Hydraulic Biomass Press

[jmc]

W

Well I had an idea to test some sawdust pressing with a damaged trailer jack laying in the junk pile (where I go for inspiration). IT was bent but I was able to salvage the guts out of it including the all thread. I tossed the housing and replaced it with a 4 ft piece of pipe with a threaded end and a 2"x1-1/4" reducer. Then cut a slot to add sawdust. I welded a 1/2" square female adapter to the end so I could operate it with an impact wrench. IT did press the sawdust but was not able to push it out with the reducer. Without the reducer it could barely push it out the end and the vibration from the impact wrench caused it to crumble as it exited. It was amazing to see how much sawdust it took to fill the pipe when it was compacted. Probably around 3 gallons of sawdust. What I gathered from the test was that more pressure and likely some heat will be needed to get the wood to bond properly and that a reducer may not be necessary at the end to further compress the biomass as long as the compression tube is long enough. I was amazed by how much resistance you could build with nothing on the end of the pipe. That was the biggest surprise. Adjusting the length of the exit tube is probably important for finding that sweet spot for resistance.

Looks like a fun project. Thanks for posting it.

Formula for axial force from a screw vs torque are readily available. It's been years but I think the force level hits a wall at some point and then extra torque just gets eaten up in screw friction.

I made a prototype surgical intrument once to jackhammer away bone cement when revising joint replacements. Mounted it my bridgeport mill, clamped some bone cement slugs in the vise and it drove shards of cement for 5 feet. My Dr partner was pretty excited.

Surgery was another matter. The setup wasn't rigid like the bench test and between the low instrument mass and the "give" of the patient, most of the impact was absorbed elsewhere.

Long way of saying that the sawdust might be absorbing the blows from the impact wrench.

 

[roadhunter]

Yah, I know that machine is big bucks. I just thought it might give someone ideas. Like using an open ended tube, rather than a closed off one etc. Would have liked to seen the inside of the ram and tube assembly. I wonder if the tube is tapered, or straight?

Big bucks but bad ***** how much pressure it was using. I would have liked to see the inside as well. You are correct about the open ended tube. I really was surprised how much pressure I could build with nothing on the end of the pipe with my little test.

I ran across this
Homemade Hydraulic Sawdust Briquette Press Plan Mechanica | eBay

which appears to be similar to the machine I ran across here. I"m going to call next week and see how much these things run. No idea if they are 10k or 100k.
Biomass BP-100 Automatic Hydraulic Briquette Press | Hermance

 

[mikehaugen]

Well I had an idea to test some sawdust pressing with a damaged trailer jack laying in the junk pile (where I go for inspiration). IT was bent but I was able to salvage the guts out of it including the all thread. I tossed the housing and replaced it with a 4 ft piece of pipe with a threaded end and a 2"x1-1/4" reducer. Then cut a slot to add sawdust. I welded a 1/2" square female adapter to the end so I could operate it with an impact wrench. IT did press the sawdust but was not able to push it out with the reducer. Without the reducer it could barely push it out the end and the vibration from the impact wrench caused it to crumble as it exited. It was amazing to see how much sawdust it took to fill the pipe when it was compacted. Probably around 3 gallons of sawdust. What I gathered from the test was that more pressure and likely some heat will be needed to get the wood to bond properly and that a reducer may not be necessary at the end to further compress the biomass as long as the compression tube is long enough. I was amazed by how much resistance you could build with nothing on the end of the pipe. That was the biggest surprise. Adjusting the length of the exit tube is probably important for finding that sweet spot for resistance.
<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=408448"/>

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=408447"/>
<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=408446"/>

We have a continuous baler at my work for corrugated paper scrap. It only uses the friction of the outlet "tunnel" to compress the bales. If you ever empty it (which we never do unless we need to work on it) you have the "start" the new bales by placing 2x4's across the tunnel so it can build up the compaction again. Once it builds up enough pressure it will snap the 2x4's.

 

[CNC Dan]

We have a continuous baler at my work for corrugated paper scrap. It only uses the friction of the outlet "tunnel" to compress the bales. If you ever empty it (which we never do unless we need to work on it) you have the "start" the new bales by placing 2x4's across the tunnel so it can build up the compaction again. Once it builds up enough pressure it will snap the 2x4's.

So how would one figure out how long an exit tube to use for sawdust.
I guess start with long, and shorten as needed.

 

[mikehaugen]

So how would one figure out how long an exit tube to use for sawdust.
I guess start with long, and shorten as needed.

Yeah, it would be easy to cut off the end since there is nothing else there. Also, the more you use it the pipe will get smoother and may effect friction

 

[roadhunter]

It almost appears that on some of these machines the exit tube is 2 piece the last foot or two. It looks like they can tighten the bolts to adjust the friction or resistance to work properly.

 

[mikehaugen]

It almost appears that on some of these machines the exit tube is 2 piece the last foot or two. It looks like they can tighten the bolts to adjust the friction or resistance to work properly.

That wouldn't be a bad idea. The baler we have (mentioned earlier) has small hydraulic cylinders that will close in the walls on the outlet tunnel. They only engage sometimes, not sure if it's when the cylinder is stroking, or what. I will watch it sometime and pay more attention sometime.

 

[ddmckee54]

if you are still intending to use a log splitter there are people that have done it. In order to get enough pressure for the lignin bond the briquette together you need to think smaller diameter.

I recommend that you to check this out:Alois's wood briquette press

Don

 

[roadhunter]

if you are still intending to use a log splitter there are people that have done it. In order to get enough pressure for the lignin bond the briquette together you need to think smaller diameter.

I recommend that you to check this out:Alois's wood briquette press

Don

Wow. That is impressive.