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Florida Cooperative Extension Service
University of Florida
School of Forest Resources and Conservation
PART 1
PAGE 1
The University of Florida's School of Forest Resources and Conservation began to study the gasification of wood and other biomass early in 1979. The initial project was to power an internal combustion engine on woodgas to demonstrate the possibilities of the process. A six cylinder Chevrolet pick-up truck was converted to operate on woodgas as a mobile demonstration unit. Since that time, the School of Forestry Resources and Conservation has joined with other IFAS fculies to develop other application of gasification technology. This report describes the gasifier system that was developed for the truck.
Gas generated from wood or coal has been used to power internal combustion engines since their invention. However, the use of liquid petroleum fuels has displaced the use of woodgas in engines almost completely. Some reasons for this are listed below:
1. Storage. Liquid fuels has advantages in storage and transfer through the system.
2. Energy content. For the same volume or the same weight petroleum fuels provide more energy that wood.
3. Start up time. For most petroleum fuels the start up time is negligible; It takes 10-15 minutes, to generate engine gas from wood even in the smallest installations.
4. Maintenance. The gas generator, cooler and cleaners require considerable maintenance not required with liquid fuels (neglect of the filters will lead to engine damage).
PAGE 2
5. Power. An engine without modification operated on wood gas produces only about half the power of the same engine using gasoline.
6. Danger. Wood gas is typically 20% carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless, tasteless and very poisonous gas. Many people have been killed by carless use of wood gas generator. The gas generator system should never be operated in a closed space and any excess gas should be burned before it is released into the atmosphere.
Even considering these disadvantages, the current need to conserve petroleum fuels makes the use of wood gas a viable alternative in certain applications. These applications include powering gasoline engines as is illustrated here and also the gas generated from wood or other biomass can be used for space heating or drying operations.
A down draft wood gas generator for producing engine grade gas is illustrated in figure #1. Air enters the generator through the air inlets, passes through the air manifold and is distributed to the fuel by the nozzles. Heat from the burning of fuel in the combustion zone produces charcoal from the wood above by driving off water vapor and volatile components. Excess water and a small amount of tar or creosote which condenses on the sides and top of the fuel hopper is caught in the condensate trap. Otherwise, everything produced from the wood is forced down through the combustion zone and burned. All the oxygen in the air that enters the generator should be used in the combustion zone so that no oxygen enters the
Back | Forward
University of Florida
School of Forest Resources and Conservation
PART 1
PAGE 1
Introduction
The University of Florida's School of Forest Resources and Conservation began to study the gasification of wood and other biomass early in 1979. The initial project was to power an internal combustion engine on woodgas to demonstrate the possibilities of the process. A six cylinder Chevrolet pick-up truck was converted to operate on woodgas as a mobile demonstration unit. Since that time, the School of Forestry Resources and Conservation has joined with other IFAS fculies to develop other application of gasification technology. This report describes the gasifier system that was developed for the truck.
Gas generated from wood or coal has been used to power internal combustion engines since their invention. However, the use of liquid petroleum fuels has displaced the use of woodgas in engines almost completely. Some reasons for this are listed below:
1. Storage. Liquid fuels has advantages in storage and transfer through the system.
2. Energy content. For the same volume or the same weight petroleum fuels provide more energy that wood.
3. Start up time. For most petroleum fuels the start up time is negligible; It takes 10-15 minutes, to generate engine gas from wood even in the smallest installations.
4. Maintenance. The gas generator, cooler and cleaners require considerable maintenance not required with liquid fuels (neglect of the filters will lead to engine damage).
PAGE 2
5. Power. An engine without modification operated on wood gas produces only about half the power of the same engine using gasoline.
6. Danger. Wood gas is typically 20% carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless, tasteless and very poisonous gas. Many people have been killed by carless use of wood gas generator. The gas generator system should never be operated in a closed space and any excess gas should be burned before it is released into the atmosphere.
Even considering these disadvantages, the current need to conserve petroleum fuels makes the use of wood gas a viable alternative in certain applications. These applications include powering gasoline engines as is illustrated here and also the gas generated from wood or other biomass can be used for space heating or drying operations.
Principle of Operation
A down draft wood gas generator for producing engine grade gas is illustrated in figure #1. Air enters the generator through the air inlets, passes through the air manifold and is distributed to the fuel by the nozzles. Heat from the burning of fuel in the combustion zone produces charcoal from the wood above by driving off water vapor and volatile components. Excess water and a small amount of tar or creosote which condenses on the sides and top of the fuel hopper is caught in the condensate trap. Otherwise, everything produced from the wood is forced down through the combustion zone and burned. All the oxygen in the air that enters the generator should be used in the combustion zone so that no oxygen enters the
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