Wood gas as fuel: Difference between revisions

This article deals around the use of wood gas in internal combustion engines.

Overview

schematic of complete system (production unit, fuel generator + ICE-engine) see http://woodgas.nl/GB/project.html , http://www.whatiamupto.com/gasification/woodgastruck.html

Questions --> is a complete system more efficient than seperate units ? From the text at http://www.gekgasifier.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22, and given the fact that wood gas has a low energetic value on itself, it seems so, but why ?

• Possibly because thermal heat generated for fuel generator (=the gasifier) is reused in the IC-engine (heated gas expands more) ?
• and/or because the storage of the wood gas is either not possible or requires high pressure and/or heating or cooling
• in what way is wood gas different from smoke ?

Woodgas generator types

• The fixed bed gasifier; for small applications such as camp-site burners.
• The fluidized bed gasifier; for electricity power plants.
• The updraft and crossdraft gasifier; for central heating systems (used to gasify charcoal or coals)
• The downdraft gasifier; for IC engines (used to gasify wood). This type is the only type used with IC engines given that it produces little tar.^[1][2]

Production

For schematics, see

• http://woodgas.nl/GB/woodgasification.html (Main Imbert dawndraft generator setup)
• http://www.allpowerlabs.org/gasification/resources/papers/Handbook.Reed.Das.pdf (Imbert gas generator schematic, page 93)
• http://wiki.gekgasifier.com/w/page/29160712/GEK-v4_0-CAD-drawings-for-all-sheet-metal-parts
• http://wiki.gekgasifier.com/w/page/6123754/How-to-Build-and-Run-the-GEK-Gasifier
• http://wiki.gekgasifier.com/w/page/6123797/Practical-Engineering

Storage

http://www.gekgasifier.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22

Use

Transport --> not suitable see Comparison of engines Home generation (combined heat and power) --> by means of a regular internal combustion (car) engine, or a lawnmower engine Note: could possibly be combined with a stirling engine, see Comparison_of_engines#The_appropriate_use_of_the_different_engines

References

Template:Reflist

External links

• assessing differing feed stocks for woodgas systems
• Engine & fuel engineering - designing long-life engines for home biomass energy systems
• Around Sweden with wood in the tank
• Gasifier Experimenters Kit (GEK)