Introducing The GEK Gasifier Systems - Rev3 PDF
Introducing The GEK Gasifier Systems - Rev3 PDF
Introducing The GEK Gasifier Systems - Rev3 PDF
Introducing
the GEK Gasifier Systems
Updated: 09/16/2012
Table of Contents
I. Overview and Specifications
a. GEK Gasifier System sizes
b. GEK Gasifier models, levels, and features
c. Biomass requirements of the GEK Gasifier Systems
II. Identifying the GEK System Components
III. Identifying the PowerPallet Control Panel and PCU Components
IV. Description of the GEK Gasifier process flows
V. Description of GEK Gasifier Components
VI. Description of Control Panel and PCU Components
VII. Datalogging with the PCU
ALL Power Labs offers downdraft gasifier systems in various sizes: 10kW, 20kW, and 100kW.
These kWe ratings reference the potential of electrical power capable in a gasifier/ICE/generator
system at the gasifier's maximum gas flow capacity. The GEK PowerPallet integrates an internal
combustion engine and a generator with automated controls with the ability to utilize the gas for other
purposes, while the GEK Gasifier comes as an assemble-yourself kit that provides stand-alone wood
gas for a variety of end uses. Below are the specifications of the systems provided by ALL Power Labs.
The GEK Systems are offered at various integration stages as well as at different kit levels to
make the equipment accessible at various price points. The kit 'Levels' refer to the completeness of the
offered product. The levels are as follows:
• Level I: free CAD files available online
• Level III: Weld-It-Yourself kit (mild steel only)
• Level IV: Assemble-It-Yourself kit (stainless steel only)
• Level V: Completely Assembled and Integrated
Most downdraft gasifier systems require specified feedstock characteristics and can be sensitive
to feedstocks that lie outside of the required specifications for the given equipment. Across all of the
GEK Models above, ALL Power Labs has implemented designs in both the reactor and the bulk
handling systems that broaden the allowed feedstock characteristic requirements of typical systems of
its size. Below are the suggested ranges for given feedstock characteristics to be used in the GEK
systems.
Biomass Requirements
particle size (in) .5 - 1.5
moisture content (% by dry weight) <25
fixed to volatile ratio >0.25
ash content (%) >5
Please refer to the Feedstock Requirements and Preparation Guide for more information.
The GEK Systems are designed for raw biomass and organic-based feedstocks. Experimental
feedstocks lying outside of the suggested ranges may require modification of the equipment and testing
of the gas quality produced. For experimental and research, ALL Power Labs offers a Research
Experimenters Kit with test and control equipment valuable for gas testing or further development off
of the base systems. Contact [email protected] for more information.
The GEK Process starts with the introduction of feedstock into the hopper. After the hopper, the
feedstock passes through an auger and enters the gasifier. The auger is controlled by a level switch
incorporated into the reactor lid. The feedstock fills the GEK reactor and stages needed for passes
through the stages of gasification: drying, pyrolyisis, combustion, and reduction. The hot gas exits the
reactor and passes through a cyclone to separate char particulates. The GEK Gasifier systems are
designed to utilize the heat from the gas produced to dry the incoming feedstock through the Drying
Bucket. After the Drying Bucket, the gas passes through the gas filter and gas drive system. The GEK
Gasifier systems have two main valves to switch between one of two operational modes: Flare or
Engine Mode (or other gas utilization mode). For Engine Mode, the Pyrocoil heat exchanger, included
in the TOTTI design, increases the efficiency of the reaction by supporting the heat needed for the
pyrolysis zone by utilizing the waste heat from the exhaust of an engine or other process.
The GEK Gasifier Kits and the PowerPallet have different gas drive systems as shown in the
GEK Process Flow diagram above. For the GEK Kits, the gas enters the gas filter, and passes through
the ejector venturi gas drive system. Here the air is then mixed for the flare.
For the PowerPallet, the gas by-passes the filter on start-up and the blower system provides gas and air
for the flare. After start-up, the flare is then shut off and the engine pulls gas through the gas filter.
The Basic GEK Kit does not include the Drying Bucket, Pyrocoil, or Auger shown in the diagram
above. The Basic GEK Kit has a simple lid on top of the reactor and is to be filled manually. The Basic
GEK Kits are offered as the most simple experimental development platform.
ALL Power Labs, Inc
Berkeley, CA
[email protected]
[email protected]
9
If the Fuel Switch changes state, this will reset the alarm and resume normal operation. Because
of the variability of characteristics in various feedstocks, the difference between the high and
low current thresholds is user configurable.
the cone from the pyrolysis zone, reduces the combustion products. The gasifier ends the
reactions in a metastable state before the reaction reaches equilibrium to maximize CO
and H2 production. While the reduction bell can withstand many hours of normal
operation, the reactor is designed to be able to replace the reduction bell if needed.
• Ash Grate and Grate Shaker
The ash grate lies below the reduction bell to support the charcoal in the reduction zone
but allow smaller char/ash to pass through toward the bottom of the gasifier. Smaller
char granules increases the bulk density which decreases the void space in the bulk.
Decrease in void space limits the gas flow through the media and creates resistance to
flow in the system. The grate shaker controls monitor the pressure ratio across the
reactor to shake the grate for a given shake time and interval. These settings can be
configured through the PCU menu screens. The pressure ratio (P_ratio) is calculated as
P_comb/P_react. The table below provides the conditions of the P_ratio value ranges.
Increasing the amount of grate shaking can purge the bell too quickly and over fill the
char/ash reservoir at the bottom. Once this reservoir is filled, the grate is no longer able
to purge the small char particles, and the gasifier will have to be shut down and cleaned
out. APL intends to release an ash take off system so that the char/ash can be purged
without shutting the unit down which will increase the continual run time.
Cyclone
After the wood gas leaves the gasifier, it passes through a cyclone that separates the larger
particulates that may have entrained in the gas stream. Condensate and particles fall through to
the trap at the bottom of the cyclone. The cyclone jar should be emptied before operation if it
reaches capacity. during operation of the GEK system by closing off the ball valve at the bottom
and emptying the trap. This is included in all of the GEK models.
Packed Bed Gas Filter
The packed bed filter is16 gal (0.06 m^2) and is to be filled with charcoal between 1/16-1/4''
particle size. While any charcoal can be used, the char that is purged from the gasifier can be
collected and sifted to the required particle size and used in the filter. It is recommended to use
the active char left over from the gasifier because the basic high temp char adsorbs the wood
tars as most tar compounds are acidic. The 5 inch space below the filter media bottom grate is
reserved for condensing in the filter and a bung is provided for draining the condensate.
ALL Power Labs, Inc
Berkeley, CA
[email protected]
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12
• For the GEK Kits, on top of the filter media should be a fine filter such as fabric or fine
mesh to prevent the filter media or fine particulates into the exiting gas stream. The final
filter size will depend on what is needed for your end use gas requirements. The filter
grate lays on top of the final fine filter to hold it in place and keep it from entraining in
the gas stream.
• For the PowerPallets, two oiled fine foam filter disks are provided for use in the gas
filter. One 65dpi and the other 45dpi are layered on the top of the filter media in this
order. The filter disks can be cleaned with warm soapy water, dried and re-oiled for
reuse.
Gas Drive System
The gas drive system is used to motivate the flow through the system during start-up. As flow
increases, temperature increases. When the reactor temperatures reach the target minimum
temperature of 750C, (>800C ideally), tar content in the gas stream may be low enough for use
in engines. For full heat modes, gas drive systems that operate the system to flows that are
within the bounds of the gasifiers temperature range for the given feedstock are preferred.
• For the GEK Kits: An ejector venturi gas drive system both creates suction on the
system and mixes air in to the gas for the flare burner. The ejector venturi operates
by providing compressed air at ~100psi for 6-8 CFM to the ejector nozzle. The
ratio of motive compressed air and gas is only about 25% of the air/gas ratio
needed for the flare. A manual air pre-mix valve is provided right before the
ejector venturi that allows the air needed for the air/fuel ratio for the burner. While
the ejector venturi can operate over a wide range of flow rates with no moving
parts, this drive system has a higher power demand for a given flow and may not
be appropriate for off grid applications for the system for this version release.
• For the PowerPallets Two squirrel cage blowers in series are controlled together with a
single knob on the control panel and are used to draw a vacuum on the system. The dual
blower design allows for the maximum volumetric flow rate of gas needed for start-up
powered solely by the stand alone 12V DC system on-board. A third blower is used to
introduce air into the flare burner. For the blower system, the gas bypasses the packed
bed filter and goes straight to the flare. This prolongs the life of the packed bed filter as
it filters the gas for use in the engine. The blowers are serviceable and can be taken apart
and cleaned easily using isopropyl alcohol or the like. Complete combustion in the flare
is ensured by adjusting the gas and air blowers to the right ratio to bring the combustion
in the flare stack down to the bottom-most part of the flare stack. The blowers have a
low power demand and are appropriate for start up for the stand alone off-grid systems
but may only operate at the lower end of the gas flow capacity of the gasifier providing
less heat than the gasifier is capable of in full heat mode.
Flare Stack and Igniter
For the PowerPallet, the igniter automatically turns on when P_react>0.5 WC and the engine is
not running. When these conditions are true, the igniter relay turns on the igniter at the top of
the flare stack to ensure that the flare lights and the gas (including CO) is not escaping from the
system. The GEK Kits do not come with an igniter and it is required to light the flare manually.
Lighting the flare with a hand-held propane torch is highly recommended.
ALL Power Labs, Inc
Berkeley, CA
[email protected]
[email protected]
13
CO Meter
CO meters are provided with all of the systems from ALL Power Labs as a safety precaution to
alert the operator in the rare case of a CO leak.
Thermocouples
Two main thermocouples are provided with all of the GEK Systems. These act as the
'tachometer' for the GEK Gasifier. For the GEK Kits, a thermocouple reader is provided that
gives the option for F or C readings. The PowerPallet temperatures are read by the PCU and are
displayed on the LCD screen in Celsius. The two thermocouples are:
• Top of Reduction Bell temperature (T_tred), measures temperature of the combustion
zone at 3/8ths inside the restriction of the Reduction Bell.
• Bottom of Reduction Bell temperature (T_bred), measures the temperature of the
reduction zone at 1'' inside the bottom opening of the Reduction Bell.
If more thermocouples are needed for your project, ALL Power Labs offers the Research
Experimenters Kit that includes gas flow monitoring and control equipment, tar testing supplies,
thermocouples (including a multi temperature probe with 6 different temperature detection
points along a single probe) and more. For more information contact [email protected].
• Power Input
The power requirement for the PCU is 9-12 vDC, 1A.
• Field Effect Transistors (FETs)
The 8 FETs control component relays. On/off switching for pumps, motors, solenoids,
etc. For the PowerPallet systems, the FETs are wired to the components as follows:
1. Feedstock Auger
2. Grate Shaker
3. Flare Igniter
4. Engine Ignition Coil
5. Engine Starter Motor
6. Oxygen Sensor Power
7. Warning Alarm
8. Auxiliary (not in use)
• RS232 Communication Port
This port allows communication with the PCU. The code on the PCU of the PowerPallet
outputs all sensor data to the serial port. For more information see section IV.
Datalogging with the PCU.
• Thermocouple Connectors
Standard plug connections are offered on ports T0-T6 and screw terminal connections
are available for T7-T14. For the PowerPallet, T0 is populated with T_tred thermocouple
and T1 detects the temperature of T_bred.
• MicroSD card port
Card not included. Currently no code has been written for the SD card that is on board
the PCU. However, user code may be generated for datalogging, etc by interfacing via
SPI.
• Differential Pressure Sensors
Two ranges of pressure sensors are located on the PCU board, high range (P0-P3) +/- 28
WC and low range (P4 & P5) +/- 8 WC.
On the PowerPallets, the dedicated pressure sensors are
• P0-Combustion Pressure (P_comb), measures pressure at the top of the
reactor.
• P1-Reactor Pressure (P_react), measures the pressure after the reduction
zone near the gas outlet.
• P3-Filter Pressure (P_filt), measures the pressure at the outlet of the
packed bed filter.
• Keypad
Four buttons are available for user input.
• LCD screen and contrast knob
The LCD screen allows adjustment of the contrast for better visibility.
• Analogue Inputs (from first colum top down to second column)
1. Coolant Temperature
2. Feedstock Auger Current
3. Key Switch State
4. Oxygen Sensor Signal
5. Aux- Governor Signal (not in use)
6. Throttle Position
7. Engine Oil Pressure
8. Fuel Switch State
• Microprocessor: Atmel ATmega 1280
• CANbus communication port
Currently no code is included for the CANbus. However, user generated code could
make use of this digital bus communication port.
• Reset Button
Resets the PCU.
• Frequency Timer
This port is typically used for hertz measurement from the generator.
• Status LEDs
The power (PWR) LED comes on when power is applied to the PCU board. The
diagnostic (DIAG) LED is prompted in the code to blink for each loop in the code logic.
For more information on the PCU, refer to the GCU Technical Manual, the Gasifier-Control-Unit page
on the GEK Wiki website, and the PCU-Getting Started documentation.
Relay Board
The Relay Board manages the interface between the PCU and the wire harness of the
PowerPallet and Powertainer models. The Relay Board does not come with the GEK Kits or the
stand-alone PCU kit orders.
A current draw from the on-board 12 vDC battery supply would otherwise drop the
instantaneous voltage available. To prevent this voltage drop from resetting the control
board, the ATX provides clean reliable power to the PCU. A 10 amp input fuse is used
for the ATX circuit.
• Governor RS232USB converter chip
The RS232 chip on the Relay Board replaces the previous RS232 dongle that is used to
communicate with the governor. The governor RS232 communication port passes
through the Relay Board and provides a USB connection on the front of the main control
panel. Connect a computer to the governor USB port on the main control panel to
configure the settings through the governor program.
• Relay Bank (from left to right):
1. Feedstock Auger Forward Relay (fuse: 15A)
2. Feedstock Auger Reverse Relay (fuse: 15A)
3. Grate Shaker Relay (fuse: 10A)
4. Flare Igniter Relay (fuse: 10A)
5. Aux Relay (not in use) (fuse: 10A)
6. Engine Ignition Coil Relay (fuse: 10A)
7. Engine Starter Relay (fuse: 10A)
8. Oxygen Sensor Power Relay (fuse: 10A)
9. Other component fuses:
1. Main Power Fuse (25A)
2. Air and Gas Blowers Fuse (10A)
• Input/Output catagories for Relay Board & # of connections (from left to right):
1. Battery (2)
2. Fuel Switch (4)
3. GEK Harness (10)
4. Governor Harness (12)
5. Blowers (12)
6. Key Switch/Panel Harness
• Analogue Inputs
• MTX Wideband Oxygen Sensor signal input/output
• Air Mixture (wood gas carburetor) Servo Control pass through
• JP1-Board Configuration Jumper
• 1&2=20kWPP configuration
• 2&3=10kWPP Configuration
For more information on the logic and controls of the PowerPallet please see "KS_PowerPallet v1.1
Controls."
Windows
1. Open puttytel
2. In the Datalogging tab, choose a location to save files (you can also save files with the
date and time as part of the name)
3. Enter the correct COM# that the PCU registers under.
Mac
1. Open terminal
2. Use the following command:
3. screen -L /dev/tty.usbserial.
This will also save the output to the user folder in a file named screenlog.0