Harnessing Gasification

Funny, gasification has been a technology around for a long time but hasn't gained much traction except with the fringe technology nutters.

Seems to be a simple way to get to mechanical power without going thru the steam cycle for external combustion. Not sure that the efficiency is as good as using the steam cycle.

Some simple calcs suggest that you will go thru a LOT of woody fuel to generate much power. This fuel needs to be prepped by chopping it up into a certain size that the gasifier needs, using power. And the fuel should be dried for best results, maybe using the sun or more power.

It seems to me unless you are in a jurisdiction that goes nuts with the amount of people you need around steam boilers to tend them, gasification is a dead end. For example, in BC, Canada, you need herds of steam engineers 24/7 manning a steam plant and maybe a few extra to help with the card games in the control room. Commercial size gasification and hot oil systems have made some headway against live steam under this goofy set of rules.

In a 3rd world country, light a fire under an old-style boiler and hook it to a reciprocating steam engine that runs a generator. Its a heck of a lot easier to fix than gasifier components.

Jon.