Bathtub tar test
As you may know, when shutting down a gasifier with a full load of fuel you are going to develop some tarry condensate. Likewise when using a monorator. The question is what to do with it? The best thing is to pour it on some chips and let them dry, then refire them and get the full use out of the tar’s energy, but alot of times you have a condensate that is too watery, so the inclination is to throw it out on the ground. The question has always been “what will that do to the plant life?”
Well I have conducted some very non scientific testing to find out. I have been placing gasifier condensate on a bed of grass in a bathtub full of dirt. (left over from the previous owner I assure you. My bathtubs are strictly for gin)
What I have found is that the grass is unharmed in this very closed environment and in fact is fairing a bit better than the grass that didn’t get it. Check out the picture below.
It’s hard to tell because it’s winter time and some of the grass is dead, but the area towards the front of the tub that is the greenest is where I have been “fertilizing”.
More unscientific data later when I can actually get something to die.
Tags: gasifier condensate, tar
