Pacific Class No. 15 2004
This project has been planned for some 25 years since the owner planted his forest on an uneconomic hill country farm. The pines from this forest have already been logged and it is now time for the hardwoods ie Eucalyptus, to be harvested and processed on site. In setting up this sawmill and drying facility, all powered on wastes from the forest, it is hoped to provide a show case from which to demonstrate technologies that provide visitors with a practical appreciation of sustainable renewable energy at work. Provision is also being made to locate a training facility for forestry engineering students on site.
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Pacific Class Gasifier No 15, built by contractor for client. Control panel is not fitted and gas pipe connections are temporary for testing. This gasifier has been modified to run on wood chips rather than wood blocks necessitating a small test programme to set the gas making parameters. |
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Ignition port open to show incandescent oxidation zone. There is no starved air pyrolisis in this type of high performance engine gasification where the hearth temperatures range from 1200 – 1500°C. |
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Test flare shows red carbon blacks burning that are normally collected in granular filter bed which was not filled for these tests. |
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Eucalyptus forest as seen from the gasifier test site, where the gasifier is to generate power for the sawmill, dressing shed and timber dryer. |
