The workshop will run 4 parallel tracks simultaneously.  You can wander, ponder and participate in all of them.  Here’s the preliminary index of tracks and topics.

1. GEK 10kw Integrated Gasifier / Genset Skid:  Jim Mason

2. GEK Manufacturing, Fabrication and Assembly: Abram Yocum, Nick Binbeutel and Johnny

3. GEK Instrumentation and Testing Methods: Bear Kaufmann and Michael Shiloh

4. BEK Biochar assembling and running: Jay Hasty

The workshop begins with a Friday evening talk on the science of gasification and a survey of its design and production history.  Both beginning and expert reactor assemblies will be presented, with pointers to further reading and current issues and opportunities in the field.  Everyone will get a packet with lots of explanatory graphics and core data charts relating to gasification. As you know, we’ve generated a few of these . .

Saturday and Sunday are full days of building, running and exploring the physical particulars.  Wear clothes OK to get dirty.

Sign up and RSVP:

The fall workshop was over 40 people.  This workshop has space for 60 people.  Half of those spaces are reserved for GEK owners/builders.  The other half are open to the public.  Spaces are free with RSVP to GEK owner/builders.  Please RSVP to the forum thread here: http://www.gekgasifier.com/forums/showthread.php?t=299.  If you have yet to acquire a GEK by any means, spaces are $100 paid via PayPal to “gek” at www.paypal.com.   And then, RSVP to this thread below.

Travel & Accomodation:

If you are coming from out of town, you are welcome to sleep on couches or floors at the shop.  The closest and most reasonable motel is the Golden Bear Inn.  See here: http://www.goldenbearinn.com/Home_Page.php

Those coming by plane can fly into either SFO or Oakland.  Oakland is 10 miles from All Power Labs.  SFO is 20 miles or so.  You can take BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) from either, but there is a shuttle conection required from Oakland.  The nearest BART stop to us is Ashby, about a one mile walk or taxi.  ALL Power Labs is at 1010 Murray Street.

We hope to see many of you soon in the belly of the nanny state beast (aka: Berkeley, CA)

jim

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Jim Mason
Website: http://www.whatiamupto.com
Current Projects:
- Gasifier Experimenters Kit (the GEK): http://www.gekgasifier.com
- Escape from Berkeley alt fuels vehicle race: www.escapefromberkeley.com
- ALL Power Labs on Twitter: http://twitter.com/allpowerlabs
- Shipyard Announce list: http://lists.spaceship.com/listinfo.cgi/icp-spaceship.com

Thanks to all of you, 2009 might be remembered as the year of resurrection for small scale gasification.

In the last year all of us collectively built, bought and otherwise caused to exist more small scale gasifiers than at any other time or place since WWII. (minor caveat for North Korea, where some reports have their being quite a few still in use).

More importantly, we’ve orchestrated this resurrection on top of a new foundation of science and engineering. Real data, transparency of process, and formal documentation of improvement is making significant dents in the long standing problems of small scale gasification. In a few years we’ll likely have a proper “Mr Fusion”; but on the road to there we’ve already made today’s gasifiers actually tolerable to use, affordable to purchase, and easy to build when time is more available than money. Much more progress is to come in the new year, but before we go there, we want to thank all of you for making the current successes possible.

We’d also like to thank you by bringing you up-to-date with your particular GEK physicals, for FREE where we can!

The point of the GEK modularity and flange standardization is to make forward compatibility easy for all GEK owners. In contrast to planned obsolescence, we’ve planned for ongoing integration of improvement. Whether you have a v0.8 GEK, a v3.0 GEK, or anything in between, all can be brought to current v3.5 spec with new bolt in replacement parts or configuration tweaks. Yes, there are some exceptions to this in the details, but the fundamentals of the vessels were well chosen in the beginning, and continue to support all current desired modifications.

Thus to get everyone up to our current best spec and state of discussion, here are some upgrades you might want to consider. We’re offereing as many of these we can for free. Where free is not possible, we offer them at a steep discount to current owners. We’ll continue to do this as best we can going forward with new versions. And if you just want to start again from scratch with a new shiny unit, we’ll support your indulgence with a 25% discount (only for the same equipment you had previously).

If you’re still debating getting your first GEK, we’ll tempt you with a 5% discount between now and New Year’s Day. Early in January there will be a new pricing structure for the base unit and add-ons. Yes, it will likely be a bit more expensive, so this might be the last hurrah at the current prices. Here’s a summary of how the base unit and add-ons go together into complete systems. The new pricing structure will be based on packages like this, as the current “ala carte” system is confusing people.

For older GEK units, here finally are the upgrade options, in order of importance . . .

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(FREE upgrades, 100% off)

1. Hourglass hearth:

http://www.gekgasifier.com/forums/showthread.php?t=250

The GEK now ships with a full double cone houglass hearth made in stainless steel. The full hourglass hearth improves tar handling and bridging issues significantly over the various inverted V hearth versions. The hearths come with a thermocouple at the constriction so you can monitor temp while running (that’s the little tube on the side). Temp at the constriction is the best predictor of success or failure of tar conversion. Keep things above about 850C here for good tar conversion. This is one bit of learning from the comparative fuel tests. http://gekgasifier.pbworks.com/Multi-fuel+Run+Comparison

We’ll send these new hearths to older GEK owners for FREE. We only ask that you pay the shipping ($25 in the US).

2. Two Channel Manometer

http://www.gekgasifier.com/gallery/v20-manometer/

Our collaboration is greatly improved if we can talk in real numbers over important data points. One of the easiest to do is pressure drop across the reactor and filter. The manometer is like the speedometer for your gasifier– use it to tell how hard you are pulling the reactor. Under 1″ and you are likely in tar making regions. Over 10″ and you are likely overpulling. 2″-8″ is the range where things are usually good.

You can also use a manometer to size your nozzles. Use one channel to measure pressure drop across the full reactor. And the other channel to measure pressure drop just across the nozzles to the combustion area. When nozzles and fuel are properly sized, about half the total reactor pressure drop comes from the nozzles and the other halfcomes from the gas flow resistance through the bed. When you see this 1:1 ratio, your nozzle size (blast rate) will be correct for your fuel size.

The manometer is free to all older GEK owners. It is also free to anyone building or owning any other gasifier. The manometer is the most important gasifier instrument. Everyone needs one.

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(50% off upgrades)

3. Ejector/Venturi gas drive, mixer and burner:

http://gekgasifier.pbworks.com/Ejector-Venturi+gas+drive+with+air+premix+swirl+burner

The fan on the v1 and v2 GEKs did not create adequate vacuum for many of the low void space fuels people are trying to run. We’ve found much better results with the reactor operating in the 2″-8″ of h20 vac range. The original fan only results in about 1″ at the reactor after losses to the burner nozzle and filter. For v3 we went to an ejector venturi drive system which creates over 10″ of vac at the reactor, and integrated air mixing so the flare can burn at proper fuel/air mixture inside the swirl burner. The result is a clean burning, non-dripping, and fully controllable flaring package. We usually sell the complete ejector/venturi, mixer and swirl burner “tree assembly” for $245. We will upgrade owners with the older version for 50% off the standard price, or $123, plus shipping.

4. Drum FIlter/Scrubber:
http://gekgasifier.pbworks.com/Drum-Filter-and-Scrubber

http://www.gekgasifier.com/forums/showthread.php?t=218

The GEK strategy is to solve tar and particulate problems in the core reactor and gas cowling, not recover from them downstream with a complicated kitchen sink filter train. Nonetheless, the original GEK filter does not leave much room for error, and given the ease of error with a gasifier, a larger safety net was needed. The GEK now ships with a 16gal open top drum filter (which seconds as the shipping container for the rest of the parts that don’t fit in the 30 gal drum hopper). The filter is still primarily a packed bed type, but includes a liquid pool in the base of the drum so it can also operate as a recirculating tumble scrubber. This allows for a self contained scrubber solution, with disposal of the dirty water back into the reactor (if you are running the TOTTI heat recovery systems). The new filter system is $295. 50% off is $148 + shipping.

5. Gas Cowling SS Tube and Insulation:

http://gekgasifier.pbworks.com/f/gascowling.jpg

If you run the higher pull rates possible with the ejector venturi, you are likely to burn the paint off the gas cowilng. And if you want to upgrade to the heat auger fuel drying system, you now have a use for the extra heat we were previously trying to dump. The GEK now ships with a ss tube and fiber insulation that slips inside the gas cowling. Older models can insert the same, but you might have to grind 1/8″ or so off the grate edge for clearance. The ss tube and insulation is usually $145. 50% off is $77 + shipping.

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(25% off upgrades)

6. Larger 11″ reactor, insulation, air preheat and hearth

http://gekgasifier.pbworks.com/11-Inch-Reactor

Starting with v3.5 we modified the reactor insulation tube to an 11″ diameter stainless steel insert, instead of the previous 10″ hard welded tube. The reactor shell continues to be 12″ and the mounting to all gas cowlings remains the same. The wider insulation tube allows for a wider nozzle ring and wider tapers to the base of the reduction bell.

Previously the reduction cone could taper out to 6″. This new reactor will support tapers out to 7.5″. This larger taper potential can be used either to increase residence time in the reduction zone with the standard 3″ restriction, or to support larger restriction and related tapers, and thus larger total gas flow rates. Our testing suggested that increased residence time in reduction would be helpful. The change from 6″ to 7.5″ diameter at the base of the cone is about a 50% increase in cross-sectional area for gas flow.
The base mount for the hearth changes with this new reactor. The free double cone hearth offered above for older units will use the old 6″ base cone and mount. If you want the 7.5″ cone base and mount, you need to upgrade to the newer reactor.

The new 11″ reactor with ss insulation tube, hearth, air neck, and ss air lines is $695 – 25% for current owners, or $521 + shipping.

7. Larger 15″ Gas Cowling with Insulation, Updated Ash Grate, and Rocket Legs (includes #4 from above)
http://www.gekgasifier.com/gallery/gek-v30/

The gas cowling vessel has likely changed more than anything else through the GEK versions. It is the least important vessel performance wise, but one of the more important in terms of manufacturability and usability Here’s what happened:

v0.8- replaced 25 gal propane tank with a purpose rolled vessel of same 14.75″ diameter, changed legs to removable npt plumbing
v0.9- added through vessel bung for instruments
v1.0- changed direction of cyclone exit
v2x- changed legs to bolt on tubes, eliminated plumbing for gas exit to cyclone and replaced with direct mount square sheetmetal tube and flange, added manometer mount
v3.0- changed legs to rocket fins, increased height, added gas bung out on side for start up, made the base plate a flange for adding automated ash take of add-on assembly, different grate post diameter.
v3.2- added ss insulation tube and fiber that inserts into cowling. (see #5 above)
v3.5- changed the diameter from 14.75″ to 15″ for increased internal insulation space and nice even inch standards for all vessels. 15″ also rationalizes design integration with BEK reactor.

The current gas cowling with ss insulation tube, grate, and rocket legs is $695 – 25% for current owners, or $521 + shipping

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If all of that is too confusing, remember you can just start again with a new/additional GEK for 25% off until New Year’s Day (previous owners only). New add-ons are like new purchases, so will be 5% off during the sale.

All upgrade and new purchase deals end at the end of New Year’s Day. Shipping rates are not discounted. Orders can be placed via “gek”.

Thanks again for being part of the solution.

jim

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Jim Mason
Website: http://www.whatiamupto.com
Current Projects:
– Gasifier Experimenters Kit (the GEK): http://www.gekgasifier.com
– Escape from Berkeley alt fuels vehicle race: www.escapefromberkeley.com
– ALL Power Labs on Twitter: http://twitter.com/allpowerlabs
– Shipyard Announce list: http://lists.spaceship.com/listinfo.cgi/icp-spaceship.com

GEK News Update
November 2, 2009

Fall is here, and bringing with it continued interest in all things related to gasification. We’ve now sold more than 135 GEKs and BEKs, including most recently to Thailand, Germany, and Sweden. But by far the most excitement around here has been our recent open workshop on gasification.

1- Details from the workshop
We have tons of information to share about/from our fantastic gasification workshop Oct 23-25. Thanks to everyone who came and shared their knowledge and helped make it such a success. Over 40 people from all over the country, and one each from England and Ethiopia, packed into four different tracks.

It was really an unprecedented event: a totally open source exchange of experience and information, with people ranging from PHDs to back yard tinkerers, and every variation in between.

A photo taken on opening night: on the wall above the class you can see Versions 1, 2, and 3 of the GEK

The final project was building an integrated GEK, automated fuel auger, monorator hopper, 10kW Honda V Twin engine and a gen set into a skid, then running it on pine chips:

Here’s a link to a video of highlights, including running the 10KW Honda V twin engine:

And here’s a link to the work Jay Hasty and her team was doing, tearing down one of the very first GEK’s (#5) and upgrading it our our latest Version 3.5 model; it’s packed with photos and detailed how-to instructions:

http://www.gekgasifier.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207

.
More photos are available here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/allpowerlab/sets/72157622530544141/

For those who are interested, the complete set of handouts referred to in the video can be found and downloaded here:

http://gekgasifier.pbworks.com/Gasification-Graphics

Thanks again to everyone who made the event such a success!

2- More information on how to build and run a GEK now online

We’re continuing to expand and refine our information online about how to build and run a GEK gasifier. Thanks everyone for the feedback, please refer to the following links:

http://gekgasifier.pbworks.com/GEK-v3-CAD-drawings-for-all-sheet-metal-parts

http://gekgasifier.pbworks.com/Fabrication-Instructions-for-v3-kit

http://gekgasifier.pbworks.com/How-to-Build-and-Run-the-GEK-Gasifier

3- Next Gasification Workshop

The weekend went so well, and was so popular, that we have decided to do it again. The tentative date for our next workshop will be February, 2010. We’ll let you know as far in advance as possible so you can make travel arrangements.

That’s it for now. A reminder: our work in gasification can be found in three places:
Our main website: www.gekgasifier.com
Our forums: www.gekgasifier.com/forums/index.php
Our wiki: http://gekgasifier.pbworks.com/

And we can now be found on Twitter; follow @allpowerlabs

-the team at All Power Labs

Below is the list of everyone we have RSVP’ed for the gasifier workshop this weekend. If you are on the list and will not be joining us, please tell us so we can make your space available to someone else. If you know of someone we’ve missed and they’re expecting to join us, please tell so we can make a space for them. However, no new RSVP’s- we’ve overfull already. We’ll do it again in the spring.

As you can see from the list, the weekend has grown a bit larger than originally expected. We now have 43 people attending. Over half of these are flying in from out of town. The weekend will not be carbon negative. Nonetheless, we expect it will be highly rewarding. We’re excited to have all of you here and reveal the not so secret “secrets” that make all of this work . . .

We’ve put together 4 parallel projects or tracks for the weekend. It is difficult for 43 people to stand around the same thing at the same time, so we’re going to have 4 separate things going on simultaneously all weekend, between which you can wander, ponder and participate. Here’s the projects, with the person(s) who will lead them:

1. GEK Assembly and 10kw Genset Configuration: Jim Mason and Alec Plauche
2. GEK Instrumentation Method with a Datalogged Test Run: Bear Kaufmann and Michael Shiloh
3. GEK Manufacturing and Fabrication: Abram Yocum, Nick Binbeutel and Johnny
4. GEK Variations, Add-ons and Customizations: Jay Hasty

The Intro lecture is Friday night, October 23, 7:30-9:30PM. The project days are Saturday and Sunday, October 24-25, 11am – 7pm. Wear work clothes and expect dirt under your fingernails.

The Shipyard / ALL Power Labs is located at 1010 Murray Street in Berkeley, CA. This is near the intersection of Ashby and San Pablo, next to Urban Ore. The closest BART station is the Ashby stop. It is a 1.5 mile walk from the BART station, or you can take a taxi.

And finally, here’s the current list of attendees.

Jimmie Martin Reno, NV
Mike Cox Morgan Hill, CA
Len Morris Indiana
Phil Stoll Indiana
Larry Sayler Auburn, CA
David Dill Orinda, CA
Scott Garrision Oakland
Chasterus Oakland
Jim Laine New Jersey
Brian MIller Pennsylvania
Deanna Miller Pennsylvania
Yoav Palatnik New York
Phil Heymann Oakland
Randy Ury Maine
Matt Alexander Oakland
Wayne Wickizer Utah
Antonio Oliveira Aston University, UK
Jay + 1 Placerville, CA
Thaddeus Koster Washington state
John Roop Santa Cruz
Rolf Berkeley
Heidi Berkeley
Ken Packer UK
Dan Christensen Arizona
Richard Bunger Arizona
Wade Graves Canada
Steve Adler Rhode Island
Dale Posner SF
Larry, with Dale SF
Nick Campbell Iowa
Kristan Cavett Iowa
Vern Hammer Minnesota
Jason Poteet Stockton
Kenny Bent Pahrump, NV
Ephram Ethiopia
Scott Yates +1 San Rafael
Dan Zurcher Fresno

The original announcement and info for the workshop is here: http://gekgasifier.com/forums/showthread.php?t=182

See some of you soon.

Jim

Gasification PowerExchange Workshop #6:
GEK Building and 10kw Genset Configuration

Gasification Lecture and Demo: Friday, October 23, 7:30-9:30PM
Building and Testing: Saturday and Sundday, October 24-25, 11am – 7pm
Location: ALL Power Labs, 1010 Murray Street. Berkeley, CA
Contact: jim ^at^ allpowerlabs.org
Cost: FREEMore Info: http://www.gekgasifier.com

ALL Power Labs is starting a quarterly series of free gasifier workshop weekends to help bring more people to successful operation of small scale gasifiers. These workshops are open to GEK user/owners, as well as anyone with any other type of gasifier- or just a budding interest in the whole thing.  If you have a GEK and want personal instruction in how to run it, or you want to build a GEK with oversight from the mothership, this workshop will be a great opportunity to do either.

Hello everyone, here’s the latest news from All Power Labs on our work with gasification and biochar.  We got some great news coverage, better assembly and first fire instructions, more user reports, and as always more research and testing data.  It’s all part of our ongoing mission to put the information and tools in your hands, so you can make it yourself, or make it run even better.

Hope you enjoy, and as always feel free to get in touch with any questions, feedback, or user reports, and of course it’s always good to check in on what’s happening in our forums: http://gekgasifier.com/forums/

-All Power Labs.

1- Farm Show magazine reports on the GEK, calls us “a leader in turning wood and other biomass into fuel” and “a leader in putting syngas to work.”

If you’re not familiar with Farm Show magazine, you should be. A sort of how-to bible among people in the agricultural community, it’s an advertising-free monthly covering the latest inventions and innovations that are of interest to farmers, which is why hearing they wanted to write about us was so exciting.

To see a full size image of the story you can read, click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/68943702@N00/3926992124/in/pool-allpowerlabs

This story, and what he wrote, was all the more important given that the writer, Jim Ruen, has been covering this issue for a long time. In fact, he wrote an article about gasification for The Farmer magazine way back in the 1980’s, so we feel pretty honored to get that kind of feedback.

Note: there was one typo in the story; it referred to a complete system as costing $5,000. The GEK Level IV is $2495, but closer to $5,000 with all the add ons like the pyrocoil heat exchanger, automated fuel auger, and Gasification Control Unit.

2: Better support: new and improved instructions:

Our Chemist In Residence, Jay Hasty, has cranked out a whole bunch of new instruction info, on how to assemble and fire up your GEK.

The Assembly Instruction are here:  http://gekgasifier.pbworks.com/How-to-Build-and-Run-the-GEK-Gasifier

and the First Fire instructions are here: http://gekgasifier.pbworks.com/First-Run+Start-Up+Instructuions+for+GEK+v30

We’ve already gotten great feedback on them, like this posted on our wiki: “Great techie info with honest performance expectations., thanx and well done, Gents, Graham”

3: GEK Powered Thing Conquers The Rocky Mountains!

Frank Mannix in Colorado is at it again. This week, he sent in a photo of himself driving his GEK-powered VW Thing over the 11, 307 foot Berthoud Pass high in the Colorado Rockies!

Frank writes:

“Please post this picture, taken this afternoon, Thursday Sept 17 after I made it to the top of
Berthoud Pass 11,307. My house is at 8665 ft, which makes the climb over 2750 feet
in approx 15 miles, average grade over 6%(it’s downhill to Fraser, then up)

The GEK performed flawlessly going up hill, but I always have trouble going downhill,
and had to boost it with gas a few times (3 or 4 ticks of the electric fuel pump)
It’s like the throttle being closed down strangles it.
But it flies uphill (steady load- wide open – 2nd or 3rd gear,
and I even get some reaction from my “carburetor”- the butterfly valve.
Usually, I am on full woodgas- I suspect I have some vacuum leaks.

Frank”

4: Avalanche of hard data from the APL skunkworks continues

Bear Kaufman in our research lab continues to churn out impressive testing and analysis. His latest: a complete run down on a hopper of soft wood chips.  If you’re into this sort of thing, you’re going to love it. Here’s an image from the test, link to all the hard data below.

http://gekgasifier.pbworks.com/Instrumented-Softwood-Chip-Run-091609

That’s it for this week. Thanks for your interest and support.

-All Power Labs

I’m trying to figure out how to better explain the basics of gasification. This is hard, as many of you know. So I’m trying to relate it to things that are generally known about combustion, then complicating matters from there. I’m trying to figure out the layers to take the newbie through- from most simple, to, well, does it ever end . . . ?

Here’s where I’m at currently: http://www.gekgasifier.com/gasification-basics/how-it-works/

How does this work for people? Anyone have suggestions for making it better?

As most of the mysteries of the universe are somewhere contained in the wider problem/opportunity of gasification, I can’t start at its many ends. But where’s the beginning before the freefall into the bottomless rabbit hole looking glass of biomass thermal conversion?

We’re discussing this explanation of gasification over in the forum here: http://www.gekgasifier.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162 . Give us your input.

Happy partial combusting to you on this Labor Day weekend.

Jim