|
What has the experience been with engines and
gasifiers? What are the maintenace requirements? What is the typical annual use,
2000 hours? Are there any that operate 6000 to 8000 hours per year? What is the
expected life? What are the actual maintenance intrevals? What facilities and
equipment are necessary for engine maintenance that are different than for
automotive or diesel power generation? What engines (make and model) work well:
Waukesha? Caterpiller? Lister?
The most used engines for producer gas seem to be
modified natural gas or LP engines or diesels that are run as dual fueled. Are
oil and air filter change intrevals the same for producer gas as for LP?
Every 150 hours? What other maintenance needs to be done?What is the
expected engine life compared with actual engine life for LP or duel fueled
diesels on producer gas? Can we expect an overhaul with producer gas after 2000
hours? Is engine life 10000 hours? After than what needs to be
done?
What has the experience been with converting
existing diesels to dual fueled applications? Good? Bad? What works and what
doesn't work?
What is a practical genset size? Do the 500 kWe
engine-gensets that we have seen promoted actually survive? If you were doing
distributed generation at 200 kWe what would you use? Four 50 kWe or larger
gensets?
What's the experience with derating? What's the
actual power production for an engine rated for LP or diesel? If you were sizing
a new system for 200 kWe how would you specify the engine?
We understand from the more successful
gasifier-genset suppliers that engine applications need a well organized
"support system." What support does a 50-200 kWe gasogen need?
Moisture in the fuel. If I make "bad" gas because
of wet fuel does the engine care? What kinds of problems result from wet fuel?
What range of gasifier fuel moisture can an engine tolerate without
excessive derating?
Where does one go for engine experience or
information about the use of engines with gasifiers(what documents or web
links)? Are there test block benchmark performance tests for producer gas?
These are a lot of ignorant questions from one who
is often asked for direction. Until I use a gasogen to keep my own
electronics on standby I'll have to rely on the experience of others. Thank you
for your contributions.
Kind regards,
Tom Miles
| 
