Gasifier

NEW BEDFORD, Mass.--What in the world is it? It's a waste gasifier--in case that means anything to you.

It's the pilot system from waste-to-energy company Ze-gen that converts waste from construction sites into usable energy through gasification. The core of the entire operation is the machine in the middle which turns woody waste into a gas that can be burned to make electricity or heat.

In gasification, material is exposed to high heat and pressure so that it breaks down into its elemental components, creating syngas, which is mostly carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The amount of oxygen in the chamber is controlled so it doesn't combust and create carbon dioxide. This machine gasifies waste by running it through a bath of liquid copper held at over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit inside that unit.