SUCTION GAS OR GAS GENERATION ENGINE

Since the end of the 19^th century, gas generator machinery was powered by stationary gas engine or the so-called suction gas engine. The operation of a gas generator is based on dry distillation of solid fuel in the presence of insufficient oxygen, namely, turning wood or charcoal into burning gas. In the middle of the 20^th century, countries with no oil extractions sites – especially, France, Germany, Sweden, also Latvia – tried very hard to find a technical solution for the application of gas generators in vehicles.

In the inter-war period, the suction gas engine was considered to be one of the cheapest engines around, therefore it was used as an additional engine in many watermills in Latvia. The engine was fuelled by gas, which was produced in the gas generator using firewood or peat as the fuel or the distilled material. However, preheating the gas generator machinery and, thus, the starting of the suction gas engine took a long time.

In 1936, the Rundāle mill was powered by a 75HP water turbine and a 70HP suction gas engine. In addition, electricity was produced at the mill by 3.5kW dynamo, producing 5600 kW/h of electricity per year.

In 1937, the Rundāle mill was powered already by two water turbines and two suction gas engines.

In 1949, the Rundāle mill was powered by a 65 HP water turbine and two gas generator engines or the so-called suction gas motors were used to produce additional power. At the same time, it was planned to set up an electrical power plant to provide the nearby collective farms with electricity.

In 1950, a dynamo or generator was set up at the Rundāle mill and electricity production began.

Even though, in 1959 small amounts of electricity was already produced at the Rundāle mill, the mill machinery was still powered by a gas generator or suction gas engine.