Small-scale Wood Gasifiers
Recently, much emphasis has been placed on using biomass for energy, in part as a method of utilizing the biomass generated in forest thinning operations. The use of biomass for energy is not a new concept. During World War II some European countries relied heavily on wood gas, also known as producer gas, as a substitute for petroleum, which was in short supply due to the war. In the FEMA Report, Construction of a Simplified Wood Gas Generator for Fueling Internal Combustion Engines in a Petroleum Emergency, it is stated that 95% of all mobile farm equipment, stationary engines, and fishing and ferry boats in Denmark were powered by wood-gas, during the war.
Projects currently being proposed are much larger in scale than those used during the war. Likewise, technological advancements have such systems more efficient. However, the cost for such systems are prohibitive for small-scale users.
The following sites provide b!
ackground, and plans, for small-scale wood gasifiers for use in fueling internal combustion engines. In most cases, these gasifiers can be constructed by anyone with a basic mechanical aptitude, using cheap, or salvaged materials. Such systems are somewhat inefficient, but are capable of powering fairly sizeable engines.
Construction of a Simplified Wood Gas Generator for Fueling Internal Combustion Engines in a Petroleum Emergency: FEMA Report
How-to report on building a wood-gasifier
HTML version - Easier to load, harder to print
PDF version - longer to load, easier to print
