A Small Scale Wood-Gas Generator

Flammable hydrogen and carbon monoxide gasses are produced by the heating and reduction of solid fuel
in the burner/reduction chamber, ash and tar are removed in the filter assembly, then cooled while passing through the cooling assembly, then introduced through the engines intake valve for combustion.
Mick DeMaria
Rockfall, CT
mickdema@yahoo.com

The following is an attempt to build a small scale producer gas generator using plans and charts presented on the Gen-Gas.nu Website. The gassifier unit is designed to power a small Delco Model 850 Antique Light Plant. The plants engine displaces around 25cu. in. and produces about 2.5Hp.
Readily available household materials were scrounged up and the project is beginning to take shape. Preliminary tests of the chamber using Wood Pellet Stove Fuel and a small computer fan for draft produced encouraging results. Cast iron sewer and drain pipe was chosen for the burner/reduction chamber. Standard 8 inch smoke pipe as material for the filter housing and 1-1/4 inch baseboard radiators for the cooler.

Construction

Testing 2-22-04 and 2-29-04

We fired the gassifier up on 2-19-04. The unit produced flammable gasses with a precombustion temperature approximately equal to outside ambient air temperature. The following week the unit was connected to the Delco Generator. The engine started easily and was run for about 3 hours. Problems included: Difficulty in maintaining proper fuel/air ratio during the first 30-40 minutes of operation and also for a few minutes after refueling. Engine knocks and runs a little hot probably needs timing adjustment because of the slower burning fuel. Approximately 4oz. of condense (clear water) formed in the inlet air tube after around 3 hours of operation.

Temperature Readings .
Gassifier Outlet	Cooler Inlet	Cooler Outlet	Mixer Inlet	Cylinder Head
280 degF	105 degF	62degF	60 degF	330degF

References:
http://www.fao.org/docrep/t0512e/T0512e00.htm#Contents
http://www.gengas.nu/byggbes/executive_summary.shtml