A GAS-PRODUCER FOR LIGHT VEHICLES.
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Successful Application of the French Barbier Outfit to the Ford and Chevrolet.
ANEW light model gas-producer, specially adapted for use on Ford and Chevrolet vehicles, has been put on the market by Messrs. Barbier, of Paris, one of the oldest producer manufactur
ing firms in Paris. .
The adaptation of charcoal gas to such a vehicle as the Ford is not such a simple matter as it is in the case of a normal type of chassis equipped with a three or four-speed gearbox. With the Ford the firSt speed is virtually intended for starting away or for climbing . exceptionally steep hills under full load. It is, therefore, necessary that any form of gas-producing plant for a Ford, in order to maintain power without loss of speed on top gear, must generate a gas having conibustible qualities as near to those of petrol as is possible. Failing this, the low gear would have to be brought into use far too often.
Messrs. Barbier claim that their am pliance solves this problem by the very exact regulation in the quantity of water vapour which is allowed to mingle with the gas at the moment of its formation. At full power a proportion of 12 per cent. to 14 per cent. of hydrogen is said to be obtained.
Mounting the Producer at the Rear.
The generator in the new light Barbier plant takes the form of a prism. It is mounted transversely across the rear of the chassis. The furnace, as in all Barbier gazogenes, is of the horizontal type. The bottom of the generator is lined with refractory tiles and fitted with a grid of ample dimensions. The water feed is entirely automatic, being regulated by the quantity of excess gas produced.
Flexible metallic tubing connects the generator to the purifier. The latter is of somewhat special design, and has proved very satisfactory.
The newly formed gas, travelling at high vebeity, enters tangentially at the. top of a steel cylinder situated in the centre of the purifying apparatus. The top of this cylinder is closed; the bottom is under water. The larger impurities in the gas are projected against the walls by centrifugal force and fall into the water. The gas bubbles through the water and passes upwards through a quantity of broken cork surrounding the central cylinder. It is subsequently passed, over a film of oil, downwards to the bottom of a third chamber, and up again through a mass of small steel spirals.
A Recent Test.
From the purifier the gas goes to a mixing valve of the usual type, controlled from the dashboard of the vehicle. In order to obtain some reliable data upon the performance of their new light model one of these small Barbier producers, fitted to a Ford onetonner, was recently submitted to the technical department of the Automobile Club de France for an official test Under the observation of M. Delpeyroux, chief of the A.C.F. laboratories, accompanied by a representative of Messrs. Barbier, the trial took place between Paris and Pacy-sur-Eure. The return journey totalled 105 miles.
The following is a translation of the certificate obtained from the A.C.F. as a result of this trial :— One-ton Ford lorry fitted with Barbier 'gas-producer :—The truck weighed, including a load of 900 kg. of bricks, 2,362 kg. In addition to this, during the outward and return journey between Paris and St. Germain two extra passengers were carried. The times were as follow :— Start from A.C.F.; lighting up furnace, 9.7 a.m.; engine started on petrol, 9.8 a.m.; left laboratory, 9.12 a.m.; turned over to gas, 9.15 a.m.; arrived St. Germain, 10 a.m.; stop of 5 mins. for recharging and restart, 11.20 am. ; arrival at Mantes, 11.30 a.m. ; arrived Pacy-sur-Eure, 12.25 p.m.; stop ; left Pacy (on petrol), 14. hrs. 11 mins.; turned over to gas, 14 hrs. 15 mins.; Mantes, 15 hrs. 12 mins.; stop for recharging (5 mins.), 15 hrs. 48 mins.; arrived at A.C.F. laboratory, Neuilly, 17 hrs. 15 mins.; distance covered, 84 kilometres each way.
Actual running time :—Outward journey, 3 hrs. 8 mins.; return journey, 2 hrs. 59 mins.
Average speed maintained :—Outward journey, 26.8 k.p.h.; return journey, 28.15 k.p.h. Maximum speed noted between kilometres No. 63 and 61, 35.1 k.p.h.
Consumption of petrol, 2.25 litres (D. 0.75 at 15 degs. C.).
Consumption of charcoal, 39.75 kg. = per 100 kilometres 23.66 kg.
(Signed) L. Delpeyroux.
From the time-table it will be seen that on the outward and return journey an average speed of about 17i miles per hour was maintained. As at no time, even on the excellent stretch of monolastic road between Pacy and Mantes, did the speed ever exceed 22 m.p.h., it will be observed that, in spite of using a gas-producer, the vehicle ran normally. That is to say, almost continually on top gear. The low gear, as usual, was only used for starting away and for very steep gradients. It may be noted that the vehicle was rather overloaded. The total weight with load was nearly 21: tons.
This new small Barbier machine should have a considerable sphere of usefulness. It is suitable for many other industrial vehicles besides the Ford, and, amongst others, it adapts itself particularly well to the Chevrolet. The appliance is being turned out at a very low price in France and should be saleable in England at somewhere around £37 complete. The weight is 330 lb. all on. With regard to the larger Barbier models, which are similar in principle to the small one, they have just been adopted for several of the big refuse-collecting lorries used by the Paris Municipal Council.
We learn that the Saurer Co. has just taken up the Barbier gazogene for use on their vehicles in Switzerland, France and Belgium, and if a concern with the reputation of this interests itself in gasproducers it augurs well for their future.
These gas-producers are manufactured by Gazogenes Barbier, 6, Rue de Madrid, Paris.