Gasification is a chemical reaction caused by heating material in an oxygen-starved environment, resulting in incomplete combustion that drives off carbon-rich gases. These gasses are then combusted in a thermal oxidizer with the addition of air. Gasification is often confused with incineration, although they are totally different processes.  Incineration is the actual combustion or burning of solid fuels, which takes place at higher temperatures, combusts the material completely, and does not produce a carbon-rich biochar.

Uzelac Dryers are a key part to a gasification system. The Uzelac dryer dries the raw product (such as poultry, cattle or hog manure, sludge, or biosolids). It is then fed into the gasifier to be converted into biochar and energy, which in turn provides heat for the dryer. The char is an odorless, solid, carbon-rich material that is frequently used for soil amendment, animal bedding, animal feed ingredients, or water and soil filtration.

Gasification provides an array of benefits.
These include:

• The ability to turn byproducts and out-of-spec materials into revenue streams
• Reducing or eliminating costs now associated with non-product material disposal
• Formulating various grades of Biochar from a variety of fuel sources, with those from animal manures having especially high value
• Greater potential for sale of byproducts in more stable form
• Significant reduction of mass of original material decreases transportation costs
• Control over energy production
• Freedom from escalating energy prices and foreign control
• Destruction of odors as part of the gasification process
• Meeting regulatory requirements with an alternative solution
• Halting the release of non-beneficial nutrients to waterways as a result of runoff from farm fields and storage piles