Multimedia

3/6/2012

Yield from first run of 55 gallon brick channel charbonizer

3/5/2012

Intake and exhaust porting for 55 gallon brick channel oven

Build your own burner assembly (11 pics)

air channel set up before the burn

Brick Foundation                           Full View before Ignition w/ Loaded Feedstock and fuel piping connections        Burner Ignition

55 Gallon Brick Channel Design: beginning burn, entering transitional phase, and beginning to choke air flow

55 Gallon Brick Channel Oven Design: Placing lid (half covered)

   55 gallon Brick Channel Oven Design (Closing the lid)

   55 gallon Brick Channel Oven Design (Paralysis going strong!)

 55 gallon Brick Channel Oven Design (Allowed to Smoke)

    55 gallon Brick Channel Oven Design (Air partially choked)

       55 gallon Brick Channel Oven Design (Air fully choked)

3/2/2012

15 Gallon Rocket Charbonizer: yield from fresh eucalyptus bark

35 Gallon Brick Channel Oven Design yield

3/1/2012

15 gallon rocket design first run of the day

35 Gallon Brick Channel first run of the day (9 pics)

15 Gallon Rocket Design second run of the day

35 Gallon Brick Channel Design second run of the day

02/29/2012

Very dense smoke, process started                            Slightly less dense smoke                                             Very transparent smoke

(feedstock is losing moisture)                          (transparent at chimney top)                                        (transparent further from top of chimney)

Yield after the day's reaction

2/28/12

today's run with the rocket design

dg

2/24/12

today's run in the rocket design was a  little under done

New design idea, only needs bricks, a round pipe for chimney, and a 55 gallon drum. could possibly be constructed with only a hammer. (4 pics)

new brick channel design's first run was way under done.

2/23/12

  Thermocouples being setup during feedstock loading

Smoke development (3 pics)

Going strong!

Approaching reaction's end

Choking reactor

Final product - slightly over done

2/22/12

Completed Arduino 4 thermocouple measurement reader

2/12/12

Arduino thermocouple measurement reader development

2/6/12

Our sweet new work station at EBU2

2/4/12

Opps! analytical error

 BIOCHARCOAL 15 GAL REACTOR 2nd TEST RUN @ La Jolla Shores- 2/3/2012 

Beginning of Transition Phase

Exhibited by Brownish Smoke Color and Increase in Velocity/Density

Less dense smoke indicating we are approaching the end of the process

End of Transition Phase- Exhibited by Clear Smoke

Pyrolysis almost Complete: Lid was taken off when exhaust was getting clear, feedstock caught on fire due to influx of fresh oxygen.

Yield after run: not complete Carbonization due to non-uniform feed stock size. Bigger, denser euzalyptus branches didn't fully carbonize

1/31/12

 Sample of charcoal from a recent run being prepared for analysis (3 pics)

cool!!!! Algae biodiesel at BAAN Laboratories 

BIOCHARCOAL 15 GAL ROCKET REACTOR 1st TEST RUN @ La Jolla Shores- 1/30/2012 

15 Gal Scaled Up Prototype, filled with Eucalyptus Feedstock (2 pics)

New burning assembly rigged up and ready the go!

Smoke is clearing and looks really cool

Flammable exhaust, indicating that pyrolysis in underway (2 pics)

15 Gal Prototype nearing end of operation (2 pics)

Heat concentration seen at base of false bottom

1/28/12

15 gallon rocket oven prototype false bottom installation

1/26/12

Safety First!

First run of prototype w/ burner @ EBU2

Fans gathering after smoke from reactor had shut down EBU2

Restarting the run at the beach was a much better idea! (2 pics)

1/25/12

Adding a false bottom to the prototype

1/24/12

modifying a common propane stove burner to fit the 5 gallon prototype at BAAN Laboratories (5 pics)

Completed burner addition to the 5 gallon prototype

1/22/12

Getting work done! (@BAAN Labs)

testing a simple burner idea

11/27/11

Various feedstocks all carbonized well. About to begin analysis @ BAAN Labs

11/26/11

Primitive 5 Gal Prototype w/ No Propane 

Prototype running well. Flame seen in exhaust indicates is though of as a good indication of pyrolytic activity

11/25/11 - analytical methods development

Carbonized feedstock from last night's run, ready for analysis

a scale and a means of grinding... primitive yet fitting

Sieves are required in the analysis to concentrate the crushed pieces to a consistent size: BAAN had these laying around for biodiesel filtering, they'll work for a proof of concept here!

Muffle furnace in containing 3 samples: wow, thats hot!

Sample after analysis: pretty sample!

11/24/11

Roughing out a quick prototype (3 pics)

prototype complete!

First run looking good

Google Sketchup Prototype Drawings

CAD Drawing of Vertical Reactor                                                                        CAD Drawing of Horizontal Rotating Reactor Design

HISTORY OF MAKING CHARCOAL