[Gasification] Prime movers -- The Slow Go diesel concept

[Peter Singfield]

Well -- as the older hands might remember on this list -- every now and
then when we get into Prime movers I like to repost Ken Calvert's old
contribution to this subject -- 

Here it is again -- (appended Below)

Never ignore prior art -- and especially if it worked well.

Ken -- you might want to do some math modeling ---

200 HP -- 24 in bore -- 300 RPM -- against my present Lister set up at 375
rpm.

and oh - -the engine I am using was designed -- originally -- to operate at
a max RPM of 650 -- and they advised derating to 4 HP at 500 RPM -- for
light load applications.

So I am not stretching things that far guys -- going to 375! And probably
operating at 2 HP or less. (at the 800 watt loading)

Hey -- 2 HP out of an 850 pound cast iron dinosaur -- I doubt I am over
stressing anything!!



Peter / Belize

From: "renertech" <renertech at xtra.co.nz>
To: "GAS-L" <gasification at crest.org>
Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 22:26:11 -0800
Subject: Re: GAS-L: Log gasifiers -- and cutting wood sawdustly.

Dear Gas-L'ers
> >  On the 12-2-  someone  wrote,

> >      The logs were approximately 10 to 15 cm (4" to 6") in diameter and
from 1 metre to 1 metre 80 (3' to 6') long. The gasifiers were very tall,
making possible insertion of long logs, and usually mounted just behind the
cab.
> >
> > About those long "log" gasifiers -- you mean they worked with full
length wood??

Gentlemen!

I think we could restore some perspective by re-iterating a  little bit of
colonial history.

In the 1930's  prior to the War, and the subsequent post war moves by the
Oil Majors to price coal and other fuels out of the market by selling
petroleum as zero price energy, virtually for what it cost to process it, it
was pumped out of the ground for nothing,  things were very very different
to today.

In  Australia, Malaya,  New Zealand, and all the African States, Every
outback Gold mine, Sawmill, Tin mine,  Coal mine was either run by Steam, or
Producer gas.

A typical Gas setup would be a giant Crossley single cylinder Gas engine
with a  piston two feet in diameter and running at about 300rpm.and 200
horsepower.  The clearance on the piston would be measured in sixteenths of
an inch, to allow for the build up of tars, which virtually doubled up as
the lubricating oil. (once it got hot that is.)   Each engine would be fed
by a battery of  five or six down draft gasifiers.  The gasifiers were made
of fire bricks with a fuel hopper  five or six feet in diameter  and ten to
twelve feet deep and a throat at the bottom  of  around ten  inches.  These
units, usually 4 or 5 were in operation at any one time, were fired with
logs each as heavy as one man could carry.  In the case of Australian
hardwood that would be a log  six to eight feet long and  eight to ten
inches in diameter.  The logs would be seasoned for a month or so, as they
were transported into the mine,  but were still green with lots of sap.
Each man staggered up the cat walk with his log and slid it from his
shoulder aiming it down into where ever he saw a hot spot in one of  the
fires, to plug the hole.  Gas cleanup was abysmal.  A water spray gas
cooler/cleaner, and a tar beater.   The beater was a straight radial bladed
centrifugal fan, which assisted the suction on the gasifiers, and slung the
water/tar droplets out to impact on and drip down the outer casing.    As
one can imagine, the pollution level was horrendous,  but they worked and
they worked surprising well for the time,   A bit like  wooden ships and
iron men, those were the Days!!!

Ken Calvert.  Renertech@ xtra.co.nz




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