http://www.chrismartenson.com/blog/wood-gasification-intriguing-emergency-fuel-source/58332
excerpt
An intriguing crisis method?
Yes, woodgas for transportation purposes is an emergency method. The disadvantages show you that. It can be very cumbersome. It’s not a method for everyone. Besides that, it cannot be scaled up to present mileages, simply because there is not enough wood. Or must I say: there is enough wood, but an excess of driving Homo Sapiens?
On the other hand, the advantages make it intriguing. A very accessible fuel, combined with a refinery that relatively easy can be built, allows one to be independent. Even the unpredictable character of a gasifier, always playing hard to get, attracts us stubborn types…
Where do I start?
Ouch. When you want to build a wood gasification system yourself, a couple of hundred hours studying cannot be avoided. Gasification (as well as simply building a gasifier) is a combination of thermodynamics, math, material knowledge and manual crafts. Don’t let the required study discourage you, but don’t skip it, either. You need the science to build a well-dimensioned gasifier setup. Once ready, the black art starts… Yet, a very simple gasifier can be made in only one day. It is exciting and stimulating to obtain a perfect purple flame from a black box filled with chopped wood.
A gasifier unit can be build with new and fancy materials. New materials do not compromise dimensions or performance, but come with a price. Well-working gasifiers can also be built with materials from the local scrap yard. Whatever you use: work tidy and neat. Leaks are not allowed.
When you want to build yourself, always start with a well-proven, existing design. Don’t fall into the trap of adding own “improvements” to your first gasifier. Perhaps you want to start with the simple WW2 designs. Mind you that these designs are very clever. In those times it was a full-time job for teams of engineers. Compared to them, I and even some of the present commercial manufacturers are laymen. Yes, we have the old documents and drawings. But the masters who could explain all the multifunctional details are all gone.
Building a gasifier should be the last item on your “What Should I Do” wish list. It is both very time-consuming and addictive. You better have the other items done before becoming a woodgasser.
I have come to realize that men are not born to be free. Liberty is a need felt by a small class of people whom nature has endowed with nobler minds than the mass of men. -Napoleon
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