A ROAD TRANSPORT SYSTEM IN WEST CHINA 1942-46 149
Coke or charcoal with a minimum of air. The difference between the two gas mixtures can be clearly seen, if the composition and calorific values are compared.
Comparison of Coal (Town) Gas and Producer Gas
Percentage Constituent Coal Gas Producer Gas CO2 3.13 3.3 C.H. 1.63 n O2 0.96 0.8 CO 14.70 27.2 H2 51.08 10.8 CH4 19.80 2.8 N2 8.70 55.1 Cal Value BTU/ft3 425 140Producer gas powered vehicles were used in UK, France and Germany during the World War II as oil and petrol became short. In the United Kingdom a producer gas unit using coke or anthracite mounted on a trailer behind a bus was common.
The main disadvantages of producer gas as a fuel are:
- Low calorific value which reduces the power output of a normal 6:1 compression ratio petrol engine to 66% of its theoretical maximum.
- The weight of the apparatus which reduces the payload.