The important stage of experiment is determination of moisture and composition of investigated fuel. The fuel moisture is determined by the method of long-time drying at air ambient of 105 °C. The total carbon and hydrogen content in a fuel is determined by ISO 625-96 technique.

Before the experiment, the gasifier shaft is completely filled with char coal. This kind of solid fuel is the most suitable for a stage of preliminary heating up as it possesses the low content of volatile matter.

Ignition of one of the gasifier’s plasma torches is considered as the beginning of the experiment (timing is counted from this point). Supply of air plasma improves heating and firing of fuel. Heating up the reactor shaft takes at least 8 h and comprises several stages differing by oxidant flow rate. Gasifier lining has very high thermal inertia that is why practically all experiments are carried out at quasi-stationary mode.

The analysis of syngas composition begins at the final stage of preheating and the charcoal feeding is replaced by the investigated material feeding. The transient process from the charcoal gasification to the investigated fuel gasification starts when the investigated material reaches drying and pyrolysis zone. The transient process could be considered completely finished when the whole gasifier shaft is filled by this fuel and the products of its gasification. When the experimental program is completed the fuel feeding into the reactor stops and starts after-burning of fed materials and their remnants, and when they are burned out the installation cools.

Experiments on plasma gasification have been carried out for such fuels as char­coal, wood (of various types: woodchips, pressed sawdust, and chocks), coal, lignite, Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF), and others.