[Gasification] Any experience with Stak Properties 10K gasifier?

Bill Klein Bill_Klein at Powerhearth.com
Wed Jun 22 18:52:24 CDT 2011 

Brian, I'm able to take a couple of minutes away from work to address your
query, but I know there are those far better qualified to provide accurate
information.

Pellets seem to be of wetter material when they are made and then often
dried before they can be handled or used. Since they don't dry uniformly,
from the outside inwards, they don't necessarily have a uniform moisture
content and can shatter if suddenly subjected to high heat.

When we use briquettes as a feedstock, the material to be briquetted enters
the system, having a predetermined, approximate moisture content. It is then
"squeezed" by one means or another, formed into a predetermined size and
shape and fed to the gasifier.

In most cases, the pressure is so great, the briquette so dense and hard,
one can throw them against a concrete wall without damage to the briquette.
Depending on varying factors, briquettes can weigh 65 to 90 pcf, denser than
a wood chip and, often, a superior  feedstock.

There is a great deal of information available on the web and, I'm sure,
people on this list far more knowledgeable than I.

Respectfully,

Bill Klein
3i



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brian D Paasch" <brian at indianarenewables.com>
To: "Discussion of biomass pyrolysis and gasification"
<gasification at lists.bioenergylists.org>
Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2011 4:46 PM
Subject: Re: [Gasification] Any experience with Stak Properties 10K
gasifier?


Hi Bill,

Interesting post, thanks for taking the time to share.

What do you see as the difference between "pellets" and "briquettes"? Aren't
they made in basically the same way; except that one is larger than the
other? I'm not understanding the (applied) difference between the two.

-brian


On Jun 22, 2011, at 7:36 AM, Bill Klein wrote:

> Hi, Kevin.
>
> Your question of feedstock size is rather interesting and one to which I
> can
> easily relate. That said, I hope the following provides a little bit of
> insight and doesn't aggravate the experts on this list.
>
> Before we ship our units, they undergo several tests.
>
> Test 1 is a 24 hour non stop test in which we push all of the limits. Said
> differently, we look for the weaknesses, leaks, etc.
> Test 2 is another 24 hour non stop test. It provides us with systems
> calibration.
> Test 3 is a 100 hour non stop test. During this period, all of the
> necessary
> data points are established for our automation and management system.
>
> Why am I describing an important phase of our unit fabrication, truncated
> as
> the description may be?
>
> I wanted to point out the importance of properly sized feedstock for, if
> there is a screw up with gas flow or aglomeration, the test is stopped and
> rerun.
>
> When we test, depending upon the customer's intended feedstock, we test
> and
> evaluate the gas from at least three feedstocks, one of which is a close
> approximation of that which the customer will use. Size of the feedstock
> is
> critical unless one really enjoys non stop runs, grumpy technicians and
> buckets of coffee.
>
> Pellets: We won't use them. They are seldom uniform (cross sectionally) in
> moisture content and generally sealed. With heat, they shatter
> magnificently, leaving a pile of sawdust. The exception seems to be
> pelletized switchgrass: a great feedstock.
>
> The chip size we like resembles an Oreo cookie, squared. As an
> approximation
> it works to gauge sizes. Overall length or width uniformity doesn't seem
> to
> be as critical as thickness. Still, there is a lot of flexibility and
> smaller sizes are okay to integrate, as an exception, not the rule.
> Gasifiers are not stoics. Built properly, they have some versatility, but
> you have to make friends with your unit before you learn her secrets. Then
> you merely have to respect them. .
>
> Charcoal briquettes as a feedstock too often creates a huge problem as
> they
> plug the grate with compacted fines.
>
> The best and my most favorite feedstock is still chunks. 2x4x4 - or
> briquettes of almost anything.
>
> Kevin, I would have gladly answered earlier, but you posted hours after my
> bedtime. We old folks need our beauty sleep.
>
>
> Respectfully,
>
> Bill Klein
> 3i
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <kchisholm at ca.inter.net>
> To: <gasification at lists.bioenergylists.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2011 10:13 PM
> Subject: Re: [Gasification] Any experience with Stak Properties 10K
> gasifier?
>
>
> Dear Bill
>
> Quoting Bill Klein <Bill_Klein at Powerhearth.com>:
>
>> To underscore Greg's email, repeating what I was taught, "The
>> quality of the gas is in direct proportion to the quality of the
>> char." Larger feedstock makes great char!
>
> # OK!! Do you think one can make "Engine Grade Gas" using:
> 1: Wood pellets, 1/4" diameter, 1/4" to 1/2" long?
> 2: Wood chips screened to -1/4", +1/8"?
> 3: Wood chips screened to -1/2",+ 1/4"?
> 4: Wood chips screened to -1", + 1/2"?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Kevin
>>
>>
>> Respectfully,
>>
>> Bill Klein
>> 3i
>>
>> http://www.3iAlternativePower.com
>>
>>
>> -- Original Message -----
>>  From: Greg Manning
>>  To: Discussion of biomass pyrolysis and gasification
>>  Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2011 7:40 PM
>>  Subject: Re: [Gasification] Any experience with Stak Properties
>> 10K gasifier?
>>
>>
>>  Pete, (and list)
>>
>>  What, and how big, are the fuel chunks ?
>>
>>  most gasifiers do NOT like wood chips, or really "fine" fuel, the
>> interstitial space the gasifier is designed to run with, is
>> generally much larger than that of chips or fine feedstock, using
>> the correct sized fuel, in-turn, lowers the reaction core
>> temperature, thus creating more, and more consistant amounts, of CO.
>> (the main flamable gas, in woodgas). (H2 and CH4 are simply "bonus"
>> gases.....)
>>
>>  Greg Manning.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>  On Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 6:01 PM, Pete & Sheri
>> <spaco at baldwin-telecom.net> wrote:
>>
>>    Has anyone here had any experience running an engine using the
>> Stak Properties 10K gasifier?
>>
>>
>>
>>    They tell me that the JXQ-10 gasifier is a forerunner to this
>> machine. I have one of those.  I?d like to be able to correspond
>> with others who have this style of machine.  Currently I am having
>> mixed results getting a steady flow of good gas to run my   6.5 KW
>> Onan 1800 rpm genset from it.  On Saturday, I got it to deliver
>> about 3.8 kw for about 12 minutes, but then the quality of the gas
>> deteriorated.  On Sunday a similar test produced worse results, but
>> over about a one hour period, with gas quality again deteriorating
>> as the test went proceded.
>>
>>      I am not writing to waste the time of senior members here by
>> asking them to troubleshoot my problems, without enough info.  Just
>> want to show what kind of issues I have for those who might be
>> involved with similar equipment.
>>
>>      My goals are to: 1. See how much power I can squeeze out of
>> the generator for an extended period of time with this gas source,
>> and 2. To get some actual experience making woodgas.
>>
>>
>>
>>    Looking back over my videos and notes, I can see a dozen or two
>> things that I could do better next time.
>>
>>
>>
>>    Pete Stanaitis
>>
>>
>>    _______________________________________________
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>>
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>>
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>>
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>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>  --
>>   Regards,
>>
>>  Greg Manning,
>>  Brandon, Manitoba, Canada
>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
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>>
>
>
>
>
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---------------------------------------
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6600 Karyn Drive
Avon, Indiana 46123
ph: 317-272-7939
fax: 317-536-5326


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