Wood gas installation. How to make a wood gas generator with your own hands. Valuable information on gas generators

Gas generator car

During World War II in Europe, almost every vehicle was converted to use wood as fuel.
Cars running on wood gas(also called g gas generator vehicles) although they lose their elegance in appearance, they are very effective compared to their gasoline counterparts in terms of environmental friendliness and can be equal to electric cars.
Rising fuel prices are leading to renewed interest in this almost forgotten technology: all over the world, dozens of hobbyists are driving around city streets in their homemade gas-powered cars.

Process of gasifier gas formation (gas synthesis), in which organic material is converted into a flammable gas, begins to occur under the influence of heat at a temperature of 1400 °C.

The first use of wood to produce flammable gas dates back to 1870, when it was used for street lighting and cooking.

In the 1920s, a German engineer Georges Humbert developed generator, generating wood gas for mobile use. The resulting gas was purified, slightly cooled, and then fed into the combustion chamber of the car engine, while the engine practically did not need modification.

Since 1931, mass production of Embera generators began. At the end of the 1930s, already about 9,000 vehicles used gas generators exclusively in Europe.

The Second World War

Gas-generating technologies became common in many European countries during World War II, due to restrictions and shortages of fossil and liquid fuels. In Germany alone, by the end of the war, about 500,000 cars were retrofitted with gas generators to run on wood gas.

Gas-generating civilian cars from World War II

About 3,000 “gas stations” were built where drivers could stock up on firewood. Not only cars, but also trucks, buses, tractors, motorcycles, ships and trains were equipped with gas generators. Even some tanks were equipped with gas generators, although for military purposes the Germans produced liquid synthetic fuels (made from wood or coal).

500,000 gas-powered civilian vehicles by the end of the war in Germany

In 1942 (when the technology had not yet reached the peak of its popularity), there were about 73,000 gas-powered cars in Sweden, 65,000 in France, 10,000 in Denmark, 9,000 in Austria and Norway, and almost 8,000 in Switzerland. There were 43,000 gas-powered vehicles in Finland in 1944, of which 30,000 were buses and trucks, 7,000 cars, 4,000 tractors and 600 boats.

Gas-powered cars also appeared in the US and Asia. There were approximately 72,000 gas-powered vehicles in Australia. In total, more than a million wood gas vehicles were in service during World War II.

After the war, when gasoline became available again, gas generator technology almost immediately fell into oblivion. At the beginning of the 1950s, only about 20,000 gas generators remained in West Germany.

Research program in Sweden

Rising fuel prices and global warming have led to renewed interest in wood as a direct fuel source. Many independent engineers around the world have been busy converting standard vehicles to use wood gas as a vehicle fuel. It is characteristic that most of these modern gas generators are being developed in Scandinavia.

In 1957, the Swedish government created a research program to prepare for the possibility of quickly switching cars to wood gas in the event of a sudden oil shortage. Sweden has no oil reserves, but it has huge forests that can be used as fuel. The goal of this study was to develop an improved, standardized installation that can be adapted for use on all types of vehicles. This research was supported by the car manufacturer Volvo. As a result of studying the operation of cars and tractors over a length of 100,000 km, great theoretical knowledge and practical experience were obtained.

Some Finnish amateur engineers have used this data to further develop the technology, such as Juha Sipilä (pictured left).

A wood gas generator looks like a large water heater. This unit can be placed on a trailer (although this makes parking the car difficult), in the trunk of a car (takes up almost the entire luggage compartment) or on a platform at the front or rear of the car (the most popular option in Europe). On American pickup trucks, the generator is placed in the bed. During World War II, some vehicles were equipped with a built-in generator, completely hidden from view.

Fuel for gas generator

Fuel for gas-powered vehicles consists of wood or wood chips (photo on the left). Charcoal can also be used, but this results in a loss of up to 50 percent of the energy contained in the original biomass. On the other hand, coal contains more energy due to its higher calorific value, so the range of fuels can be varied. In principle, any organic material can be used. During World War II, coal and peat were used, but wood was the main fuel.

Dutch Volvo 240

One of the most successful gas-generating cars was built in 2008 by the Dutchman John. Many cars equipped with gas generators were bulky and not very attractive. The Dutch Volvo 240 is equipped with a modern stainless steel gas generator system and has a modern, elegant look.

“Wood gas isn't that hard to make,” John says, but pure wood gas is much more difficult to make. John has many complaints about automobile gas generator systems, since the gas they produce contains many impurities.

John from Holland firmly believes that gas generating units producing wood gas are much more promising for stationary use, for example, for space heating and for domestic needs, for electricity generation, and for similar industries. The Volvo 240 gas generator vehicle is designed primarily to demonstrate the capabilities of gas generator technology.

A lot of admiring and interested people always gather near John's car and near similar gas-generating cars. Nevertheless, automobile gas generator units are for idealists and for times of crisis, says John.

Technical capabilities

The gas-powered Volvo 240 reaches a top speed of 120 kilometers per hour (75 mph) and can maintain a cruising speed of 110 km/h (68 mph). The “fuel tank” can contain 30 kg (66 lb) of wood, enough for about 100 kilometers (62 miles), comparable to an electric car.

If the rear seat is loaded with bags of wood, the range increases to 400 kilometers (250 miles). Again, this is comparable to an electric car if passenger space is sacrificed to install additional batteries, as is the case with the Tesla Roadster or Mini Cooper electric car. (In addition to everything else in a gas generator, you periodically need to take a bag of wood from the back seat and pour it into the tank).

Trailed gas generator

There is a fundamentally different approach to retrofitting cars with gas generator systems. This is a method of placing gas on a trailer. Vesa Mikkonen took this approach. His latest work is the gas-powered Lincoln Continental 1979 Mark V, a large, heavy American coupe. The Lincoln consumes 50 kg (110 lb) of wood for every 100 kilometers (62 miles) driven and is significantly less fuel efficient than John's Volvo. Wes Mikkonen also converted a Toyota Camry, a more fuel-efficient car. This car consumes only 20 kg (44 lb) of wood for the same mileage. However, the trailer remained almost as large as the car itself.

Optimization of electric vehicles can be achieved by reducing the size and reducing the overall weight. This method does not work with its cousins ​​gas-generating cars. Although since World War II, gas-powered cars have become much more advanced. Wartime cars could travel 20 - 50 kilometers on one gas station and had low dynamic and speed characteristics.

Jost Konin's gas generator wooden car

“Move around the world with a saw and an axe,” was the motto of Dutchman Joost Conijn, who took his gas-powered car and trailer on a two-month trip across Europe without worrying about gas stations (which he didn’t see in Romania).

Although the trailer in this car was used for other purposes, to store an additional supply of firewood, thereby increasing the distance between “refuelings”. Interestingly, Jost used wood not only as fuel for the car, but also as a building material for the car itself.

In the 1990s, hydrogen was considered as an alternative fuel of the future. Then great hopes were placed on biofuels. Later, the development of electrical technologies in the automotive industry attracted much attention. If this technology does not receive further continuation (there are objective prerequisites for this), then our attention will again be able to switch to gas-generating cars.

Despite the high development of industrial technologies, the use of wood gas in cars is of interest from an environmental point of view, compared to other alternative fuels. Wood gasification is somewhat more efficient than conventional wood combustion, since conventional combustion loses up to 25 percent of the contained energy. When using a gas generator in a car, energy consumption increases by 1.5 times compared to a car running on gasoline fuel (including losses for preheating the system and an increase in the weight of the car itself). If we take into account that the energy necessary for needs is transported and then produced from oil, then gasification of wood remains effective compared to gasoline. It should also be taken into account that wood is a renewable source of energy, while gasoline is not.

Advantages of gas generator cars

The biggest advantage of natural gas vehicles is that they use renewable fuel without any pre-treatment. And converting biomass into liquid fuels such as ethanol or biodiesel can require more energy (including CO2) than is contained in the original feedstock. In a gas-powered vehicle, no energy is used to produce fuel, except for cutting and chopping wood.

A gas-generating car does not need powerful chemical batteries and this is an advantage over an electric car. Chemical batteries tend to self-discharge and you must remember to charge them before use. Devices that produce wood gas are, as it were, natural batteries. There is no need for high-tech processing of used and faulty chemical batteries. The waste product from the gas generator plant is ash, which can be used as fertilizer.

A properly designed automotive gas generator causes significantly less air pollution than a gasoline or diesel vehicle.

Wood gasification is much cleaner than direct wood combustion: emissions into the atmosphere are comparable to those from burning natural gas. During operation, an electric car does not pollute the atmosphere, but later, to charge the batteries, you need to apply energy, which is currently extracted in the traditional way.

Disadvantages of gas-generating cars

Despite the many advantages in operating gas-generating vehicles, it should be understood that this is not the most optimal solution. The installation that produces gas takes up a lot of space and weighs several hundred kilograms - and this entire “plant” has to be carried with you and on yourself. Gas equipment is large due to the fact that wood gas has a low specific energy. The energy value of wood gas is about 5.7 MJ/kg, compared to 44 MJ/kg for gasoline and 56 MJ/kg for natural gas.

When running on natural gas, it is not possible to achieve speed and acceleration as with gasoline. This is because wood gas is made up of approximately 50 percent nitrogen, 20 percent carbon monoxide, 18 percent hydrogen, 8 percent carbon dioxide and 4 percent methane. Nitrogen does not support combustion, and carbon compounds reduce the combustion of gas. Due to the high nitrogen content, the engine receives less fuel, resulting in a 30-50 percent reduction in power. Due to the slow combustion of gas, high speeds are practically not used, and the dynamic characteristics of the car are reduced.

Opel Cadet equipped with a gas generator unit

Cars with a small engine capacity can also be equipped with wood gas generators (for example, the Opel Kadett in the picture above), but it is still better to equip large cars with powerful engines with gas generators. On low-power engines, in some situations, there is a severe lack of engine power and dynamics.

The gas generating unit itself can be made smaller for a small car, but this reduction will not be proportional to the size of the car. Gas generators have also been designed for motorcycles, but their overall dimensions are comparable to a motorcycle sidecar. Although this size is significantly smaller than devices for a bus, truck, train or ship.

Ease of use of a gas generator vehicle

Another known problem with gas-powered cars is that they are not very user-friendly (although they have improved greatly over the technology used during the war). However, despite the improvements, a modern gas generator takes about 10 minutes to reach operating temperature, so you won't be able to get into your car and drive away immediately.

In addition, before each subsequent refueling, it is necessary to remove the ash with a spatula - waste from the previous combustion. Resin formation is no longer as problematic as it was 70 years ago, but even now it is a very critical moment, since filters must be cleaned regularly and efficiently, which requires additional frequent maintenance. In general, a gas-powered car requires additional hassle that is completely absent in the operation of a gasoline car.

High concentrations of deadly carbon monoxide require additional precautions and monitoring against possible pipeline leaks. If the installation is located in the trunk, then you should not skimp on the CO sensor in the car. You cannot start the gas generating system in a room (garage), since there must be an open flame when starting up and entering the operating mode (figure on the left).

Mass production of gas-powered cars

Gas generator Volkswagen Beetle produced at the plant

All vehicles described above were built by amateur engineers. It can be assumed that if it had been decided to produce gas-generating cars professionally in factory conditions, then, most likely, many of the shortcomings would have been eliminated, and there would have been more advantages. Such cars could look more attractive.

For example, in factory-produced Volkswagens during World War II, the entire gas-generating mechanism was hidden under the hood. On the front side of the hood there was only a hatch for loading firewood. All other parts of the installation were not visible.

Another option for a factory-produced gas generator car is Mercedes-Benz. As you can see in the photo below, the entire gas generator mechanism is hidden under the trunk hood.

Deforestation

Unfortunately, the increased use of wood gas and biofuels may create a new problem. And mass production of gas-powered cars could make this problem worse. If we start to significantly increase the number of cars using wood gas or biofuel, the supply of trees will begin to decline by the same amount, and agricultural land will be sacrificed to grow biofuel crops, which could lead to famine. The use of gas generating equipment in France during World War II caused a sharp decrease in forest reserves. Likewise, other biofuel production technologies lead to a decrease in the cultivation of plants useful to humans.

Although, the presence of a gas-generating car may lead to its more moderate use:
warm up the gas generator for 10 minutes or use a bicycle to go to the grocery store - most likely the choice will be made in favor of the latter;
chopping wood for 3 hours for a trip to the beach or taking the train - the choice will probably be in favor of the latter.

You need to spend at least 10 minutes to start and warm up the gas generator

Be that as it may, gas-powered cars are no match for petrol and diesel cars. Only a global shortage of oil or a very large increase in its price can force us to switch to a gas-generating car.

Based on materials from: sintezgaz.org.ua

gas generator, DIY gas generator, Gas generator, household gas generators, generator, gas generator car

Let's make a reservation right away: if a car runs on wood, this does not mean that it is a steam locomotive without rails. The low efficiency of the steam engine with its separate firebox, boiler and double-triple expansion cylinders left steam cars among the forgotten exotics. And today we will talk about “wood-burning” transport with the familiar internal combustion engines, motors that burn fuel inside themselves.

Of course, no one has yet succeeded in pushing wood (or something similar) into a carburetor instead of gasoline, but the idea of ​​obtaining flammable gas from wood directly on board the car and feeding it into the cylinders as fuel has caught on for many years. We are talking about gas-generating cars, cars whose classic internal combustion engines run on generator gas, which is obtained from wood, organic briquettes, or coal. By the way, such machines also do not refuse the usual liquid fuel - they can also run on gasoline.

Holy simplicity

Producer gas is a mixture of gases consisting mainly of carbon monoxide CO and hydrogen H2. Such gas can be obtained by burning wood placed in a thick layer under conditions of a limited amount of air. An automobile gas generator, an essentially simple unit, but bulky and structurally complicated by additional systems, works on this simple principle.

Also, in addition to the actual production of generator gas, an automobile gas generator unit cools it, purifies it and mixes it with air. Accordingly, the design of the classic installation includes the gas generator itself, coarse and fine filters, coolers, an electric fan to speed up the ignition process and pipelines.

I take the refinery with me

The simplest gas generator has the form of a vertical cylinder into which fuel is loaded almost to the top - firewood, coal, peat, pressed pellets, etc. The combustion zone is located below, it is here, in the lower layer of burning fuel, that a high temperature is created (up to 1,500 degrees Celsius), necessary for the separation of future components of the fuel mixture - carbon monoxide CO and hydrogen H2 - from the upper layers. Next, the hot mixture of these gases enters the cooler, which reduces the temperature, thus increasing the specific calorie content of the gas. This rather large unit usually had to be placed under the car body. A filter-cleaner located next to the gas flow removes impurities and ash from the future fuel mixture. Next, the gas is sent to the mixer, where it is combined with air, and the finally prepared mixture is sent to the combustion chamber of the car engine.

Diagram of a ZIS-21 car with a gas generator

As you can see, the fuel production system directly on board a truck or car took up quite a lot of space and weighed a lot. But the game was worth the candle. Thanks to their own - and also free - fuel, enterprises located hundreds and thousands of kilometers from fuel supply bases could afford their own autonomous transport. For a long time, this advantage could not overshadow all the shortcomings of gas-generating vehicles, and there were many of them:

— significant reduction in mileage per fill-up;
— reduction of the vehicle’s carrying capacity by 150-400 kg;
— reduction in the useful volume of the body;
— the troublesome process of “refueling” a gas generator;
— an additional set of routine maintenance work;
— starting the generator takes 10-15 minutes;
- significant reduction in engine power.

ZiS 150UM, experimental model with gas generator unit NAMI 015UM

There are no gas stations in the taiga

Wood has always been the main fuel for gas-powered vehicles. First of all, of course, where there is an abundance of firewood - in logging, in furniture and construction production. Traditional wood processing technologies for the industrial use of wood in the era of the heyday of “gasgens” used to waste about 30% of the forest mass. They were used as automobile fuel. It is interesting that the rules for the operation of domestic “gasgens” strictly prohibited the use of industrial wood, since there was an abundance of waste from the forestry industry. Both soft and hard woods were suitable for gas generators.

The only requirement is that there is no rot on the chocks. As shown by numerous studies conducted in the 30s at the Scientific Automotive and Tractor Institute of the USSR, oak, beech, ash and birch are best suited as fuel. The lumps with which gas generator boilers were fueled most often had a rectangular shape with a side of 5-6 centimeters. Agricultural waste (straw, husks, sawdust, bark, pine cones, etc.) was pressed into special briquettes and gas generators were also “filled” with them.

The main disadvantage of gas engines, as we have already said, is their low mileage per fill-up. So, one load of wood logs on Soviet trucks (see below) was enough for no more than 80-85 km. Considering that the operating manual recommends “refueling” when the tank is 50-60% empty, the mileage between refills is reduced to 40-50 km. Secondly, the installation itself, which produces generator gas, weighs several hundred kilograms. In addition, engines running on this gas produce 30-35% less power than their gasoline counterparts.

Refinishing cars for firewood

Cars had to be adapted to run on a gas generator, but the changes were not serious and were sometimes available even outside the factory. Firstly, the compression ratio in the engines was increased so that the loss of power was not so significant. In some cases, turbocharging was even used to improve the filling of engine cylinders. Many “gasified” cars were equipped with an electrical generator with increased efficiency, since a fairly powerful electric fan was used to blow air into the firebox.

ZIS-13

To maintain traction characteristics, especially for trucks, with reduced engine power, transmission ratios were made higher. The speed of movement fell, but for cars used in the wilderness and other desert and remote areas this was not of decisive importance. To compensate for the change in weight distribution due to the heavy gas generator, the suspension was strengthened in some cars.

In addition, due to the bulkiness of the “gas” equipment, it was partly necessary to rearrange the car: change, move the cargo platform or cut down the truck cabin, abandon the trunk, move the exhaust system.

The golden era of "gasgen" in the USSR and abroad

The heyday of gas-generating cars occurred in the 30-40s of the last century. At the same time, in several countries with large needs for cars and small proven oil reserves (USSR, Germany, Sweden), engineers from large enterprises and scientific institutes began developing wood-powered vehicles. Soviet specialists were more successful in creating trucks.

GAZ-42

From 1935 until the very beginning of the Great Patriotic War, at various enterprises of the Ministry of Forestry Industry and the Gulag (the Main Directorate of Camps, alas, the realities of that time), GAZ-AA one and a half trucks and ZIS-5 three-ton trucks, as well as buses based on them, were rebuilt for working on wood. Also, gas generator versions of trucks were produced in separate batches by the vehicle manufacturers themselves. For example, Soviet auto historians cite the figure 33,840 - this is how many gas-generating “one and a half” GAZ-42 were produced. More than 16 thousand units of gas generator ZIS models ZIS-13 and ZIS-21 were produced in Moscow.

ZIS-21

During the pre-war period, Soviet engineers created more than 300 different versions of gas generator units, of which 10 reached mass production. During the war, serial factories prepared drawings of simplified installations that could be manufactured locally in auto repair shops without the use of complex equipment. According to the recollections of residents of the northern and northeastern regions of the USSR, wood-burning trucks could be found in the outback until the 70s of the twentieth century.

In Germany during World War II, there was an acute shortage of gasoline. The design bureaus of two companies (Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz) were tasked with developing gas-generating versions of their popular compact cars. Both companies completed the task in a fairly short time. The Volkswagen Beetle and Mercedes-Benz 230 entered the production line. It is interesting that the additional equipment of the production cars did not even extend beyond the standard dimensions of the “passenger cars”. Volkswagen went even further and created a prototype of the “wood-burning” army Volkswagen Tour 82 (“Kübelwagen”).

Volkswagen Tour 82

Wood burning machines today

Fortunately, the main advantage of gas-generating cars - independence from the gas station network - has become less relevant today. However, in the light of modern environmental trends, another advantage of wood-burning cars has come to the fore - running on renewable fuel without any chemical preparation, without additional energy consumption for fuel production. As theoretical calculations and practical tests show, a wood-burning engine harms the atmosphere less with its emissions than a similar engine, but already running on gasoline or diesel fuel. The exhaust gas content is very similar to emissions from internal combustion engines running on natural gas.

And yet, the topic of wood-burning cars has lost its former popularity. It is mainly enthusiastic engineers who, in order to save on fuel or as an experiment, convert their personal cars to run on generator gas to avoid forgetting about gas generators. In the post-Soviet space, there are successful examples of “gasgens” based on the AZLK-2141 and GAZ-24 cars, the GAZ-52 truck, the RAF-2203 minibus, etc. According to the designers, their creations can travel up to 120 km at a speed of 80- 90 km/h.

GAZ-52

For example, the GAZ-52, which was converted to firewood by Zhytomyr engineers in 2009, consumes about 50 kg of wood lumps per 100 km. According to the designers, firewood needs to be added every 75-80 km. The gas generator unit, traditionally for trucks, is located between the cab and the body. After igniting the firebox, about 20 minutes must pass before the GAZ-52 can start moving (in the first minutes of operation of the generator, the gas it produces does not have the necessary combustible properties). According to the developers' calculations, 1 km using wood is 3-4 times cheaper than using diesel fuel or gasoline.

Gas generator unit GAZ-52

The only country today in which wood-burning cars are widely used is North Korea. Due to total global isolation, there is a certain shortage of liquid fuel there. And firewood again comes to the rescue of those who find themselves in difficult situations.

Natural gas is the cheapest source of energy for a heating system. But gas isn't that cheap these days. Therefore, many homeowners prefer to use alternative gas generators running on wood or sawdust in their heating systems.

And in this article we will look at the process of creating such a gas generator. After studying this material, you will be able to assemble a wood-burning gas generator with your own hands and take advantage of all the benefits of an alternative heating method.

Combustible gas can be produced not only from a well. For example, if you heat firewood to 1100 degrees Celsius, limiting the access of oxygen to the fuel oxidation zone, the combustion process will enter the stage of thermal decomposition - pyrolysis. The result of pyrolysis will be the conversion of cellulose into low molecular weight olefins - flammable gases ethylene and propylene.

Moreover, the efficiency of a “pyrolysis” boiler is 1.5-2 times higher than that of a conventional solid fuel “heater”. After all, low-molecular olefins released during pyrolysis release much more energy during combustion than burning cellulose.

As a result, a generator using sawdust, firewood, cake or any other source of cellulose operates according to the following scheme:

• In the primary combustion chamber, as a result of classical pyrolysis, cellulose is converted into low molecular weight olefins.
• At the next stage, the olefins obtained as a result of pyrolysis pass through a series of filters that purify flammable gases from impurities - acetic and formic acid, soot, ash, and so on.
• After filtration, the gases need to be cooled, since heated fuel releases less energy at the final stage of oxidation.
• Next, the cooled gases pass into the secondary combustion chamber, where final oxidation (combustion) occurs, accompanied by the release of energy absorbed by the walls (body) of the boiler. Moreover, a separate portion of air is pumped into the secondary combustion chamber of gases, since the primary chamber operates under conditions of limited oxygen supply.

The heated walls of the boiler can be connected to a water “jacket”, turning the gas generator into a regular water heating boiler, or used as a heating element of an air convector.

Why is this beneficial?

By building a wood gas generator with your own hands, you can count on the following benefits:

• Reduced fuel consumption. After all, the efficiency of a boiler with a gas generator is 90-95 percent, while that of a solid fuel boiler is only 50-60 percent. That is, to heat the same room, the gas generator will spend no more than 60 percent of the fuel consumed by a conventional solid fuel boiler.
• Long combustion process. Pyrolysis of firewood occurs in 20-25 hours, and the process of thermal decomposition of charcoal ends in 5-8 days. Therefore, loading firewood into the boiler can be done only once a day. And if you use charcoal, then the boiler is “charged” once a week!
• The ability to use any source of cellulose as fuel - from cake and straw to living wood with a moisture content of about 50 percent. That is, you no longer have to worry about the “dryness” of the firewood. Moreover, even meter-long logs can be loaded into the firebox of some models of gas generator boilers, without preliminary grinding (splitting).
• There is no need to clean both the chimney and the vent. Pyrolysis utilizes fuel with virtually no residue, and the product of olefin oxidation is ordinary water vapor.

In addition, it is necessary to note the ability to fully automate the boiler operation process.

Of course, you cannot create a fully automatic gas generator with your own hands, but industrial models can work for weeks, consuming fuel from a bunker and controlling the process of heating the coolant without operator participation.

The negative side of the practice of using wood-burning gas generators includes the following facts:

• This type of boiler is very expensive. The price of the cheapest version of the “pyrolysis” boiler is two times higher than the cost of its solid fuel counterpart. Therefore, the most zealous owners prefer to build a gas generator using wood with their own hands.
• Such a boiler runs on electricity, which is used to supply energy to systems for blowing air into the combustion chambers. That is, if there is no electricity, there is no heat. But a regular oven will “work” anywhere.
• The boiler generates consistently high power. Moreover, a decrease in heating intensity will provoke a malfunction of the entire system - instead of flammable olefins, ordinary tar will go into the secondary chamber.

But all the shortcomings “pay off” with an abundance of positive characteristics and economical operation of the heating device. Therefore, purchasing a gas generator, and even more so independently building such a “heating device” is a very profitable business. And below in the text we will describe the process of creating a wood-burning gas generator.

How to make a gas generator with your own hands?

Before assembling the gas generator and transforming this device into a heating boiler, we need to prepare the components and parts from which this unit will be assembled.

Moreover, the classic design of a wood-burning gas generator involves the use of the following components during the assembly process:

• Firstly, the housing is the basis of the future unit; all the components of the boiler will be installed in the internal part of this unit. The body is assembled from angles and sheet steel, previously cut and cut according to templates and drawings.
• Secondly, bunkers are containers for storing fuel (firewood, charcoal, pallets, and so on). The bunker is assembled from rolled sheets and mounted in the housing. Moreover, a part of the internal space of the case can be allocated for this unit, delimiting it with the help of metal plates made of low-carbon steel.
• Thirdly, the combustion chamber - it is placed at the bottom of the bunker. After all, the main task of this unit is to generate high temperature, so the chamber is made of heat-resistant steel. And the bunker lid is sealed, preventing unauthorized saturation of the combustion chamber with oxygen.
• Fourthly, the neck of the combustion chamber is a special area where the cracking of resins is carried out. This part of the camera is separated from the body using asbestos gaskets.
• Fifthly, the air distributor box is a special unit located outside the housing. Moreover, the insertion of the air distributor fitting into the housing is carried out using a check valve. This unit ensures the flow of oxygen into the olefin combustion chamber, preventing flammable gases from escaping from the combustion chamber.
• Sixthly, a set of filters and a pipe connecting the neck of the firewood combustion chamber to the olefin combustion chamber.

In addition, we will need a grate - it is needed to separate the coals in the combustion chamber, beams and doors - they provide access to the cavity of the housing, including the bunker or combustion chamber.

Having prepared all the specified elements, we can begin assembling the gas generator, carried out according to the following plan:

• First, the body is assembled.
• Then a bunker with a combustion chamber is installed in the housing, complementing the design with grates and a supply channel (blower).
• The neck of the wood combustion chamber is connected by a pipe to the olefin combustion chamber. Moreover, the pipe can lead to a gas cooling system mounted outside the housing.
• An air distributor box is assembled in the upper part of the housing, having previously prepared the entry of olefins into the combustion chamber using a check valve.
• Next, the door to the bunker and hatches to the combustion chambers (both firewood and olefins) are mounted on the hinges.

The boiler assembled in this way is equipped with air compressors (air distributor and supply duct into the firewood combustion chamber) and an exhaust pipe (chimney). Well, at the very end, a water jacket with inlet and outlet fittings is installed on the boiler body, preferably in the area of ​​the secondary combustion chamber, in which the coolant will circulate. Moreover, the jacket can be placed in the double walls of the housing or olefin combustion chamber.

Gasification is the process of converting organic or fossil carbonaceous materials into carbon monoxide, hydrogen and carbon dioxide. This is achieved by reacting the material at high temperature (>700°C) without ignition with controlled amounts of oxygen and/or steam. The resulting gas mixture is called synthesis gas(short for synthetic gas) or wood gas, and is itself a fuel. The energy obtained by burning such gas is considered a type of renewable energy if the gasified mixture was obtained from biomass.

One of the most typical applications of this energy is thermal power generation. Wood gas contains a large amount of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and does not emit substances that pollute the environment when burned. Wood gas — source of environmentally friendly renewable emission-free energy.

Difficulties

Wood gasification technologies have been researched and developed for over 100 years. However, difficulties in operating a controlled and sufficiently clean gasification process make it difficult to implement it for commercial use, such as in power plants. The biggest obstacle was the tar released during the pyrolysis process, which over time destroyed the engines. In addition, the quality of wood chips, and in particular the percentage of moisture content in them, set strict restrictions in the selection and processing of crushed biomass. to her

The solution is an innovative pyrolysis method.

The GASEK wood gasifier is a so-called direct-flow gasifier. It is based on pyrolysis techniques that have been developed and improved over the past 30 years. The processed biomass moves in the reactor in the same direction as the gasifying air, supplied in quantities significantly less than required for combustion.

The biggest difference from the old, problematic technology is the temperature and method of purifying the resulting gas. A key factor in the gasification process is achieving high temperatures (800-1200°C), which prevents the formation of destructive tars. As a result, the resin compositions are broken down into lighter particles that do not pose problems for engines. Wood gas passing through the GASEK purification line is colorless and odorless and does not emit harmful substances when burned.

Purified wood gas enables the production of efficient, low-maintenance and long-lasting equipment for power plants. A number of international patents have been obtained for GASEK gasification technology.

Good day, brain inventors! As it turns out, charcoal is a very useful thing with a wide range of applications; with its help you can even start an internal combustion engine without any special modifications to the latter.

While researching the topic of alternative energy sources, I found many theoretical calculations, but few practically completed and functioning homemade. I myself wanted to make something that was simple to implement and effective. under the tree, so I settled on the good old gas generator using charcoal as fuel.

After familiarizing myself with the theory and several already implemented concepts, I made my own gas generator and successfully connected it to an electricity generator. My brain trick collected, one might say, from garbage: a metal bucket with a lid, old valves, fittings, and polymer hoses. And although my prototype requires further development and subsequent modification, it really works, is cheap and easy to manufacture.

This gas generator craft produces flammable gas from coal, on which tools with an internal combustion engine successfully operate. As a result, it has a wide potential for use in the garden, country house, forest, etc. without the need for gasoline, power lines or industrial gas. It can find even greater application potential in third world countries, in places affected by disasters, in remote corners of the world, etc.

Step 1: A Little Theory

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Pkw mit Holzgasantrieb in Berlin 1946

Wood gas, synthesis gas, gasification, generator gas are all different names for the idea of ​​converting certain types of organic matter into easily usable fuel. The bottom line is that when organic matter burns under low-oxygen conditions, it releases hydrogen (mostly), carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, tars and biofuels. Simply put, if you burn a log correctly, it will produce flammable smoke!

Gas generator developments have been used in the distant past. This is how combustible smoke was supplied to houses and street lamps in the late 1800s, and only then was it replaced by natural smoke brain gas. Wood gas generators powered thousands of cars across Europe during World War II, when petroleum fuel was hard to come by.

Describing the processes during gas generation, one could write an entire doctoral dissertation, so I will leave this matter to the experts and mention only a few references:

Step 2: Wood or Coal?

There are many designs of gas generators using wood or organic matter as fuel. From simple ones for private work to large shiny industrial gas generators. All of them can be divided into:

• homemade of medium complexity with a lot of welding work during production
• expensive industrial gas generators, often inaccessible
• gas generators producing biofuel, which after filtration and separation can be poured into the engine

Biofuels, or heavy oils and resins, are produced through a process of thermal depolymerization. “At high temperature and under pressure, long-chain polymers of hydrogen, oxygen and carbon break down into short-chain hydrocarbons.” Biofuel burns well, and when divided into fractions, it can be used to produce gasoline similar to that obtained from oil. There are even papers on extracting biofuels from algae, so keep an eye out for these developments!

It should be mentioned that using biofuel is cool, but it will reduce the life of your engine.

The specificity of gas generation using charcoal is that long polymer chains have already been removed during the creation of this charcoal, that is, during further gas generation, vapors without resins will be released. The charcoal itself can be made yourself in a 160 liter or 250 liter barrel, but I used charcoal purchased at the store in my prototype craft.

Step 3: Proof of Concept

To create your own brain prototype For the gas generator, I used a large bucket, a paint bucket, small metal plates, fittings and taps.

A more complete list of necessary materials and tools looks like this:

• metal bucket with a tight-fitting lid
• filter container and filter material - I successfully used a paint can and foam rubber
• sheet metal - mine is 1.2mm thick
• steel pipes and fittings for them - mine were 2cm in diameter, just don’t use galvanized ones
• pipe for incoming gases - I first used PEX hoses (polyethylene reinforced), but this is a bad choice
• exhaust gas pipe – a flexible metal hose compatible with a ∅ 2cm pipe is quite suitable
• ball valves - at least one, two - for exhaust gas recirculation, three - for bleeding and four - if you plan to use the supercharger for lighting coals
• heat resistant silicone sealant
• clamps
• nuts and bolts
• welding machine or cold welding
• pipe wrenches
• drill
• big drill
• carbon monoxide detector

Step 4: Electricity Generator

As a "consumer" in my gas generator brain experiment I decided to use my father's generator, whose fuel system had broken down. I fixed the leak in the fuel pump and made some modifications for subsequent operation on gas. Namely, I installed a bracket plate for my adapter, consisting of a tee and a ball valve. The tee is connected to the carburetor, through its second hole combustible gases enter from the gas generator, and a tap is mounted on the third hole through which fresh air is supplied.

The exhaust system is also equipped with a tee and a ball valve, through which one part of the exhaust gases is released into the atmosphere, and the other is supplied to the inlet of the gas generator, where it is mixed with clean air. This allows you to direct incompletely burned carbon monoxide back into the firebox, and also use the flow as a fan of the flame. This option was advised to me by smart people; initially, my return line was unfinished.

Step 5: Gas Generating Reactor

The reactor is assembled very simply, I will only note that the inlet of my homemade products located too low, it should be made at a distance of at least 5cm from the bottom of the bucket.

So, I cut three identical plates from sheet metal - one for the exhaust, two for the inlet. I bent two plates for the intake system along the radius of the bucket to achieve a tight fit; one of them will be installed outside, the other, for support, inside. I drilled holes in the corners of the plates for the fastening bolts, fastened them together and began drilling the inlet hole. After that, he placed one of the plates on the bucket in the designated place and drilled similar holes in the bucket itself.

Next, I inserted a steel tube into the hole so that it would go inside the bucket by more than a third and less than half. The inner part of the tube was later extended with a piece of stainless steel - this was a mistake, the consequences of which are shown at the end brain guides. Then I welded the tube and the outer plate, generously coated both plates with heat-resistant silicone and installed them on the bucket, fastening them with bolts.

I welded a fitting in the center of the third plate, drilled an outlet hole through the fitting and the plate, and 4 holes for fasteners in the corners. Then I attached this plate to the lid and duplicated the plate holes on it - one output and 4 fastening ones. Then I lubricated the plate with heat-resistant sealant and installed it in its proper place on the lid, fastening it with bolts.

I left both the lid and the bucket itself for a day for the sealant to dry.

Step 6: Filter

A charcoal gas generator is considered an upward flow gas generator, that is, the air coming from below burns in the firebox, and the gases formed during this rise upward and are discharged through a hole in the lid. At the same time, the fuel itself, namely charcoal, is a fairly dusty material, and its dust particles, along with the flow of gases, can get into the engine. To avoid this, a dust filter is needed.

I assembled a simple filter from a paint can, plastic fittings and foam rubber brainsponges. I drilled a hole in the bottom of the jar and the lid for the fitting, installed and secured the fittings themselves, and filled the jar with a sponge. To ensure tightness during installation, I coated the fittings with the same sealant.

Step 7: Selecting Coal

Coal in this homemade You need to use only natural wood, preferably from hard wood, but coniferous wood will do, it will just burn faster. Do not use compressed or chemically treated coal! You can buy suitable coal, but if you plan to use your own brain gas generator often, it is better to learn how to do it yourself.

The size of the coals should be more than 3mm, but not more than 2mm, this is necessary for better circulation of air flow and carbon dioxide.

Step 8: First start

Weather during my first launch homemade products It was rainy, I didn’t know how the old electricity generator, which was last started 15 years ago, would behave. But I was still confident in my success.

I inserted a lit propane burner into the reactor air intake and left it to ignite the coal. At the electricity generator, I shut off the supply of fresh air and started the starter.

During the start, the generator engine began to take on flow on its own, and I removed the burner. A short time later, a sufficient amount of flammable gas began to be produced. By supplying air and starting fluid to the starter, I helped the process of stable engine operation. I continued to start the engine and adjust the air supply to the carburetor. When the right mixture was found, the engine started running, and I successfully “powered” my reciprocating saw from it. 15 minutes after the start of work, the generator had to be turned off due to gas leaks.

The author of the gas generator on the basis of which I made my prototype says that from burning coal with a volume of 0.0045 cubic meters. in 30 minutes he gets 5 hp. I don’t know what the power of his electricity generator is, but in 15 minutes I burned much less.

IMPORTANT!!! Be careful when working with carbon monoxide (CO), it is deadly if used incorrectly! When inhaled, a CO molecule attaches to an oxygen molecule in the blood, resulting in poor absorption and resulting in multiple organ failure. Follow the rules for working with gases and work in air or a well-ventilated area!

Step 9: Version 2.0

The prototype has been made and is functional, the only downside is a gas leak. Therefore, I made a gas generator version 2.0 with the following modifications:

At the carburetor inlet I installed a 5mm metal plate with a thread for a ∅ 2cm pipe; the plate is secured with two bolts and an additional strip of metal for rigidity. When installing the plate, I used release paper, which avoided leaks.

I replaced the PEX hose because it was melting on the gas generator cover, and I didn’t have good clamps for it. Instead, I installed a flexible metal hose, which I removed from the return system. It fits perfectly into the pipe and fittings, in which it locks tightly when turning, but at the outlet of the gas generator it is better to secure it with a U-bolt.

Leaks fixed!

Step 10: Stub

Combustion requires three things: air, fuel, and an igniter. This homemade has a lot of heat (ignition) and coal (fuel) in the reactor, so the only way to stop its operation is to cut off the air supply. To do this, you only need one threaded plug or valve, which, if necessary, closes the inlet.

To stop brain reactor I closed the inlet hole with a plug and left it overnight, in the morning it was cool and did not produce gas.

Step 11: Plans for improvement

Gas compression and storage

All results are knowledge, and not all assumptions are correct. For example, I thought that I could compress the generated gas and put it in a cylinder, and then use it like regular propane. But I encountered a problem that this compressed gas does not ignite. I thought since the generator engine lights up, then I will light it, but in reality this is not the case. Maybe the reason is that the 12 volt compressor did not create the necessary concentration and you should try with a more powerful compressor.

Reactor materials

The temperature in the firebox was very high and my piece of stainless steel, which I used to extend the inlet tube, melted. It turned out to be a chrome-plated shiny trinket and simply melted in the firebox. And also, as I mentioned, the inlet is initially located too low and does not provide the required reaction zone and ash space.

Electricity generator

Since the generator is not mine, but my father’s, I will have to return it, and buy something suitable for myself and install everything on a mobile platform to expand the range of connected devices: water pump, fan, hydraulic pump, etc.
Independent coal production

The fuel of my gas generator is coal, so for complete autonomy and savings, I should purchase a couple of iron barrels and make an installation for the production of charcoal.

This is how I made a gas generator and “powered” the electricity generator with it, I hope it was interesting and useful!

Good luck in your homemade products!