Solid Fuel Gasification

[xylstra]

Solid-Fuel Gasification is an experimental technique that has been investigated in many countries as an alternative approach to firing a locomotive boiler. None of these were ever reported as being failures but then also none were ever put into series production (that I know of). But what about one-off prototypes? Did Japan experiment with this in it's steam locomotive designs? Answers please.....

[Kiha66]

Welcome to the forum!

 

As far as I am aware, Japan used coal power almost exclusively for their steam locomotives.  Due to this both being a resource japan has much of, as well as early electrification replacing steam engines sooner than other countries Japan did not experiment much with alternative fuels.  I believe a few locomotives were trialed with fuel oil, and a in later years some had small oil tanks to assist when lighting off a cold boiler.  

 

The only gasification experiments I can recall in asia were done by Chinese state railways on a QJ class locomotive.  After the trial the engine was refitted with a standard coal tender and returned to service, the experiment was not repeated.  I believe the gasification tender has been preserved in a museum now with the retirement of steam in china. 

[katoftw]

Cheaper to dig coal out of the ground when steam engines where running.

 

Even today gasification science is expensive and rarely used.