Can a car really run on woodchips? This week on Car Talk, we got a call from a rather remarkable gentleman -- Hans, who escaped from Germany during World War II in car that ran on, yes, woodchips. His question: How does it work? Our humble hosts weren't exactly sure, but we bet someone out there…

Very simple! [image] Wood gas Wood gas is a syngas fuel which can be used as a fuel for furnaces, stoves and vehicles in place of gasoline, diesel or other fuels. During the production process biomass or other carbon-containing materials are gasified within the oxygen-limited environment …

I saw one of these at the Peterson Automotive museum in Los Angeles. It’s a beautiful truck. There’s a picture in the link below: [image] The Petersen Automotive Museum - Custom Classic Trucks Magazine The Petersen Automotive Museum is a great vacation destination in Southern California …

Wood gasification! Check it out here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_gas Which also suggests the weekly emissions on Saturdays between 10:00 and 11:00 AM in “our fair city” would be even more highly combustible - no open flames in the studio, ok?

also check out for more current applications of this technology: http://islandbreath.blogspot.com/2010/03/wood-burning-cars.html

Hans is not crazy. GM, Ford and Mercedes manufactured wood gas mobiles during WWII. They operate by passing oxygen and water vapor over coals. The carbon dioxide is reduced to carbon monoxide and water vapor is reduced to hydrogen - then both gases can be burned in a standard internal combustion …

Yes, Hans is correct, the Germans did have trucks and cars that ran on wood. The process was called gasification. [image] Wood gas vehicles: firewood in the fuel tank During the Second World War, almost every motorised vehicle in continental Europe was converted to use firewood. Wood gas …

In the reality show “The Colony” they make one with what they have in the factory they stay in for the 2 months.

I’m disappointed - you guys went to MIT & went to a couple of teacher colleges. It’s wood gasification! I remember hearing about these back in the gas crisis of the 70’s when we were wood gathering hippies. I looked it up and sure enough the technology goes back to the 1830’s at least. Anyway, we g…

It’s called a gasifier http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasification

A Woodchip-mobile?

The Show

W-motor January 7, 2012, 8:55pm 13

Wood gasification burners were very common in Germany during WWII. Here is a link to tell you more http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_gas

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A Woodchip-mobile?

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