Wood burning truck!

[Sid]

Don't know much about stoves,but know a little about Corn Whisky

[Paul_H]

I've pretty much completed the gasifier part of the project now except for the lid gasket and some wire wheeling and paint.I did some work on the condensate tank today and have it fitted and also have the lid handle and latch done.

The condensate tank collects the condensation from the wood as it heats up in the feedtank.The water is cooled by the air inlet pipes and collects in the "monorator" before heading out the pipe and down to the condensate tank.



The tank was an air tank scavenged from a old Madill logging yarder and the pipes,all 1" black iron were cut at home and taken to the machine shop for threading.





The bottom valve will be used to drain of the collected water,it is connected to a pipe that extends 1/3 into the tank so when the water is drained,there is always some left over to create a vacuum seal.The valve above drains the entire tank for cleaning.



This next pic is of the lid hinge which is a 3/8 pipe nipple between two female elbows welded to a automobile leaf spring to which the lid itself is bolted.It makes a nice tight hinge.



and finally the handle and latch



I've got some Black and Silver high heat paint.I was thinking either all Black with Silver lid and Blue condensate tank or Black bottom and Silver top.

[Paul_H]

The next move is to decide which type of cooler and filter system to go with.The first pic shows the updated(1981) MEN filter that they used to go cross country in their truck.
The gas must pass through water with an anti foaming agent(dishwasher detergent) then up the side of tank #1 and hen back down through the water in tank #2 then it passes through a bubbler in tank #3 and exits out the pipe to the engine.

It's like a giant Hookah pipe

The problem with this system is it relies on water and that could cause some real problems here from October through March.



This next pic isn't too clear but it is a 5' high,6 inch diameter pipe with 12,  1/2" tubing forming cooler in the same fashion as a vertical boiler only here the gas travels through the tubes which are surrounded with circulating engine coolant.

From there the cooled gas passes through a second column with with a fibreglass filter medium

 

I'm sure open to suggestions

Here is a link to a woodgas project on You Tube.I believe they are Swedes(I notice it takes three Swedes to do the work of one Norwegian) 

[Chet]

It's like a giant Hookah pipe

    

[Paul_H]

What does that mean in Yooper?

[pineywoods]

The gengas site shows how to use a 30 gallon garbage can filled with wood chips for a filter. Just a garbage can with an air tight lid, an inlet pipe for the gas at the bottom and an outlet pipe near the top. the whole thing filled with the same chips the burner uses for fuel. For a cooler, think truck radiator or the intercooler off a dodge cummins.
I'm following this project with great  interest. I'm wondering if the burner would tolerate sawdust instead of wood chips?

[Paul_H]

pineywoods,

I think there could be packing and bridging problems with sawdust unless there was a way to keep it suspended.I don't know if the nozzles would work in this design.

For a cooler, think truck radiator or the intercooler off a dodge cummins

I've been talking to a fella in WI that runs an old Studebaker on woodgas and he has been messing with radiators.He said it was causing way too much resistance on the rad he was using.It was a large car rad that he adapted 3" inlets but I suppose a larger rad from a industrial diesel would be better.I have this rad from a Detroit Diesel out back.I'd have to change the inlets to 3"

 

 
 

[Paul_H]

    During the day I listen to talk radio. My ear protectors have an AM/FM radio and listening helps keep my mine occupied! This afternoon the local station (Orlando) was discussing gas prices and they  had a gentleman from Ala. on. He was talking about his truck that he had modified to run on wood. Turns out that he has a home made sawmill and he burns his scrap wood in a burner that is in his truck bed. He said that the oven heats to about 2000 degrees and the smoke is consumed/ converted in the process so that no smoke is exhausted. When the show host asked him if anyone could do this the fella said, "Nope!". He elaberated that you have to "be the kind of person that never goes to an auto mechanic, has experience with wood stoves,..., and it helps if you know something about making corn whiskey! " I wish that I could remember his name, he'd be a natural for the forum. How 'bout you Bama boys, anyone know him?
 
   By the way, he says he can run 80 miles an hour and gets 3,000miles/cord!

Mark

The man is Wayne Keith from Springville Alabama and he would indeed be a natural for the forum.I was introduced to him through Mike LaRosa from WI who is another woodgas driver.
After pineywoods mentioned the garbage can for a filter housing,I remembered the pics I'd seen of Wayne's truck so I e-mailed him and asked permission to post his pics here on the forum.
As well as getting permission,he sent a whole whack of pics of his two woodgas trucks and some of his homestead and sawmill.

Here are a few to start

 

 

 

  

and,my favourite.......sorting out the junkmail 

 

[TexasTimbers]

I need a junkmails sorter that doubles as a motive system for my truck like Wayne has and you are building.

Paul I am still amazed at your tenacity, perseverance, and resourcefulness. Can't wait to see a video of it running!

[Paul_H]

Thanks Kevin,the hard part of this project is knowing when to put the welder and torches away and do things around the house that need doing like the lawn,and other Honeydoos If I could,I'd be out there every day working on it. 

Here are some other pics of Waynes newer woodgas truck.He's made the unit a lot more subtle.The side racks are the gas cooling system.

 



 

 

[Paul_H]

Oh yeah,here is a link to a website in Sweden.They seem to be having a lot of fun,wish I was there.

Vedbil Link

[Dave Shepard]

This has been a great thread! Thanks to everyone who has contributed to it, especially Pual H. I don't think I'd want to make a woodgas truck, but the thought of making a generator to run the barn on would work pretty slick I would think. The light bill chews up the better part of a $1000 every month.

Tesla:
Edison:

Tesla may have been eccentric, but he was the real deal when it comes to brilliance. Thomas A.(adequate) Edison wasn't as impressive as he would have liked everyone to think he was. "I have not failed, I have merely found 10,000 wrong ways to do something." -Edison. I think this sums him up nicely.
Tesla did many things that scientists can't replicate today, including running electric motors with no apparent mechanical connection, to anything! I am not surprised that the Wardenclyff Tower didn't take off, after all, who is going to make money off of free electricity for everyone?


Dave

[Tom]

I'm wondering if the tubing on the livestock trailer is a contraption to catch the fuel from the methane generator that he has inside of it.

And....  can you store woodgas or do you have to burn a load of wood to go to the store?

[ellmoe]

Paul,

   I havn't looked in at this thread in a long time , thanks for tracing Wayne down, the photos are "way cool"! I'm looking forward to seeing a picture of you tooling down the road in your "wood burning truck".
Mark

[Paul_H]

Paul,

   I havn't looked in at this thread in a long time

But see what you started with a few seeds? 

Tom,
I have read talk about storage tanks but I have never seen documentation.My understanding is, it is a "producer gas" that is produced on demand from the engine or blower.
I think they have bladder tanks for methane though.

Here is a link to those three Swedes but this time they did it in English for their International fans.I think that is pretty DanG decent of them.



I painted up the gasifier last week with heat paint but it's pretty well done so it's time to work on the cooler

 

[OneWithWood]

so it's time to work on the cooler

 (Image hidden from quote, click to view.)

I usually start 'working on the cooler' around noon 

[Paul_H]

and producing gas in no time at all,eh?

[OneWithWood]

 

[olyman]

I'm wondering if the tubing on the livestock trailer is a contraption to catch the fuel from the methane generator that he has inside of it.

And....  can you store woodgas or do you have to burn a load of wood to go to the store?

  methane gas is storable in a large rubber bladder--but dont know the characteristics of wood gas---as some gases are a bit corrosive--to diff things-------------even in vapor form--and then dont know if the woodgas stays gas---or goes liquid? if so--truck wouldnt run well on liquid----

[jpgreen]

Fascinating Paul, and progress is outstanding.. 

I bought the mother earth plans some time ago, and can't wait to get started on a unit. The only vehicle I have now that would be suitable is a 1971 International Scount 4WD with the little 314 V8. No room for a gasser, but maybe one could be built on a trailer to tow?

Move from rig to rig, or sawmill to generator? That would be nice.....