5 replies to this topic

[Tom deSabla]

From my observations at the Berkeley workshop, and subsequently, it seems like the way the 55 gallon hopper on the pallet is currently loaded is by ladder. Also, the open/close mechanism of the hopper lid also seems to require a ladder to actuate it.

For the vigorous crew at APL, this is not an issue, but for some users, depending on conditions, getting up on a ladder can be difficult, and particularly while holding 50-75+ pounds of wood chips to load in a hopper.

I realize that there are many more pressing engineering issues to solve for the GEK than loading the hopper on the Power Pallet, but since I'm probably not ready to solve those issues yet, I thought I'd share my loading idea.

Again, it seems to me that the lid mechanism is a separate issue, but if it could be changed, then a ladder would not be needed to load the Pallet at all. What is needed for the lid is something like a sealable jar system, where a vertical upward motion can unlock the lid on one side, and then the other side acts as a hinge. If we had something like this, then an extension pole with some kind of hook at the end or whatever could be used to pop the lid off prior to loading without need for a ladder. The same pole could be used to reseal the lid after loading.

Even if this change is not feasible, it is still a heck of a lot easier to climb a ladder just to unfasten the hopper lid than it is to climb a ladder and then have to control, lift and then dump a bunch of wood chips in. Conditions won't always be ideal for end users like they are at workshops.

Again, this whole idea is kind of obvious, and the plan may be for individual users to find their own loading solutions, but anyway here's my tentative suggestion:

My considerations would be:

1. The loader should be able to be used by one person without a ladder.

2. It should be simple, cheap, and durable.

3. It should look GEK-ish

4. It should be physically integrated with the GEK without taking up any additional space.

5. It should fit with the GEK Shipping method.


So, how about starting with a half of a 55 gallon drum? I don't know if you'd have to cut one, or if you could just buy one. Maybe you could just completely make the thing from scratch yourself. Steel or plastic? I dunno, but anyway it can hang from the hopper when not in use, like this (please forgive these crappy drawings, but I really suck at it) Instead of a short chain, we might also want a real short rubber bungee, so we could stretch it a little when we pull out the loader and spin it. By the way, the chain is supposed to look like it's in the middle LOL
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After spinning it 180 degrees, we push it on to the edge of the hopper where it sits in place so we can take one hand and lower the legs.

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The legs can be extendable if need be - painting poles do this cheaply, and those sliding glass door security bars are another option. I guess it depends on what ends up being the best place to secure the feet of the legs - the ground, or the bottom of the hopper.
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Then, there is the issue of what holds the chips in the tilted loader. Just use or make the 1/2 bottom  piece. This piece can be left to dangle by a chain link when the loader is not in use, and then reattached to a couple more holes with short chains or hooks. For that matter, make it more than 1/2 - you could use a fuller, more circular bottom/end piece to hold in more chips.
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A metal loader would be more GEK ish, and bulletproof, but a plastic one would be lighter. Rigidity might be a problem with plastic.

Some things may need tweaking, or be oriented wrong, or just plain be wrong but you all get the idea I'm going for - a loader that you just tilt up with handles and dump. Maybe it could even ship russian doll-style inside the other drum.

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[WestCoastPat]

Good idea.

If the rig was indoors, you could set up your loader to simply hinge on the top of the hopper, and use a hoist. Load the chips and lift your loader up with a block and tackle or chain hoist.

I think I would construct a loader platform with stairs and roof to store fuel and keep it dry at the hopper level for my setup here, but I have an abundance of trees and a sawmill.

[Tom deSabla]

Thanks Pat, yeah, I was just thinking more about situations where the Pallet might need to be moved around. You know, worst-case scenarios, where old fat guys with bad shoulders and trick knees are out in the field in bad weather climbing ladders with big containers of wood chips. Although that scenario will probably never happen. I just have an overactive imagination.

Ideally, what you describe, a little covered platform/station sounds cool. That's probably the kind of thing I will be able to do when I get my GEK system set up - I won't have to move mine around.

Also, I don't think the hopper holds so much wood chips that a person couldn't lift enough to refill it, if the setup was right. I like the idea of having the loader just hanging there on the hopper - ready for use.

[Mike LaRosa]

Tom & Pat, I'm one of those older guys that has had a double hernia "repair" and have also torn both shoulders several times. The shoulders I let heal on their own but it typically takes 2 years or more so I try to not do it again. They are way weaker now than 10 years ago. Also, my ballance is not very good anymore. I was appauled by the use of a step ladder to load the hopper at the last workshop so I proposed a built in step arrangement attached to the pallet. This could even have guard rails on it. Truth be known but if the hopper on the power pallet were filled at least a quarter of the way up, probably no lid would even be required on it as those packed chips along with what is in a auger would probably provide enough vacuum that the reactor would run just fine. I would think that a standard agricultural auger fed from the ground into the side of the hopper near the top would run just fine. Then folks with wheel barrow loads or truck loads or whatever of chips could just dump or shovel them into the auger. This auger could run off the AC from the power pallet itself. This would eliminate most of the safety issues involved except the standard issues of fingers and feet getting in the auger. Most every farm around me has a feed mill that they shovel corn and beans and whole ear corn into to get ground up. There is very little difference. A swing door at the end of that auger would act as a seal if one is thought to be needed. Just my 2 cents but I'm too old to lift things over my head or a whole chute of stuff. Regards, Mike LaRosa

[WestCoastPat]

Yea it would be easy to build stairs up to a platform, like a mobile home mini porch even with rails.

Or I used to have a commercial set of stairs with a platform on top. All aluminum with wheels and springs. When you walked up it, the unit sat on the floor by the weight.  Pretty much every Home depot type warehouse store has one.

[JohnnyPayphone]

Check out how they solved this issue in Forest Creek, Victoria:

http://www.gekgasifi...php?i=1081&c=19

http://www.gekgasifi...php?i=1085&c=19