Gasifier Experimenters Kit

Untitled Documentexploring the machine parallels to BOTH digest and respiration, with some added allusions to theplant and microbial worlds that are related to each.The technologies we are engaging towards these ends are gasification, anerobic digestion and terrapreta bio char sequestration. Gasification processes the dry biomass to fuel. Digestion processesthe wet biomass to fuel. And terra preta uses the byproduct of each to sequester carbon as a soilenhancing fertilizer. The combination will allow us to convert various types of trash at the eventinto fuel for both mobility and fire effects, and do so ultimately do so in a carbon NEGATIVEfootprint. (for more information on newly developing scenarios of terra preta, see the summaryhere. A longer academic paper is here.Solid waste biomass in dry form is available on the playa as waste wood (both participant anddpw), paper trash (both participant and project), coffee grounds from the center café, and surelymore we have yet to realize. Wet waste biomass is most likely food scrap from both camps and thecommissary. We will not be digesting or contending the poo in the Johnny on the Spots. Humanmanure take about one month to digest, so it is not possible over the period of the event to do toomuch with it.Here's the specifics of the three main "cavities".1. Head: fuel/food preparation and standardization (i.e. chewing). Machines will include a woodchipper, paper shredder and pellet mill and wet food mascerator. The products of these processedwaste streams will be conveyed to the abdomen by clear transportpipes and/or conveyer belts. The chipped and pelleted dry biomass will be stored in a "fuel pile"and made available for art cars with wood gas conversions.2. Chest- The chest will re-render the "Breathing/Burning" of carbohydrates/hydrocarbons tocarbon dioxide through a double lung V-8 engine inflatable orchid terrarium, large scale verticalfire effect with V-8 driven wind slip stream, and bio char fertilizer/sequestration.The "terrariums" somewhat mix the respiration of plants, (inhaling carbon dioxide and exhalingoxygen) with animal respiration (inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide). The lungs arewrapped around the center blown V-8 hot rod motor, with the dragster style exhaust "zoomies"wrapping around the lungs like ribs and/or blood vessels. Additional "blue blood vessels" willbranch off the ceiling in the terrariums, with the main trunk going to the intake of the V-8. Withthe exhaust zoomies in red and the intake "blood vessels" in blue, the central V-8 will "breathe"with the aesthetics of its biological parallel.The "terrariums" will be enterable environments, where participants can wander and relax,enjoying a collection of orchids and ferns, set over a floor of black biochar.http://whatiamupto.com/mechabolic/physpecifics.html (2 of 6) [10/9/2008 08:18:04]The V-8 driven propeller, cowling and wind stream will extend out the top of the creature using a