GAS-L: Producer gas instead of syn-gas for power and transport

[Reedtb2@cs.com]

Dear Greg and all:

Nice try and it is important to study history.  However, it is also important to study chemistry, so here are some caveats:

1)  Synthesis gas is a mixture of CO and H2 ONLY.  Methane is a pain and nitrogen is death.

2)  The towngas that was ubiquitous in 1930 was made with air, so contained substantial nitrogen.  Won't work for synthesis gas. 

However, during WW II > a million vehicles ran on tiny towngas producers fitted to their cars.  Today we can 

1) Make power the same way but easier with modern technology

2) With pellets and "tar-free gasifiers" even use it conveniently for transport - with modern technology.   

                                                     ~~~
We have demonstrated the power generation capability in the Philippines and California at CPC (See www.gocpc.com).

The BEF is now ready to demonstrate a MODERN (tarfree, turnkey, closed loop) gasifier for transport when someone comes up with the will and the money. 

Yours truly,                      TOM REED                  THE BEF GASWORKS


In a message dated 1/12/02 9:23:18 PM Mountain Standard Time, gregandapril@earthlink.net writes:


> > Greg,  If syn gas from coal, or whatever source, can be used in place of
> > methanol, it would be a big hit in rural areas where we have ready access
> to
> > coal and other biomass.  Can you give a Reader's Digest version of how
> this
> > might work?
> >
> > Neal
> >
>
> I can try, most of the info. I have, comes from a few books I have, that
> are:
>     1) Turn of the century, (yes, originals) printed around 1900.
>     2) Reprints of turn of the century books.
>
> Here goes nothing-
>
> At the turn of the century ( late 1800's, early 1900's ), many/most cities
> ( the bigger the city, the more likely) had someone, the city,  private
> person(s), or a company would make syn gas. The place would make syn gas was
> called the gas works, the gas plant, or something simular.
>
> They would make syn gas in a number of different ways (to list all the
> different gasifier designs would make this anything but the Readers Digest
> version asked for). They would then would pipe it around like we do natural
> gas, for lighting, heat, power engines to run looms, power hammers, or other
> things the we use electricity for now. The gas plants had someone running
> them 24/7.
>
>
> This is where I get to the part that I have a problem with syn gas. Power
> storage (perhaps someone else can help here). For home/farm use the best way
> I can think of is:
>
>     1) Use syn gas to power a generator.
>         a) Then store the electricity in batteries, for your own use.
>         b) Sell the electricity to the power company by running the meter
> backwards (net metering, I think it is called).
>     2) Automation of syn gas production. Then you could use syn gas like
> natural gas (more or less).
>     3) Reforming syn gas to a high denisity fuel, like methanol.
>     4) Use the syn gas as it is being made to make Ethanol
>
> To me, No. 3 look to be the best bet to at this time. I say this because
> then you make it easy to store ( as compared to syn gas ) and you can also
> use it for your car, fuel cell, chain saw, or what ever else you could use a
> liquid fuel for.
>
> If you want to avoid No. 3, No. 1 is probably your best bet.
>
> No. 2 you are looking at putting out a lot of cash and/or time.
>
> No. 4 has the problem of loseing efficency. You would be better off burning
> the biomass right under the still.
>
> Otherwise, you are left with starting a gasifier each time you needed power
> or you need to set up an elaborate storage system (check out methane
> digesters for ideas, they have the many of the same problems for storage),
> and don't for get the possablity that things need to be adjusted just when
> you need to be somewere else like asleep in a warm bed or running a still.
>
> I hope this helps,
> Greg H.
>
> P.S. Thoughts and ideas about this piece are welcome.