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GEK Gassifier

dorn's picture
Submitted by dorn on Mon, 04/16/2012 - 8:56pm
Topic Type: 
Idea

I am interested if anyone on this forum has experience with the GEK gassifier units or with gas co-generation in general. It is a well documented open source design and looks like it would be an excellent addition to our farm hack tool wikis. I think one of my next projects will be building a gas co-generation unit to create heat and power, and transform our abundant woodchips in this area to woodash for spreading on our fields.

If you know anyone who has experience with one of these units, it would be great to invite them to help develop a new tool wiki.

Files: 
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nick's picture
Submitted by nick on Sat, 09/08/2012 - 7:27am

This seems like a great idea, but will take a lot of informal know how. The closest I have come to finding a modern working example of this historically well proven concept is here, http://driveonwood.com/forum/169.

dorn's picture
Submitted by dorn on Sat, 09/08/2012 - 10:14pm

I find the design challenge of fitting the gasifier components on a tractor daunting, and have thought mostly about sticking with stationary applications - but the install at the driveonwood site looks like it would be fairly functional.

The GEK site lists several folks in my area in New England some of whom I have I have connected with. This winter there was some talk about doing a tour of all the functional units. I will attempt to photograph and document what I learn. I am especially interested in the co-generation potential and using it to provide heat and power for our farm buildings. I think a big variable to make it viable in an on-farm installation over the longer haul will be efficient chipping, storage, drying and general materials management to keep it fed with high quality fuel. I think there is a lot in developing on-farm systems and appropriate affordable equipment and associated infrastructure.

I have been thinking about a 10KW unit which could also be used to pump water to holding ponds built on the high spots when there is extra capacity. The holding ponds would initially be used for irrigation and animal water, but could be fitted with a microhydro to act like a battery of sorts. My thought is to also use the grid as a backup through a transfer switch when the unit is not running.

The forums at All Power Labs is a great resource that I have been using to try and get myself up to speed. http://gekgasifier.com/forums/