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BEK Assembly Instructions v1-8

Page history last edited by jay 13 years, 5 months ago

Assembly Instructions for the BEK v1.8

The step-by-step instructions below will guide you to turn your mysterious pile of plumbing and fabricated parts into a biochar making machine which will allow you to visit all of the curious production variables that are important in the creation and application of biochar. After you have assembled the BEK (Biochar Experimenters Kit, v1.x), visit the BEK Operation Manual for run instructions.

I) Introduction

II) Tools

A) Tools Needed

1/2'' wrench
9/16'' wrench
scissors
philips head screwdriver
pipe wrench
hammer
3/8ths drill

B) Sealing Materials Included

fiberglass tape (high temp gasketing used on most of the larger flanges)
high heat mortar (used in conjunction with the fiberglass tape to ensure sealing)
clay gasketing (used on the smaller flanges and lids in cooler regions of the unit)
tefflon tape (remember to use tefflon tape on all plumbing connections, except for the burner)

III) Assembly Instructions

1. Body

A) Reactor legs

locate the four pairs of extending threads on the char bucket. Attach the four legs of the reactor using the provided 9/16ths nuts.

B) Sweep Gas valve

The sweep gas valve will thread into the 1.5'' bung of the char bottom bucket. Make sure the square flange is facing upwards toward the main opening of the char bucket. The sweep gas valve will have a four hole slotted flange and a long handle to actuate the sweep gas valve. This square flange will go on to fit onto the PyroBox later in these instructions.

C) Char Bucket

Start with the main body of the BEK reactor. Flip the reactor upside down so that the larger port is toward the top.
Fiber glass tape: Place one strip of the fiber glass tape around a) the flange of the char bucket and b) the flanges on the flue gas recycling port on the char bucket c) both of the two larger flanges on the reactor. Punch out the bolt holes so that the bolts will clear the tape.
Apply a layer of high temp mortar on the fiberglass tape to ensure a gas tight seal.
Place the char bucket on top (this is the bottom of the reactor) with the gas recycling port lined up with the flange on the side of the reactor. Thread the 3/4'' x 5/16ths bolts

through the Char Bucket and the reactor.

D) Reactor Insulation

Unroll the white insulation material. Wrap the body of the main body of the BEK reactor with the insulation material. Make sure to cut out holes in the insualtion for all of the instrumentation ports and gas flow ports on the reactor to retain access to these ports.
Fit the stainless steal jacket around the body of the main BEK reactor. Be sure to line up the ports in the suggested cut-outs. Use a screw driver to tighten the jacket around the reactor body.

E) PyroBox

1. Attach PyroBox to Body

Line up the PyroBox by matching the bolt patterns of the gas recycling port and the larger retort flange on the reactor. NOTE: The pictures below are from an earlier version of the BEK, but the PyroBox will interact similarly with the sweep gas valve and reactor body below.
Thread the 3/4 x 5/16'' bolts into the two mating flanges for the PyroBox. Tighten these bolts intermittently to make sure they are aligning properly as the bolts on both flanges are being tightened.

F) Flip!

Turn the reactor back over onto its legs and procede.

2. Chimney

Place a strip of fiber glass tape onto the round flange of the chimney and punch out the holes so the bolts will pass through. Apply some high temp mortar onto the fiberglass tape.
Match the appropriate flanges of the Chimney to the PyroBox and the top retort port on the main reactor body.
Tighten with 3/4 x 5/16'' bolts.

Find the 6 hole flange with a round extending lip, this will bolt onto the PyroBox as the adapter for the flex chimney connection.
Obtain the chinmey connecting flex tube. This will fit over the flange adapter and mate with the chimney above. Use the two hose clamps to secure the flex tube in place.

Roll the stove pipe extension into its cylindrical form.
When fitting the stove pipe extension onto the BEK Chimney, you may want to fold in the top of the Chimney with a hammer.
Use the self tapping screws to hold the chimney extension into place.

3. Burner

A) Burner Body

Add the fiber glass tape and the high temp mortar to the burner flange in the same manner as the previous steps.
The lighting port cap is extended with a 1/2'' x 7'' pipe nipple to keep in cooler temperatures.
Note: A burner extension comes with the BEK. Use the burner extension between the burner and the burner body if you would like to subject the BEK reactor to lower temperatures.

B) Burner Puff Lid

For the version 1.2 BEK, attach the poof flap by utilizing three bolts from the chimney flange.
Finish the assembly by attaching the poof cover and securing a weight to the end of the lever.

C. Propane Connection

Plug the 1/2'' bottom side bung. This will be used to empty any tar collection in the burner during shutdown.
There are two 1/2'' bungs at the top of the burner. Attach the propane connection to the 1/2'' bung closest to the 1.5'' inlet of the burner. The second 1/2'' bung will be used as a lighting and viewing port for the flare. You will want to light this portion of the flare with a second hand held propane torch.
Attach an extension of 1/2'' pipe to keep the propane line away from the hot burner. Depending on the location and source of your propane connection this may be different for your set up. You can find propane connections at your local hardware store.
Install the brass needle valve in line with the propane line.
Connect the propane line after the valve.

4. Install Igniters

Strip the wires at the end of the ignitors. Connect the wires to a standard 120v wall plug. NOTE: if you have 220v mains power, you may wire the two igniters in parallel.
When the ignitors are installed, be sure to keep the wires away from hot surfaces of the BEK. You may want to use some bailing wire to secure them.
Note: Avoid contact of High Temp Mortar to the active ignitor element, it will cause the element to burn out.

A) Chimney

Drill a 3/8'' hole about two inches from the top of chimney extension.
Use the self tapping screws to secure the igniter into place.

B) PyroBox

Drill a hole into the PyroBox directly in front of the burner connection.
Secure the ignitor into place with a screw.

5. Gas Cap

Orientation: The side with the wide flange is the top, from the bottom you will notice that the Gas Cap is double walled.
Place the fiberglass tape and high temp mortar on both the top and bottom flanges of the Gas Cap, punch out the bolt holes to allow for clearance.
Orientation: The square gas out flange will face to the right of the burner/chimney assembly.
Use clay gasketing on the six hole flange. Attach the six hole solid plate to the nearest port toward the chimney.

6. Ejector, Gas Lines and Description of Circuits

Note: There are two different orientations that the flex lines can be assembled, please read carefully.

A) Bio-Oil Circuit: Running the BEK in condensing mode will allow the collection of pyrolysis oil. Collection of pyrolysis oil/ Bio-oil may be of interest for experimentation and utilization for various projects. When in condensing mode, any remaining constituents in the gas stream will still be introduced into the burner, ensuring a clean production of biochar and pyrolysis oil.

Attach the cyclone tube plate to the leg of the second 1.5'' plumbing T. The other two ends of the cyclone 1.5'' plumbing T will also be attached to first ejector 1.5'' plumbing T and the 1.5'' brass ball valve.
Place the 1.5'' plug into the open end of the ejector plumbing T.
Thread on the square gas connectors to the gas line and apply a couple strips of the clay weather stripping to the square flange.
Wrap the flex tube two revolutions, then bolt one square flange to the cyclone, and the other to the gas cap on the top of the main body of the BEK reactor.

B) Non-Condensing Circuit: Running the BEK in clean mode will take all of the pyrolysis gases from the reactor and burn them in the burner so as not to collect or release any liquids or emissions from the biocharring process.

Assemble the ejector according to the pictures above. The flex line connects to the side of the gas cap with the square flange adapter.
Make sure the three plumbing T's are oriented at a 90 degree angle from each other.
The first picture shows a 1.5'' plumbing plug at the end of the assembly. In Clean Mode, the assembly will differ from the first picture below in that the port populated by 1.5'' plumbing plug will attach to the shorter flex tube. The 1.5'' plug should then be inserted into the leg of the 1.5'' plumbing T (where the 1.5'' close nipple is located according to the first picture below).

7. Biomass Auger, Level Switch, and Reactor Lid

A) Auger Bucket

Add some of the clay weather stripping between the mating flanges of the Gas Cap and the Auger Bucket.
Use the 5/16'' nuts/bolts to attach them together.

B) Biomass Auger

Use some clay weatherstripping for the flange on the auger port on the far end.
Make sure there is good seals around the hex bolts and the motor bearing. You may need to loosen the auger and add high heat mortar around the edges of the motor. Be careful not to get any of the mortar into the bearings of the motor.
Insert the Auger and Auger Plate and secure with 5/16ths nuts and bolts.

C) Level Switch

There are three paddle sizes included with the fuel level switch. Detach the smaller paddle with a philips screw driver.
Thread the 1- 1.5'' plumbing reducer onto the sensor.
Attach the longer stainless steel paddle onto the sensor.

Thread the fuel level sensor onto the middle bung of the reactor lid. (The switch can also be added to the 1.5''bung offset slightly from center). The reactor lid is typically attached to the hopper barrel during shipping.
Orientation: Make sure the arrow is pointing away from the auger, this is the direction of flow.
Wire the auger to the breaker switch and then to the two wires indicating the Normally Closed (NC) configuration of the fuel level paddle switch. T
Use 12v DC: Connect the ground of the auger motor (black) to the negative (-) lead and the common (COM/brown) to the positive (+) lead of a 12v dc source (ie: car battery).

D) Reactor lid

The reactor lid will have two 1.5'' bungs and three 1/2'' bungs on the side.

These three 1/2'' bungs are for thermocouples, you may use these if you wish.
The two 1.5'' bungs are for the level switch and a manual mixer to ensure against bridging. Populate the middle 1.5'' bung with the spiral manual mixer. Populate the second offset 1.5'' bung with the level sensor.

8. Hopper

The monorator ring, shown in the first picture, will slide into the hopper barrel. Use the longer 5/16ths bolts to secure the hopper through the nuts welded to the monorator ring.
Assemble the conical hopper insert and slide it into the hopper. This will allow the solid fuel to flow easier through the system.

Use the springs and the wing nuts for the puff lid on the main lid of the hopper barrel.
Attach the main lid to the hopper.

9. Biochar Auger and Biochar Reservoir

A. Biochar Auger Channel

Orientation: When standing in front of the burner of the BEK, the Biochar Auger will slide into the left cover on the bottom char bucket.
Place fiberglass tape around the bottom flange of the 6 hole flange of the bottom char bucket and add a bit of hight temp mortar around the flange. Bolt the Biochar Auger assembly to the bottom using 5/16'' bolts.
Attach the auger channel so that it is angling upwards in its orientation. Attach the second piece of the auger channel. The fabricated T attachment will host the smaller auger motor plate at its end.
At the bottom portion of the fabricated T, the char will flow outwards. Here, the biochar bucket will attach.

B) Biochar Auger

Wire the biochar auger motor by connecting the black wire (with the eyelet) of the PWM controller to the green wire on the motor. The doubled red wire will connect to the red wire on the auger motor. The single stripped red wire will connect to the positive terminal of a 12vDC battery, and the stripped black wire will connect to the negative terminal of the 12vDC battery.

C) Biochar Reservoir

Use fiberglass tape and mortar on either side of the biochar channel.
The lid of the char barrel char reservoir will connect to the end of the biochar channel. The 6 hole ring will fit on the inside of the lid to clamp around the char reservoir lid opening to ensure a seal. Be sure to add high temp mortar to this interface.
Add the barrel biochar reservoir to the lid. Be sure to support the barrel from underneath.

9. Instrumentation

A) Manometer

Connect the manometer face plate to the outside of the square flange on the gas cap.
Install the manometer tube by connecting it to the brass barb on the square flange of the gas cap. Loop the manometer tube around the manometer face plate and secure with zip ties.

B) Thermocouples

Use the appropriate plumbing reducer and compression fitting as ports for the thermocouples.
Thermocouple placement is up to the operator, however we like to suggest them into the top of the unit to obtain the temperature of the reactor, the gas out exit port on the Gas Cap, the char reservoir or the two ports located on the retort gas entrance/exit.