Week 7

Overview of Status of Analysis, Design, Fabrication, Tests, etc.

• • Today 2/22/2012 successfully implemented thermocouples and propane flow meter into 15 Gal Prototype

  • Will have data on heat distribution and correlation to charcoal quality

  • Did not put reaction out with Water, first time use of sealing with DIRT and let reaction die out naturally

Accomplishments from Previous Week

• • Received new test site on Facilities Management ground

  • TC programming completed

    • Implemented into Prototype (JB weld, ceramic insulators)

  • Flow Meter connections completed

Goals for Next Week (list names after each item). Use specific and measurable objectives.

• • Attempt access to Natural Gas (Point Loma Wastewater/ Ecolife)

  • Finalize arduino/ thermocouple system (solder to protoboard)

  • Correlate Thermocouple data with Charcoal quality

  • Charcoal quality when put out with water vs. self extinguish

  • Clay prototype assembled 

Sponsor Comments from Last Meeting and Actions Taken to Address these Comments

• • Ecolife wants access to our charcoal to start using for briquette mechanism development (hopefully still have enough for Porter's)

  • Ecolife will try to get access to biogas from nearby Dairy Farm

  • Recommended less fuel usage to yield higher volume output

    • We have already started this

  • Students recommended that steel drums have long life at high temperatures

    • Tests show steel drums last longer than initially believed

Instructor Comments from Last Meeting and Actions Taken to Address these Comments

• • Test charcoal by burning: We plan to test our charcoal via burning this weekend

  • Decision on steel drum vs clay oven (steel drum is advantageous due to minimal time needed to produce prototype)

    • We will be continuing testing with steel drum and simultaneously developing scaled-down clay oven

Risks and Areas of Concern

• • Low charcoal volume output!

  • TC temperature readings were not consistent due to wire connection

    • will be changing to protoboard with all soldered wires

Resources or Information Required but not Available