Model T wood burning gassifier

These guys in California have a good idea. Apparently wood was used as auto fuel in times past, and still is used for that in places like Kazakhstan. Complete with banjo music!

 

I didn't see granny.
Or, Ellie Mae.
That was very cool.

 

There were quite a few vehicles running on wood gas in ww2 Europe.

 

Bunch still are- Finland, Norway, Germany to name three that I have seen post of in the last year or so. US printing office still has basic plans & how to available. Although pretty dated apx 1940 vintage. There is more recent info floating on the web, course ya got to filter that abit like anything else web wise.

 

So how does that work... Boxelder would be the equivalent to the low octane cheapo gas, and white oak would be premium? Soft maple would equal the mid-grade 89 octane gas?

 

Good one.
Not up on the fine details but basic is fire going enough to create off gassing which is then collected allowed to cool some so condensation of the heavy material takes place lighter gas filtered and stored under pressure then fed back into motor like LPG or CNG systems. I remember one current company that offers a complete wood gas genset system.

 

Here is a Mazda PU retrofitted with a gassifier (it does 50MPH). Video complete with high treble guitar music:

 

Here is a generator run on wood pellets. I want to build one of these to run my house when the power goes out here, and be 100% wood dependent. Gas generators are expensive to run and gas has to be bought and stored ahead of time, and gas goes bad over time (even with stabilizer). He built this based on a FEMA available design that he mentions in the video.

 

My wife's uncle talked about occupying Japan after the war and seeing civilians stopping and picking up debris and throwing it in trunk for gasifiers in cars.