questions on building a wood gasification fire box

[waynecub]

I have enjoyed reading all of the questions and answers that you all have.
I have in my past worked for a company that builds wood gasification systems called Chiptec.
The systems are used in schools and saw mills, mostly anyone who has axes to wood waste.
The systems that Chiptec builds range in size from 1 million to 50 milion BTU. ( Big Boys )
At the school where I work we burn wood chips in a gasifire. ( 3 million BTU unit, 90hp )
If we burn oil it cost us 350.00 a day to heat, and if we burn wood chips it cost 100.00 a day to heat the school. And no smoke from the wood chip system.
I am a steel fabricator and I am building a wood gasificator that I will weld right to the side of my Franks boiler. This unit is the same size as my wood boiler. It will be a down burn. The gasifire will be lined with refractory. ( bottom, sides and top ) To get true gasificaton you need refractory. So here is my question I am not sure what size the secondary air nozzle needs to be in the refractory. Like 1" by 8" long? My gasifire look a lot like the Econoburn. Can anyone tell me what size the opening is in the refractory that is called the nozzle.

 

[Seyiwmz]

Mine has 2 on each side of the slot about the size of your finger. The slot is 1 inch by 7 inch approx.

 

[brad068]

Downdraft is not the only way to gasify. You could look at side or back-draft kind of like the garn or the Vitolig 200. One thing I notice with downdraft is that the refractory nozzle has a life span of a couple years and that's in the good factory made ones. side draft or back draft last longer because they can be made out of less dense ceramic material because they don't support the weight and abuse of the fuel. Garns have been known to last for 20 years without replacement.

 

[Seyiwmz]

I'm on my 4th year with the downdraft EKO. If my nozzle continues to wear at the present rate,,,,,, it will last over 20 years.

 

[Eric Johnson]

I think you're supposed to get around five years out of an EKO nozzle. They cost about $50 to replace, according to Zenon's website. I'm not aware of anyone who has had to replace one yet, but I don't think anybody around here has five years on an EKO--yet.

 

[slowzuki]

My Jetstream has an impact resistant ceramic in the loading chamber and a soft but well insulating nozzle in the back but it still is only supposed to last 5 years. I've seen some amusing trys at replacing it with stainless and also titanium. Both rotted away in no time.