Refueling Hatch
Hi friends,
I live in Michigan, about 400 Km north from Detroit. We get much snow from Lake Michigan waters. It steams like a cup of hot coffie in winter. Maple, oak, beech, cherry, and populars grow well here.
My system requires being opened each time to fill wood blocks. The engine does not stop when the system is opened for refueling, although electrical-load must be removed from the generator. Run-time between refueling is determined by level of electrical loading. At 20kw, I find this period to be around one hour.
The engine must be stopped 2 minutes each day, because ash is removed after 24 hours of full-power operation.
An air-lock to move fuel from atmospheric pressure to system pressure has not been found to be completely reliable. So my system remains dependent on a competent operator, to use the simple gasketed-hatch to quickly put the wood in the top, and seal it up when he is finished.
This a short video as an example of how opening and re-sealing is done for re-fueling.
Andrew Schofield,
Great Lakes Renewable-Fuel systems
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2 Comments
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Comment by Andrew Schofield on December 28, 2008 at 2:57pm -
Hi Ben,
Yes Canada is close. I am in the little finger of Michigan's mitten. You are out west?
The hatch, coaming and quick-acting strong-back is made right here in the shop.
A rubber seal has lasted 3000 miles (4800 Km) on a truck-gasifier. Just keep it clean, and it seals gas-tight every time without screwing around.
A chip of wood pulled around the seal, (like spreading butter on toast) works well to get the dirt off when finished loading.
These hatches weld on any fuel-bin over 12" (31 cm) diameter, to quickly load your wood, and go.
Andrew Schofield
GL-RFS
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Comment by ben on December 28, 2008 at 12:28am -
Nice lid. Did you make it or borrow it from something else? I couldn't make out the gasket. What are you using?
I've been using the K&N filter with good success. They flow well and the ability to recharge them is nice. $40 for the filter isn't the killer though, it's the recharge kit.
My garage could probably fit in the corner of your garage. I took the IKEA approach.
Sounds like you could hit Canada with a rock from where you are EH!
Thanks for posting.
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