Charcoal Gas

Charcoal as a fuel substitute for gasoline in automobiles was demonstrated to be practicable by Imbert, a young French engineer, at Lyons. The charcoal is carried in the regular gasoline tank. It is ignited by a piece of burning waste, giving off a gas consisting largely of carbon monoxide, with azote, carbonic acid gas and hydrogen, which is drawn through a pipe to the carburetor. On the way it is cooled and freed from dust. In the carburetor the gas is mixed with air, as in a gasoline engine, whence it is drawn into the cylinders. To develop the same power as gasoline, a larger tank must be used, but the cost is only one-third as much. Very little change needs to be made in regular engines to fit them for the charcoal system.