www.utterpower.com is the go to website for these types of projects. He used to sell woodgas kits, but hasn't done much with it lately.
This is the text from the page that is now MIA:
Gasification Plant
You may have read about these!
We have them in stock!
Send for price delivered to a dock near you
Above: The two main components, other parts not shown.
Here's a favorite Aussie story about a mobile wood gasification plant
The Assembly on the left is where the gasification takes place, it's heavy, and the quality of fabrication was far better than what I had expected. The square assembly on the right is both a condenser and a filter for the producer gas being made. That little door in the upper right is where you put charcoal for filtration of the gas, a good portion of the unit is full of water, and there is a upper and lower water fitting to trickle in some cool water if desired. In china, this unit is used to make cooking gas, in fact there's a cooking stove that comes with the unit that even has a push button igniter built in. The brief instructions that are found in the box, say this unit can be shut down for 10 hours and then restarted without re lighting the fire box. I have talked to friends in UK that suggest a setup like this makes plenty of gas to run a pickup, and the preferred fuel is charcoal because it makes such a large amount of clean and BTU rich gas. The charcoal is made by the user, and there is plenty of information on making your own. In China, they use all kinds of stalks twigs, small branches and crop stubble, the dryer the better the gas.
What we know, is these units are big with survivalists, and peak oil people, there is all kinds of information about ho they were used during WWII when other fuels were hard to find, and there were several cars that left the production line making use of a producer gas unit to feed the gas engine.
To my knowledge, there is the first container load of these here, but they are being used in a number of third world countries.
There is a catch! There are people stupid enough to drag a unit like this into the house, as it gets warm; they might sit around trying to get warm, this is not recommended, as there is always a possibility of a gas leak, and killing yourself or someone else. We are not experts at using these, in fact I've attempted to set up two of these systems, and had my arm twisted to sell them, so I have no personal experience.
This particular unit has a 120 volt DC unit, it uses a rectifier, and runs off 120 VAC, but this unit runs off cheap Modified Sine Wave inverters better than induction motors, or so I am told.
OK, some call it an appliance, some call it ready to go, but we cal it a kit for legal reasons. It will be your job to fit any and every safety device required for any and every place you decide to set this up. We only recommend that you operate this gas plant in the presence of a fully qualified Engineer, and that you have any and all licenses and approvals for any installation.
Send for information, let us know your location for a delivered quote to a shipping dock near you.
George B.
Following is a write up about this unit and a disclaimer, the language may contain inaccuracies, I have no 'hands on knowledge' of this unit yet due to my many commitments elsewhere.
Introduction-These producer gas (gasifier) units are designed to use farm and forestry waste to produce gases to operate appliances, such as small stoves for heating, and are also just about perfectly sized for low HP gasoline and slow-speed diesel engines to replace part of the diesel fuel. They are near-ideal for both the casual experimenter, as well as serious off-grid users who require low or no cost fuels to produce power (such as for electrical generation) to maintain a "Western" high standard of living.
These units will produce gases which are environmentally low in undesirable by-products, and are a superior way to reduce greenhouse problems (protect the environment), provide alternative, practical methods for energy production, and help maintain a high standard of living.
The gasification process is simplicity itself; load a reactor (combustor) with combustible material with under 20% moisture content, dry it from the air movement past it and heat from the nearby combustion chamber until it starts to gasify, use the resulting gas and carbon along with introduced air in the combustion chamber to give off combustibles described later, cool and dry them in a separate "wet" filter, and hence, have this gaseous fuel available as needed.
The combustion chamber also yields C+Ho2=H2+CO, and C+CO2=2CO, and reacting with the charcoal produced, gives off CO, H2, CH4, etc.
Installation-It is always best to use these units in an area with unlimited ventilation, and where any fire danger is minimized. Please remember all equipment of ANY type is dangerous, and its use should only be contemplated, never actually carried out.
1)Most people will use these in an outdoor shed, perhaps under an eave, or a covered porch. It is always a good idea to keep them under cover to prevent corrosion etc.
2)Steel, high-temp rubber, or even CPV pipe can be used to connect the gasifier with the intended appliance/engine. Remember, ANY air leaks will degrade the gas quality. All connections should be level to prevent water accumulation in pipes/hoses that otherwise will eventually block the pipe/hose. In other words, no sagging pipes!
3)If a unit is ever used in an indoor area, very good ventilation is a must!!
4)Any ventilation pipes should be run outside, not terminated indoors!!
5)The filter has water pipes which must be connected for cooling, and should be leak-free.
6)There is a water overflow outlet on the back of the filter unit, and the outlet of the hose attached to this should be higher than the input water hose fitting. When not being used, you can then lower the hose and allow the water to drain.
7)To review, install where there is good ventilation, make all fittings leak-free, and do not place in an open outdoor environment where it is subject to bad weather, snow, high winds, etc.
Use-
1)Fill the filter chamber with activated charcoal, or a filter media such as sawdust, or any finely ground plant material.
2)Make sure the filter chamber door has no leaks!!
3)Using the water hose behind the filter, fill with water and keep the water level between 4 and 5".
4)Using the water hose on the UPPER LEFT SIDE of the filter, fill that tank completely.
5)Check to see that the ash door is well-sealed, and make sure the valves are closed.
6) Verify that the hose/pipe between the producer gas unit and the engine has no leaks.
Operation
1)Turn on the fan
2)Start the engine on its idle fuel, and open the valve on the bypass exhaust.
3)Plug in the exhaust, and load the combustion hopper until it is half full of a suitable fire starting material.
4)Ignite the material, and add more material until it is full. Once it has burnt down a bit, and a good hot fire is assured, fill with wood pellets, chips, coal, etc, etc.
5)After the material has been burning one or two minutes, crack the valve to the engine, and after it accelerates, turn off the bypass exhaust.
6)Control the gas producing rate of the unit by adjusting the valve to the engine.
7)Add suitable wood pellets or chips, coal, etc, to the hopper as necessary. Remember to always be careful not to allow combustion with fresh air which can cause an explosion!! REMEMBER TO TURN OFF THE FAN and shut the output valve off BEFORE OPENING THE FUEL HOPPER DOOR!!!!
Specifications
1)Gas output is about 5 CFM
2)Gasification efficiency is about 70%
3)The continuous power output from the gas is about 7-9 HP, this could be far greater, or lesser depending on the fuel you gasify.
4)THE USER UNDERSTANDS THAT COMBUSTIBLE GASES CAN BE LETHAL, AND IF HE OR SHE IS UNSURE AS TO SAFETY, THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THEY SHOULD NOT OPERATE THE UNIT, AND SHOULD USE IT ONLY FOR STATIC DISPLAY PURPOSES.
5)The user also understands that metal parts can cut, fire can burn, and wood pellets and chips, etc, can be harmful if chewed or ingested, and if they are uncertain as to whether they can be safe, they should seal the unit in a suitable thick material such as clear plexi-glass, or have it sealed by a trained professional, and use it only as a display "under plastic".
6)The user also is reminded that the lifting of heavy weights can cause troubles, such as muscle strains, ruptures, herniation, and if there is any question as to any lifting, they should hire professionals.
7) The user also understands that, since this unit was assembled in a remote location (A Foreign Country!), there could be problems with germs, etc, and that if there is any question as to the safety of the user(s), they should wear full sterile gear to prevent contamination, or hire professionals for this purpose.
The seller HIGHLY RECOMMENDS THAT NO ONE EVER ACTUALLY DO ANYTHING DANGEROUS, OR THAT IS POSSIBLY DANGEROUS, AND REMEMBER THAT THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION IS TO DO NOTHING AT ALL!!!
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Please Note, Producer Gas is nothing new, and many small towns had their own gas plants that made gas to light the town's gas street lights, many readers might have seen the town's employee go from light to light, turning on the gas, and lighting same with a tool on a stick, and a lighted wick in old movies, sometimes, this was an added responsibility of the 'town crier'.
So what's different about this ready made unit, and some of those home built units they sell plans for? this unit, is designed to take the heat, the material used to build it is heavy, this is not made of stuff that will soon burn out and fail..
There are numerous articles on the net about wood gas, and other producer gas generating plants. There are a number of plants using saw dust that in turn run small generating plants on site to run tools and lighting in wood shops and furniture shops, as the price of energy rises, gasification becomes more popular.
It is interesting to note that North American Farmers are becoming more interested in Growing oil crops for fuel and making bio-diesel as part of their farm fuel. The waste product (seed cake), is often used for cattle feed, but I understand that this waste product also makes and excellent pellet and will burn nicely in a gasifier. Again, these are things I'm told and I have no first hand experience with them. If you are interested in seed oil press or pelletizers, they are now being sold in North America, I do not carry these products, but as you might understand, I do not recommend anyone that doesn't have a good reputation with their past customers, and a track record. I do not get paid a commission or profit from the referral other than feeling good about sending traffic to a fellow DIyer with a great reputation.
More to follow
George B.
Following is information and comment from the field, most of what I'll post has technical info I think might be helpful.
Yes, I would say you are right about the dangers, in WWII the hazard from CO poisoning from these was well know, yet careless people lost their lives.
Users have to remember that 0.1% to 0.5% of CO in the air will wipe you out and these will put out 20-35% CO of the gas coming out.
The negative pressure side is not much of a danger, but after the fan every connection must be gas tight! Going into an engine is about the safest because it's negative pressure all the way to the engine. The real hazard is starting up and shutting down when the engine is not running, (or the burner is not burning the gas). Users must be told; "Must use in a well ventilated area, and if you don't know what that means, use only outside!"
George comment: Moving the fan to the appliance end of the delivery system >could< make the system safer
Any installation should have a CO detector in the area, a luxury they did not have in WWII.
All that said, this is something I was thinking about welding up for myself this summer. I live in a rural area and I always thought it was a waste to chip up or compost wood and trimmings without turning it into some useful energy. How much do one of these go for?
Dean (Engineer)
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