Every homeowner sooner or later faces the following questions: how to make the heating system as efficient as possible, which boiler is better to buy, how to choose and install heating equipment correctly?
Thus, in this material, we propose to consider the most common mistakes when choosing solid fuel equipment:
1. Wrong choice of heating method and type of fuel
The characteristics of fuel for heating equipment are quite different from each other, so its correct selection will help to save money as much as possible, and the equipment itself will maintain its performance as long as possible. The choice of fuel may depend on the financial capabilities of the consumer, the peculiarities of regional location (for example, the presence of forests, coal mines or the possibility of using woodworking and agricultural waste as heating materials), as well as the model of the selected equipment (pellet boiler or manual
The main types of fuel for solid fuel boilers are:
Firewood
Fuel briquettes
Coal
Each type of fuel has both its pros and cons.
Firewood can be called a «classic» type of fuel. Their moisture content should be as low as possible. For heating purposes, it is very important that the heat is released more slowly, but for a longer time. All hardwood firewood is best suited for this purpose, including oak, ash, birch, aspen, alder.
The features of burning firewood of different types of wood are:
Firewood from beech, birch, ash is quite difficult to melt, but at the same time they can burn raw, as they have low humidity;
Base trees give more heat than spruce due to the greater amount of resin in their composition;Poplar and linden, although they burn well, burn out quickly.
The calorific value of firewood is the amount of heat that one unit of its mass emits when it is completely burned. It is measured in calories (units of heat). This means that one calorie is the amount of heat required to heat 1 g of water per unit of C (approximately 4.2 J). Of course, the more moisture in wood, the lower its caloric content. The caloric content of wet wood compared to dry wood (20% moisture) is as follows: 30% moisture content reduces calories by 10-15%, and 50% moisture content - by 35-40%. Freshly cut wood has a moisture content of 35-60%. It will be the lowest if the wood is harvested before the beginning of winter, preferably hardwoods such as oak and hornbeam. Wood should be harvested in advance. Thus, firewood that has been under a canopy for a year before use will contain 20-25% moisture, and after two years this percentage will decrease to 13-17%. Thus, when heating a room with dry firewood, you can save on their quantity by about 2 times. The use of fuel with a moisture content of more than 20% leads to a decrease in efficiency and increases the need for more frequent cleaning of the boiler furnace and chimney from tar and sediment.
The amount of energy released during the combustion of 1 dm3 wood with a moisture content of 20% is shown in the table:
Wood type
kcal
kW
Compared to oak (%)
Oak
2520
2.93
100
Ash
2460
286
98
Birch
2270
2.64
90
Alder
1900
2.21
75
Pine
1850
2.15
73
Aspen
1810
2.10
72
Poplar
1680
1.95
67
Spruce
1610
1.87
64
In general, one cubic meter of dry hardwood can replace 200-210 liters of liquid fuel or 200-210 liters of natural gas.
Pellet is a natural raw material of plant origin pressed under high pressure in the form of cylindrical pellets of standard size. The raw materials for its production can be bark, sawdust, wood chips, as well as other logging waste, agricultural waste (straw, sunflower husks, etc.), organic packaging materials, cardboard containers, etc.
The pellet production process consists of grinding, drying and granulation. The result is a lightweight, inexpensive, easy-to-store and absolutely safe fuel alternative to traditional fuels (firewood, coal, natural gas).
The advantages of using pellets include:
Environmentally friendly, absolutely safe for the environment and humans fuel. As a result, 10-15 times less carbon dioxide emissions into the environment, 15-20 times less ash formation than when burning coal;Adjustment of equipment that runs on pellets is carried out automatically;
The demand for this type of alternative fuel and solid fuel equipment that uses it is constantly growing.
Fuel briquettes are compressed woodworking waste (chips, wood chips), agricultural waste (straw, sunflower husks, buckwheat), and peat.
The binder in them is the natural polymer lignin (a substance that characterizes the hardened walls of plant cells). Briquettes are often used for heating private houses in various types of furnaces, wood boilers, fireplaces, etc.
The advantages of using fuel briquettes:
Fully environmentally friendly product;
Burn 2-4 times longer than firewood;Ease of use;Coal is a combustible sedimentary rock of plant origin. The lowest calorific value of coal reaches 6000 kcal/kg on average, while for well-dried wood this figure is 3000 kcal/kg. Accordingly, to achieve the desired temperature, coal needs to be burned several times less than wood. Despite this advantage, coal has a high level of ash production (10-20%), which pollutes the environment. Another harmful component that coal emits is sulfur, which forms oxides when burned, which turn into sulfuric acid in the air.
The main types of solid fuel boilers of TM «ALTEP» are shown in the table:
Cauldronandmanuallyandfuelfeed
Characteristics:Provide pwork when loading solid fuel into the combustion chamber manually.
Duration ofbotandononeload4-12h
Power from 12 kW to 2 MW
Benefitsfor clientsandnants:
Padvantagesover competitors:
1.OptimaleratioCandon-Sizeand (inag)-Heat transfer areaandheater.
2.F andrm new service ands.
3.Large warehouse stock
4.Wide assortment.
5.Unique and versatile.
6.Durability
7.Possibilityto use p and type and of fuel (coal,wood, sawdustandpeatandbriquetteand, peat).
Cotlandwithautofeed
Specifications:
P provides for work when loading solid fuel into the furnace chamber with auto-feed.
Power from 15 kW to 1 MW
Benefits for the client:
· Ease of use;
· Largefurnace chamber;
· Largeheat transfer areaandinstallation;
· Bandhigh KKD;
· Onperformance;
· Automatedfuel supply.
Advantages over competitors:
1. The optimal ratio of C and the size of the heater (in terms of weight and size) - the area of heat transfer.
2. FandRM newservands.
3.Large warehouse stock
1. First launch service.
2. Availability of auto-ignitionandautocleaning systems
2. Incorrectly selected boiler power
One of the most important tasks when choosing solid fuel equipment is the correct calculation of the required boiler power. After all, if it is insufficient, the house will not be able to warm up sufficiently. If the power is higher than required, the cost of operating such equipment will be too high.
In order to correctly calculate the boiler power, you must consider:
The area of the heated room;Volume of the heated room;The coefficient of thermal conductivity of walls, windows and doors.
Power calculation can be done using the formula:P=k×S/10,
where P – boiler power, S – heated area, k – heat loss coefficient.
For a well-insulated house (more than 15 cm of insulation; the roof, attic and basement are also insulated) k = 0.8. For moderately insulated houses (5-10 cm of insulation; the roof, attic, basement are insulated) k = 1. For poorly insulated premises or non-insulated at all, this coefficient will be the highest - k = 1.2-1.5. If the calculation is made for an apartment, k = 0.6 (provided that it is not the first or last floor) and k = 1.1 (if the attic or basement is poorly insulated).
Experts do not recommend choosing a boiler that has a power reserve of more than 20%, as this can lead to a decrease in efficiency.
3. The need for hot water supply (DHW)
Solid fuel boilers with a hot water circuit are the so-called double-circuit boilers with a hot water supply system. The principle of their operation is not only to heat the room, but also to heat hot water for domestic needs. To obtain a sufficient amount of hot water, it is necessary to install an indirect heating tank with the required volume of water (heat accumulator). It provides the system with inertia, accumulates heat at the peak of the boiler's performance and transfers it to the heating and water supply system. This makes it possible to stabilize the boiler operation and extends the period of its operation even when the fuel is burned until the next load.
You need to remember that if you choose a boiler with hot water supply (DHW), its power must be at least 23 kW. Otherwise, such equipment will simply not be able to perform its functions. The correct selection of the boiler power together with the volume of the heat accumulator (buffer capacity) will help ensure the smooth and balanced operation of the entire heat supply system of your home.
4. Incorrect choice of heat exchanger area
If you are faced with the task of choosing a solid fuel boiler, pay attention to this criterion. It determines how much heat energy the equipment will transfer to the flowing coolant. Externally, boilers can look almost identical, while inside their design can differ significantly. If you have two boilers with the same capacity, give preference to the one with a larger heat transfer surface.
5. Steel thickness
To choose a reliable solid fuel boiler, you should definitely pay attention to the thickness and steel grade of the heat exchanger. The durability of the equipment depends on this indicator. The heat exchanger operates at high temperatures, it is exposed to pressure, constantly narrows and expands, and when scale, soot and tar settle on its surface, the risk of corrosion increases.
If you need to choose a solid fuel boiler for a private house, opt for equipment with a heat exchanger wall thickness of 4-6 mm. This indicator is enough for the system to serve you for at least 10 years. You can intuitively determine it by the total weight of the equipment. If you have two models of the same power, preference should be given to the boiler, which is heavier - accordingly, the thickness of the steel in it will be greater, which means it will be reliable and durable.
6. The temperature of the return coolant
How to choose a solid fuel boiler for your home? In addition to power, steel thickness and heat exchanger area, you should pay attention to the return temperature. It should be at least 57 degrees Celsius. Otherwise, condensation will form on the walls of the heat exchanger, which contains sulfuric acid. Over time, this will lead to corrosion.
To protect the equipment from low-temperature corrosion, it is equipped with three-way valves. The latter mix the hot coolant from the supply to the return.
7. Frequency of fuel loading
Another important point to consider before buying a boiler is the frequency of fuel refueling. Think in advance about how often you have the opportunity to add fuel to the furnace. Also keep in mind that some fuels burn faster, while others burn more slowly. In addition, the duration of combustion is affected by the fraction and density of fuel stacking.
If you cannot be constantly near the boiler, give preference to equipment with a large combustion chamber or opt for a boiler with an automatic fuel supply. The larger the chamber volume, the less often you will have to refuel. You should also pay attention to boilers with automatic fuel supply. They are equipped with a capacious fuel chamber, and when fully loaded, such equipment can operate for a week without operator intervention.
The average frequency of fuel refueling for different types of boilers:
Wood boiler — when using wood, the burning period of one load is 4-6 hours, coal - 8-12 hours;
long burning boiler — on one load of wood 8-24 hours, coal — from 1 to 5 days;
Mine type equipment — wood — 8-14 hours, coal — about 24 hours;
pyrolysis — on one load burns for 8-18 hours;
pellet — one portion of fuel is enough for 3-5 days of burning.
Taking into account all the above characteristics, you will be able to choose a reliable boiler that will serve you for decades.
If you do not know how to choose a long-burning boiler or do not want to understand all the nuances, contact our manager or order a call on the website, and we will help you choose the equipment, taking into account all the important nuances for you.
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