R&D
There is always something in the works at Victory Gasworks. Research and prototyping are at the core of our DNA. All work progresses through 3 stages:
- Research, Design & Prototyping
- Beta Testing & Refinement
- Public Release
Some cool project in R&D are:
Thick chipper
We have built a low cost V-8 power platform and we are testing a range of different chipper heads to identify the best one for gasifier applications. Adapting the chipper heads to tractor PTO’s is a priority for the home owner market.
Uniform Biomass Fuels
The size, moisture and quality of biomass fuels has always been the Achilles Heal of biomass energy. These aren’t just problems faced by gasifiers, but also by combustion applications. Pellet fuels currently used are prone to breaking apart in handling. We are developing a fuel that can be used in gasifiers, boilers and coal power plants. This new fuel will be available to owners as a fuel delivered by the ton.
Plasma Gasification
The use of plasma to thermally decompose biomass will open up a new range of uses and feedstocks. Cost has been the main issue in keeping plasma outside of the small scale market. We are working on bringing it down to a more approachable level. Low temperature plasma may be the key.
Liquid Fuels
The real promise of biomass energy is in replacing petroleum. While we can run engines on syngas, storage of the syngas is an issue that can be best overcome by creating liquid fuels. Our benchtop work with Fischer Tropsch reactions is yielding some promising results. The next challenge is to get a compressor that will handle enough volume and at a price that will scale down to a community level.
Heat Engines
The ability to use low grade feedstocks is ideal in gasification. However they are only really good at creating heat unless they are briquetted and processed. We are developing a heat engine that will make biomass more widely available as a power solution in the coming years.
Micro Grids & Micro Housing
Our Demonstration House project is building small off grid living space and using biomass energy to power them. We are creating solutions for full scale implementation of biomass energy in Off Grid scenarios.
The floor plan for a micro house.
