return to How to Build and Run the GEK Gasifier 

 

The instructions below explain how to do the final assembly for the v2.0 GEK Level IV kit.  The instructions assume you have the fully welded and painted GEK kit in your possession, either through purchasing it as a Level IV kit, or building it yourself.  If you need to weld together the raw sheetmetal and accessory parts kit (Level II or III), please go to the full fabrication instructions.

 

The individual pictures below can also be found as a photo gallery here

 

 

There are seven components that we will be assembling:

 

     - Gas Cowling

     - Downdraft Reactor Insert

     - Cyclone

     - Pack Bed Filter

     - Axial Fan

     - Swirl Burner

     - Fuel Hopper 

 

The gas cowling, reactor and hopper bolt together into a single vertical assembly.  The cyclone, packed bed filter and blower similarly bolt together into a single vertical assembly.  These two assemblies attach together via the gas outlet flange to the cyclone.  A soft hose attaches the blower to the swirl burner.

 

All these parts are pictured below.  This is what you should have received with the Level IV kit, or built via your own effots.

 

       

 

 

While assembling the various vessels, be sure to remember these common standards used throughout the GEK kit.

     -All metal to metal flange connections require clay weather strippings two rows thick, as air tight sealant.

     -When tightening bolts follow same pattern as tightnening lug nuts on your car. Stagger tightening, dont go around in order. This will  

       keep a good air tight seal.

 

 

Gas Cowling assembly

• Attach legs.                                                                                                                                           

          -Turn Cowling upside down. Slide legs over posts, tighten set screws. (second pictures shows older designs with nuts welded to the gas cowling

            and legs bolted to these nuts.)

               

• Add ash port lid.

          - While its upside down, Pull off two rows of weather stripping. lay onto cowling around cicumference

            of ash port hole, on the inside of the bolts. Screw on wing nuts, hand tight.

          -Turn upright.

 

               

 

•  Insert ash rotary grate

          - Remove turning handle from ash grate, and slide ash grate into cowling, grate side up. Make sure

            1.5" nipple fits through coupling in bottom of the cowling.

          -Reach under cowling and screw on turning handle.

 

                   

 

            

Downdraft Reactor insert assembly

 

• Attach gas lines

          - Turn insert upside down

          - Tighten one gas line into elbow coupling.        

          - Bend clockwise, around the outside of the next coupling, continue around to the second coupling

            then bend down and start wrapping clock wise and down around insert. Keep wrapping until its

            obvious which attachment it goes to in the mid flange.

          - Bend a 90 degree angle about four or five inches from the end of the gas line and screw it onto the

            attached coupling.

          - Repeat process until all five gas lines are installed.

          - Make sure not to overlap lines, they should all fit without crossing.

          - Turn reactor right side up.

 

                

 

 

• Install 1/2" by 6" long Pipe Nipples

          - Screw in 1/2" Pipe Nipples into threaded couples inside the reactor insert on the bottom plate.

 

           

 

• Install Reduction Bell

          - Put two lines of weather stripping around the circumference of the 6" hole in the bottom plate.

          - Put reduction bell inside reactor on top of weather stripping.

          - Place washers and nuts on bolts. tighten.

 

                

 

 

GEK Alert! 

There has been a bit of confusion about the correct height for setting the nozzles.  The spacer dimensions described below may or may not result in a correct nozzle height, depending on which GEK version you have.   Here's an improved drawing and description with the correct nozzle height.   Once you understand the correct height, use the instructions below to do the install accordingly.

 

• Insert Air Inlet Nozzles

          - Place a ring of weather stripping around the base of the pipe nipple.

          - Slide one inch section of 1" pipe down and push into weather stripping.

          - Place another ring of weather stripping on top of 1" pipe section.

          - Rub a piece of weather strip into threads at the top of the pipe nipple, this will help secure air inlet

            nozzles.

          - Slide air inlet nozzles over pipe nipples and push into ring of weather stripping.

          - Orientat nozzle so it points in between adjacent two nozzles. Once all installed, they will make a

            five sided star, all pointing to the center of the reduction bell opening.

 

                    

 

 

• Assemble Reactor Insert and Gas Cowling

          - Pull off two rows of weather stripping, lay onto flange at top of cowling, in between bolt holes and

            inner circumference of flange. Press lightly to get it to stick. 

          - Slide Reactor Insert into Gas Cowling.

          - Align Reactor Insert and the Gas Cowlings bolt holes so that the Lighting Inlet is at the front of the

            Gas Cowling. It will line up with the 1/2" close nipple in the Cowling.

          - Tighten nuts and bolts around flange.

          - Put cap on 1/2" nipple instrumentation port in gas cowling

          - Put 1" plug in lighting port

 

                    

 

 

 

Cyclone and Pack Bed Filter

• Attach Cyclone to Gas Cowling

          - Place weather stripping around square flange on Gas Cowling.

          - Hold Cyclone up so that both square flanges match, install nuts and bolts. Tighten.

 

                

 

• Attach Mason Jar

          - Put plate with 1" close nipple into mason jar lid ring, nipple up.

          - Screw onto jar.

          - Screw into 1" coupling at bottom of Cyclone.

 

GEK Alert!

We now suggest using grains of charcoal for the media in the packed bed filter.  Charcoal is a much better performing filter media than the included steel wool.  See here for directions on changing to charcoal for the filter.

 

• Pack Bed Filter

          - Place Filter Mesh Plate in bottom of Filter

          - Fluff Steel Wool, and pack into filter.

          - Place Mesh Plate on top of steel wool to hold it in place

          - Screw Filter onto 2" coupling at the top of Cyclone.

 

                

 

 

Axial Fan

• Attach Fan to Filter

          - Place weather stripping on inner circumference of top ring on Filter.

          - Arrange Fan so large opening is on top of Fan housing, align bolts to fit so that the fan blows out to the

            right.

          - Place weather stripping on circumference of Fan Housing.

 

              

 

• Assemble Fan motor and Rotor

          - Slide rubber washer onto Motor shaft.     

          - Screw one nut onto each of the mounting bolts on the Fan Motor, screw it far enough back so the bolt

            can go through the lid plate.            

          - Place Motor shaft through center hole in Fan lid plate. The rubber washer and the motor housing should be

            tight against the lid plate and the mounting bolts should fit through the two surrounding holes.

          - Screw on the remaining two nuts, on the back side of the lid where the mounting bolts protrude.

          - Back tighten the first set of nuts to lock Fan motor into place.

 

 

                

 

          - Put Fan Rotor on shaft collar blades side out, so the set screw aligns with the flat side of the shaft collar.            

          - Tighten set screw to secure fan rotor.

          - Place this entire assembly, motor side up, onto the Fan housing, aligning bolt holes to fit over bolts on housing.

          - Tighten nuts.

 

                 

Wiring for fan motors labelled: FASCO 12V (#2807-510-176):

 

 

Swirl Burner        

          - Attach female coupling on the 2" tube to the 2" close nipple on fan housing.

          - Tighten 1/2" by 8" pipe nipple to  1.5" to 1/2" bushing. Screw this assembly into 1.5" coupling at end of 2" hose.

          - Insert 8" pipe nipple into 2" pipe on Swirl burner.

                  

 

 

Fuel Hopper        

          - Place two rows of weather stripping around inner circumference of top ring of Reactor insert.

          - Put a layer of the foam window sealant on top of existing rubber seal on drum lid.

          - There are four holes in the hopper 8" down from the top. Insert 5/16 by 1 1/4" bolt from the inside of the Hopper so they stick out

            on the outside.

          - Put on a lock washer then a nut. this will secure the bolt in the side of the hopper.

          - Bend a hook in the straight end of the included springs.  The round spring loop is held in place with the side bolt and nut.  The hook end goes over the lip of 

             the lid.