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Although we have been investigating wood gasifiers principally
for renewable electricity generation, in researching the technology we
have also come across much fascinating historical information relating
to biomass gasification and especially the use of charcoal gasifiers
[“gas producers”] for transportation in times of widespread fuel
shortages.
Gasification is not a new process and in fact the first
steps in the science and technology of gasification were taken may
hundred of years ago.
1669: Thomas Shirley conducts experiments using “carburetted hydrogen”
1791: John Barber is issued with the first patent in which mention is
made of producer gas driving an internal combustion engine
1798: Lebon makes the first recorded attempts to gasify wood
By the early 1900's, numerous vehicles were driving on producer gas,
and many large gas engines had been built in Europe and the United
States. In the South Australian Riverland at Cobdogla, the Humphrey
Pump was using producer gas directly to pump large volumes of water for
irrigation purposes.
In the 1930's gasifier development was driven
by the economics of the depression era and the actual or perceived
shortages of that more convenient fuel, gasoline. Subsequent fuel
shortages in Europe during World War II thus brought small automotive
gas producers to their peak of utilisation, with over a million
vehicles converted to run on producer gas world wide.
According to
a 1946 issue of Power Farming in Australia, as many as 72,000 vehicles
were retro fitted with gasifiers during wartime petrol rationing in
Australia, and charcoal production to supply them reached an estimated
20,000 tons per month. [Note: according to some who recall this time
directly, many of these gasifiers weren't in operation, but merely a
cover for running cars on illegally-obtained motor spirit, power
kerosene or turpentine!]
The automotive charcoal gasifier was by all accounts a technology of
last resort for the petrol-staved motorist. Loading charcoal was a
dirty business requiring a change of clothes; starting up the engine
took took several minutes at the very least- often involving hand
cranking a blower; hot ash carelessly dumped at the roadside caused
bush fires; charcoal was often supplied wet and would not light, or was
of such poor quality that the mineral matter melted and formed clinker
inside the gasifier resulting in premature shut-down. The power
developed by the engine was as much as 50% less on producer gas than on
petrol; consequently going uphill was a very slow process.
We acquired this old Kent gasifier in Horsham, Victoria [still with
residual charcoal in it that had become a very fertile black soil] and
it is a fairly typical example of the basic charcoal gasifier design.
this one must have had a reasonable amount of use as the steel casing
casing has burnt through at least once and has been patched; the
patched area appears to have been well on the way to a second
burn-through too.
During this
sooty era of charcoal-powered Australian transportation, motoring
magazines were full of advertising from gasifier manufacturers like
Powell, Pedrick, Wishart, Brig and Electrolux and offered hints and
tips on water drippers, mixing valves, making your own charcoal and the
best way of installing that second accelerator pedal. Engineering
companies patented numerous devices and systems relating to charcoal
gas producers. In 1939. the Australian Government's Department of
Information issued a detailed brochure called “Producer Gas Vehicles”
which covered all the principles and summarised the operational aspects
of a number of models.
Based in Melbourne,
John and Martin Cash published what is even now a very comprehensive
text on the subject entitled “Producer Gas for Motor Vehicles” in 1940.
And, unable to forego the obvious marketing opportunities, the Vacuum
Oil Company's booklet “Gas Producers” made special mention of those
units which specified the use of their “Delvac” oil products in the gas
cleaners.
Administrative
and regulatory reflexes also kicked into action and Australian
automotive gasifier manufacturers were brought into line with the
publication of Australian Emergency Standard [E]D.3001 “Charcoal Gas
Producers for Motor Vehicles” which set out stringent design and
performance specification for the vehicle-mounted units [the standard
was withdrawn in 1959]
After World
War 2 ended however, abundant and cheap supplies of petroleum fuels
quickly put an end to the use of gasifiers on vehicles. When petrol
rationing ceased in Australia, many motorists simply drove their car to
the nearest municipal tip, unbolted the gasifier and left it there.
Thus the inconvenient and clunky “survival” technology of charcoal
gasification was soon forgotten; and the era transport gas producers in
Australia was at an end.
References
Producer Gas for Motor Vehicles by John D. Cash and Martin G. Cash,
Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1940. (Note: The 1942 revised 2nd Edition
was reprinted by Lindsay Publications http://www.lindsaybks.com/ in
1997.)
Small Scale Gas Producer-Engine Systems by Kaupp, A. and J.R. Goss, Friedr. Vieweg & Sohn, Braunschweig/Wiesbaden, 1984.
Australian Standard (Emergency Series) No. (E) D.3001 – 1941
Specification for Charcoal Gas Producers for Motor Vehicles. (withdrawn
on 16th March 1959).
Egloff, G. and P. Van Arsdell, (1943), “Motor Vehicles Propelled by Producer Gas” Petroleum Engineer, Vol. 15, p645
Information on the operation of the Humphrey pump was summarized by
Towne in 2003 at the following:
http://www.steamengine.com.au/ic/history/humphrey_pumps/
“Farewell Charcoal”, Power Farming in Australia, June 1946, p43.
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History 