Wood gas

During the production process, biomass or related carbon-containing materials are gasified within the oxygen-limited environment of a wood gas generator to produce a combustible mixture.

In some gasifiers this process is preceded by pyrolysis, where the biomass or coal is first converted to char, releasing methane and tar rich in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Anthracite and coke are preferred for automotive use, because they produce the smallest amount of contamination, allowing smaller, lighter scrubbers to be used.

Wood gas vehicles were used during World War II as a consequence of the rationing of fossil fuels.

Trucks retrofitted with wood gasifiers are used in North Korea[5] in rural areas, particularly on the roads of the east coast.

The wood gas can then be filtered for tars and soot/ash particles, cooled and directed to an engine or fuel cell.

Running wood gas in an unmodified gasoline-burning internal combustion engine may lead to problematic accumulation of unburned compounds.