Wood Gas Runs Cars
By Levi Quinn
Wood gas is a fuel that is produced from the process in which the carbon containing material or biomass is converted into gas. As these materials burn in a container known as a gasifier, the end products are soot, solid ash and wood gas. The gas goes through a filtration process where ash tar and soot particles are filtered out. The gas is cooled after which it is directed to an engine where a charge is produced. Wood gas technology can be used to power gasoline cars with normal internal combustion engines if attached with a gasifier.
This was a popular mode of powering vehicles during the Second World War era and was widely used in the various European and Asian countries. During that period, wood and related products were the most used forms of fuel for industrial and domestic use. Part of the reason for the increase in the use of wood gas during Second World War period was the lack of a steady supply of oil. The main reason why wood gas is able to power a car is because internal combustion in an engine is facilitated by vapor and not liquid. Therefore, wood gas which is a clean combustible vapor is able to generate power for and engine. To get optimal use of a wood gas powered car, the wood or coal in the gasifier has to be good quality and free of impurities. A high combustion temperature is needed to produce more gas to the engine.
The rate of efficiency for wood gas systems is high with about 75% of the of fuel content being converted in the gasifier stage. Tests done with a wood gas powered car driven over a distance of 60,000 miles showed the energy consumption to be up to twice the energy demand. It has been proved that the exhaust emission levels for wood gas powered cars are lower than those of internal combustion powered cars. The wood gas is usually produced in transit by a device that is normally installed on the vehicle. This transportable plant can easily be constructed from a steel drum and consists of a generator, a mixing valve and a cleaning apparatus that also acts as a cooler. All these components are interconnected to each other and to the engine of the vehicle through a piping system.
There is an option of adding a fan which could aid the movement of gas. However, this is not actually a necessity considering that the power plant's intake has a suction that is enough to carry the fumes and air through the system. The wood gas generators are simple with the fuel being led by gravity from a hopper and into a combustion compartment. The high temperature experienced in this chamber may require a refractory brick lining or should be double walled with an intervening space for the up take of air. As a precautionary measure against possible fires, a flame trap is necessary at the point of air uptake.
This was a popular mode of powering vehicles during the Second World War era and was widely used in the various European and Asian countries. During that period, wood and related products were the most used forms of fuel for industrial and domestic use. Part of the reason for the increase in the use of wood gas during Second World War period was the lack of a steady supply of oil. The main reason why wood gas is able to power a car is because internal combustion in an engine is facilitated by vapor and not liquid. Therefore, wood gas which is a clean combustible vapor is able to generate power for and engine. To get optimal use of a wood gas powered car, the wood or coal in the gasifier has to be good quality and free of impurities. A high combustion temperature is needed to produce more gas to the engine.
The rate of efficiency for wood gas systems is high with about 75% of the of fuel content being converted in the gasifier stage. Tests done with a wood gas powered car driven over a distance of 60,000 miles showed the energy consumption to be up to twice the energy demand. It has been proved that the exhaust emission levels for wood gas powered cars are lower than those of internal combustion powered cars. The wood gas is usually produced in transit by a device that is normally installed on the vehicle. This transportable plant can easily be constructed from a steel drum and consists of a generator, a mixing valve and a cleaning apparatus that also acts as a cooler. All these components are interconnected to each other and to the engine of the vehicle through a piping system.
There is an option of adding a fan which could aid the movement of gas. However, this is not actually a necessity considering that the power plant's intake has a suction that is enough to carry the fumes and air through the system. The wood gas generators are simple with the fuel being led by gravity from a hopper and into a combustion compartment. The high temperature experienced in this chamber may require a refractory brick lining or should be double walled with an intervening space for the up take of air. As a precautionary measure against possible fires, a flame trap is necessary at the point of air uptake.
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