Produces Gas For Motor Vehicles

Northern Advocate, 22 April 1939, Page 6 (Supplement)

Produces Gas For Motor Vehicles

The possibility of using producer gas from' charcoal to operate motor vehicles in war-time emergency has been widely canvassed in the press and elsewhere in recent weeks in Australia. and the subject is now to be officially investigated. It is recognised that one of the most vulnerable points of Australia's and New Zealand's defence js the cutting-off of their petrol supplies in time of war. The Federal Ministry has asked the Commonwealth Fuel Advisory Board to conduct the investigation. Members of the Ministry envisage the possibility of equipping with producer gas plants many vehicles, such as large army lorries making short journeys, and employed on secondary services. The use of producer gas might also be adapted to enable private and commercial vehicles to be operated. An effective method of employing producer gas in this way would greatly reduce the demand on the available supplies of petrol, which would be needed for aircraft, high-speed motor vehicles, and other units.

Adaption to Cars

Since the Great War. European countries which have reason to fear a petrol shortage in war have been experimenting with producer gas, hoping to develop a design of apparatus which can be applied quickly and cheaply to motor-cars. The object aimed at is to burn charcoal in a small furnace so that carbon monoxide gas is drawn from it. When this is mixed with hydrogen. combustible gas is obtained