Micro CoGen.

Received the Ballasts in good order, look forward to giving them
a try.

Thanks again!

Steve

You are making my point for me. First off, it's one thing to have a
discussion about a process on the internet without resorting to flaming
the topic out with the usual "you'll die" and "blow up your neighborhood".
We could say discuss nukyaler power plants without being warned to
watch what you say kuz the guvernment will kick your door in or that
it's dangerous, the vast majority of us already know.

The boilers of Diesels era were dangerous mainly because material improvements and methods were pretty basic, like riveted tanks.
Most of the boilers I'm interested in are monotube types like the
ones in Dobles cars, relatively safe and not likely to have a catastrophic
explosion with one. By discussing ideas we all become safer and more
intelligent about the world around us. If you guys aren't interested in
discussing unusal things so be it, it's all on the web anyway. Theres not
much activity here lately, maybe I'll find somewhere else more friendly to
hang my hat.

Nothing ventured nothing gained. You can certainly make the argument
that the average idiot will try lots of stuff in his garage and level it but
that's not me. I live in a city with the largest industrial chemical production
in the country and have more friends who are process engineers than I can
count and would certainly consult their expertise before venturing in knee
deep into GTL or any other process.

Steam is another area that as soon as it's mentioned is DANGEROUS and
all the usual 'experts' rush out from the garage to warn you about the
DANGER without ever knowing what your background is, so.............
back to the Diesel engine story.

Diesel had the first engine explode at least 2 times.

BTW, the people in the video make/sell the GEK Gasifier Kits, I'm certain
they're just as dangerous? You as a 'Professional' couldn't suggest
that 'people' could actually use a 100 year old process to make their
own fuel and survive beyond the bounds and the grip of an overreaching
dictatorial government.

Everything but getting a check from the Government is dangerous.

This is more what I had in mind:

Fischer-Tropsch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFtrhz47K3Y&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL3FA031547E05162D

Quote from: cognos on April 02, 2012, 08:01:19 AM
I know a bit about "Synthetic Crude" processes, and have had some experience with "coal gas" as an industrial fuel, exclusively in steel mills, as part of the coking process.

Synthetic crude production is clean and efficient compared to the industrial production of coal gas... both have byproduct issues, but I'll take the syncrude any day, and the conventional fuels it's used to produce.

I have had some experience with site remediation of old coal gas production plants, where the gas was produced for illumination and heating in an urban setting. Some horrific pollution that persists more than 100 years later, in some cases.

Depending on the process, coal gas is usually mostly hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Both are hard to compress and store, and have a low calorific value, compared to "natural" or "Synthetic" gas.

So - poisonous, sulphurous, difficult to store - not an ideal fuel for the future.

But I'm sure many engines could be modified - or primarily designed - to use coal gas as a fuel. It burns...

Then again, one could modify/design an engine to run on synthetic crude, probably with similar effort.

My plan would include 'wood gas' as opposed to 'coal gas' and use the resultant flame to fire a
large monotube boiler similar to the one in a Doble Steam Car, also the drive train in the
Doble would be ideal for running a power plant.

What can you share with us about Catalysts for synthesizing fuels from gas?

Thanks for the update.

Steve,

Somewhere around page 66 is a reference to Kruppp owning a process for 'coal gas'
or as some would say Syn Gas/ producer gas, they were talking about using it in
Diesels engine. Isn't it odd that we as a society are making a 360 deg loop back 100
years to 'invent' new fuels?

Ben

Quinn

I bought the book on Amazon and have started reading it. Very interesting
man. Next up is Cummins.

Anyone here have contact with Bobbie in the last few days. I can't
seem to get a response from him either here or via email. Sent the
funds via Moneygram and not even sure he picked it up.

Did anyone try their Ballasts yet?

Quote from: quinnf on March 21, 2012, 09:31:50 AM
If you're really interested in the development of the Diesel engine, keep your eyes open for a copy of this book http://www.amazon.com/Diesels-Engine-From-Conception-1918/dp/0917308034/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1332343557&sr=8-3

It's gone way expensive now.  I picked it up a few years ago for about $30 and just about couldn't put it down.  A great book with wonderful detail showing the progress of the development of the engine and the gradual toll that success and the pressure to remain relevant extracted from Diesel who ultimately died (or was he murdered?) under mysterious circumstances.

Thanks for the info my amex points almost covered it.

Quinn

Seem to be having some difficulty with email, can you
use the PM system here to communcate?

And 100 years later to the week I was born. 

I don't know if they celebrated St Patricks Day in  Paris then?

His legacy is right there with Tesla, Edison, Faraday, Henry, and the
others.

A small blurb for those who don't know his name:
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bldiesel.htm