Henschel Introduces Producer-gas Roller Wood Blocks Form Fuel for Converted
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Oilengine Power Unit THE Henschel road roller, of which the accompanying illustration gives a good impression, has been specially designed for running on wood gas, produced, more particularly, from beech blocks having a. maximum length of 5 ins. The producer is mounted behind the driver's cab, between the rear rolls, whilst the two filters are carried on the forecarriage, the filtering elements being filled with wood shavings. Water, which might possibly form in the gas pipe, is collected in special small tanks interposed in the circuit before and behind the filter, and can be drained by special outlet cocks.
The power unit is a two-cylindered vertical engine based on the Lanova compression-ignition type, of which the combustion head has been slightly altered to run on producer gas and equipped with sparking plugs. The air is conducted to the producer by an electric pump operated by a battery. Starting is accomplished in only 5-8 mins. from cold and is effected by wood gas.
Provision, however, is made for petrol starting in case of need. The producer container can be refilled during service, without appreciable loss of gas.
An output of 18 h.p. is developed at 1,000 r.p.m., permitting, through a three-speed gearbox, 0.8, 1.7 and 3.2 m.p.h. and enabling the machine to climb a maximum gradient of 1 in 8. Idling and maximum-speed governors are provided.
A combined cooling chamber and scrubber is mounted in front of the filters, whilst the engine-cooling radiator is located behind the filters, circulation being by a special pump.
In other respects the Henschel roller is more or less normal, but special attention has been given to the design of the multi-plate clutches to give a rapid and smooth reverse. The double-reduction steering gear is fully enclosed and the hand and foot brakes work independently.