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Originally posted by Beyond Biodiesel
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Lets hope there are some unseen safety features in his unit otherwise I think he made himself a nice bomb. -
guys. thanks for the response and i am starting to read about the reflux tower or the process in the thread. i am starting to understand it but i cannot imagine how to make it or what are the materials to make reflux tower. can you help me make it? and im just a 21yrs. old student that is interested on this technology.. and i am very thankful i have read this and i am very grateful to sir Jetijs..Comment
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Jm.sy2 there is a lot of information about reflux here on the thread. Just in the last page plastictrix described his reflux and how it was constructed. you need to read all this material and get a good understanding if it if you are to proceed safely. Having said that here are a few tips.
You need temperature measurement. A probe in the top of the retort to start with. If you cant monitor the temperature in the retort you will not get a successful result, and even if you did by luck get a good result you would not be able to repeat it. Cracking of plastics begins at 375C and for safety the temp should not exceed 425C. Look through the pages for information on temperature probes and readouts.
You need a reflux column. The simplest way to do this is to extend a vertical pipe up from the top of your retort. It would be better if it was larger diameter than the existing pipe and about 18 to 20 inches long. Pack the pipe with stainless steel or copper potscrubs to enlarge the working surface area. A temp probe at the top of the reflux will be necessary.
Bubbling the gas through a large bottle of water is ok for starters. Liquid fuel will condense and float on top of the water while gas will escape out the top. Move the bubbler further away from the retort for safety and a proper condenser should be on your to do list. There are plenty of designs here on this thread.Comment
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Only gas
ScienceDirect.com - Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis - Fluidised bed pyrolysis of low density polyethylene to produce petrochemical feedstock
"this paper describes the influence of pyrolysis temperature from 500 to 700°C on the yield and composition of the derived products. The main gases produced from the pyrolysis of LDPE were hydrogen, methane, ethane, ethene, propane, propene, butane and butene. There was a dramatic increase in gas yield with increasing temperature of pyrolysis. "
So the hotter the pyrolysis reaction the less oil fractions will be derived...Comment
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thank you so much for the explanation.. somehow i understand what we lack.Originally posted by imakebiodiesel View Post
and we are starting to make a smaller scale and copying an early design with 3condenser.
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Interesting article Waterboost. The fact that higher temps produce less liquid fuel has been noted before, which is why most of us try to keep our temperature just above minimum cracking temperature. The other interesting observation is the high level of alkenes in the liquid products. Alkenes are less stable than alkanes and more prone to oxidation which explains the tendency of some plastic derived fuel to darken after a couple of days.Comment
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Just throwing this out there.Originally posted by old kodger View Post
In this thread i know that many people use the bolt on large dia. flange style lids for the retort covers. all the discussions of, the "v" groove, copper gaskets, graphite gaskets, expensive "v" groove machining, leaks, threading all the bolts on/off, etc.etc. I know this is a proven design and works well, but I had a difficult time locating one at any of the scrap yards around here, so
I went down to the local well drilling co. in my area and they can readily make, or usually have just lying around, short sections of well casing that are threaded on one end. In my area standard well casing is 7 and 8 inch dia. and 1/4 inch wall. They also supply threaded, heavy steel caps that fit the casing.
This is what i use for the fill cover on my retort and the clean out on the bottom. The well casing can be cut to any length for application and welded onto anything that could be used for a retort. I have never had any issues with it at all. I welded four, ten inch long pieces of 1 inch dia. steel bar onto the sides of the cover and use them for levers/handles for screwing the cap on and off. Just a light swab of furnace cement on the threads and good to go.
The best part of it all is they only cost me $20 ea.Comment
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about reflux
I want to make a change. Is it possible to remove the reflux column and include it inside the reactor under the hood in the form of a few grids. Any opinion on the matter?Comment
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Temperature Control
You might have an issue with reflux temperature control
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The entire idea of the reflux is to drop the vapor to a temperature threshold at which one can efficiently sort the carbon chain size to maximize the fraction of fuel desired.Originally posted by batwicho View Post
With that being said, Having the reflux inside the retort is going to make it very difficult if not impossible, to maintain a correct lesser temperature then the overall temp in the retort, especially if the retort is more than half full.
I guess if you just heated it from the very bottom, and left the top 3/4 of the retort in the breeze you may eventually get it to work ok, but it would make no sense at all to waste so much retort volume on reflux, when that volume could be plastic.
It should be externally mounted directly above the retort lid so that the heavy condensate runs back into the retort.
On my reactor using a tank reflux, the sweet spot happens to be about 18 inches above the retort and i still have to cool it on hot days and heat it a bit on cool days.
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Thought experiment, i never fill the reactor to the top, but obviously it will be a waste of time! Thank you!Originally posted by PLASTICTRIX View PostThe entire idea of the reflux is to drop the vapor to a temperature threshold at which one can efficiently sort the carbon chain size to maximize the fraction of fuel desired.
With that being said, Having the reflux inside the retort is going to make it very difficult if not impossible, to maintain a correct lesser temperature then the overall temp in the retort, especially if the retort is more than half full.
I guess if you just heated it from the very bottom, and left the top 3/4 of the retort in the breeze you may eventually get it to work ok, but it would make no sense at all to waste so much retort volume on reflux, when that volume could be plastic.
It should be externally mounted directly above the retort lid so that the heavy condensate runs back into the retort.
On my reactor using a tank reflux, the sweet spot happens to be about 18 inches above the retort and i still have to cool it on hot days and heat it a bit on cool days.
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There is no reason why you could not fill your retort only 1/2 to 3/4 full and have some kind of high surface area material on the top of your retort to act as a refluxing zone. That is in fact what I do.Originally posted by batwicho View Post
EdCarron, nice flanges. Good work.
Nice idea, PLASTICTRIX, going to a well driller for pipe, welding work, flanges, etc.I have been running various blends of waste oils and unleaded gasoline in a 1983 Chevy G-20 van with a 6.2L diesel V-8 engine, with a Stanadyne Rotary DB2 IP since Feb, 2007. I have started the engine with no difficulty and no block heater on an 80/20 (WVO/gas) blend down to 0F (-18c). I have found that by blending as little as 15% gasoline in the summer, and as much as 50% in the winter, my engine starts and runs as if it was running on diesel fuel.Comment
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waterboost, I was just looking back in the thread at your Nitrator. I think it originally was a steam kettle for a commercial kitchen, then it looks like it was modified to be a nitrator. But the biggest problem with this device is it looks like the lid is not going to be air-tight at 800f (425c).Originally posted by waterboost View PostI have been running various blends of waste oils and unleaded gasoline in a 1983 Chevy G-20 van with a 6.2L diesel V-8 engine, with a Stanadyne Rotary DB2 IP since Feb, 2007. I have started the engine with no difficulty and no block heater on an 80/20 (WVO/gas) blend down to 0F (-18c). I have found that by blending as little as 15% gasoline in the summer, and as much as 50% in the winter, my engine starts and runs as if it was running on diesel fuel.Comment
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Turk-retort modified with IP
I've completed a shakedown run of my turk driven retort that uses an injector pump (IP) to deliver the fuel for heat. The IP gives a big improvement in control and now I'm considering automating the heat control process further with a PID. I made 19Liters of fuel from 20Liters of waste mineral oils. There was no plastic content to the feedstock on this occasion. I had a fan blowing air on the 1st condenser plus water cooling. Fuel usage for the turk/IP was 5 -6 Liters. Reflux temp was about 220C. Ist condenser was between 80C and 120C. Forced air fan for turk was on highest setting. The turk sounds like a tractor with the explosive pulsing of the injectors. Non condensable gases drove the turk briefly on its' own but there needs to be a bit more gas to get full functionality. I used 3 of the injectors only as I didn't have enough injector line to make the 4th. I used a battery charger for the 12V the IP needed for its' solenoid.
There are 3 videos up on my Youtube of the device running.
Part 1 here
Part 2 here
Part 3 here
Overall, it's a pleasing result. The process was fast, the fuel usage was more efficient and the yield was great.
I trialled nickel antiseize on the threaded pipe joints but 2 or 3 leaked. Can someone recommend a furnace cement/sealer brand that's tested and proven good for threads? ThanksComment
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Steam Kettle? This is an original Nitrator from WW2...Originally posted by Beyond Biodiesel View Post
As for air tight, I do have an engineering degree
The top plate is having the reactor welded to the underside... so the nitratator is nothing more than a v.fancy box... doesnt matter if it leaks!
The reactor is actually a guiness barrel...
I also have a stainless coil, 4ft tall 2 ft round that weighs approx 70KG, 35mm OD and 4mm wall... and you'll never guess where that came from... another nitrator.
The unit had white powder in, not flour or cocaine, but RDX...
Definately not a steam kettle...Comment
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