Using Wood to Fuel a Generator! (How to Build a Wood Gasifier w/Demonstration)

I made this gasifier a couple of years ago now as a second attempt at the technology. My first attempt had a few bugs. The blower wasn't able to move enough air, the unit was over-sized for the amount of gas produced, and the gas wasn't cool enough upon exiting the gasifier, resulting in an unsatisfactory amount of condensate getting to the engine.

So in this video, I show you how I built my new and improved homemade gasifier out of parts I could find for little to no cost. I use mine occasionally for generating electricity when the need arises.

With this second machine I have been able to reduce the unit size and use what I learned to make the process more efficient. I also chose to stay away from media type filters with this design to practically eliminate maintenance aside from emptying the accumulated liquids in the collection jar.

Gasification for use in producing energy has been around for longer than some might realize. Back in the 1800's, coal was gasified for the production of town gas used for lighting, heating, and cooking. More recently, in WW2, gasifiers were not an uncommon sight to see attached to the backs of cars, trucks, and tractors as a result of the fuel shortages. The technology was soon forgotten because of the inherent convenience of liquid fossil fuels once it was more readily available.

The versatility of gasifiers still remain however. Many preparedness minded people are still drawn to them because of the potential for sustainability in a world where fuel might not be as easy to get.

I hope you find some interest in this video. I enjoyed building this and I hope you enjoyed seeing it at well. If you'd like more information on this project and gasifiers in general, here is a link to my Instructable page where I cover this in more detail:

Thank you so much for watching! If you liked this project and would like to others like it, then a "like" would be greatly appreciated, and don't forget to subscribe!

Thank you!
-Tate

[williamhad]

Thank you for not being a typical youtuber who shows their face and talks into the camera and wastes my time. This is efficient and useful. You are good at explaining things.

[mooseknuckle]

Buddy you have done a better job explaining this process than 99% of the people that try.

[downtherabbithole]

I live in the PNW (Evergreen Tree Country), with this fantastic information, I kind of feel like when I build my version, I'll have forever power. That is simply amazing! Those old timers had the right idea.

[MyFirstYoutubeHandle]

I just watched a man turn wood into gas using trash. Youtube is great

[Literaturenjoyerman]

A whole new meaning to the phrase “running on fumes”

[carflipz]

I've never been so inspired in my life to get my shop cleaned out and start building things again.

You explained things in a way that made perfect sense and makes this seem very easy and not just early adopter technology for the world's elitists or the wealthy

[TheDoItYourselfWorld]

This is one of the simplest and best demonstrations I have seen to date. Thanks.

[RaviAluganti]

Good to see old forgotten technology being revived!

[wesborg]

I swear, gasification is a fascinating technology. I'd love to build a gasifier capable of powering a generator that could be used to power a house as a backup source of power. Awesome video!

[nissimhadar]

You learn something everyday!!!
This is a beautiful convergence of two very different technologies - your gasifier and the Internet that makes your knowledge available!

Thank you and fantastic explanation!

[VoxxRocks]

You've taken a complex concept and dumbed it down so it's understandable.

I now understand the various parts and their functions and see the flow.

Awesome job! Thanks for putting this all together for us!

[mitch_smith]

Having built a hand full of these, much smaller, you've given the best explanation I've ever heard on how they work, b/c, I honestly didn't understand it. Until now. And i've used them.

[globyois]

No, this wasn’t interesting, it was ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING! GREAT JOB, BROTHER.
I would appreciate it if you had plans available for your design. I’m not in the least mechanically inclined but if I had such plans written out in a semi-schematic diagram I think I could build it.
Great job on the video as well, you were very concise and to the point, with excellent camera work and explanations to accompany it.
Thanks so much.

[calebrodriguez]

You have a gift for being straightforward and move along at a good pace. Please keep making the videos as well as giving us updates. Revisit topics and just keep pumping stuff out. We'll let you know haha. Thank you. I've been into gassifiers for about 10 years now but haven't had the stones to actually try it out yet.

[TnmExplosives]

This is absolutely incredible. I never would have thought that a relatively simple process would be able to power a IC Engine. Using an entirely renewable and sustainable source (wood), you could power something so complex.

[BlazinMonk]

As a guy who's been in a big city all my life, this was really eye opening.

[nhhbbyloggr]

Good job putting this video together. I have been running one of these as a primary power source when we lose the electric grid. The wood gas runs an engine, turns an alternator which charges a

12 VDC battery bank, a 3000 watt inverter converts the DC to 110 VAC. Great fun and a worthwhile endeavor.

[basilw]

I am very impressed by your ability to 'build from what you got'! I've been looking at gasifiers for several years and I really like your design. Between this and your 'Bug Out' vehicle it seems that you may be anticipating something in our future.. I can't wait to see what you post next!

[joemacdonald]

I've been trying to do this myself and, from all of the online guides and such, yours is the easiest to understand and follow. Thank you, good sir!

[jasblick]

I've built several wood gasification systems. The last one was of my own design. I had the blower going to a welded black steel manifold. From there the air was fed from the manifold to equidistantly placed jets that fed the burn pot. Below that restriction area was my shaker grate. Mad from a stainless steel colander. The extracted gas went through a three stage filter/cooling system. First the cyclonic vessel to remove heavy particulate. The second being a water exchange vessel to cool tars and extract them. The vapor was sent to a military grade 2 football 2 foot air drop box filled with with dry pine needles to capture any excess moisture, finalize cooling and extract any leftover tars. The flame was a 12 foot long clear flame that immediately ignited a 2x4 when placed in the flame path. It ran for several hours with roughly 10 to 15 pounds of wood pellets in the hopper. When checked at the end of my first run all that was left in the shaker basket was carbon dust and a small amount of biochar. I also built the fema gasifier but was not immediately impressed with it as it produced a much dirtier gas. I'm currently preparing to build my next generation gasifier and love videos from other people who dabble in gasification. Thank you for the video and God bless. Please keep em coming. Now that I'm healing from a recent full lumbar fusion I'll start posting my progress on the latest iteration of the unit I'm building