PRODUCER GAS AS A FUEL FOR PETROL DRIVEN VEHICLES

Abstract

The use  of  indigenous  fuels  for  automobile  units  is  of  national  importance  on  account  of  the  meagre  petroleum  resources.  Abundant  supplies  of  wood  suitable  for  conversion  into  charcoal  and  low  grade  coal  are  available  in  this  country.  Producer  gas  derived  from  these  materials  is  a  suitable  alternate  fuel  to  petrol.  The  technical  and  economic  obstacle  for the  wide  use  of  producer  gas  has  been  the  poor  performance  of  the  producer  gas  vehicle;  and  reasons  have  been  given  in  detail  in  the  form  of  a  general  comparison  between  petrol  and  producer  gas  as  fuel  for  internal  combustion  engines.  The  technical  difficulties  for  improving  the  performance  of  the  vehicle  are  known  and  are  not  insurmountable,  and  means  to  overcome  them  are  given  and  work  in  the  LC.E.  Department  is  outlined  briefly.  Besides  the  technical  side,  other  obstacles  are  met  when  trying  to  introduce  producer  gas  driven  vehicles;  the  Government  has  to  alter  the  existing  regulations  so  that  the  user  of  the  producer  gas  vehicle  is  not  penalised,  as  is  (he  case  now.  On  the  contrary  he  should  be  given  a  relief  in  taxation  and  the  cost  of  conversion  should  be  subsidised  proportionately.  With  these  facilities  the  use  of  producer  gas  vehicles  can  be  made  attractive  and  even  compulsory  if  circumstances  demand.