[Gasification] Hydrogen Engine

[jim mason]

On 1/25/07, Jeff Davis <jeff0124 at velocity.net> wrote:
> Dear List,
>
> See link below:
>
> http://www.knowledgepublications.com/announce/01252007.htm
>
>
> Jeff
>


this seems a bit silly.  even if you can get the hydrogen bottle.

all they are likely selling here is a crappy generac type briggs and
straten based gas genset that runs at 3600rpm.  $500 at any home
depot.

to which they are adding a high pressure regulator to a propane or
natgas type diaphram fuel valve.  admitedly, this is not on every
shelf, but that doesn't justify the $2.4k price tag.  in fact, you
could make one with a regulator, ball valve and an automotive vacuum
brake assist unit, with the "brake" rod attached to a ball valve
handle.

use the regulator to reduce pressure to about 5psi or so, which is
then valved with a ball valve.  use the vacuum assist to control the
ball valve that delivers more gas on engine vacuum demand.   note that
the vacuum you would be "sourcing" is BEFORE the carburetor.  not the
regular vacuum pickup point between the intake and the carb.  that
vacuum is not relevant to mixture in our proposed set up.

with such a set up, you could continue to use the existing carburetor
as the throttle.  leave it hooked up to the already existing rpm
regulating flywheel governor in the engine.  no need to add another
complicated external unit.

now you just have to keep the mixture correct.  which means making the
air intake have the some resistance to flow so the vacuum controlled
ball valve will open.  such could be easily done with another ball
valve on the air intake.  close it down until the vacuum opens the
hydrogen ball valve until the hydrogen:air mixture is correct (which i
would guess is about 1:10.  hydrogen is very low energy density, which
is why they are selling this as a 2kw genset.  i think they are
starting with the usual 5kw gas ones.

oddly, i somewhat made this last weekend.  i have yet to post it, but
i ran my V2.O stratified downdraft gas rig into a junk 5kw genset like
this, using a carburetor set up like described above.

here's some pix here:  http://whatiamupto.com/Gasification/firstfiring.htm

this carburetor set up is somewhat related to the MEN dual fuel
carb/gas set up.  but it doesn't go to the effort to add another
butterfly plate/valve.  it just uses the existing one in the existing
carburetor.  which means that my gas carburetor, set up for a vacuum
pulled gasifier, only required the addition of one ball valve to work.
 pretty fancy, huh? . . . ;-)

furthermore, it works as a dual fuel unit.  you start the generator on
gasoline.  when it is warm, and your gasifier is warm (either by
partial sucking through the engine, or prefanning it, which i suggest
the later), you shut off the fuel cock on the gen tank, and adjust the
air restricting ball valve quickly so that you get proper mixture of
woodgas and air.  i found it easier to partially close the choke
during this transition, as the transition can get a little rough until
you figure out the ball valve settings.  but otherwise, it worked
great.

j





> --
> Jeff Davis
>
> Some where 20 miles south of Lake Erie, USA
>
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