Running a car on wood

GeneH · Nov 11, 2007

Yeah, it's been done...

http://freeweb.deltha.hu/zastava.in.hu/wood-gas.htm

The trick is to turn the wood into "producer gas", which is a mix of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. I wonder whether this could be done more compactly in a "fluidized bed converter", using the waste heat to drive auxilary systems?

Gene

GeneH · Nov 11, 2007

Article from Mother Earth News, 1974, on running a car on "producer gas". With embedded controllers and modern sensors it could be possible to automate this process in the car, producing better yields, less waste and possibly a lighter generator.

Mother Earth News

This process would be indifferent to the fuel source, including dry biomass, coal, tires and some forms of garbage. Even diesel fuel, asphalt and other sources. Plus water.

Wiki on wood gas in transport with plenty of sources

Gene

railfancwb · Nov 11, 2007

Lindsay Books usually has items in this arena. For example

http://www.lindsaybks.com/bks4/mathot/index.html

SND · Nov 11, 2007

Sounds very eco-friendly.

So.. basic steam engine principles using a heat source and water aren't cool enough anymore? I think Jay Leno has one or 2 of those still

Could use Coal instead of Wood... and when we run out we got horses, and bicycles. Hopefully there'll be enough rubber and metal left to make bike tires and horse shoes.

I think we should just travel in tubes, like those used to send messages around office building. Home Depot uses it too. That would be neat, just lay down, have a nap and travel at super high speed.

All very good ways to get around in the future.
Maybe its the picture of the red car with a big steel stove behind it that makes me think this way. Reminds me of Borat, puling a car with a couple horses, priceless. haha

dvideo · Nov 11, 2007

Pretty soon we can all look forward to Bio-Automation at work....

Harnessing Producer Gas is not as Fragrant as some would like.

--jerry

Sea Farmer · Nov 11, 2007

We need one that can convert roadkill. Travel cross-country no fuel stops, and, with a little careful butchering, meals too.

Can't be worse than most fast-food chains. . . ..

jim rozen · Nov 11, 2007

Read the book "30 Seconds Over Tokyo" and you
will see that Lawson was carried for part of his
time in china, in a car with just such a retort
in it, fueled by wood or coal.

The producer gas being sucked into the intake
manifold, and burned in the IC engine.

Jim

anchorman · Nov 12, 2007

I have seen similar cars from the 1940's in the Deutsches Museum in Munich. Pretty cool, and a little bit better looking than the yugo, but you have to give the guy who made the producer-gas yugo some credit. that took some balls. bet she does nice wheelies

I bet if you didn't blow yourself up making something like, that, a person could make some good money coming up with a modern and efficiently designed incinerator on wheels. once you get it hot, I would think a portion of the gas could be used to heat the biomass, while the rest went to power the vehicle. Then you just have to wait for the big three to assasinate your character and business like they did to poor Mr. Tucker.

I just wonder if a steam engine, or some way of making electricity from the heat wouldn't be more efficient than a producer gas powered car. Mybe fuel cells?
The one advantage of producer gas is that you also end up with pretty decent charcoal from the process, which can also be burned to heat the wood to make more producer gas.

thanks gene, that picture made my day. well, that and getting hot water in my house again after two days without.

-jon

railfancwb · Nov 12, 2007

A problem with steam powered automobiles and trucks is that their most practical fuel is liquid, such as kerosene. So they don't escape the crude oil world.

perotter · Nov 12, 2007

"I just wonder if a steam engine, or some way of making electricity from the heat wouldn't be more efficient than a producer gas powered car. Mybe fuel cells?"

They have been testing it with fuel cells. It is better for stationary power than then for transportation.

Years ago when gasoline went over $0.60 a gallon I started building one. When my oldest uncle found out he came over & told me not to continue. He was around them during WWII in Europe. He said in the Alps only the driver could ride going up & everyone else had to walk(or push). The passengers could only ride down hill or on a flat. He said it is a real last ditch effort.

There are newer designs than the WWII ones that work better. There are DIY ways to liquify wood & use it in an engine. Or gasify without air, that way one doesn't have the limitations of producer gas.

Keep a couple of old microwaves around for yourself. When the s*** hits the fan you can just keep driving.

Martin

macona · Nov 12, 2007

In the Clint Eastwood movie Letters From Iwo Jima there was a bus that I think was supposed to be powered by Producer Gas. Thats the only thing I could figure out. Big mechanism on the back of the bus spewing black smoke.

Edit..

Ahh, probably coal gas now that I look at that M.E.N. article.

Born2L8 · Nov 13, 2007

I have a producer plant that is 90% done.
In order to get much power from them you need high compression -diesels, with fuel set to idle, work well. I hope to get it done this winter. We give away enough wood waste (kiln dried) to heat and (I think) power our shop.
The one I'm building is not big enough for all that, but I have tried to size it for a 300 CI engine that is in a '77 F-150. This rig will be used for testing under varing loads.

This stuff is old technology, but if done right may be viable, at least in a stationary application. Somewhere in Cannada is fairly new plant with, IIRC, eight 455's on a common shaft putting out 1.5MW.

Paying $600.00/mo in just DEMAND charges is really starting to Pi$$ me off. Most of this is caused by machinery that usually doesn't run 20 hrs./ Mo.

Charlie

Born2L8 · Nov 13, 2007

BTW, there should be no "spewing black smoke".

Chet Spencer · Nov 13, 2007

Just in case you missed this.

Wood gas

bob308 · Nov 13, 2007

think about this if we go to wood powering our cars then before long there will be a wood shortage.

anchorman · Nov 13, 2007

yup, problem with most of these things is that in the end there are too many people and not enough efficiency in the resources. we'd need something like 6 planets worth of stuff to have everyone in the world consuming like america.

would be a solution for folks who have their own wood supply at hand.

dvideo · Nov 13, 2007

energy is all about multiple sources of supply to solve the need. No one source or supply is sufficent. it's also about using efficiently.. like raising catfish at the hot water outlets of power plants...

I have spent some time studying power use on sailboats.. sure has been an enlightening trip... the thing I get is the focus on having enough energy on hand to do what you need - yet not waste it on something that does not matter....

That is a really powerful idea - and something to apply this winter to my house.. Cutting the KWH consumption...

Just remember.. Fed Credits for home and business end this year... big credits, too...

--jr

surplusjohn · Nov 14, 2007

A guy near me has a Stanley Steamer, just putts along, almost silent. I understand that these were very reliable cars but the short coming was the water only made a single pass thru the boiler and was then exhausted, like a steam locomotive, so the water usage limited its range. One big advantage is the use of cheaper lower grade fuels like fuel oil vs gasoline.

donkey smurf · Nov 15, 2007

http://www.vedbil.se/indexe.shtml

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kG8iR5DRLpw

These Swedes are better-during WW2 with gas rationing, it became an important alternative. Note the old guy's restored volvo from that era..

These guys, from the maritime industry, drove their creation around Sweden.

Norman Atkinson · Nov 15, 2007

I think that most who have been brought up in the comfort of the Good Old US of A seem to think that everybody else has.

i recall quite vividly that local buses were propelled by producer gas- provided by coke- were run in the last War. I travelled in them and recall that they were Daimlers.

Whilst my personal knowledge of France only goes back to Deux Chevaux and the odd Hotchkiss et al, Paris taxis ran with gas bags on the roof during the Occupation.

Yugos-- if I recall-- were actually Fiat engined.
The Yugo 45 was the old Fiat 127- 803cc and the Spanish Seat was similarly engined. The Yugo factory was destroyed in the Kosova business. Me mate clouted the sh1t out of it!

I owned a Yugo, I owned a Panda- I owned a Seat 127 and a Seat Marbella. My old Marbella is still running- now with my pool manager.

Sounds like some of you lot are attempting to re-invent the wheel.

Now outside the family castle, there is a 2.7 Diesel Mercedes which will do 50+mpg and 146 mph.
This is where you are should thinking.Not a racing car but a Sunday Go to Meeting effort.

Running a car on wood

Stainless

Stainless

Stainless

Diamond

Stainless

Diamond

Diamond

Titanium

Stainless

Aluminum

Diamond

Hot Rolled

Hot Rolled

Aluminum

Hot Rolled

Titanium

Stainless

Diamond

Plastic

Titanium

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