What is the Net Energy Yield for Wood Syngas?

In summary, wood gasification would be cheaper than electricity if the wood chips were dry and the efficiency of the internal combustion engine was high.
  • #1
Adam9393
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Hello,

My name is Adam and I am experimenting with wood gas. I recently came across a really cheap wood chip source and would like to compare it against electrical utility prices. I am curious if running an old generator would be cheaper than off peak rates of $0.065/kwh.

As of right now, I have calculated that wood chips would cost around $0.0006/MJ (assuming 5 MJ/kg and $3.00/1000kg)

0.0006 x 3.6 MJ= $0.00216 / kwh

Efficiency of internal combustion engine is 0.14. I would need 7x the amount of energy to get 1 kwh.

0.00216 x 7.2 = $0.0155 / kwh.

This is where I am stuck. Does anyone know the net energy yield of wood gasification (softwood chips). If I could factor that into my price will I be pretty close...? Thanks!
 
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  • #2
Do you know how dry the chips are? That makes a big difference.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_gas_generator#Design said:
the humidity of the wood (usually 15 to 20%) and the water vapor created by the O- and H-atoms of the dry wood itself (about 0.4 liters of water loaded with organic substances per kg of dry wood) condenses during the gas cooling and filtering procedure and yields a liquid (see also wood tar), which needs specific waste water treatment. This treatment requires about 25 to 35% of the created wood gas energy.

There seems to be a large number of suppliers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_gas_generator#List_of_commercially_available_systems
If you visit their sites, there might be some efficiency claims.

You should also read the accounts of others who did the same thing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_gas_generator#Media_coverage
 
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  • #3
Adam9393 said:
My name is Adam and I am experimenting with wood gas. I recently came across a really cheap wood chip source and would like to compare it against electrical utility prices. I am curious if running an old generator would be cheaper than off peak rates of $0.065/kwh.

As of right now, I have calculated that wood chips would cost around $0.0006/MJ (assuming 5 MJ/kg and $3.00/1000kg)

0.0006 x 3.6 MJ= $0.00216 / kwh

Efficiency of internal combustion engine is 0.14. I would need 7x the amount of energy to get 1 kwh.
I don't understand; are you saying you would use the electricity for electric resistance heat? Why wouldn't you just use the fuel for heat directly like you plan to do with the wood gassification?
This is where I am stuck. Does anyone know the net energy yield of wood gasification (softwood chips). If I could factor that into my price will I be pretty close...? Thanks!
Googling "wood gassification energy density" yielded this:
The heat of combustion of "producer gas" — a term used in the United States meaning wood gas produced for use in a combustion engine — is rather low compared to other fuels. Taylor[13]reports that producer gas has a lower heat of combustion of 5.7 MJ/kg versus 55.9 MJ/kg for natural gas and 44.1 MJ/kg for gasoline. The heat of combustion of wood is typically 15-18 MJ/kg.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_gas
 
  • #4
Adam9393 said:
As of right now, I have calculated that wood chips would cost around $0.0006/MJ (assuming 5 MJ/kg and $3.00/1000kg)

Is it really $3 per ton? Even if it were free, it's hard to believe you can even haul it to your place of use for that.
 
  • #5
phyzguy said:
Is it really $3 per ton?

Good catch. I missed that. In the south and PNW the prices are $30-$55 per ton.
 
  • #6
The price really is $3 per tonne. Yes hard to believe..that is why I am super interested. The chips are not great quality and definitely will not be dry. That is why I assume a conservative energy density of 5 MJ/kg. Dry wood chips are around 15-20 MJ/kg. The distance to transport is not far...max 30 kilometers. I will have to factor this in.

For every unit of heat supplied to the gasification process how much gas energy is yielded. In some documents I have read that gasifier efficiencies are 70%. It has been a while since chemistry class... does this value make sense. If I were to use 1 kg of wood chips to heat up 1 kg of the same wood chips in a gasifier, I would be left with 0.7 kg of gas fuel?
 

1. What is wood syngas net energy yield?

Wood syngas net energy yield refers to the amount of energy that can be produced from the conversion of wood into syngas, a synthetic gas made primarily of carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and methane. It is measured as the difference between the energy content of the wood and the energy consumed in the conversion process.

2. How is wood converted into syngas?

Wood can be converted into syngas through a process called gasification, which involves heating the wood in a low-oxygen environment to produce syngas. This can be done using various types of gasifiers, such as downdraft, updraft, and fluidized bed gasifiers.

3. What factors affect the net energy yield of wood syngas?

The net energy yield of wood syngas is affected by several factors, such as the type and quality of wood used, the gasification technology used, and the efficiency of the conversion process. Other factors include the moisture content of the wood, the operating temperature and pressure, and the composition of the syngas produced.

4. What are the potential uses of wood syngas?

Wood syngas can be used as a fuel for heating, cooking, and electricity generation. It can also be used as a feedstock for the production of various chemicals and fuels, such as methanol, ethanol, and synthetic diesel. In addition, syngas can be converted into hydrogen, which can be used as a clean fuel for transportation.

5. What are the advantages and limitations of wood syngas as an energy source?

Some advantages of wood syngas as an energy source include its potential for carbon neutrality, as the carbon emitted during gasification can be offset by the carbon absorbed by trees during photosynthesis. Syngas can also be produced from a variety of wood resources, including waste wood and agricultural residues. However, limitations include the high cost of gasification technology and the relatively low energy density of syngas compared to fossil fuels.

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