[Gasification] Cohune charcoal -- Chinese gasifier project

[Peter Singfield]

Note -- the opne graphic reffered to has been sent to Tom Miles off list

Reporting on the slow progress -- As of Jan 05 - 07 -- first batch of
cohune shell charcoal produced for fueling the Chinese gasifier.

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Well -- I finished the furnace -- finished the retort -- tuned up the two
blowers -- and let her rip yesterday afternoon at 2:00 PM.

I ran six tires -- six times -- through it. Over kill if anything -- as
even after the first tire it was blow-torching out the bottom vent due to
off-gasses from the pyrolyzing cohune nut shell.

Still -- tires are cheap and I was having "fun" ---

I shut it all down at 4:30 -- so 2.5 hours "burn" --

It was still hot at the bottom grate when I pulled out the retort this
morning at 9:00 AM

The blow torch effect from the off gasses burning out the bottom of the
retort (which is a 14 gallon modified butane tank) is very impressive --
very clean burning -- very intense -- very hot.

The home made refractory held up surprisingly well -- looks like I am good
for a few more burns -- no problems.

3 parts white marl -- one part portland cement -- one and a half parts lime
stone chips -- which are sweepings from a local stone crusher making
aggregate for cement production)

Blown tire fires reach incredibly hot temperatures. Eventually I will
incorporate a flash steam coil for production of low pressure 1800 F plus
super heated steam for activated charcoal production -- this to be after
the charcoal formation has occurred.

I recorded everything with numerous detailed photos -- except the burn off
-- might mount them all one day. To hot to photograph. But have clear
pictures of the furnace -- retort -- refractory construction -- etc.

For now -- just a close up of the "result" -- which is a very hard and
brittle charcoal.

Guessing about a 30% yield by weight.

I no have enough charcoal to try out the Chinese gasifier ---

The resulting product sure looks proper sized -- so I am dumping that in to
the gasifier as is.

Onwards --

Peter / Belize