[Gasification] a proposed mobile gasifer concept

[Bob Stuart]

On 19-Nov-07, at 5:13 PM, Daniel Chisholm wrote:

> On Mon, 2007-19-11 at 16:16 -0600, Bob Stuart wrote:
>> It sounds fine to me.  Maybe the occasional flares can be a point of
>> celebration, like loud pipes.
>
> You are _such_ a redneck!  Now I am really miffed - why didn't _I_  
> think
> of that???!? ;-)

He he.  What could seem more American than a big, chrome plated  
flamethrower that synchronizes with the jake brake?
>
> The biggest problem with wood pellets is that they are so desirable,
> that their price is so high as to be nearly uncompetitive.  Where I  
> live
> (a forestry province!) wood pellets sell for $225-$250 per tonne,  
> which
> $12-$13/MMbtu.  This is not a whole lot cheaper than fuel oil(!!).

Unless pellets are not a good choice of format, wouldn't any refined  
solid fuel wind up about the same?  How does the BTU per dollar for  
sacks of pellets compare to sacks of charcoal?  Is either one such a  
small niche market as to not have invited price competition and  
efficiency already?  I figure that anybody who can sell a pallet of  
goods to Wal-Mart three years in a row runs a pretty lean operation.

Best,
Bob Stuart