wood to electricity

[JimMartin9999]

What is the most efficient way of converting wood to electricity?
I am thinking of off -grid, one home, seasonal use.

[Warbird]

I'd say a bolt of lightning hitting a tree would be about the most efficient way possible.  ;D  Outside of that...  maybe a wood fired steam generator?

[Ianab]

Have a read of this thread.

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,11938.0.html

If you can run a truck with wood gas, then you should be able to run a genset suitable to power a house. Probably something that you could run for a few hours at peak times and charge batteries for lower drain times. If you ran a heat exchanger off the engine and exhaust for hot water the efficiency would be pretty good.

No experience with it myself, but it's how I would attack it.

Ian

[olyman]

four ways to use the power of a internal combustion engine--generator on output shaft--ue the antifreeze solution to circulate thru a coil in you house for heat in winter--use the exhaust heat thru a water tank for heat, or just a huge barrel with tubes thru it to pull heat off the exhaust--and use the air off of the radiator for heat----- ;D ;D

[pineywoods]

Woodgas generator running an old car engine. Couple of good ole southern boys on here working on such a scheme, stay tuned....

[Paul_H]

 pineywoods,

did you decide which woodgas generator you are going to build?

[pineywoods]

pineywoods,

did you decide which woodgas generator you are going to build?

I'm leaning toward a fire tube with the air nozzles running outward from a pipe bout 2 inch running right down the middle. Also thinking about running that central air pipe right out through the top through a packing so I can manually rotate it to unclog bridges. Course that means a side door for loading, but that's do-able. Construction will be old hot water tanks and propane tanks. Would have already started on it, but I loaned my trailer mounted welder and cutting rig to some kin-folks who being rather tardy about returning it :(

Paul I got to wondering about the loss of power on your truck. Have you hooked a manifold pressure gauge to the intake? Seems to me there would be a good bit of pressure drop through the generator, cooler and filters. Maybe a small blower hooked to the air intake, just enough pressure to over come the drop through the system just might make a difference.

[JimMartin9999]

Warbird suggested a  wood fueled steam generator.  Sounds clear and simple.  The gas generator looks like a lot of mechanical/welding  headaches to me.  I have an unlimited supply of cordwood, not pellets so I am not too concerned about efficiency.  Simplicity is key here.
Can any one recommend a  small sized, (5-10 KW) wood fired steam generator?

[Paul_H]

This site has information on steam engines and boilers and how to go about licencing to build and operate one.They sell a few small steam engines but I didn't see if they sell a boiler.


Link

[fencerowphil (Phil L.)]

It sure seems that any cordwood-to-electric system would require considerable
tending and maintenance.  Do you not have either wind or solar potential where
you live?   Those two alternatives don't require all that attention day-to-day (or
should I say hour-to-hour?)

[Paul_H]

Paul I got to wondering about the loss of power on your truck. Have you hooked a manifold pressure gauge to the intake? Seems to me there would be a good bit of pressure drop through the generator, cooler and filters. Maybe a small blower hooked to the air intake, just enough pressure to over come the drop through the system just might make a difference.

pineywoods,

I haven't hooked up any gauges yet but I have sorted out where my pressure drop was coming from.I had some screens and rockwool in the top of the cooler and they would plug up with char after awhile so I ended up installing a removeable SS sieve and some steel window screen as well so now I can empty the screens out and any dust is caught in the big filter.
A cyclone is still the answer when I get around tuit.Later this afternoon I'm driving up to a friend's house and he will test the exhaust with his analyser.I'm thinking the emmisions will be clean but we;ll wait and see

[Warbird]

Phil, I doubt he would have to tend it every hour.  Maybe during peak times but probably not even then.  I suppose it depends on the type of wood he is burning and if he will have a buffer system (batteries).

I've never studied steam power in depth.  This is all off the top of my head, so take it with a grain of salt.