Psresz Resources and Consewation Fact Sheer

FRC-15

Kay M. Eaff m d Don M. Post"

Ontroduction
The University of Florida's School of Forest Resources and Conservation began to study the gasification of wood and other plant material early in 1979, The initial project was to power a n internal combusLion erigine on wood gas to demonscrate the possibilities of the process. A six cylinder ~ h e v r i l e t pickup truck was converted to operate on wood gas as a mobile demonstration unit. Since that time, the School of Forest Resources and Conservation has joined with other IFAS faculties to develop other applications of gasification technology. This fact sheet describes the wood gasifier system that was developed for the truck. Gas generated from wood or coal has been used to power internal combustion engines since their invention. However, the use of liquid petroleum fuels has displaced almost completely the use of wood gas in engines. Some reasons for this are listed below: 1. Storage. Liquid fuel has advantages in storage and transfer through the system. 2. Energy content. For the same volume or the same weight, petroleum fuels provide more energy than wood. 3. Start-up time. For most petro1eu.m fuels, the start-up time is negligible; however it takes 10-15 minutes to generate enough gas from wood to start and run the engine. 4. Maintenance. The wood gas generator, cooler and cleaners require considerable maintenance not required with liquid fuels (neglect of the filters will lead to engine damage). 5. Power. A gasoline engine operated on wood gas produces only about half the power of the same engine using gasoline. 6. Danger. Wood gas is typically 20%, carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless, tusteless an.d very poisonous gas. Many people have been ' killed by careless use o a .mrood gas generator. The gas generator system should never be operated in a closed spa.ce and any excess gas should be burned before i t is released into t h e atmosphere. Even coi2sidering .these disadvantages, the current

need to conserve petroleum fuels makes the use of wood gas a viable alternative in certain applications. These applications include powering gasoline engines as is illustrated here and also the gas generated from wood or other biomass can be used for space heating and drying operations.

Principles o Operation f
A downdraft wood gas generator for producing engine grade gas is illustrated in Figure 1. Air enters the generator through the air inlets, passes through the air manifold and is distributed to the fuel by the nozzles. Heat from the burning of fuel in the cornbustion zone produces charcoal from the wood above .by driving off water vapor and volatile components. Excess water and a small amount of t a r or creosote which condenses on the sides and top of the fuel hopper are caught in the condensate trap. Otherwise, everything produced frorn the wood fuel is forced downward through the combustion zone and burneci. Ail the oxygen in the air that enters the generator should be used in the combustion zone so that no oxygen enters the reduction zone bellow the choke plate. In the reduction zone, carbon in the hot charcoal combines chemically with carbon dioxide and water vapor to produce t h e fuel gases carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The gas leaving t h e generator should be aboixt 2R%, carbon monoxide. 20% hydrogen, 10% carbon dioxicle and 50%* nni-Lrogen, plus traces of other gases, vapors. soot, ash and water vapor. It is the purpose of -the coolers and cleaners to remove any component of the fuel gas which woulrl damage the engine. The gasifier illustrated in Figure 4 -mill operate for 1to 2 hours on a fuel charge of 100 pounds. The fuel should be small wood blocks no bigger than 6" x 2" x 4". From the generator, -the gas passes through a cyclone separator (Figure 5 ) which removes approsimately 75%.of the particulate matter from the gas. The gas is cooled and. the cleaning is finished in the cooler and cleaner unit ( F i g u ~ e ) . In the cooling 6 process, excess water vapor is coilclensed an6 removed from the gas. As a result, the density ofthe gas and the energy content ape increased. From .the cooler,

"gay M. XofP is .4&smnt Prs$zssor, Geog<;l.~phy Depnrtmem, Un$/er.si~or*Fla>&da, and Don M. Po3-i:is As~ociil~c -vJ'~&) of^----* Schoo! of F,rssc Rsources and Conseg~/a;ion, $PAS, Uniwrslg of Florida, Cdn<zsviE'le, 32:611. FL

the gas goes to the mixing box (Figure 7), where it is mixed with an equal volurrne of air before it is drawn inLo the engine. The exhaust emissions from this syste-m have not been analyzed and the long term effects on the life of the engine operating wi'ih this clean-up system are unknown.

Exampie of a Gas Generator System

The system illustrated in Figures 2 through 7 was built as quickly and cheaply as possible, and was used to power a pickup truck to demonstrate the pot,ential of wood gasification. To that end, it has been successful. However, the design of the system was largely determined by the materials that were available and certainly does not represent an optimum design. The gasifier illustrated is suitable for an engine of 250 to 350 cubic inches displacement. However, anyone interested in a woocl gas system for anything other than a hobby or as a curiosity, should not copy this system but should refer to the technical literature or contact a firm specializing in this type of equipment. A list of such firms and a bibliography of selected gasifier articles is included.

9. Energy Research $. 0. Box 551 Miami FL 33138 "This list is providecl for informational purposes only and no endorsements nor guarantees me implied by the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida.

Bibliography
3.. Technology and Economics o f Wood Residue Ga.sification. Proceedings, Tenth Texas Industrial Wood Seminar, Ed. Ken E. Rogers, 1979. This reference includes the transcript of a series of talks. Subjects include: 1. Discussion of the various types of gas generator and applications. Some of the generators are experimental models and others are available on a commercial basis. 2. Economics of converting various systems from fossil fuels to generator gas. 3. Discussion of different fuels available for gasification, fuel handling and processing equipment, waste disposal and handling equipment, stack gas quality. 2. Generator Gas - The Swedish Experience from 1939-1945. Translated by the Solar Energ.1 Research Institute, 1536 Cole Blvd., Golden, Colorado, 80401,1979. This is a very detailed discussion of the operation of internal combustion engines on generator gas. The operation of motor vehicles and the preparation of fuel for them receive the most attention. Tnis reference contains the information needed to convert a gasoline vehicle to wood or charcoal operation. This publicution is n must for anyone considering bzsilding u gasification unit. 3. Williams, R. 0. and B. Horsfield. "Generation of Low-Btu Fuel Gas from Agricultural Residues and Experiments with a Laboratory Scale Gas Producer." 9th Annual Conference on Food, Fertilizer, and Agricultural Residues. Cornell University, Syracuse, Mew York, April 1977. This paper covers the design, construction and operation of a small downdraft gas generator. Farm residues such as rice hulls, cotton gin trash, wood chips, walnut shells and corn cobs are used as fuels.
B

Firms with Experiencein VV6od Gasification*

1. Biomass Fuel Corporation 951 Live Oak Blvd. Yuba City CA 95991 2. Energy Resources Company, Inc. 185 Alewife Brook Parkway Cambridge MA 02138 (617) 661-3111 3. Forest Fuels, Inc. 7 Main Street Meene NH 03431 4. Halcyon Associates, Inc. The Halcyon Maple Street East Andover NH 03231 5. E. R. Mellenger 108 Carmarten Street St. John, New Brunswick Canada 6 . Mr. R. C. Wellman Engineering Company 113 St. Claire Avenue, NE Cleveland OH 44144 7. VJoodex Corpora.tion Eugene OR 97400 8. Econ Box 828 Alexander City AL 35040
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i his publication was promulgated at a cost of 867'1.45, or 4.5 cents per copy, to inform Florida residents about converting gasoline engines to run on ~vood.9-1 5M-80

'ilaiml l1.l.L'orma:loi and other sGrvices only t o individuals and institutions that iwnction without regard t o race, color, sex 3' i nat!onal ovlgln. Slngla copias 07 E::tenslon publications (excluding 4 -Hand Youth publications) are available fraa t o Florida

COOPERATIVE E><TEF.ISIOfiI SERVICE, U N I V E R S I T ' I O F F L O R I D A , I N S T I T U T E OF FOOD ADID AGRlCULTClRAL SClEFlCES, K R. Telertillar, director, in cooperation wltii the United States Department of Agriculture, publishes this infor. . iirnklon '60 further tho purpose of t h e May 8 and June 3 0 , 1912 Acts of Congress;and is authorized t o provide research, educa-

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