An introduction to

MobileGasification

Chris Saenz
 Thecleanestenergy
Biomass is actually stored solar energy.

Trees take carbon from the air and store it in the form of
wood.

Combustion - When wood is burned with ample oxygen,

carbon dioxide and water are released. These products are
stable.
Pyrolysis - Heating wood with limited oxygen releases
hydrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide. These gasses
are highly flammable and can be used as fuel.

Some carbon remains sequestered as biochar. Amending

soil with biochar improves its nutrient and water holding
capacity. The biochar remains in the soil for centuries.
 Whatisgasification?
Heating wood gives off smoke, a combination of gasses,
steam, and tar.

Filtering the smoke through a bed of hot charcoal removes

the tar, leaving a combination of hydrogen, methane, and
carbon monoxide called woodgas or syngas.

This process is called gasification.

Once filtered, woodgas is a clean burning motor fuel.

Modified gasoline and diesel engines can run on clean

woodgas.
 What'sgoingoninthere?

4 Processes:
Drying

Pyrolysis

Reduction

Combustion
 Visualizegasification
A lit match shows
several processes at work.

~ Pyrolyzing wood (the match)

~ Char bed (match surface)

~ Woodgas (below flame)

~ Combustion (the flame)

Note the flame is above the match;

Right below the flame is woodgas.

 Visualizegasification
The stages of gasification:

Drying, in the hopper

Pyrolysis, above the nozzles

Reduction, hearth area

Combustion - in the engine!

 Drying
The fuel must be
completely dry before it
will burn.

Initial moisture content

should be under 20%.
Air drying works well.

Final drying happens in

the hopper. Heat from
the pyrolysis zone
drives moisture out,
collects on hopper
walls.
 Pyrolysis
When dry wood is heated without oxygen, it makes carbon
monoxide, hydrogen and methane. Pyrolysis uses energy.
Oxygen from the nozzles allows limited combustion, which
provides the energy for pyrolysis.
The spent (pyrolyzed) wood is charcoal.
 Reduction
Combustion makes carbon
dioxide and water

Char bed is nearly pure carbon

Water + carbon = carbon

monoxide and hydrogen.

Carbon dioxide + carbon = carbon

monoxide.

Depleted char into char-ash bin.

SO WHAT?
What can it do?
 WhatcanIdowithgasification?
Power a vehicle!

This is the most common application for woodgas.

Millions have used it sucessfully all over the world.

Woodgas can replace gasoline, an expensive form of energy.

[Unfortunately, due to cheap fossil fuel, it has fallen out of favor.]

 WhatcanIdowithgasification?
Power a vehicle
Make electricity!

Sustainable power production from waste biomass.

Make your own electricity wherever you are. Live off the grid!

Gasification works best on a local scale, i.e. communities.

 WhatcanIdowithgasification?
Power a vehicle
Make electricity
Clean heat!

Gasification is perfect for:

Blacksmithing Food processing

Glassblowing Heating buildings
Metalcasting Heating water
Greenhouses Any heat intensive application
 Woodgasthroughhistory
In the 1920s Georges Imbert designed the first vehicle
gasifier.

By WWII Europe had over 1 million vehicles on woodgas.

Once wartime shortages were relieved, woodgas faded away.

In the 1980s interest resurged. Even FEMA issued plans.

Today woodgas is in the hands of a few enthusiasts.

Interest is growing once again, due to higher fuel prices.

Woodgasthroughhistory
Woodgasthroughhistory
Woodgasthroughhistory
Woodgasthroughhistory
Woodgasthroughhistory
Woodgasthroughhistory

Mother Earth News Truck, 1981

Woodgasthroughhistory

FEMA tractor, 1989

Woodgastoday

Dutch John's Volvo

Woodgastoday

Vesa Mikkonen
Woodgastoday

Jim Mason
Woodgastoday

Mike LaRosa
Woodgastoday

Wayne Keith
Woodgastoday

Wayne Keith
THIS JUST IN:
Wayne Keith sets
woodgas speed
record in Utah!

73 mph on woodgas!
TheDodgetruckconversion

I am converting this 1987 Dodge truck to run on woodgas.

TheDodgetruckconversion

This is what I have done so far:

The gasifier: The cooling rack:

TheDodgetruckconversion

This is what I have done so far:

The cyclone filter: The woodgas mixer:

TheDodgetruckconversion

This is what I have left to build:

Hay filter
Plumbing
Arduino controller
Bits and pieces

It will be ready soon!

TheDodgetruckconversion

Read all about it:

www.eatmorechili.blogspot.com