What is Wood Gas?

       

        Wood gas is the product of thermal gasification of biomass carbons in a gasifier or wood-gas generator. It is the result of a high temperature reaction (> 1300° F), where carbon reacts with a limited amount of oxygen producing carbon monoxide (CO), molecular hydrogen (H2), and carbon dioxide (CO2). Wood gas is flammable because of the carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane content.

 

        In the 1800’s the industrial revolution was fueled by producer gas. Initially this gas was used for city and home lighting and later for power generation. By 1880 producer gas fueled the newly invented internal combustion engine to make electricity. During WWII much of Europe’s civilian population relied on producer gas to reserve gasoline use for the military.

 

        Even today wood gas is used as a clean and efficient method to heat, cook, and run combustion engines to produce electricity.  Our line of gasifiers efficiently convert many biomass fuels into earth-friendly energy. Due to their clean burn they are also very safe with virtually no danger of chimney fire. Whether your fuel of choice is wood waste, corn cobs, cord wood, and many other available fuels, you get high heat conversion and a clean burn.

 

The Wood Gasification Process

The gasification process in our Goliath and EKO boilers is divided into four stages:

1.) The drying and release of wood gases inside the loading chamber begins with a slow, glowing process.

 

2.) The gas mixture is then burned with secondary air in the lower chamber at 2,200° F.

 

3.) Flame re-ignition and heat exchange take place in the boiler section of the system when ample combustion air is added.

 

4.) Combustion gases are ejected through the chimney flue. The best indicator of successful wood gasification is the lack of visible smoke exiting the chimney.