[Gasification] Charcoal Gasifier No 2.

[Ken Calvert]

I would agree with the recent comments that no small producer will ever make 
money out of generating electricity out of biomass unless there is some 
measure of Govt. subsidy.  I think the figures for the big boys are along 
the lines of  33% of retail cost for generation, 33% for reticulation and 
maintaining the lines, and 33% for  Office, Overheads, R&D and Profit.   So, 
all that we can expect is 30% of the retail price for anything we can do. 
Nevertheless, there are many regional agencies who are prepared to pay a lot 
more than that, especially for small Hydroelectric and solar sources which 
have a much better reliability factor than biomass.
    However, the suggestion of farmers turning their wood wastes into 
charcoal and at the same time doing something with the volatiles that come 
off the charcoal making process has some good points. First you will have to 
condense them, because they will have a very high water content. That will 
bring out a whole host of water soluble chemicals that in time the world 
will be clamering for as petroleum prices continue to rise.  Then some of 
the charcoal from the previous batch can be used as an incandesant filter 
system to crack the remaining  gases by bleeding in a little extra air, and 
you have good clean producer gas, at some effort.
    However, if one used pressure swing oxygen at this point then you are 
into synthesis gas and the world is your oyster.  To do that economically 
however, would take a very big Farm!   Have fun. Ken C.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kevin Chisholm" <kchisholm at ca.inter.net>
To: "Discussion of biomass pyrolysis and gasification" 
<gasification at listserv.repp.org>