SUBSTITUTE FOR PETROL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 16, 30 December 1932, Page 9

SUBSTITUTE FOR PETROL

A BOON FOR WOODED COUNTRIES NEW PLANT FOR CHARCOAL. London, Nov, 17. To run a 30cwt. lorry 100 miles on seven gallons of petrol at 3/- a gallon costs £1 1/-. To run the same lorry 100 miles on petrol at 2/- a gallon costs 14/-, Charcoal may cost about £3 a ton, and the gas from 721 b. of charcoal will run a 30cwt. lorry 100 miles, the cost of the charcoal being 1/11. If one could obtain charcoal at £2 a ton the same distance would be covered for 1/3J instead of 14/- with petrol. Experiments on these lines have been carried out for some years, but the clumsiness of the plant has been the chief drawback. Now however, a plant has been invented which makes charcoal fuel possible. It needs little imagination to realise the possibilities of this cheap fuel for lorries and tractors in those parts of the Empire where rough timber is going to waste. The ancient industry of charcoal burning will doubtless be revived. When any person or firm has something good to tell Hie world or any invention to put before the public it is the custom in London for such firms to invite representatives of the Press to a luncheon and there impart the information, The Producer Gas Plant Company followed this custom, and the news they had to impart assuredly ■merits the publicity they sought, for farmers and others in all parts of the Empire should derive from the new invention a benefit, the importance of which far outshines the enrichment of the few people who are manufacturing this article.

WOOD SUPPLIES IMPORTANT. It was pointed out that petrol is nearly always dearest where there is no network of railways and where cheap power is most needed. Happily, in these particular places Nature offers something which, at extremely low cost, can be adapted for use as a thoroughly efficient but infinitely less expensive substitute. Wherever there are plentiful supplies of wood there cheap power is available. Where opportunity offers charcoal is most conveniently manufactured in these modern portable retorts which give the highest possible yield at the lowest expense; failing that, the older method of “charring'’ in heaps can be adopted. Whilst it is better to use charcoal made from hard woods, nearly any kind of timber will give satisfactory results. Actually waste wood, twigs, branches, can be utilised if other supplies are not available. Charcoal does not evaporate, and every pound used is translated into power. It is only necessary to ensure that the charcoal is clean, free from stones, and screened from dust and dirt. THE PLANT. When the overseas representatives of the Press had lunched at Victoria Hotel they were taken outside into Northumberland avenue, where there was a three-hundredweight lorry fitted with the new portable gas generating plant, and any who wished were driven through the London streets. The gen. eral verdict was that the lorry ran just as well as if driven by petrol. This is what was visible to the eye: On the left running board beside the driver’s seat was mounted a furnace npt unlike a bath geyser. It is technically described as a cylindrical hopper or fuel container. The special features of this are the refractory lining which has high heat-resisting qualities and a grate made of modern heat-resisting non-corrosive steel.

On the running board on the right side is the cleaner, which consists of a welded box containing a scientific-ally-arranged system of baffling. Gastight doors are provided to enable dust to be easily removed after working.

METHOD OF WORKING. Briefly, the method of working is to start a small fire in the generator with dry charcoal, and liven it up with a fan that is provided. The hopper is then filled from the top and the lid screwed down. An air inlet valve is then opened and the fan operated unti) gas issues from the air valve, when the engine can be started. An arrangement for supplying a few drops of water per minute is also brought into operation. The gas from the hopper passes in a tube to the other side of the car and through the cleaner, then to the patented high-compression cylinder heads. Any make of petrol engine may be used, and the only interference with the engine is the fitting on of these cylinder heads. Starting up on gas takes a maximum of twelve minutes, but this time can be shortened by starting the engine on petrol and switching over to gas when ready. With one filling of the hopper it is possible to travel 100 miles. When the engine is stopped the draught ceases, and though the generation of gas is temporarily lulled the charcoal continues to burn. THE PRICE. Plants may be fitted to lorries, farm tractors, boats, light locomotives, rail cars, and stationary engines. So far, the invention. has not been developed sufficiently to make a neat job of a private car, but the inventor is working on this. The plant costs frqm £7O to £llO, according to size, and it is estimated that there is a minimum saving of fuel of 75 per cent, or equivalent to the use of petrol at 3d per gallon. The cost of the plant is quoted on a f.o.b. basis. To this has to be added the freight and aobut £3 for fitting the plant to the vehicle which any competent tradesman could do in a few hours. The question of spare parts does not arise, as it is maintained that the plant in its entiretv will outlast the life of any make of motor vehicle. The weight of the plant suitable for engines up to 25 horse-power is 2cwt.. 3qr. 121 b., and for engines up to 40 horse-power 3cwt. 3qr. 101 b. It may be mentioned that the company is also supplying portable retorts for the manufacture of charcoal. In Great Britain and in countries where charcoal is not generally available the fuel used in the same hoppers will be coke