Producer gas

Producer gas is fuel gas that is manufactured by blowing through a coke or coal fire with air and steam simultaneously. It mainly consists of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), as well as substantial amounts of nitrogen (N2). The caloric value of the producer gas is low (mainly because of its high nitrogen content), and the technology is obsolete. Improvements over producer gas, also obsolete, include water gas where the solid fuel is treated intermittently with air and steam and, far more efficiently synthesis gas where the solid fuel is replaced with methane. In the USA, producer gas may also be referred to by other names based on the fuel used for production such as wood gas. Producer gas may also be referred to as suction gas. The term suction refers to the way the air was drawn into the gas generator by an internal combustion engine. Wood gas is produced in a gasifier Producer gas is generally made from coke, or other carbonaceous material such as anthracite. Air is passed over the red-hot carbonaceous fuel and carbon monoxide is produced. The reaction is exothermic and proceeds as follows: Formation of producer gas from air and carbon: C + O_2 → CO_2, +97,600 calories/mol CO_2 + C → 2CO, –38,800 calories/mol (mol of the reaction formula) 2C + O_2 → 2CO, +58,800 calories/mol (per mol of O_2 i.e. per mol of the reaction formula) Reactions between steam and carbon: H_2O + C → H_2 + CO, –28,800 calories/mol (presumably mol of the reaction formula) 2H_2O + C → 2H_2 + CO_2, –18,800 calories/mol (presumably mol of the reaction formula) Reaction between steam and carbon monoxide: H_2O + CO → CO_2 + H_2, +10,000 calories/mol (presumably mol of the reaction formula) CO_2 + H_2 → CO + H_2O, –10,000 calories/mol (presumably mol of the reaction formula) The average composition of ordinary producer gas according to Latta was: CO_2: 5.8%; O_2: 1.3%; CO: 19.8%; H_2: 15.1%; CH_4: 1.3%; N_2: 56.7%; B.T.U. gross per cu.ft 136 The concentration of carbon monoxide in the "ideal" producer gas was considered to be 34.