Gasifier Experimenters Kit

OverviewThe Mechabolic: OverviewHomeProject DescriptionOverviewTechnologyPhysical SpecificsDrawingsPeopleWorkshopsPhilosophyMotivationMechabolic HypothesisLogisticsBudgetSafetyTimelineClean UpContactThe sculpture:The Mechabolic project is a large-scale bio-imitative installation of hydrocarbon based fuelproduction, transformation and consumption. Our goal is to create a fantastical, bio-machinehybrid environment --a burlesque of the "synthetic metabolism" of machines-- recastinginternal combustion engines and petroleum fuels as their parallel animal organs and plantgenerated carbohydrate foods.As a physical sculpture, the Mechabolic will take the form of an exploded assembly ofdigestive and respiratory organs, laid out across the desert floor, and mashed up with theirassociated mechanical metabolic machines (i.e. internal combustion engines, refining gasifiers,anerobic digesters, liquefiers, process tanks, condensation towers, etc.). All features andfunctions will be rendered in the aesthetics of human anatomical illustration meets blown V-8hot rod fetishism.The Mechabolic will encase these hybrid bio-machine organs in a giant "dinosaur slug" trashscavenging creature- a creature which slithers across the desert in search of waste biomasstrash to feed/fuel itself. All ingested trash will be converted to clean biomass foods/fuels usingthe simple technologies of gasification, anerobic digestion and Fischer Tropsch liquification.The Mechabolic will re-ingest the resulting foods/fuels to power its own locomotion as well asas a variety of high altitude fire effects.Interactivity:http://whatiamupto.com/mechabolic/overview.html (1 of 3) [10/9/2008 08:18:02]The Mechabolic invites participants to walk through the innards of an exploded metabolicanimal and contribute their waste paper, wood, coffee grounds and food compost to the fuel