-What is Wood Gasification?

-How Can it Fortify Your Home

Energy Needs?
Unlocking the Stored -How Much Power Can You Make
From Free Wood Waste?
Solar Energy in Wood: -How Do You Use the Gas In An
Engine?

A Primer on Wood Gasification -What are the Benefits of This

Improved Design?

-How Can it be Used to Replace

Petroleum: The WWII Case Study

Includes:
Study Schematic
Tool List
Flow Chart
Resource Links
& more

Presented by:
WoodGasifierPlans.com Version 1.1
 What is Wood Gasification?
Wood Gasification is the process of using heat
to thermally shift solid matter into a gaseous
state, sort of like using heat to shift a solid ice
cube into a steamy vapor.

It’s a thermal chemical phase shifting process

that breaks down the structure of wood to re-
lease it’s most basic elements of hydrogen and
carbon, i.e. hydro carbons.

Very similar to what goes on in large scale re-

fineries, just done in a simpler way, on a much
smaller scale, without the mess and pollution.
And since the wood used is a waste source, it’s
both free and sustainable.

Wood Gasification is a very clean way to make

biogas in mere minutes. The wood is really just
a storage battery for solar energy. Wood gas
is a form of solar chemistry. The perfect com-
pliment to solar thermal and solar electric be-
cause you can tap into the energy day or night
and even during the winter.
Resources
Most notable it solves a big problem that pho-
Builder Resources tovoltaic panels don’t. How to fuel existing
WoodGasifierPlans.com/builder-
resources
engines that power much of our society without
petroleum.
FAQ
WoodGasifierPlans.com/faq

Videos
Youtube.com/user/VictoryGasworks Powering Your Home With
Books
Distilled Sunlight
WoodGasifierPlans.com/order
More and more people are waking up to the
need for personal power production as a hedge
against price inflation, storms, grid down sce-
narios and oil shocks.
A new generation of off grid home owners and
home steaders are using distilled wood gas to
fuel backup generators, tractors, power equip-
ment and heating barns and green houses too.

The wood is free and the peace of mind is price-

less. It’s not without some effort to dry and size
the wood for use, but it’s not any more effort
than you would use to dry and store hay.

Efficiency is still the most effective money spent

while you prepare to shift to renewable energy.
Because the wood can be turned into energy
at night, homesteaders can use smaller battery
banks for storage.

How Much Power

Can You Make?
Between 3 and 20 kilowatts/ hr are realistic
numbers. Each kilowatt hour requires about 2.5
pounds of dry wood.

The gas has some inert elements like nitrogen

and CO2, so the output is generally 50-60% of
the rated output on petroleum fuels, but since
the cost of a larger engine or generator is neg-
legible, many folks just size up their equipment a Quick Conversion
bit.
1 kwh = 2.5 lbs dry wood
A 10 kilowatt generator making 5 or 6 kw’s is
usually the perfect blend of power and efficiency. 1 mile driving = 2.25 lbs
To avoid lot’s of feed handling costs and expen-
sive automation, the machine is usually run in
batch runs of 2-6 hours depending on feedstock
capacity. A fill in the morning, solar during the
day and a fill at night are easy and cost effec-
tive. Trying to run 24/7 is impractical because of
engine oil changes and maintenance.
How do you use the World War II: A Case Study in
Petroleum Replacement
gas in an engine?
After WWI the countries of Europe embarked on
You pipe the gas into the engine in- the deployment of renewable fuels, fearing
take system and provide a smaller another war.
air inlet control valve to act as an
air-fuel mixer or carburetor. 20 years later much work had gone into evolving
earlier gasifier designs. Just in time to be rolled out
Simple systems operated on DC
power or used in tractors can be as as oil blockades made fuel a scarce commodity.
simple as a ball valve controlling
air flow at the right setting. Find the With the help of woodgas and producer gas made
sweet spot and make tiny changes from charcoal, over 1 million installations (mostly
to the valve position when needed. personal scale) fueled everything from trucks and
buses to factories and homes. It was the most suc-
For AC power and variable loads
a more dynamic air management cessful alternative to petroleum.
system is needed. These can be
crafted out of: Unfortunately the knowledge was lost as the gen-
- An O2 sensor erations following switched back to gasoline and
- Small micro-processor diesel. The keepers of the knowledge aged out.
- Servo
- Butterfly valve

For a detailed build of this nature

and a full engine conversion see
the book the Electronic Carburetor
Workshop at the end of this report.

Can you store

the gas?

Wood is the primary storage me-

dium. You can store the gas in
bags, experts can compress it into
cylinders and batteries are a way to
store the electricity.
Benefits of an Advanced Not all gas
DIY Wood Gasifier is created equal
Resurrecting and expanding on the early WWII It’s very easy to turn wood into gas.
gasifiers has been the passion of Author Fill a garbage can with dry wood
Ben Peterson. In his new book the Wood Gasifier and place it over a hot fire and
soon flammable gases and oils will
Builder’s Bible, he shares a step by step process
start escaping.
to build an advanced, tar cracking wood gasifier
featuring: But to make good engine gas, you
need to fully shift the oils to gas or
- Simple automation for hands free control they will burn and make tar which
- Superior grate system for maximum flow can seize up an intake valve. Not
an issue if you are just making heat
- Aggressive heat recycling and air preheating for
though.
greater efficiency and smoother operation
- High intensity jets and quick change hearth Many other homemade gasifier de-
and much more... signs make some tar and try to filter
it out. This can work OK for a while,
but eventually your valves will get
coated, needing major mainte-
nance with some acetone and an
old tooth brush.

Do it the right way!

Crack those oils
This design does an excellent job
of cracking oils and tars to make
fully distilled gas.

You’ll notice the difference.Your

engine will be happier too.
 Build Photos
Using Mostly Common Parts

Check out the schematics and

flow charts on the following
pages.

Ready to learn more? We have a 7

part video series called the Wood Gas
Crash Course available on our Youtube
channel. Definitely check it out. 45 min-
utes of valuable insight and behind the
scenes footage.

Youtube.com/user/VictoryGasworks
Layout: Front http://WoodGasifierPlans.com
Condensate collection tank

Cooling radiator
Automation box

Gas to filter
Gas exit to
engine

Gas to cooler
Blower

Spring lid Gas exit line

Heat recycle
Filter lid

Skid

Skid foot Skid foot

Spring lid
Lid hinge

Filter lid

Lid latch Gas exit line

Cooling
radiator

Condensate
collection shell Filter foam

Condensate
drain

Filter candle
Heat recycle
exit
Insulation

Pyrolysis
Accelerator

Heat recycle
intake
Cap
Air Jacket

Jets Jets
Ignitor port
Choke plate
Air
preheater
tube
Reduction
tube
Insulation

Grate
Filter housing
Air intake
Automation box Ash Cleanout
Ash Cleanout Gas exit

Ash Cleanout

Skid foot Skid foot

Grate motor
Layout: Back http://WoodGasifierPlans.com
Skid foot Skid foot

Skid

Filter lid
Heat recycle
Gas exit line Spring lid

Blower

Gas to cooler
Gas to filter

Gas exit to
engine
Automation box

Cooling radiator

Condensate collection tank

Spring lid
Lid hinge

Filter lid
Lid latch
Gas exit line

Filter housing Cooling radiator

Reactor housing
Condensate
drain

Soot cleanout

Cap

Ignitor port
Blower
Gas to filter

Condensate collection tube

Condensate collection tank
Valve

Drain

Gas exit to Automation box

engine

Ash Cleanout
Filter riser Reactor riser

Skid

Skid foot Skid foot

Grate motor
 Flow Chart

http://WoodGasifierPlans.com
Terminology Basic Chemistry to Understand:
#1 The high temperature chemistry at work inside a
Woodgas-Combustible gases gasifier requires charcoal. In a wood gasifier the wood
made from wood. is turned into charcoal and the wood oils and light
steam are broken down molecularly over the charcoals
Bio-hydrogen- Another name for surface. Nothing happens without charcoal, remember
woodgas that highlights it’s hydro- that. The heat from the small oxidation zone (burning)
gen rich composition. and the recycled heat from the pyrolysis accelerator
speed the production of charcoal. An empty gasifier
Wood Gasifier- The device re- must be primed with small chunks of charcoal that fill
sponsible for phase shifting solid
it from the grate to about 8” above the jets. After that,
wood into a gaseous state.
the process is self replenishing.
Solar Fuel Distillery- Another
name for a wood gasifier that #2 Combustion requires FUEL, AIR & SPARK.When
highlights the stored solar energy we are making gas from wood, we don’t want to burn
in wood and the process of thermal up the gas, so we severely limit the intake of oxygen,
distillation a gasifier employs to preventing combustion, thus allowing gas to be formed
make gas. and not burned up.

Pyrolysis- A low temperature (400 #3 Homogenous phase shifting solids into gases re-
C) reaction that releases oils and quires 3 things: Temperature, Turbulence & Time.
gases from wood, leaving carbon.
(charcoal)
Temperatures need to be high enough to break down
Gasification- A term that describes
the oils and steam.1000 C minimum.
the general process of heating sol-
ids in an oxygen starved environ- Turbulence means that the air molecules coming
ment to temperatures in excess of through the jets are evenly distributed on the surface
1000 C to make a complete shift of of the charcoal, making it incandescent. This is a ma-
all solids (except minerals, i.e. ash) jor contributor to the temperature release.
into a gaseous fuel.
Time is the (residence) time that the wood oils and
Reactor- The core thermal heating water vapor are in this hot zone. They need to spend
portion of the wood gasifier that is enough time to be broken down completely or they will
responsible for creating the high produce burned oil called tars.
temperature, low oxygen environ-
ment needed for conversion.
Dangers:
Reduction- The portion of the
gasification process where water The gas contains carbon monoxide. Don’t breathe it.
and CO2 are split into hydrogen Don’t pump it into your house. It’s natural but it’s not
and burnable single oxide carbon natural gas. There is no smell added.
gases. This is an endothermic (heat
consuming) reaction affecting mo-
lecular chemistry to make fuel.
The gas is flammable. Keep sparks away!

Surfaces get hot, wear gloves.

Start-up sequence Terminology
1) Inspect system seals- No air leaks.
Hearth- The specific area of the re-
2) Check valve positions- Set to flare. actor where the air jets and choke
plate (gas volume sizing hole)
3) Inspect air inlet (swing check valve) operation- Oils reside. This is the high tempera-
can cause it to stick. ture zone where partial oxidation
releases heat to power the conver-
4) Inspect char level- If it’s low, fill it to 8” above jets. sion process.

Blower Motor- The electric fan

5) Lightly tamp char bed- Ensure no hollow spaces
used to produce the high suction
between char. (or pressure) needed to pull air into
the hearth to produce gas.
6) Fill with feedstock- Use properly sized and dried
wood. Monorator hopper- A feedstock
(wood) holding bin that creates
7) Ignite char- Use flame or electric glow plug-30 sec- a cooling convection current that
onds, then remove. pulls moisture away from the wood
and condenses it as a liquid to be
8) Turn on blower- This introduces the draft. Wait 4-8 removed. The heat rising from the
minutes, then ignite flare. (if desired) center drives off the moisture and
the cooler outer shell liquifies the
water like dew on a window.
9) Choke engine.
Tar- Unrefined wood oils are
10) Turn off blower. burned and turn into a creosote
called tar. This tar can foul engine
11) Open valve to engine, close flare valve. Gas is valves. Its important to fully convert
pushed to engine. the oils to gas to avoid this using
high temperatures and adequate
12) Key start engine, release choke. residence time in the combustion
zone.

Start-up time- The time it takes to

get the gasifier lit and into gas pro-
duction stage. Usually 5 minutes to
flarable gas and 10-12 minutes for
Shut down sequence engine quality gas.

1) Switch gas flow from engine back to flare. This will

starve the engine and evacuate gas from the lines. En-
gine shuts off. Turn key to off position.
Facebook.com/WoodGasifierPlans
2) Turn off gasifier automation. For a short time the
residual heat will cause wood to turn into gas, it vents
through the flare. Restart within 30 minutes if desired.
Most Frequently Asked:
What engine do you recommend?
20 kw natural gas engine with 4 cylinders bought used with low hours on ebay
would be a good start.

Do you sell finished machines?

No we don’t.

Do you offer tech support?

No, visit http://www.woodgasifierplans.com/builder-resources/ for tutorials and
book updates

Do you do private consulting?

No we don’t.

Should I use a diesel engine?

No, use a spark ignited engine 1-5 liters.

Can I use pellets, coal, grass, tires, etc.?

NO, use dry wood chunks.

Other questions?
We probably answered them in our FAQ section.
http://www.woodgasifierplans.com/faq/
Tool list
Good
Crescent wrench
Hammer
Screw drivers
Allen wrenches
Tape measure
Black marker
5” angle grinder
5” cut off blades
Dust mask
Safety glasses
Gloves
Mig welder .035 weld wire, solid core
Welding hood, #10 lense
Drill Skills
Hole saw blades 1”, 1.5”, 2”, 3.5” Basic welding
3/8” drill bit Basic grinding/drilling
Caulking gun Basic hand tools
Basic cutting
Hardwood scrap 2” x 6” x 1” Basic painting
Scrap pipe lengths for blacksmithing Basic 12 volt wiring
Wire stripper/cutter Basic metal forming
Wire crimpers Basic machining - Optional
Table saw- to cut wood

Better General Budget Guidelines

Plasma torch or oxy-acetylene torch Basic materials, hand cut parts, self welded
Air compressor $1500

Basic materials, laser cut parts, self welded

Best $2500
Roller
Bender Basic materials, laser cut parts, hired welding
$3800
Supreme Turn-key gas production, done for you build
CNC plasma torch table $5800-$6500 in mild steel.
 Learn How to Build a Reliable, Powerful Wood Gas Distillery.
Start Harnessing the Stored Sunlight in Wood Any Time of Year
+ Convert Your Engine With Simple Automation

A step-by-step
construction manual

Learn how to build an

advanced wood gasifier
with local parts
on a DIY budget.

A step-by-step
construction manual

Learn how to convert an

engine to run on biogas.

Then learn how to build a

simple computer
controlled carburetor.
http://WoodGasifierPlans.com
 Early Book Reviews
Now Shipping!

I see a design that is thermal-chemically very balanced and adaptable for

the widest range of engine usages. Home generators, tractor saddle mounted

Thanks for reading

and mid sized power equipment (think sawmill). It is designed to be built in
a home garage shop. He gives you a three level tool list and his own proven
supplier sources by NAME.
I am now buying extra copies to gift to all of my true off-grid and solar friends
to fill promises I made years ago. That day has finally come thanks to Ben’s
gift of knowledge and experience in this DIY book system. Thank you for this
gift Ben. And to any one reading this… BUY THIS BOOK!

Washington State Steve Unruh

Woodgas contributor to: Drive On Wood, MicroCogen, the old Victory community site, Lister Engine
Group, and GEK Owners forum.

This is an amazingly valuable book. Ben has boiled down his many years of R&D into a very
well written book that makes it clear how anyone can make a wood
gasifier. Thank you Ben!

Gaelan Brown
Author of the Compost Powered Water Heater
http://compostpower.org

I have to say it is an honor and a privilege to able to review Ben’s plans… This is a
straightforward approach with zero guess work to building a high quality gasifier
from what I can see. Not only that but the advanced features and build techniques
are the stuff we manufactures are using today. These types of systems are a must
and Ben lays all this out for you…
Cheers!

Matt Ryder
CEO Vulcan Gasifier LLC
http://www.vulcangasifier.com/

This is the book I’ve been waiting for…There is no one I trust more than Ben for this information.
Thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed manual. My hats off!”

David P.
Track Engineer, BN Santa Fe

Hey Ben I was running the generator today and admiring the electronic carburetor. It
was really just ingenious how you set up the whole system… You truly have some-
thing special here, I pray others can benefit from your dedication to this underrated
technology!

Godbless sir –
David, Victory Owner

Well done on the book bro! The design is so advanced and yet so simple.
You literally spelled out every step.

Issac S.
Underwater welder, Gulf coast

http://WoodGasifierPlans.com