[Gasification] Identifying and fixing technical and commercial roadblocks to commercial small-scale CHP gasifiers

[doug.williams]

Hi Gasification Colleagues,

I must say I have enjoyed the recent discussions initiated by Tom Miles, that has bought to the surface, some of the experiences which as manufacturers of gasifiers, we face in the market place. Other than those who are only just discovering gasification, enthusiasm to use the technology in a market dominated by fossil fuels, is less than encouraging, but as addicts of gasification, I guess that we believe in what we do, at least, most of the time (:-) 

To dwell on the negatives however, doesn't help us to answer those asking questions to arrive at the right or appropriate answers.  While we can point to certain successes, or technical achievements at all levels of gasified applications, the development work to interface gasifiers in commercially visible installations, still needs vigorous unbiased scrutiny. Not every thing that whistles and shines, no matter who makes it, can be proof that it works as it should.

I'm intrigued by Colin's question of how long should a gasifier be tested before declaring it commercial, because the reply depends on who's asking the question, consultant or manufacturer.  Each have their own set of responsibilities. Insurances on which your guarantees may rely, especially Public Liability, may place limitations on conditions of supply, so the market you need, may have no protection if outside of the country of manufacture. As you add the liabilities that may accumulate as a condition of supply, the "testing period" needs to cover all those things that could invoke any financial penalty clauses.

For what it is worth, drawing from our own commercializing programme begun in 1984, we sent the same design of gasifier to Fiji, Malaysia, South Africa, and Maine USA. In the differing environments of temperatures and high altitudes, we had to test for a base line for performance that was consistent across all conditions, more a test of our finances than that of the gasifier. That took two years alone, but worth the effort not to have any nasty surprises in the remote  Highlands of Central PNG. 

If you add to this a two thousand hour engine test conducted by Listers NZ, before arriving at the testing of the final design, you may get some idea of just how much time based experience is needed. Short cuts cost money, usually somebody else's! Shiny nuts and bolts cannot fix a flawed philosophy of gas making, but many with questions, have little appreciation of how environmental factors can affect gasification behavior. It's not only about how many have been supplied,  but tested performance across the conditions that limit their reliability. You just cannot do all this in the cloistered protection of a home base.

Hope this may be of some help Colin.

Doug Williams,
Fluidyne Gasification.
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