To arrange a truly effective heating system in a private house, you need to purchase high-quality heating equipment. Many residents of private houses choose solid fuel boilers, as these devices are reliable, and fuel for them can be bought in almost any region. These devices are especially in demand in places where it is not possible to connect to the gas supply line, and electricity prices are quite high.
What kind of fuel can be used to operate a solid fuel boiler? What design features does this type of equipment have? How to choose the right boiler for a particular room?
You will find answers to these and other important questions in our article.
Design Features
First of all, it is worth paying attention to the duration of the boiler, that is, how long the boiler can heat the coolant from one tab of fuel. This parameter is determined by the characteristics of the internal structure of the boiler. According to the principle of work, the following types of equipment are distinguished:
- traditional boilers;
- pyrolysis boilers.
Each type of boiler has its own characteristics:
Type of boiler | Work time from one bookmark | Device features | Type of heating system |
Traditional | 5-6 hours | classic design that includes a combustion chamber and a tank for a thermal agent | for open heating systems with natural air circulation |
Pyrolysis and long burning | about 24 hours | It has 2 furnaces: fuel burns in the bottom, and gas in the top. It produces less waste and has high productivity | closed or open type |
Automation capability
From the point of view of design features for many owners of private homes, the urgent issue is the possibility of automating the operation of the boiler.
In this regard, boilers that operate on pellets - granular waste from wood production are more convenient. Granules are loaded into a special container, from where they are fed with the help of screws and turbines into the furnace.
If you intend to use other types of solid fuel for heating, and do not want to lay fuel every 5-6 hours, then a pyrolysis boiler can be a suitable solution, which can maintain the necessary coolant temperature for a day from one fuel filling.
Body material
Of great importance is also the strength of the body material. For the manufacture of modern heating boilers, stainless steel with a high chromium content is most often used. This allows you to increase the service life of the equipment and provide a high level of reliability during operation.
Power
In order for the solid fuel boiler to serve for a long time and provide efficient heating of the coolant, be sure to pay attention to the power of the device when choosing.
As a rule, manufacturers indicate the amount of space the equipment is designed for. Therefore, you only need to calculate the total size of the heated rooms and choose the right equipment according to technical specifications.
Extra options
An additional advantage of the design is the presence of a hob on the upper surface of the boiler. This is especially true if the boiler is installed in a residential building. Thus, you have the opportunity to rationally use the heat generated and cook or warm water, avoiding the additional cost of electricity.
Types of solid fuel
In the usual sense, solid fuel boilers operate on wood and coal, but today there are other types of equipment that are designed for heating on pellets and fuel briquettes.
What is the difference between these types of fuel from each other, and which one is better to choose?
First of all, when choosing a fuel, you need to find out which option can be purchased in your region. They also usually choose a fuel that has a lower cost and provides good heat dissipation. Moreover, the latter characteristic depends on the quality of the fuel. Thus, non-compliance with storage requirements may lead to a partial loss of thermal ability of solid fuels.
For comparison, you can be guided by the following average values:
Type of fuel | Calorific value, kcal / kg |
Pellets | 4500 |
Firewood | 2500 |
Charcoal | 7500 |
Coal | 7400 |
Natural gas | 8300 |
Consider the advantages and disadvantages of each type of fuel in more detail.
Firewood
The most common type of fuel. They can have different sizes, and the calorific value depends on the properties of a particular type of wood.
The best option is firewood harvested from hardwood - oak, birch, ash, etc. Coniferous wood burns worse because it contains a large amount of resin.
If you decide to heat wood, it must be borne in mind that they must be stored in a woodpile in conditions of low humidity. When placing firewood on the street, they must be protected from rain and snow - for this, the woodpile is covered with a sheet of metal.
Coal
This type of fuel produces more heat than firewood. Most often, brown or coal is used.
However, coal emits a large amount of waste and sulfur during combustion, which necessitates frequent cleaning of equipment. In addition, this type of fuel requires the use of a separate storage room, as it leaves dust and dirt.
At the same time, the affordable price and high heat capacity (7000 kcal / kg for coal) of this type of fuel are significant advantages for many.
Fuel briquettes
They are compressed waste from woodworking production, straw, peat, husk, etc. can also be used for their production.
The main advantages are environmental friendliness and uniform burning. However, they do not spark and do not emit children. There are three main types of briquettes: RUF, NESTRO and Pini & Kay. They have a rectangular, cylindrical or faceted shape. Such fuel is convenient to store - it is resistant to mold, does not leave dirt and dust. At the same time, high calorific value ensures the efficiency of heating.
Pellets
To produce this type of fuel, similar materials are used as when creating briquettes. The result is small cylindrical granules.
It is also an environmentally friendly fuel that leaves a minimum of waste during combustion and does not emit harmful gases. Pellet-fired solid fuel boilers are usually equipped with additional equipment for the automatic feeding of pellets into the combustion chamber. All this is described in the instruction manual, which certainly accompanies the purchased heating equipment. However, you can see all the parameters of interest and familiarize yourself with the nuances of the installation even before the purchase.
A solid fuel boiler is an autonomous equipment that, when using high-quality fuel, has high efficiency. Reliability of the device is ensured by the quality of materials used in the production and thoughtful design.
When making a purchase decision, it is necessary to pay attention to what type of fuel you plan to use, whether you have the opportunity to load the furnace every 5-6 hours and what is the total volume of the premises. Thus, you can choose the right equipment that will allow you to maintain a comfortable temperature in the house on an ongoing basis.