Kan-burn
From Cornburning
How to make your own Kan_Burn Mover/Cleaner
See also: The Kan_Burn Mini article.
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History
The Kan_Burn cleaner is an evolving project produced by the online community at the I Burn Corn Forum.
I have been a long time reader of these forums but have posted very little. It's been so long since I posted I actually forgot my handle from the original forums. After reading some of the posts about the Kan_Burn I feel there may be a need for a thread about the theories and facts about this system.
Since I have yet to build one of these myself, I am hoping that anything that needs to be added or clarified is done so by the readers of this forum. This is a collection of ideas I have read in this forum. I am not taking any credit for anything except for typing it. Thanks to all of the great minds in this think tank. repairit
Where it all began
Visit the IBurnCorn.com forum and read the original thread where all this started!
Credits
Brought to you by Kan_Burn, Nogaspains. Presentation by Corn4myheat and converted to the wiki by Rabbi Bob.
Thanks to all the members who have written in and gave support and advice to get this to work. And special thanks to JA. For without his forum we all would be without.
Kudos from Davy in Ireland regarding the utility of the Kan_Burn betond cornburning... "hi sir, i want to thank you , for all the diagrams & photos relating to the kan-burn , sir i don't burn/maize , infact no one in n ireland burns corn , sir my point is , this wonderfull little bit of tec-no wizzardy , which i have been looking for has solved all my problems , sir i race pigeons in ireland and we have to be very stringent in the quality of maize , ie no dust or vermin . be it parasite or fungus , the kan-burn built with info gleaned from this forum , will do this and more , with one slight modification , that being , no earth wire , i ran some test's on maize with a slight fungal count & and maize mite infestation , results proved that the static killed the mites & the centrafuge polished any remaining fungas off the maize , the maize was tested under the microscope , before and after , my friends have made a run on the local ace store for the required bits for their own kan-burn , i gave them a demo of its opreation , they were taken a back to say the least , sir i thank you once again ,,,,,,,davy" http://forum.iburncorn.com/viewtopic.php?t=9050
Description
- This is a sealed system. There cannot be any air leaks in any of the tubing, pipes, clean corn receptacle, or in the fittings and lid. The only exceptions to this are the vacuum port, the suction wand, and the air makeup valve.
- Air makeup is needed to add air to the dirty corn. It needs to be as close as it can be to the end of the suction wand. The added air helps accelerate the dirty corn thru the system. Think of it like chewing food. Chewing adds air to the food mass allowing it to break apart as it is swallowed.
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- The system needs to have a grounding strap. This allows any built up static electricity flow to earth ground. Static has proven to slow the flow of corn. It has been found that short metal screws that protrude thru the inside of the tubing effectively allows static to transfer from the inside of the system.
- These screws should be placed every 1.5 feet and be connected to a continuous grounding strap.
- Metal washers should be used on the screws to securely hold the grounding strap.
- This strap needs to be connected to an earth ground, like a cold water line, grounded electrical conduit, or even a copper rod inserted into the earth
- I’m not sure of the effect of static on soft flexible tubing (like vacuum hose), this may or may not need to be grounded. Any hard plastic like PVC or black water supply line should be grounded as mentioned above.
- The Kan_Burn cleaning chamber needs to be at a minimum of 30 to 45 degree angle while in operation. The dirty corn is no longer being sucked thru the system at this point. Gravity takes over to move the corn. The 30 to 45 degree angle allows the corn to move at a timely manner but still lets the debris fall thru the screen. The 45 degree angle is commonly used because of the fittings available; a slightly steeper angle can be tried if you have clogging problems.
- Any rough transitions or raised edges inside of the system should be filed down. These can cause the corn to slow and clogging can occur.
- To smooth rough transitions inside of the cleaning chamber try putting the screen around the outside of the incoming pipe and inside of the outgoing pipe, using a larger size of pipe. Preferably 3”. Make sure to fasten the screen securely since this method will let the screen slip out of position easily. Make sure to trim the rough edges of the screen so no tails of wire can catch corn as it passes.
- If your corn is very dirty, a cyclone separator can be added between the Kan_Burn cleaner/mover and the vacuum source. This will collect the heavier particles. Another method is to pre-screen the corn with a Tallcorn style screener before it is moved with the Kan_Burn.
- Corn dust is flammable, and it is combustible. If the air in a container gets saturated with a large amount of corn dust a flame or spark can ignite it. Use paper filters in vacuums, and to prevent static sparks follow the ground strap tips above. We are dealing with a lot of air flow, so it is unlikely that an incident of this manner will occur, I just wanted you to know the worst case scenario.
Materials
- 3” PVC for the body 22 to 36 “
- 3” wyes
- 3 x 3” caps with 1 1/2 holes cut in center.
- 3 x 1 ½” union (can be glued with J.B. Weld or they sell some that are threaded together, I glued mine)
- 2 x conduit 45 or 90 degree (whatever you need)
- ¼” screen cut the length of the body and bent to fit inside the body (cut to fit inside the length from cap to cap)
- 18 ga. Copper wire for ground (run this thru and around the whole system) Be sure to run to ground!
- 1 shop vac. at least 6.5 HP (you need the big tank to hold all the dirt, red wings, fines, dust, and cracked corn)
- Your Kan_BurnMover/Cleaner should be at 30 to 45 degree angle with the bottom of the Y facing down. This is the end you hook the shop vac to.
- 1 1/2 “ black sewer pipe for the pipe you need. (this works real well)
- 10 be sure to use smooth core hose when attaching to wand and pvc.Otherwise you will get a high pitch whistle if you use a hose with a corrugated inside.The corn won't move as well or at all either.
Shop Vac Size
You will need at least a 5 HP shop vac to move the corn. I would suggest a Craftsman 6.5HP due to the fact that my 5 hp has a small holding area and you will need more room for the dust, redwings, and cracked corn you will be getting from a load of corn. As you can see (Fig #) I have 2 shop vacs hooked up, due to the corn having to go straight up 10 feet to the Kan_Burn I have the 2.5hp to help the other shop vac. It's not necessary to have two shop vac's to do the job.I am just using one now that it's perfected.I also would recommend to use a drywall dust bag in your shop vac to save on the filter getting clogged,they go for about 2/8 dollars but I re-use them so it's not that bad if you do that.The filter stays on and dosen't get dirty at all.
Considerations
Below are some of the considerations while putting the system together.
Air
I'm using a crapsman 5.0 hp 12 Gal. shop vac. It does seem quite powerful. The air inlet is simply a tee at the top of the 1 1/2" wand that... well here I'll post a pic that's easier.
Collapsing
To Keep From Collapsing Plastic or Fiber Drums (Add Air) Install this between the Kan_Burn and the plastic drum at the top of the wand, or as picture above.
Storage Examples
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Pre Cremation
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Grounding
http://www.woodcraft.com/articles.aspx?articleid=408
Plastic Blast Gates
Anytime you insert a plastic part in your ductwork, you break the ground path. This can lead to static problems, including the possibility of a dust explosion.
When installing plastic blast gates it’s important to reconnect the ground path. A simple way to do this is to run a ground strap or wire from pipe to pipe, attaching the wire with sheet-metal screws. (Position the wire so that it doesn’t interfere with opening or closing the gate.)
PVC fittings
If you must use PVC pipe or fittings, you’ll need to run a ground wire both inside the pipe and around the exterior to prevent static electricity from building up. Most dust collection companies that sell plastic parts also sell a grounding kit.
Make sure to follow their installation directions to the letter, and use a continuity tester or a multimeter to verify that the ground circuit is in fact continuous. To prevent leaks, use silicone to seal any holes you drilled into the pipe for the ground wire.
Flexible hose
To prevent static problems with flexible hose, make sure to use wirewrapped helix hose and prepare the ends to guarantee that your ground path is complete. To do this, use a utility knife to remove a 1” to 2” section of the plastic covering the wire inside the hose, as shown.
Then as you install the hose and tighten down the hose clamp, the wire inside the hose will make solid contact with the metal C flange of the blast gate or pipe you’re hooking it up to. It’s best to bare the wire in a couple of places around the inside perimeter to ensure that it makes contact with the pipe or blast gate.
Dirt, Dust, Redeye vs Clean corn
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Pictures of the Beginning
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What Was Said
New Thread
Hi All, just thought I would start a new thread to follow the Kan_Burn cleaner. I ran my first test yesterday and was surprised at the results. The intake hose didn't have additional air added yet (valve to add air to the suction), so I had to take it at a slower rate. If I fed too much, it would bind up, so it took almost 4 minutes to move 50# of corn. I moved the corn from a large plastic container to a fiber 55 gallon drum. The suprise was when I emptied out the bag on the dust collector. The dust, dirt, and red-eye was almost completely removed, and the corn, small kernels and the cracked corn were moved to the barrel. The refuse filled about 1 3/4 " of a 2 1/2# coffee can. The cleaner is made of a 4" wye with a 2 1/2" reducers at each end. I made a tube out of a 1' piece of 1/4" wire mesh and inserted into the ends of the reducers, having about 2" coming out of both ends. The intake 2 1/2" goes over top the screen into the fitting. The screen goes all the way thru the 4" wye. The bottom goes into a 2 1/2" 90* into the 55 gallon barrel. I used a 4" to 3" reducer on the wye to attach the 914 cfm dust collector. The cleaner is on a 45* slant so the corn falls down the screen. My next test, I am going to add an air valve to the intake wand and extend the length of the cleaner by adding an additional 1' to 2' piece of 4" pipe. It looks real simular to the drawing with a few extra pieces added. Will add some pictures soon. Here is the link to the example that Kan_Burn posted. [Rob - Harman 45]
Smorgasborg!
I do hear particles hitting the impeller in the process of cleaning yes. Some of the particles are created by auger movement through the harvest, drying, bin storage & emptying process. It is believed that the broken/cracked corn does not contain the BTUs as a whole kernel and they could clog your auger or burn pot holes. Smaller wire mesh is available online if you would like to bother with it. I use my screenings for feeding the birds, squirrels, deer, and chipmunks. It's a Thanksgiving smorgasborg event gathering for those creatures on the snow. User:AhShucks
Section Length
How long is the 4" section now?
Did you take the corn after being transfered and run it over another screen to see how much junk was left in the corn? Although with the 4" section being that long and at that angle I would not expect there to be much left in the corn. I bet that screen would be strong enough not double wrapped. There really should not be that much force on the screen, only the weight of the corn as it sliding down it. There shoudl be plenty of airflow through the rest of the screen so the whole kernal corn is not trying to be sucked through the screen. nogaspains
It is around 2' total length. 1' extension plus the length of the wye (which is about 10"). I did not run the corn over another screener this time. This is only from going thru the Kan-Burn cleaner only. I think if I have the screen go around 1 time only and use some wire to sew the screen together, it would remove most of the cracked and small kernels also. I need to get a piece of flexable rubber and get rid of the old shop vac hose and use a straight 2 1/2 pipe. A lot of the binding up is happening there. I put my hand over the added air supply at the bottom of the intake to regulate it. Will make something more permanent. It did reduce the cleaning time for 50# to less than 3 minutes.
Optimum Length
The more the corn is jostled, the more fines you create. That's why you'll never remove all the fines by multiple screenings. It follows, therefore, that excessive screen length will do more harm than good. Just don't ask me where the optimum is. -- Corny
Corn4MyHeat has reported that his mini kan_burn cleans at least as well as his larger one. See the WIKI page for the mini kan_burn at http://forum.iburncorn.com/wiki/index.php/Kan_Burn_Mini.
Step By Step Building
A step by step how to of Building_Your_Own_Kan-Burn complete with pictures of the forum user [[1]] who built a Kan-Burn cleaner in the fall of 2007.
Example
corn4myheat ...here's my version....works great......
Mini-Kan_Burn
I love it when a plan comes together
kan_burn
Question: How exactly did you guys transition from the PVC inlet to the screen on the inlet and then back to PVC on the outlet? Is the screen on the inside of the PVC on both ends? And if so how did you ensure the screen stayed tight against the pipe on the inlet.
If the screen where on the outside of the PVC at both ends the inside of the PVC on the outlet could be chamfered so the corn would not hit against a blunt surface as it moves from the screen to the PVC.
PVC length
I made my PVC the whole length of the screen or actually it is the width, 24 inches, made 1 complete wrap and stitched together with wire. I have the shop vacs sucking from the lower part of the wye which is where the dirt and small pieces drop to the shop vac. Be sure to have the Y faceing the bottom so that the corn will roll over the screen and continue to the end of the PVC. Actually its real easy,I made mine out of 3in.Pvc due to having some sitting around from other jobs,all I had to buy was the Y I got 3 end caps and cut 1 1/2 holes in in each,then used JB Weld to glue them together,the end cap to the 1 1/2 union. The white is 3in PVC and the black is 1 1/2 in sewer PVC Good luck Paul - corn4myheat
Priceless!
The Kan-Burn is working great for us. I added up the receipts from this adventure, other than time, which was his playtime anyhow:
- Schd.30, 3” pipe and fittings. $15.00
- 1.5” x 10’ $7.00
- 3’x 10’ of .25” roll of wire $8.00 (lots left over)
- Primer & glue $6.00
- 3 couplings slip by slip $3.50@ $10.50
- 5’ flex vacuum hose @ $1.65 per ft. $8.25
- 100 feet of 1.5” black poly $34.00
- 2 shop 6.0 hp shop vacs we had all ready $00
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- $89.00
- Husband feeling like he was On the cover of Popular Mechanics: "PRICELESS"
So for less than $100 and a few hours with a buddy we pull our corn 90 feet. No more buckets of corn down the stairs in the evening.
Today, he took the “portable version” of his Kan-Burn with a buddy of his. to pick up a load of corn where they loaded 16, 55-gallon drums from the storage area rather quickly. Clean, Dry corn to his home. With all the rain and we been having his corn will stay dry as is our corn in the lined sealed barrels.
I will take the difference and buy some ‘comfortable’ clothes to wear in my warm home. - Zea Mays
Conduit vs 90 Degree bends
I removed the 90 degree elbows and replaced them with a conduit that is alot more less shocking ride for the corn..real smooth.... corn4myheat
Evolution
Although every Kan_Burn is built a little different here are some that have been made from the beginning with Nogaspains who was the 1st one to build one.
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Portable model 18 inches end to end By corn4myheat
Corny's gravity fed mini kan_burn (birdfeed collector).
I have added a pictue slide show for those that are having a bit of trouble making your own Kan_burn. Hope this helps..Keep in mind that the Kan burn can be as long or short as you want it to be.. All you need to do is lengthen or shorten the screen and the pvc that goes over it and connects to the Y
http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g298/corn4myheat/?action=view¤t=1c1125f8.pbr
action=view¤t=ee41d55f.pbr _________________
Donation
A donation would be a nice thing to do to help Ja meet expenses on this website. Cornburning:Site support
Categories: Cleaners | Movers | Glossary
