We are working on a charcoal burning engine as part of a display in a local
mining town.  I have tracked down pics and some info but I wonder if anyone
has any description of how they actually functioned?  A cut away drawing
showing the component parts would be the ultimate....  A summary of the
material we have to date appears below.

DRAFT TEXT FOR INTERP SIGN CHARCOAL BURNING ENGINE

Fuel was scarce and expensive during the Second World War.  Charcoal fuelled
motor vehicles offered possible energy savings.  They were being developed
when war broke out.  Countries as far apart as Australia, Japan, Scandinavia
and the United Kingdom were among those which used these vehicles.  While
their use was stimulated by the war their widespread adoption never became
reality. 

Performance 
1934 eight cylinder Pontiac coupé
Average speed 64 kph.
Fuel consumption (charcoal) around 220 grams/ kilometre.

2 tonne Chevrolet truck with 22 tonnes load
Average 25 kph.  
Fuel consumption (charcoal) around 300grams/ kilometre.

Five kilograms of wood produces about one kilogram of charcoal.  On a return
trip to Cairns from Herberton (190 km) the Chevrolet would have used over
60kgs of charcoal requiring 300kgs of timber.
It was hardly surprising that, when petrol prices declined again after the
war, the charcoal burning engine was all but discarded.

Any clues out there??

Gordon 
-- 
Gordon Grimwade & Associates,
Heritage Consultants,
PO Box 9 
Yungaburra,
Queensland, Australia 4872.
Phone 07 4095 3737
Fax 07 4095 2117
Mobile 0419 677 022
Office email <[log in to unmask]>
Web site <gga.com.au>

If you don't know where you're going, you'll probably end up somewhere else.
Confucius