Gasification is a thermochemical process unlike an incineration or combustion process. Gasification is a conversion process intended to produce more valuable and useful products from carbon containing materials. Gasification processes operate with limited amounts of oxygen, while combustion processes operate with excess oxygen. Combustion or incineration thermally destroys carbon into heat, while gasification converts carbon into valuable ecologically-friendly intermediate products. Gasification can use natural gas, coal, oil, biomass, including manures, and just about any carbon containing material as a feedstock.

BP&E’s syngas is known for its exceptionally low tar content, achieved by means of maintaining at least a 25-35% lignin-based feedstock to the gasifier.  These linens can readily be provided on any typical farm through waste silage, sawdust bedding, local woody biomass such as local orchard prunings, etc.  The tar-free syngas from the gasifier reduces the amount of gas conditioning expenses necessary to support reliable use in syngas power generation equipment.  BP&E controls the flow of producer gas through the char bed to convert useless or harmful gas components into productive energy sources. Their system also controls the movement of the fuel, char and ash to minimize the opportunity for system faults while maximizing the quality of the syngas available for power production.

This is all accomplished with very few moving parts.  Besides the fuel conveyor, the only moving part in the thermal reduction system is an externally-mounted fan used to move gas through the process.  Because the process is conducted under controlled conditions it results in uncommonly clean and high quality gas, therefore making the filtration and cooling process very simple and economical.

The system operator and a remote supervisor can keep track of all salient points of the thermal reduction process and make adjustments as necessary. The remote supervisor can override and take control of any of the processes from his site.  Being self feeding and self cleaning the system is semi-autonomous.  It only needs the fuel hopper loaded and the engine oil changed as routine maintenance activities. The entire gasification process is conducted under negative pressure (suction) which prevents possible leakage of fuel gas into the atmosphere.

From an efficiency standpoint, BP&E’s fuel to electricity ratio of 1.9-2.3 lbm/kW-hr (based on engines in the 37-40% efficiency range) is superior to other manufacturers within this small-scale niche market, lending itself well to repeatability in this emerging market.