Electricity Generator With Tesla Turbine and Steam From a Biochar Making Stove - TLUD Top Lite Down Draft

So much heat is wasted when making biochar - use the wasted heat instead to make electricity! this system uses a monotube boiler, a bladeless turbine and an electric motor. Great DIY project and now when you are heating your home or making biochar or need electricity when camping - all you need is water! even the water can be recycled and reused with a condenser. Steam temperatures and pressures can reach dangerous levels. A monotube boiler makes the pressure and the steam much safer BUT metal will be over 100c and the steam will be nearly 100psi so always wear protective eyewear, gloves etc. and also ear plugs. When a seal breaks at 100psi it does make a noise!

No welding is needed - just sheetmetal, 6mm tubing and misc plumbing parts. full update supply list with links to where to buy are at wastefree23.org/shack/supplies

For this small system used a 9" diameter smokeless fire pit. Any heat source will work. Important that the tubes are kept above 200c when producing steam. Copper 6mm tubes are best for high heat and heat conduction. aluminum tubes work well but are more fragile. Galvanized steel tubes (brake lines) work as well. Stainless steel tubes are the most dureable and the best choice for a long lasting steam & electrical generator.

6mm diameter is a common size and works well. For this system I used 20 meters of tube - I have not experimented with minimum length - or capacity. Likely power out relates to temperature of the tubes, transfer rate of the heat into the tubes and the heat transfer of the heat into the water.

expect pressures upto 100psi. include at least 2 pressure relief valves set at 100 or 125psi. the tubes are rated for much higher - but the joints and turbine and valves will last longer if the pressures are kept around 80 or 100 psi.

coil the tubes so the water enters at the top of the stack and the steam will exit at the bottom - where the steam is hottest. try to keep the tube always sloping down. this will help at start up - to avoid pockets of water that can impede the passage of steam during start up.

include a one way valve, a pressure gauge, a valve and a pressure relief valve where the water enters the system. I use water from my domestic supply - at 70psi. the water pressure going in must be high enough to over come the pressure of the system to allow water to be added. the amount of water to add is very small since the water when made into steam expands so so much (40x volume I think!) DO not add any tanks or very large tubes or pipes to the system. 6mm tubes at 100psi hold very little energy. 2 " diameter pipes with 100psi have a lot of energy and if they fail will cause significant damage.

after the coil, and before the turbine have a pressure relief valve, a pressure gauge and a needle valve for fine adjustment of the rate at which steam flows into the turbine.

The completed system before insulation is added to cover the metal and retain the heat better. Fiberglass insulation shown can not be exposed to open flames or very hot surfaces. rock wool insulation is much better for higher temperature. ceramic insulations - often rated to 2000c - is ideal for this application and can be exposed to flames

A temperature meter on the tube coming out of the coil helps to monitor the system. expect temperatures upto 150c as the pressure in the tube increases. direct the steam to the turbine - and connect the turbine to the generator. In this case I used a 12volt motor from a water pump as the generator. Much better performance will be had from a purpose built generator.