JKSON (VOLVOX) test run

[Bikerbob]

So, finally it is here.
Worked day and night for some time, and finally got it up and running.
Film clip under http://s71.photobucket.com/albums/i140/Listeroid/?action=view&current=dba97b97.flv

Still a lot of modifications to be made, but pleasantly surprised so far.
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i140/Listeroid/41e11ab6.jpg

Engine is a JKSON 12/1 (at 1000 rpm), but will be de-rated to about 10 hp (800) as soon as I get the ratio to the genset right.
No modifications made to the engine so far. Jsut opened and cleaned the crankcase before first start. Looked OK.

Setup works with a dual V-belt drive (A profile, 13mm top width). Will see how long that lasts, since the big (12") pulley on the crank is not round, so tension varies a bit... Also the two grooves are not of the same width (depth), meaning setting the right tension is not really all that easy...
Anyway, guess I have to change the ratio a bit, rev the engine sligtly higher to use the full power.
The belt setup I have now uses short (46") belts working on pulleys with approx 6" and 12" diameter. Make your maths and see that there is only about 1-2" between the pulleys.
This means that the widest part of the setup is (almost) the flywheels, since they are 26", and the frame is 30". Will fit through any standard doorway, if you have the right equipment for handling it like that...


Anyway, I am pleased with the frame setup, the genhead works OK, although not properly tested so far.
The oveall footprint of the frame, no parts sticking out over the frame sides is 30" x 55".
Frame is too lightweight though, but that can be solved (concrete anyone?).

To do.
-Remove radiator, replace with heat exchanger.
-Work on the regulator. (longer softer spring).
-New exhaust (Volvo muffler already purchased...)
-Exhaust heat exchanger.
-Veg-oil conversion including dual tanks.
-Electric start.
-Bypass oil filter.
-New fuel filter.
-Auto shut-down.

Well, looks like it will keep me busy this summer. 

/Bikerbob

[Bikerbob]

Rigged up dual tanks, a copper coil three turns around the exhaust and a valve to change from diesel to rapeseed oil (virgin oil, no VVO).

Ran good, but smoked a bit (white) after extended idling (5+ minutes).
Gave it about 3 hours with 2-3kW load since I used my 400V high pressure washer to clean the patio this weekend.
Feels kind of good to say to the wife that I am cleaning using renewable energy. Sounds good to (thump-thump-thump...).

A slight smell of french fries, but apart from that, engine runs just as good as on diesel.
Having said that, we have the extremely low sulphur contnt in our diesel here in Sweden, virtually sulphur free.
Guess that the difference in smell would have been bigger if the engine was originally run on high sulphur diesel.

Ordered some testing equipment from Germany the other day to check energy content in the cooling water, and have drawings ready for a exhaust heat exchanger.
Plans are to run an electrical heat pump off the generator as well.
Should give you a nice value for every $ worth of fuel you put into the engine...

Do I enjoy this engine or what 

[Joe]

Bikerbob,

Nice setup… how do Viking women resist such a chick magnet?
How…to what… is the radiator attached?

Joe

[EVguru]

I'd check over the governer linkage before you start playing with the spring.

On the end of the fuel rack is a clevis which extends down into a pin. The pin fits into a hole on the bellcrank and should slide smoothly without slop. On the JKSON (Volvox) 12 hp engine I've seen the hole in the belcrank was not vertical and the clevis was tilting the fuel rack over. The clevis end had been splayed somewhat to stop the rack binding, but not entirely sucessfuly.

[akghound]

Rigged up dual tanks, a copper coil three turns around the exhaust and a valve to change from diesel to rapeseed oil (virgin oil, no VVO).

I have been running WVO for over a year now, be sure that the oil is HOT.
I use an injector line heater between the IP and injector to get the oil up to at least 180 degrees (f) at the injector. Before I added this line heater I was injecting oil at 160 degrees or less. With the lower temperature I and kept having carbon build up problems on both the head and poston. Since raising the injector feed temp I haven't had any carbon buildup problems.
Being you have a tow tank setup I assume you start up and shut down on diesel. I found that adding a heavy dose of diesel fuel conditioner to my diesel prevents the rack iN the IP from gumming up. I suppose it cleans out the sticky stuff deposited by the WVO, with SVO you may not have this problem.
Ken Gardner

[WWIProps]

Ken,

What exactly are you using for your injection line heater?  Do you know how much power it consumes?

Thanks,
Scott

[akghound]

Ken,

What exactly are you using for your injection line heater?  Do you know how much power it consumes?

Thanks,
Scott

I'm using a nicad wire heater from www.fattywagons.com
I can't remember the current draw but it is 12 volt wich is not a problem for me, I use a Facet 12volt pump on the VO so a battery and charger are already set up.
Ken

[Bikerbob]

Ok, will check to make sure the oil is HOT, not just heated... Fuel line is warm, not hot to the touch roday, so probably way to cold.

Will also chek on the use of additives, but honestly, having run 3 hours is a little too early to say anything...

Yes, startup and shutdown is on diesel.

Chick magnet? Sure thing!
Or maybe I should say that it is not repelling chicks... I am fortunate enough to have a very tolerant wife when it comes to my hobbying. Listeroid hobbying that is... If I was single, well, before bringing a date to my house, I think I would hide the Listeroid. Better safe than sorry...

Radiator:
Bolted to the side of the cylinder. A machined area on the side of the cylinder, where the pump/radiator assy bolts on.
Not perfect, but works.
Looking from the cylinder, first a holder, then the water pump (belt powered from crank) then fan and finally radiator. Will get pictures. Setup to be replaced with a heat exchanger (water/water) later this year.

Linkage:
Well, needs some work... However, it was necessary to replace the spring anyway since the standard was not under any tension at all in the RPM range I wanted to operate the engine at.
Hard to control RPM if there is no spring tension to work against.
A spring from a chinese 2-stroke genset worked excellent! Right length, right tension. 1-2 Hz drop from 0 to 3kW load. Still, I will modify the linkage at a later date.

Concrete:
Will fill the frame with concrete any day now. Should add about 200kg (400 pounds?) and get rid of most of the "hopping". Not too bad in normal operation, just on startup/shutdown (certain range of RPM).

The fun continues...

[Bikerbob]

Just recieved the water energy meters from Germany yesterday.

Test setup this summer will be the following:

Swimmingpool -> pre-filter -> pump -> exhaust heat exchanger -> energy meter -> cooloing water heat exchanger -> energy meter -> 6kW electrical heater -> back to pool.
Measuring is knowing...
Flow of max 1,5m3 (400 gallons) per hour (1/10 of the pool volume).
O, how I would love to hook up a "air to water" heat pump to this setup!

The setup will allow for monitoring of energy expelled from exhaust heat to water, as well as energy from cooling water. The electrical heater will be monitored by checking the electricity poured into it.

Just have to rig up an exhaust heat exchanger first.
Anyone skilled when it comes to calculations on these things?
I have ideas on how to make the unit easy to clean, but have no idea on sizing....
Will probably make first runs with exchanger made of plain iron to check function. Have to use stainless later on, since the setup will give condensation in the exchanger.

Comments anyone?


Concrete will be poured in the engine frame this weekend. Hopefully takes care of some of the hopping. A 60 kg (120 punds?) frame was far to lightweight.

[solarguy]

We do have a certain insatiable appetite for good data.

Bring it on...

troy

[Jim Mc]

O, how I would love to hook up a "air to water" heat pump to this setup!

Go for it!  Maybe then, it would be on the verge of making economic sense.  As it stands, you've described nothing more than an elaborate oil-fired pool heater.  I suspect the true operating cost (if you include capital investment, maintenance time, etc) will be outrageous.

If all you want is a pool heater, couple the engine to a belt-driven A/C compressor or two, and make a heat pump.  Then you'd be getting maybe 3 BTU's of heat in your pool for every BTU in the fuel.

[Bikerbob]

O, how I would love to hook up a "air to water" heat pump to this setup!

Go for it!  Maybe then, it would be on the verge of making economic sense.  As it stands, you've described nothing more than an elaborate oil-fired pool heater.  I suspect the true operating cost (if you include capital investment, maintenance time, etc) will be outrageous.

If all you want is a pool heater, couple the engine to a belt-driven A/C compressor or two, and make a heat pump.  Then you'd be getting maybe 3 BTU's of heat in your pool for every BTU in the fuel.

Oil fired pool heater it is, but first testing, then investments and development.
A proper oil burner would certainly be better in terms of noise/smell/service/user friendly/efficient/safer and less prone to fail....
So I totally agree, this is an insane project, but what I REALLY want is cogen, but first I need some data.
"Is it possible?" has to be answered first!

Dumping it all to heat makes it easy to test, and easy to make cheap and accurate readings.
In the long term, I too would like to go offgrid, at least partially.

Living in Sweden, electricity has always been cheap. Mainly hydropower.
But now, hey, yesterday I got the bill for electricity for the last three months this winter... Over 600$US. 50% taxes... Plus I paid 32% of my income in tax already... Paying 50% tax with money that is only worth 68$ per 100$... No fun at all.

My house have central heating (A/C is only needed 5-10 days per year here, HEATING is what you need for 8 months...), a water based system, but heated with...ELECTRICITY.... Resistor in water tank...
Simple, clean and cheap to build, but leaves you with absolotely 0 flexibility in terms of choice of energy source.

Gas is not an option, since only the 2-3 main cities in Sweden does have gas supply to part of the city.
Wood, could be an option, but to much work and to much investments.
Wood pellets, same thing on investments.
Oil... You are kidding, right?
And I have no proper boiler room, but "-I have a dream"...
Living in the countryside, I can do pretty much anything I like in terms of building and stuff, and I have dreams. Will they ever become reality? Don't know.

Anyway, back to the Listeroid.
The most simple way to do testing will be heating my pool.
After that, maybe heatpump, and maybe more. But first I need to know the facts.
For a start, keep it simple.
Heating the pool is also a VERY good way of getting to spend more time with my Listeroid. A heated pool, that is something my wife can appreciate.... 

Only problem is I have to spend time building the pool first, to have something to heat...
I guess this makes me qualify as a proper Listeroid owner... Finding excuses to fire upp the Roid...

Well, life is a struggle 

[Bikerbob]

Ok, so I have been travelling internationally about 85 days this past year.
Not really a lot of time for my Listeroid...
However, today I took a grip of things and made some long awaited changes.

So far I have:
-10/1 (Volvox, JKSON)
-7,5 kW STC (400V, 3 phase)
-Steel base, concrete filled (approx 300 kg, roughly 600 pound), bolted to two lengths of wooden railroad sleepers (2,4 meters, 8 feet long, weight unknown, heavy...)
-Thermosiphon heat exchanger with thermostat.


A couple of things needs to get sorted:

-Balance! Hey man, this is a jumper. Even considering some type of fleible exhaust tube (metal) is out of the question! Too much movement, also transferred to the subsoil.
Fun part is that there is not really a big difference between a 60 kg (120 pound) base and a 250 kg (500 pound) in terms of engine movement. A lot of energy stored in an engine like this...
I think the main problem is that I have a base that extends in the direction of the crankshaft. Allows for a lot of "forward and aft" movement. Simple thing will be to turn the engine around and see if it makes a change. Have to do that soon, before balancing.
Base is the same as in this picture http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i140/Listeroid/41e11ab6.jpg (no, that is not me in the picture) but now it is concrete filled.
If nothing else helps, I have to bolt it to a "rock". We have granite coming to the surface next to the garage. Concreta, bah, here we talk MOUNTAIN! Would be fun to try 

-Exhaust heat exchanger. Just have to get a reasonable balanced engine first, otherwise everything will vibrate to pieces in no time at all. 

-Belt transmission. Uses dual 1/2" belts today, on the pulley that was delivered with the engine. Dual groove pulleys can be ok, if both grooves have the same width... Full tension on one belt, the other one not even close to normal tension.. Oh the joys of quality products...

-Intake silencer and air filter. Will probably go for "foam" air filter.

-Exhaust also needs to be worked on. Problem now is that I need a VERY flexible exhaust, given the movement of the engine. Hopefully I can cool the exhaust enough to use high temp rubber hose.


We are down to freezing termperatures here now, so I could not get cooling water to the heat exchanger when I tested that setup today. Just a 10 minute testrun to see that the thermostat opened properly and the termosiphon worked out ok.
I will monitor the energy that I get from the cooling water when the waterhose is no longer frozen...


Plenty of work left before thie Listeroid can be used for any good work.
Want to have it "useful" beginning of April, to heat the swimmingpool, for testing purposes...

The struggle continues...

[dkwflight]

Hi Why wait. Transfer some of the electric boiler load to the Lister. This is easy to do.
Dennis