© Anton Ushakov, Lead Engineer,
ОRCID: 0009-0004-6805-0191,
e-mail: aushakov@insat.org.ua
(State Road Transport Research Institute)
GAS GENERATORS OF THE PAST… DO THEY HAVE PROSPECTS IN THE FUTURE?
DOI: 10.33868/0365-8392-2025-1-282-69-73
Abstract. A retrospective study of the worldwide spread of gas generator vehicles — particularly within the former USSR — during the 1930s to 1950s (roughly 70–90 years ago) has been carried out. The principal design shortcomings that entailed substantial operational risks and hazards for such vehicles have been analysed. The study also considers the potential feasibility of re introducing gas generator systems for vehicles in Ukraine, taking into account the current regu-latory acts governing vehicle conversion.
А gas generator (gasifier) is a device for converting solid or liquid fuel into a gaseous form. The most common gas gen-erators are those that run on wood, charcoal, hard coal, brown coal, coke and fuel pellets. Gas generators that use fuel oil and other types of liquid fuel as fuel are used much less frequently.
The beginning of the development and widespread use of transport gas generators can be considered 1914, the first in-dustrial production of transport gas generators was established in France.
In 1938, the total number of gas generator vehicles in the world was no more than 10 thousand units, but by 1942 their number had increased to 600 thousand units, and by 1946 it had exceeded 1 million.
This is explained by the desire, primarily of European countries and the former Soviet Union, to ensure their energy secu-rity in view of the risk of war, and then during war.
The engines of gas generator vehicles lost a significant part of their power, their traction and dynamic characteristics deteriorated, and their maximum speed decreased due to the significantly lower calorific value of generator gas com-pared to gasoline.
Gas generator vehicles had an increased fire hazard, particularly in the event of an accident. Operation of gas generators posed a risk of burns and carbon monoxide poisoning for service personnel.
The publication analyzes the hypothetical possibility of resuming the use of gas generators for vehicles, taking into ac-count the requirements of regulatory documents in force in Ukraine, which relate to the conversion of vehicles.
Keywords: gas generator, pyrolysis, alternative fuel, conversion.
References
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