Pellets

Comment

Comment by Jay Rucker on December 3, 2009 at 11:17pm

The trick to keep the pellets whole and steam free is to only allow the quantity of pellets you need gasified to get into the drying zone at any given time. I did this by adding insulation to the bottom of my hopper and a drying tube between the hopper and the hearth. Worked like a charm. My hopper now only gets up to about 85 Deg F on a 60 Deg F. day.

Comment by Eric Parks on April 1, 2009 at 6:08pm

Torrefication is kind of like a hidden technology that isn't very well known in the US. Here is a link that illustrates how it is used on bamboo. http://cgpl.iisc.ernet.in/site/Portals/0/Documents/FinalReportOnTorrifiedBamboo.pdf

Mixing gasification with torrefication could have huge potentials. Or better yet, gasification with a microturbine and then torrefication of your raw material. Might as well get all the benefit out of the gas if you are going to gasify it....

Comment by dreamer on April 1, 2009 at 10:10am

i always thought it might be a good idea to mix wood chips and pellets togather, like 50-50. just a thought.

Comment by Paul Westphal on March 31, 2009 at 11:47pm

it seems that the pellets should be dry enough to work well already unless the gasifier is not getting hot enough to properly pyrolize the pellet. if the reduction zone and reaction zones are hot enough the condensate will simply be converted to hydrogen and carbon monoxide with help from hot carbon. The problem I have had with pellets is that they turn to sawdust agian once they get hot enough to break down the bond. My gasifier worked well with douglas fir pellets untill I presented a load on it good enough to get it good and hot and then they broke down into dust and plugged it up.

Comment by ben on March 19, 2009 at 2:08pm

Using a stratefied gasifier is one way to let the steam rise out. They tend to be a good small design for pellets.

Comment by PelHeat on March 19, 2009 at 10:54am

Does anyone have ideas to address the issue of condensate travelling through the pellets? As this is the main issue or barrier as I see it to efficient gasification using pellets.