Compressing wood gas into propane tanks

[BitNybbler]

Please learn more about compressed gas safety and the content of your wood gas.
It would be terrible if you were hurt in an explosion.

Air or oxygen in your pressure tanks can react explosively with your gas if above the L.E.L (lower explosive level) or below the U.E.L (upper explosive level) mix ratios.

A major component of your wood gas is carbon monoxide which will yield hydrogen from the water shift chemical reaction if enough water is in contact with the CO gas.

Carbon monoxide will "soot out" if you try to store it at high pressure, that is reduce to CO2 and carbon dust in the pressure tank.

You can compress the hydrogen (and methane if any) at very high pressures but you will need a special compressor and tanks that are safe to 3, 000 psi or more.

Do not expect it to be liquified with affordable equipment.

It will require substantial energy for the compression process.

Wood gas can contain a number of compounds that might be converted to useful products using processes similar to those used in the petroleum industry.

Best wishes,
Mike (prepper and retired engineer in West Tennessee)

[foxtrot]

Here in central Iowa propane prices just jumped to $5/gallon.  Normally in summer cheaper gas refill is about $1.31/gallon minimum purchase 300 gallons cost about $393 last year  A minimum delivery of 300 gallons at $2.29/gal was $627 two weeks ago now at $5/gal it is $1500 give or take

 This really looks like a viable alternative. One could run an electric power generator with backup batteries to run the house, and the gas furnace. Fairly easy to change over from propane, a heavy gas, to natural, a light gas,  pressures and orifices.  

Keep up the good work!  We're ALL in this together...

[ormonddude]

I honestly feel this is could be great use for storm clean ups being as much as 80% of debris from homes after a disaster is wood - If several LARGE trucks or a convoy could be brought in to process all storm wastes lets say like after Katrina and immediately start bottling the gas and tar I know it would save millions on cleanups and also be better for the environment compared to landfills. Why nobody is aggressively studying this potential is something I don't understand. Unless its simply the Oil Lobbyists keeping it unsupported

[AJTarnas]

Now you need to get that compressor and a chainsaw running on woodgas -- you'll have a closed loop.

[yellowdog]

All the negative comments aside...there is no reason we can't make reasonably productive and safe gasifiers...that are stationary and drive our cars just as if we had done a propane conversion. Run the compressor from an elec. generator running on the stuff. It is safer and one can spend slow weeks/months to build up a nice supply of home made propane (for lack of a better term) and not be so noticable for that time when the cops come around wanting to charge you mileage for not paying gasoline tax. Most states are working up the laws now. Most of all, we can take junk wood and do this. So you negative Nelly's can just yell safety all you like but one step at a time - this kind of this will become the future or we are sunk. For electricity is overprices - just like any energy. We shade tree mechanics will be very useful people....very soon!

[richardkicklighter]

God bless you too! Great demonstration. A potential consideration, might be a flash back suppressor like on a cutting torch. Couple of questions: You were powering the HF compressor with electricity. If the compressor was converted to wood gas to eleminate electrical cost, do you believe there would reasonable net gain?...at a lower rate, since you are consuming product as you are creating it?  Assuming you were working for a "gas company" making somewhere around $30/ hr what would you guess the cost of the useable gas would compare to propane purchased at a retail propane co? (we buy it bulk in the summer months for approx $1.50/gal up to $1.80) ...I realize that is not really a fair question, but I am curious as to the extended effort to convert wood to gas, is it competetive? Also, don't let negative comments from keyboard wannabees bother you, keep progressing with your research, Thanks again for sharing.

[jessenen]

to ease your worriesi might add in that hydrogen embrittlement happens when metal is able to absorb hydrogen (this happens at about 900 celcius) and then once it is cool it cannot absorb the hydrogen, thus the trapped hydrogen inside embrittles it. however since the tank is not up at those temperatures it could never absorb the hydrogen to embrittle it, thus this is not an issue.

the CO in that gas wont be stored thouhg, it will react with the methane

greetings from a swedish engineer.

[jimbentley]

kick ass. that thing will pay for its self in no time. A tank right now is about 20 bucks to refill and you can use it to power your stove top in your kitchen or grill outside.  Even heat with it I bet.

[GeorgiaJunkman]

I wonder if capturing the syngas in a intermediate storage container (air-mattress) and then compressing into tank would be a good route. I would imagine could better control the amount of air being introduced if you knew you were pumping straight syngas.

[SpencerLAPower]

I'm working on modifying a CMG system to work on a car or truck if you had a 500 gal LPG tank would work not sure how many miles you could get.

[chappy]

Great set-up.  Is there not a danger of the gas "dieseling" /ingiting in the compressor?  There is some oxygen in the gas coming out of the gasifier or no?  Subscribed.

[MrWoowootila]

Just wondering if it would be safer run a vacuum pump in the compress tank and propane tank to remove any oxygen in the tanks, making the wood gas less volatile.  Any inputs?

[ConfedVet]

Been looking for this "How To" everywhere! THX, SFC US Army Retired Iraq Vet. HOOAH!!

[michaelsilberstein]

very cool your the first one I have seen doing this.. great way to traspot or hold onto the gasses.

[hardtek]

Great setup! It seems like all I see are vehicle with gasifiers built onto them, but with a way to compress the biogas the applications would be endless. Your generator is great, I love the condenser setup. I imagine that cleans the gas up nicely, pretty tar free?

[SpencerLAPower]

A 6.5 HP motor for .5 hr @ 100 Psi 1 hr @ 200 Psi a motor uses a lot of gas. If you use a CNG tank @ 4000 Psi will give you 20 Hrs

[xxxunrealisticproductionsx]

I hope you do liquify the methane in the wood gas it has a boiling point of -164 Celsius so you would have to pressurize it alot to turn it to liquid or cool it alot at 257 psi propane is a liquid up to 130 Degrees Fahrenheit  an it has a boiling point of -42 Degrees Celsius 

[jennifercharlton-dennis]

Pretty damn cool sir!! Wish your shop was closer!

[MrDeepseapt]

Get yourself a HASKEL Pump. A basic model wiIl compress the gas to 3000 psi, and it runs off of a compressor.

[matthewfischer]

how long does a 5 gallon tank of wood gas run your generator compared to 5 gallons of propane?