[Gasification] Biomass Gasification Workshop Weekend: March 30 - April 1, Berkeley, CA

jim mason jim at allpowerlabs.org
Thu Mar 8 17:43:01 CST 2012


Gasification PowerExchange Workshop #11: March 30 - April 1
*Gasifier Power System Showcase: 10kw, 20kw & 100kw, GEK building and
running, More Lister spark conversion*

*Gasification Lecture and Demo: Friday, March 30, 7:30-9:30PM
Building, Running and  and Testing: Saturday and Sunday, March 30 and April
1, 11am – 7pm
Location: ALL Power Labs, 1010 Murray Street. Berkeley, CA
Contact: sales ^at^ allpowerlabs.org
Cost: Free for GEK owners.  $100 otherwise *
http://www.gekgasifier.com/about/workshop/sign-up/
*RSVP to:
http://gekgasifier.com/forums/index.php/topic/747-gasification-workshop-weekend-march-30-april-1-berkeley-ca/
More Info: http://gekgasifier.com/about/workshops/*



Join us at ALL Power Labs in Berkeley CA, March 30 - April 1 for the next
in our long running series of Biomass Gasification workshop weekends.  It
has been way too long since our last gathering (nearly 9 months), so come
and see all we've been up to in the interim.  Repeat visitors might not
even recognize the place . . . it's a factory now, with a continuous
production line!

The purpose of these workshops is to help bring more people to successful
operation of small scale gasifiers, to serve real world distributed energy
needs.  These workshops are open to GEK and Power Pallet user/owners, as
well as anyone with any other type of gasifier- or just a budding interest
in the general endeavor.  If you have a GEK and want personal instruction
in how to run it, or you want to build one with oversight from the
mothership, this workshop will be a great opportunity to do either.  If you
want to see one of the turnkey Power Pallets running in person, or poke
around our scrap pile to see from where we've come, all will be on view for
your consideration.

The workshop begins with an evening talk by APL Director, Jim Mason, on the
science of gasification and a survey of its engineering history.  This is
followed by two full days of hands-on projects, demonstrations, and general
wrench turning.   As usual, the weekend will offer multiple projects
running in parallel, all open for you to wander between and enjoy.

We expect about 75 people for the weekend.  If you are camping inclined,
there is plenty of office space to spread out a sleeping bag for free.  We
also have many visitors coming from overseas.  If you need help with visas
or travel logistics, please inquire and we'll help as we can.

The projects for this round are as follows:


1. Gasifier Power System Showcase: 10kw, 20kw and 100kw

[image: Inline image 2]          [image: Inline image 1]        [image:
Inline image 1]

The latest versions of both the 10kw and 20kw Power Pallets will be on site
and running throughout the weekend.  There is no formal endurance run this
round, as we've done this multiple times already.  Also, Bear is tired and
doesn't want to tend power pallets all night again . . .  This round we'll
focus on operational instructions, fuel specification and general inquiries
on how to deploy these units in real world scenarios.  We are getting many
people looking to do large scale commercial deployments with the Power
Pallet, so this workshop we're focussing on the issues and information
relevant for such endeavors.

The new 100kw Powertainer will also be onsite and available for tire
kicking.  We will not, however, be running it as it is not quite ready for
its public debut.  The 100kw is not an experimental unit, so we've decided
to not demo it until it is completely finished and ready for general
delivery.  Therefore consider this somewhat like a static unveiling at the
Detroit Auto Show.  It will be visually complete and done.  You can wander
its innards completely, see everything, and ask about anything.  Just no
key turning or test driving quite yet.  But soon . . .


2.  GEK Gasifier Building:

[image: Inline image 7]

Want to build you own gasifier?  Here's your chance to do so, using our
tools and instruction from the local crew.

We have tables and welders for 4 people who want to weld together a GEK kit
over the weekend.  Given clear inhouse instruction, you should be able to
get through the building process by the end of Sunday.  Finished gasifiers
can Russian doll back into the hopper and filter for checking as oversize
baggage on the plane.  Yes this does work.  We do this regularly.  Airline
security surprisingly does not mind too much.

Anyone who wants to do this will need to reserve a spot by purchasing a
Level III weld together GEK kit.  There is no additional cost for
instruction, using our tools, and burning our welding wire.  The workshop
is also free if you get a kit.   We're trying to make this easy and
accessible.

Again, there are ONLY 4 slots for gasifier building.  Welders are limited.
 Please reserve ahead of time if you want to build a kit.  If you want to
get a jump on what we'll be doing, here's the general process shown in
video form:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mI7ooKZFF6Q&list=UU4E_vZftsMPmFfzTTlHW5Ag&index=4&feature=plcp

If you want to buy a kit for welding at the workshop, please write us at "
sales at allpowerlabs.org".  You are also welcome to bring your own scrap
tanks, and we'll try to do something with those too.


3. Lister spark conversion:

[image: Inline image 5]

After a 1.5 year pause, KenBoak and crew are back at it on the Lister spark
conversion project.  The goal continues to be a hybrid system that can
start up on diesel, then cross over to 100% woodgas via a spark plug added
into the compression release plug.  Listers are everywhere and Ken really
wants to get to a DIY spark conversion kit to make this easier for all to
do.  Ken is working on this project throughout March and posting his
progress.  You can follow along at the links below.

Ken's original write up on the project is in the APL Wiki - here:
http://wiki.gekgasifier.com/w/page/30448258/Spark%20conversion%20for%20Lister%20slow%20speed%20diesel%20engines

More feedback and comment is in the Forum here:
http://gekgasifier.com/forums/index.php/topic/223-lister-spark-conversion/page__hl__lister__st__20


4. GEK kit assembly and startup:

  [image: Inline image 9]

If you have recently bought or built a GEK kit, here's a chance to learn
the details of its finish and running.  We'll be assembling a current GEK
v4.3 from scratch, as well as running various fuels through the results.
 Actually, we have quite a few gasifiers on site at this point, so several
versions of the GEK will be available for running and learning.  You're
also welcome to bring yours.  Free upgrades tend to happen for those who
get their machines here on site.  Extra credit for bringing your own fuel
for testing.




General Info and Signup

If you want to join us, you need to RSVP before the event.  Please do so to
the forum thread here:
http://gekgasifier.com/forums/index.php/topic/747-gasification-workshop-weekend-march-30-april-1-berkeley-ca/

If you need to pay the workshop fee, you can do so via credit card here:
http://www.gekgasifier.com/about/workshop/sign-up/

Information on local accommodation, maps and airports is here:
http://www.gekgasifier.com/about/workshop/travel-and-accomodation/

We look forward to seeing you here soon.


jim



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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



-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
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