How to make a gas generator for a house or car

For many homeowners, keeping their house warm during the winter and maintaining energy efficiency are top priorities. Discovering alternate heating options has grown in popularity due to rising energy prices and worries about the environment. Using gas generators, which can offer a dependable source of heat for both homes and automobiles, is one creative strategy. This post will explain how to build your own gas generator so you can power your car or efficiently heat your house.

There are various benefits that come with using a gas generator to heat and power your home. In contrast to conventional heating systems that depend on fossil fuels or electricity, gas generators can be more economical and ecologically friendly. You can build a gas generator that efficiently generates heat while having the least negative effect on the environment by using easily accessible materials and basic construction methods.

The process of turning a fuel source—such as wood chips or biomass—into combustible gas is one of a gas generator’s essential parts. After that, you can use this gas to power a burner to heat your house or vehicle. Pyrolysis is the process of heating the fuel without oxygen in order to break down the organic matter into its component gases. Then, heat can be produced by burning these gases, which are mainly hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and methane.

Although building your own gas generator may seem difficult, it can be a rewarding project if you have the right resources and advice. There are a variety of configurations and designs available, from easy do-it-yourself setups to intricate systems. You can select the design that best meets your needs and budget based on your available resources and requirements.

In this article, we"ll explore how to build a gas generator for your house or car. A gas generator is a device that converts various fuels into combustible gas, which can then be used for heating, powering vehicles, or generating electricity. By understanding the basic principles and components involved, you can create a cost-effective and efficient solution for your energy needs. We"ll cover the materials and steps required to construct a simple yet functional gas generator, along with safety precautions and tips for optimal performance. Whether you"re looking to reduce your reliance on traditional energy sources or simply want a backup option for emergencies, building a gas generator can provide a practical and sustainable solution for powering your home or vehicle.

How the gas generator works

It is first necessary to comprehend the workings of the gas generator in order to determine potential benefits for the household. After that, it will be feasible to project how much it will cost to make and, more crucially, what outcome will be achieved.

In order to extract a mixture of combustible gases from solid fuel for use in internal combustion engines, a pyrolysis gas generator is a collection of assemblies and units.

As a point of reference. Generator designs vary based on the kind of solid fuel they burn; we’ll focus on the most pertinent one here, which is firewood.

The combustion of wood in an enclosed space can result in the production of a mixture of combustible gases due to the restriction of oxygen supply. Here’s a rundown of them:

• carbon monoxide (carbon monoxide CO);
• hydrogen (H2);
• methane (CH4);
• Other unsaturated hydrocarbons (CnHm).

Notably, the mixture also includes oxygen, nitrogen, water vapor, and non-combustible ballast gases, such as carbon dioxide.

Not only should an efficient wood gas generator create a combustible mixture, but it should also be functional. Consequently, it is safe to refer to the entire cycle of obtaining fuel for internal combustion engines as a technological process made up of the following stages:

• gasification: the wood does not even burn, but smolders with an oxygen supply of 33-35% of the amount required for complete combustion;
• primary coarse purification: volatile particles of combustion products that wood gas generators produce after the first stage are separated by means of a dry vortex filter – cyclone;
• secondary coarse cleaning: it is performed in a scrubber – a purifier, where the fuel stream is passed through water;
• cooling: combustion products with temperatures up to 700 ºC are cooled in an air or water heat exchanger;
• fine cleaning;
• sending to the consumer: it can be pumped by a compressor into a distributor tank or fed into a mixer and then directly into the internal combustion engine.

The process diagram below illustrates the apparatus and working principle of the gas generator in its industrial form.

Because gas production involves multiple installations, the entire cycle is fairly complex. The most fundamental is the gas generator, which is a rectangular or cylindrical metal column with a tapering downward. The column features an access hatch to the ash pan and spigots for gas and air outflow. The chimney isn’t attached to the body; it’s just not there. The top of the unit has a cover for fuel loading. The internal combustion and pyrolysis process in the column accurately depicts the gas generator’s design:

We observe that a mixture of the previously mentioned gases is obtained at the column’s output, without delving into the specifics of the chemical reactions occurring inside. Its temperature is high and it is tainted with particles and combustion byproducts. It is evident from looking at the drawings of gas generators of all shapes and sizes that the purpose of the remaining machinery is to stabilize the gas. A draft or blowing machine, or simply a fan, forces air into the combustion zone.

It should be noted that a homemade gas generator built out of wood is created by unskilled craftsmen and has a fairly simple design, with a somewhat simplified gas extraction system that will be discussed later.

Myths about gas generating units

Contradictory information regarding the use of gas generators and numerous unfounded claims regarding the operation of such units can be found on the Internet. Attempting to debunk each of these myths.

The first myth goes something like this: a gas generator can reach 95% efficiency, which is significantly higher than a solid fuel boiler’s 60–70% efficiency. As a result, using it to heat the house is far more profitable. Information is false right from the start; a solid fuel boiler and a domestic gas generator serve distinct purposes and cannot be compared. The first’s job is to create flammable gas, and the second’s is to heat water.

When discussing generating equipment, efficiency is defined as the product of the volume of gas theoretically extractable from wood multiplied by 100% to determine the amount of product obtained. The ratio of wood heat energy produced to the theoretical heat of combustion, also multiplied by 100%, is known as boiler efficiency. Furthermore, not all biogas plants—let alone gas generators—can extract 95% of combustible fuel from organic matter.

In conclusion. The fundamental fallacy of the myth is their attempt—which is improper—to use efficiency to compare mass or volume with energy units.

The traditional pyrolysis boiler, which similarly releases combustible gases from wood and instantly burns them using the supply of secondary air in an additional combustion chamber, is a simpler and more effective method of heating the house.

Myth 2: Fuel of any moisture can be added to the hopper. You can load it, but the gas released will decrease by at least 10–25%. In this sense, a gas generator powered by charcoal—which is nearly moisture-free—is the best choice. Consequently, the process slows down, the furnace’s temperature drops, and the heat energy from the pyrolysis process is used to evaporate the water.

The third myth is that heating the building will cost less. It’s easy to verify this by comparing the price of a wood-fired gas generator with a traditional solid fuel boiler that you can also make yourself. Additionally, you require a water heater that burns wood fumes, like a convector. Ultimately, it will require a great deal of time and effort to operate this entire system.

In conclusion. The ideal application for a handcrafted, homemade wood gas generator is in conjunction with an internal combustion engine. Because of this, do-it-yourself artisans modify it to produce electricity at home or even mount the installation on a vehicle.

Automobile gas generator

It should be clear that a car’s gas generator needs to be sufficiently small, lightweight, and effective. Stainless steel is used to make the generator body, cyclone, and cooling filter by our foreign colleagues, whose salaries are not particularly higher than ours. This makes it possible to cut the metal’s thickness in half, making the device significantly lighter. In our reality, the gas generator is put together using pipes, fire extinguishers, old propane cylinders, and other homemade materials.

The following drawing, which depicts the gas generator fitted on vintage UralZIS-352 trucks, should be used as a guide when assembling the unit:

The outer container is typically made by our masters from liquefied propane cylinders, while the inner container can be made from a ZIL or KAMAZ truck receiver. The spigots are made of pipes with the proper diameter, and the grate is composed of thick metal. You can use sheet steel or the top of the cylinder that has been cut off to make the lid with clamps. Asbestos cord sealed with graphite impregnation.

An outdated fire extinguisher or a straightforward piece of pipe is used to construct the coarse filter/cyclone for the truck. A conical nozzle with an ash discharge socket is fabricated at the bottom of the pipe, and a tightly welded cap closes the top end. It has a cutout for the purified gas outlet pipe, and there is another socket on the side that will supply the combustion products. The figure displays the functional diagram of the cyclone in section:

The high-temperature gases produced by an automobile gas generator must be cooled. There are two causes:

• red-hot gaseous fuel has too low density and it will be difficult to ignite it in the cylinders of the internal combustion engine;
• There is a danger of spontaneous combustion in contact with hot surfaces of the motor.

The fan creates the necessary vacuum in the system after the engine is started, and it then turns off the fan, which moves gases along the entire path during ignition.

Craftsmen use standard ribbed heating radiators for cooling, positioning them on the vehicle so that airflow is maximized while the vehicle is moving. Modern bimetallic radiators are used occasionally as well. The fuel must be finely purified before it can be put into the gas generator engine; they use a variety of filters for this. The scheme is followed, combining all nodes into a single installation:

The mixer, which is required to control the gas-air mixture’s proportions, is the final detail. The point is that, in comparison to natural gas used in automobiles, wood gas has a calorific value of only 4.5 MJ/m3. As a result, different fuel and air ratios are required, and the damper will need to be adjusted.

Constructing a gas generator for your home or vehicle is a creative approach to conserve resources and cut energy expenses. Natural resources such as sawdust, wood chips, and agricultural waste can be used to make clean energy and a sustainable fuel source. This helps the environment by lowering carbon emissions and dependency on fossil fuels, in addition to your pocketbook.

The adaptability of a homemade gas generator is one of its main benefits. A gas generator offers flexibility in usage, whether your goal is to power your home during blackouts or find an alternate fuel source for your car. When built and designed correctly, it can offer a consistent source of energy for a range of uses, including cooking, heating, and electricity production.

Building a gas generator can also be a fulfilling do-it-yourself project that lets you tailor the setup to your unique requirements and available resources. There are many different configurations and designs to choose from, from basic setups ideal for novice builders to more intricate systems for seasoned constructors. Building a gas generator provides an opportunity to learn new skills and gain a deeper understanding of renewable energy technologies, regardless of your level of expertise.

But it’s imperative that you prioritize safety and proceed cautiously when working on construction projects. Adhering to appropriate safety protocols and guidelines is imperative when handling combustible materials and gases, as there are inherent risks involved. This include making sure there is enough ventilation, installing safety measures like pressure relief valves, and testing the generator thoroughly before using it.

To sum up, installing a gas generator in your home or vehicle can be a useful and environmentally responsible way to meet your energy needs. You can help create a cleaner, greener future by utilizing sustainable practices and renewable resource management to lessen your dependency on fossil fuels. You can develop a dependable and effective energy source that benefits the environment and you with careful planning, attention to safety, and a willingness to try new things.

Video on the topic

Gas generator for home | Gas generator as a variant of alternative power source

The tar is 10-50 times less than in the reversible, a new type of gas generator

Generator on a tree against fan power outages

FREE GAS | GAS GENERATOR

Gas generator – series 2 ( simple ) successful version – 2 (+ schematic)

Gas generator from two pieces of pipe