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GAS PRODUCERS NEW Researched, compiled & written by Gordon Freegard 2021 A SUBSTITUTE TO PETROL
When William
Murdock used coal gas to light his house and office in Redruth in 1792, it was
the first practical demonstration of how coal gas could be used commercially.
Different combustible gases have been used ever since for commercial,
industrial and domestic applications. Gas was first manufactured from coal and
later from oil until its replacement in Britain by natural gas in the mid-1970s.
The conventional production of gas from coal is well documented; however, there
was also another simpler method of gas production which is less well known,
called “producer gas”. Although producer gas was manufactured at gas works, it
was not generally used to provide a public supply. |
HOME-MADE GAS PRODUCER #1 |
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PRINCIPLES OF PRODUCER GAS Producer gas
manufacture differed from traditional gas production in the way and conditions
in which the gas was made. A traditional gasworks would manufacture gas by
indirectly heating coal contained within a retort through a separate furnace
located beneath the retort. The retort was an oxygen-free environment, meaning
that as the coal was heated, it would not combust but instead would thermally
decompose, releasing gas and other by-products such as tar. This gas has a
complex composition. By comparison, and in simplistic terms, a producer gas
plant would manufacture gas by partially combusting coke in an oxygen-limited
atmosphere. The gas produced primarily consisted of carbon monoxide, carbon
dioxide and nitrogen. In slightly more detail, the producer gas plant made gas
by forcing or drawing air, with or without the addition of steam, through an
incandescent deep bed of fuel in a closed producer vessel. The fuel was
gradually consumed during the process and the gas was simply piped to where it
was required. |
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A Wood Gas Producer is a device that
converts timber or charcoal carbon into a gas. This gas consists of atmospheric nitrogen, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, traces of methane, and other gases,
which – after cooling and filtering – can then be used to power an internal combustion engine or
for other purposes. A Gas Producer Unit
(GPU) is a unit mounted on a vehicle and
uses charcoal (carbon) to produce gas.
Charcoal comes from wood and is 90% carbon. Use of a GPU results in about 50%
loss of power compared to petrol, for the same engine revs. During the 1920s and
1930s, gas producers burning charcoal became more efficient in making producer
gas that could be used to propel motor vehicles. Gas Producers came to the fore
because, for several years during the Second Word War, the supply of petrol to
Australian motorists was severely restricted. This was due in part to the war
situation but also to currency restrictions and pressure from the British
Government for Australian residents to be seen to be suffering rationing
hardships as well. The gas producer provided an alternative fuel supply where
the other option was the enforced immobility of much of the national motor
vehicle fleet. |
HOW A GAS PRODUCER WORKS #2 |
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PETROL RATION TICKET #3 |
Petrol
rationing was introduced into Australia in July 1940. It was severe,
restricting private motorists to about 40 miles per week although the effects
were not immediately noticeable because the canny motorists had been
“stockpiling”. The ration was doubled in October because the authorities feared
that forcing private motorists off the roads may result in members of the motor
trade being thrown out of work. The ration was reduced in Jan 1941 as the war
situation became increasingly grave and in June 1941, the Prime Minister
announced that private motorists' rations would be cut to 1,000 miles per year.
Many motorists put their cars up on blocks for the duration. |
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The “Precision Built”
Electrolux Gas Producer was sold by Neale Motors Pty Limited, 140 Exhibition St
Melbourne for £42/10/- ($85.00) with an optional electric blower unit for a
further £10 ($20.00). Manufactured by Electrolux in Melbourne as a petrol
substitute for cars up to 30 horsepower (hp). The main components of the unit
are a large cylindrical charcoal burner with a circular hinging lid, a
generator, and a filtering and cooling system. At the rear of the unit there is
a black steel mounting bracket fitted for attachment to a motor vehicle. This
particular unit is a heavy duty up-draft type, advertised by Electrolux as the
"C" or "Senior" model, which, unlike the smaller "Junior
B" model, additionally employs a water system which enriches the gas
produced by the unit, while reducing charcoal consumption. Larger models
designed for truck use were also made by Electrolux and a number of other local
manufacturers.
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"PRECISION BUILT" ELECTROLUX GAS PRODUCER #4 |
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Ford Australia – Ford
V8 with gas producer fitted in the Body-work (Exhibited at the Melbourne Motor
Show 1940). Ford eventually dropped out of the GPU field, apparently feeling
that the use of GPU’s was not being fully supported by the Government and thus
saw little commercial opportunity. We know of at
least two motor cycles converted to run on producer gas. Graeme Tibbett built a
gas producer unit for his Harley Davidson, using bits and pieces, including the
aluminium sugar bowl from his mother’s kitchen. He rode that machine to work daily
until the experiment came to an untimely end in Elizabeth Street Melbourne.
Tractors were (and some still are) run on producer gas. Producer gas was used
for pumping water in the irrigation areas - a fascinating topic in its own
right. In 1939, a Bentley fitted with a gas producer raced at Mt Panorama. At
about the same time, a road race for cars powered solely by carbon monoxide gas
was conducted in the Perth suburb of Applecross. Producer Gas engines were
installed in Power Stations in places like Rushworth, Hamilton and Coleraine
where there was an abundant supply of local wood. In these cases, the gas
produced was technically “wood gas”, the charcoal being formed as a short-lived
phase in the burning process inside the retort. These units were cheap to
operate because of the local fuel and were often used for the base load or
night-time generation – diesel units being held on standby for peak loads. |
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GAS PRODUCER POWERED COLD ROOM The first cold store to be built
on a private orchard in Western Australia, was erected at Illawarra Orchard, by
Thomas Price in 1914/15. The necessity for this initial cold store was
determined by the disastrous results of storing pears in a Perth Cold Store the
previous season. A near total loss was the result because of frozen fruit, and
this represented an estimated 10% of the anticipated income from the property.
The decision was made to erect their own cold room using pioneering knowledge.
They installed a system costing in excess of 4,000 pounds ($8,000) which was
powered by a 48 horsepower suction gas operated engine fuelled by a charcoal
gas producer and a small D.C. electric light plant. How this very heavy machine was
transported to Illawarra in unknown. It is assumed it came via the ZigZag
railway to Karragullen station. But how they got it from there to Illawarra in
the mystery. The cool storage of fruit
was in its infancy. At that time not much was known about it, so they wrote to
cool storage authorities in the Eastern States and asked for exact data to go
upon. The answer was, “We can give you no definite information, you must find
out for yourself by trial and error.” And trial and error it had to be right
enough. There were many anxious periods, such as when the machinery broke down
with over 1,000 dollars ($2,000) worth of pears in the store and only 24 hours
in which to effect repairs. This meant working at high pressure day and night.
There were several other breakdowns, which meant rushing to Perth at a moment's
notice and scouring the city for spare parts, and very little rest until the
machinery was going again. After many years of hard work and study many of the
initial problems were solved and great improvements effected. |
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GAS PRODUCER POWERED COLD-ROOM AT ILLAWARRA #5 |
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The gas producer needed
re-fuelling every 20 minutes with one kerosene tin (capacity 19 litres) of
charcoal. All refrigeration system controls were manually operated and needed
periodic adjustment, especially the compressor piston gland to correct
expansion and contraction to prevent ammonia leaks. One large fan circulated
cold air to the four fruit rooms through adjustable ducts which needed which
needed opening and closing according to the temperature of the fruit. A permanent
engine driver-cum- machinery attendant was employed. When he was off-duty this
task had to be taken over by someone else as it needed constant attention.
During the peak intake period it was not uncommon to have 15 hour stints with
meal on the job. Periodically the plant was stopped to allow the removal of
clinker created by heated pebbles accidently mixed up with the charcoal, which
blocked the grate, thus preventing air circulation for gas production. Local Italian labourers were
employed to create the charcoal that was needed. It was bagged up and delivered
regularly to keep everything going. |
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ITALIANS MAKING CHARCOAL FOR ILLAWARRA #6 |
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ITALIANS BAGGING CHARCOAL FOR ILLAWARRA #7 |
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A “Ruston” horizontal engine superseded the gas producer in 1949. |
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TOM PRICE JUNIOR WITH THE OLD RUSTON HORIZONTAL ENGINE #8 |
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MOUNTING A GAS PRODUCER
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Cartoon
sketches courtesy of the “The Radiator”, RACV, 1941 and were concurrent with a
campaign to get a greater level of public acceptance of the use of Gas Producer
Units. In the
conventional case, the Gas Producer Units were mounted on the rear of the
vehicle. Some rear mounted versions were hinged on one side to allow the unit
to be swung out of the way for access to the boot. Usually, trucks had the
units mounted on the side, behind the doors. A mounting forward of the radiator
was available and sometimes on either side of the cabin, forward of the doors.
The use of GPU’s in the trucking fleet appeared to be quite widespread and was
an enforced government policy within its own fleet (e.g. Forest Commission,
Tramways and Victorian Railways etc.). One and two wheel trailer arrangements
were used and provided some additional space for spare fuel. The one wheel
trailer was favoured because it was easier to park. But for all round
efficiency, an endless supply of natural gas could be tapped from your local
MP13! The petrol crisis is not the first time Australia has been forced to
think of alternative sources of fuel for cars. During World War II petrol was
largely reserved for essential services, so ordinary motorists were offered
another source of energy, charcoal. This was turned into a gas by burning it in
drums the size of washing machines perched on the rear bumper of vehicles, or
squeezed into the boot space. Gas producers, as these evil-smelling, hugely impractical devices were
known, were universally hated by those compelled to use them. But with no other
choice they were a common spectacle until well after the war, when petrol
rationing was finally abandoned. |
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CAR MOUNTED #9
CAR MOUNTED #10 |
CAR MOUNTED #11 |
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TRACTOR MOUNTED #12 |
TRACTOR MOUNTED #13 |
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TRUCK MOUNTED #14 |
TRUCK MOUNTED #15 |
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BUS MOUNTED #16 |
ROLLER MOUNTED #17 |
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HOW TO START A GAS PRODUCER An informative booklet of the time, Carrying On With Charcoal, describes the difficulties
motorists had in getting use to the process. It began with the charcoal, which
had to be clean, firm to the touch and "dense black in colour and showing
the original grain". Each chunk was supposed to conform to Commonwealth
specification, defined as being able to pass through a one-inch
(2.5-centimetre) square hole but not through a ⅜-inch hole. Visions of
motorists testing each piece come to mind. Even with a hopper full of dense black,
regulation-sized charcoal, getting a vehicle to go required a ritual worthy of
starting a steam train. First, the water tank had to be filled. Loose charcoal
needed to be poked down from the top of the hopper to fill the cavity made by
the previous fire, and ashes cleaned out if necessary. The engine was started
on petrol before the ash-pan door was opened, an asbestos wick or rag saturated
in kerosene inserted and lit. MANUFACTURERS Despite these and other drawbacks, large numbers of
gas producers were made, especially - for some unknown reason - in Perth, which
appears to have been the gas producer capital of Australia. Here were
long-forgotten brands like the Ajax, Bawden, Victory, Star, Harris, Briggs, WGK
and Pederick, all helping to keep the cars of Australia moving, albeit slowly
and dangerously. PRODUCER GAS PLANT MANUFATURERS & DISTRIBUTORS Abbott Gas Producer, Horrie
E. Abbott, Muntadgin |
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"MELROSE" NAME PLATE #18 |
"AVON" NAME PLATE #19 |
"ASHWORTH" NAME PLATE #20 |
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"POWELL " NAME PLATE #21 |
"DAP" NAME PLATE #22 |
"HEINZ " NAME PLATE #23 |
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"PEDERICK " NAME PLATE #24 |
"JACKSON" NAME PLATE #25 |
"RICHARDS" NAME PLATE #26 |
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Many
thousands of units were produced and in use and the demand was straining the
resources of makers in some States. The waiting list was long. Over 1000
Pederick units had been put into service on cars and trucks, and 4000 more were
to be supplied under Government tender in the ensuing six months. |
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AUB MELROSE AT MADURA WITH HIS "MELROSE" GAS PRODUCER POWERED CAR #27 |
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Rather
interestingly, to sell his gas producers in the East, ‘Buster’ Powell equipped
a Chevrolet utility stoked with 56 bags of charcoal (at 10c/bag) and drove
across the Nullarbor for Sydney to prove his invention. When asked about his
having taken photos - “Photos? I was only earning eleven shillings a week as an
apprentice, so I had no camera or film!” The manufacturers of the Victory Cleaner gas
producer attempted to prove the efficiency of their small unit by driving a
tiny Singer from Perth to Sydney and back powered solely by gas. |
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1940 - THE PATRIOTIC GRAND PRIX |
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MAP SHOWING RACE CIRCUIT OF PATRIOTIC GRAND PRIX RACE #28 |
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The days program consisted of a 4 lap (10 mile)
race for gas producing cars, a 5 lap (12 & 1/2 mile) race for
stock road cars, a 12 lap race (30 mile) race for sidecars and finishing off
the day with the 12 lap (30 mile) Grand Prix for cars, |
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DUNCAN ORD IN HIS BUCATTI #29 |
The 4 lap Gas Producers race was won by Bill Stitt
in a 1930 De Soto fitted with a Star producer, hotly pursued by Ossie Cranston
in a 1938 Ford V8/Tomer producer combination and third was B. Sagaar in a 1929
Oldsmobile with a Sa-Gas-Lous producer. For the record, speeds were "very
creditable".
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THE STARTER'S AND TIMER'S STAND #30 |
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START OF PATRIOTIC GRAND PRIX #31 |
HARLEY HAMMOND WINNER OF PATRIOTIC GRAND PRIX #32 |
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The winner of the main feature event was Harley
Hammond in his 1929 Marquette Special with Clem Dwyer 2nd in his 1938 Plymouth Special.
Dwyer also set the fastest time for the event 1 hour 10 minutes 57 seconds. While
Jack Nelson in his 1940 Ford Ten Special drove consistently to finish third. Fastest
lap was Duncan Ord in his type 57t Bugatti recorded the fastest lap of the race
at 2 minute 39.5 second, an average speed of 53 mph (85.33 kph). |
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BUGATTI SELLS FOR $1.12 MILLION The luxury vehicle that had been housed in an open
carport in Perth's east has been sold for a small fortune in France. A 1935
Bugatti Type 57 Tourist Trophy which sat in an open carport in Perth’s eastern
suburbs for decades has been auctioned in Paris for $1.12 million. The car had
been with the same owner for 60 years, with much of its restoration completed
in that very carport. The Bugatti was purchased by its first West
Australian owner, Duncan Ord, when he was visiting London in May 1938. The car
was shipped to WA and its first Australian race was at Pingelly in January
1939. Later in 1939, Ord raced the car in round-the-houses events in Albany and
Dowerin and in a speed trial in Cannington. |
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THE RESTORED 1935 BUGATTI TYPE 57TT #33 |
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After 60 years with one WA owner, this 1935 Bugatti
Type 57TT has gone to a European buyer for $1.12 million. In 1940 Duncan Ord raced it on the streets of
Applecross in the Patriotic Grand Prix, an event run to raise both spirits and
funds for the war effort. But the car’s time in Europe between 1935 and 1938,
and the provenance it acquired during this time, has also contributed significantly
to its value. The Bugatti’s owner for the 60 years up until
its sale on 8th February 2018, was Perth enthusiast Jim Krajancich. He
bought it in 1958 for £400 ($800). “The only thing I was disappointed about was I
didn’t get to take it for a top gear run before it was sold,” Mr Krajancich said
after it was sold. He said he believed the Bugatti’s 3.3-litre
straight-eight engine sends approximately 260 horsepower (193kW) to the rear
wheels. Mr. Krajancich said he planned to purchase a
Riley Sprite replica and a Buick to fill the void left by the Bugatti.
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References: Article: Gordon Freegard Images: 1, 3, 4, 28 Internet
Copyright 2008 - 2021 Gordon Freegard |
