Can We Use Wood to Beat the Gasoline Shortage?
Hardwood chips are now driving the first solid-fuel trucks to appear on American Highways.
May/June 1974
Reprinted Courtesy Popular Science Monthly, from an article January 1944
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Top: Herman Reese adds wood to hopper of first truck he converted. Middle: Before it enters the engine of a vehicle, producer gas is mixed with air by the perforated valve on the pipe. Bottom: Chunks of charcoal-like ash are removed from the generator daily.
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Hardwood chips are now driving the first solid-fuel trucks to appear on American Highways. The standard gasoline motors of these trucks have been converted to the use of producer gas, a mixture composed of hydrogen, methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and various tar gases. Pictured here is an experimental conversion made by the Rheingold Brewery of New York City, and believed to be among the first efforts in this country to adapt producer gas for use in commercial vehicles.
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Under ordinary driving conditions, wood is added to the gas producer every 50 to 60 miles. Hardwood, cut into chips less than 4" in length to prevent arching or pocketing in the generator, is used in preference to softwood such as pine because it leaves fewer tars and gummy residues. Even so, the cooling tanks and filters on the vehicle must be cleaned every 900 miles, and motor overhauls are in order every 5,000 to 8,000 miles.
Technical studies indicate that about 1.76 lb. of wood are required per horsepower hour. Gas producers fueled by coal or coke are more efficient, but they are much larger and more complicated. With wood, if no major changes are made in converting the engine, the maximum horsepower is about 70 percent of that on gasoline, provided that the spark is advanced and the fire is properly managed. But if the compression ratio of the motor is increased (producer gas knocks less readily than gasoline), horsepower can be pushed up to 85 or 90 percent of the gasoline rating. In general, tests show that substantially more gear-shifting is needed with producer gas.
When a cold start is to be made, wood is added from the top of the hopper and an electric fan is attached to the gas offtake pipe so as to suck a current of air through the producer. Ten minutes after the wood is lighted, the generator manufactures enough gas to run the truck. Starting the engine on gasoline will create sufficient suction to build up the fire, but this takes much longer.
