Solid fuel boilers with a water circuit are very popular. This is not surprising, since one device will heat both the house and provide warm water for domestic needs. In addition, such units are reliable, well-assembled, economical and autonomous.
Let's look at the design of the boiler. The steel body houses the combustion chamber for fuel combustion; it can be made of heat-resistant steel or cast iron. At the bottom of the combustion chamber there are grates. When fuel burns, ash falls down through the grate into the ash pan. The ash pan not only collects ash, but with the help of its door you can regulate the intensity of fuel combustion by supplying more or less oxygen from the ash chamber to the grate.
Scheme: device of a solid fuel boiler with a water circuit The next important working unit is the heat exchanger. If the boiler has two circuits, then one heats the house, and the second is connected to the water supply circuit. The heat exchanger can be made of cast iron or steel with a thickness of 3-5 mm. Due to the thickness of the walls of the product, the service life of the heat exchanger increases and its ability to accumulate heat improves. Coolant in the heating system and in the water circuit for household needs warms up very quickly. In about 1 hour.
The following happens: heat from the combustion chamber rises to the heat exchanger, first warming it up, and then the heat exchanger transfers the accumulated heat to the coolant.
The coolant circulates through the heating system as a result of gravity. There is a second way, when you connect circulation pump, but it requires an electrical connection, which can be a disadvantage.
Pellets are a fairly high-quality, but expensive type of fuel for a boiler. Which solid fuel boilers can have one or two water circuits? These are boilers that can operate on:
- firewood;
- coal;
- pellets (fuel granules);
- mixed fuel.
The principle of fuel combustion may also differ:
Advice. Boilers long burning with a water circuit can be equipped with a second circuit if necessary or connected to a boiler. This will allow not only to heat the room, but also to heat water for household needs.
Advantages of a solid fuel boiler with a water circuit
If we compare solid fuel boilers with a water circuit with conventional stoves or boilers without a water circuit, then advantages obvious.
Advice. Solid fuel boilers have the ability to connect a heated floor system. When choosing a boiler with a water circuit, pay attention to models that have this option.
Solid fuel boiler with hob Flaws
- Overall these are fairly simple units. Their simplicity is both a disadvantage and an advantage at the same time. As for the disadvantages, they mostly all relate to ease of use.
- It is necessary to install smoke exhaust equipment - full-fledged channels; pipes that lead to gas boilers will not work here.
- Heating units are not small in weight and dimensions; they cannot be hung on the wall. Typically, installation requires separate room with good ventilation.
- Fuel must always be in reserve, so you need to equip a dry room for its storage.
- Fuel is loaded into the boiler firebox manually.
- The boiler requires maintenance. Periodically you need to remove ash from the ash pan, as well as clean the chimney of soot, and remove carbon deposits from the burner.
- In models with two circuits, as a rule, the second coil is smaller in diameter than the first. If the system uses a coolant of poor quality, then growths quite quickly form on the walls, which become common cause device failure.
Heat circulation in a boiler with a water circuit Features of installation of solid fuel boilers with a water circuit
Before installing the boiler, the first thing you need to do is prepare the base for installation. For this they do concrete screed, since the boilers are quite heavy. The screed is carried out according to the level, since distortions of the base for the boiler are not allowed. It is good if the concrete pad is higher than the floor level - this will greatly facilitate its maintenance and cleaning of the ash chamber.
When installing heating equipment, it is better to place the boiler in the center of the house. If for some reason this cannot be done, then you can place the boiler in the garage or equip a separate room - a boiler room. The air temperature in the boiler room must be at least 10 degrees C, and the room itself must have good supply and exhaust ventilation. In the boiler room, the walls are made of non-combustible materials. Do not store various explosive substances near boiler equipment.
It is important to install the boiler on a prepared durable surface The equipment must be installed in strict accordance with the installation and operating instructions. There should be a distance of at least half a meter from the wall to the boiler. A sheet of metal must be laid in front of the boiler.
The connection points between the chimney and the chimney must be insulated with heat-resistant sealant or clay.
Before starting the boiler, you must first check the draft, and the pressure in the system must correspond to the operating parameters.
Features of operation
To avoid troubles when using boiler equipment incorrectly, follow all the rules fire safety, because the safety of your property, as well as the life and health of your family, depends on it.
Try to choose a place to place the boiler in the center of the house - then the heat will be distributed evenly - It is prohibited to operate the equipment with the combustion chamber door open or to light fuel with gasoline.
- To avoid troubles, you should not place things and shoes on the boiler to dry.
- The surface of the combustion chamber door heats up, so be sure to wear gloves when adding a new portion of fuel or adjusting the draft. This way you will protect yourself from burns.
- It is forbidden for children to load fuel and generally control the operation of the heating unit.
- Do not store boiler fuel near it. Fuel must be stored at least a meter away from the equipment.
- Do not allow the equipment to overheat - this is very dangerous. You shouldn’t put a lot of fuel into the firebox at once.
- A couple of times a year it is imperative to clean the chimney and boiler burners. Make sure all chimney joints are tight. It is also necessary to check the coolant level in the system.
Advice. Remember your safety and purchase solid fuel boilers with a water circuit in specialized stores.
For proper installation solid fuel boiler with a water circuit in a private house, you need to know the principle of its operation and design features. Before purchasing, you should study all the advantages and disadvantages, become familiar with the nuances of installation and operation.
For houses geographically remote from the gas main, rational decision solid fuel boilers with a water circuit will become. Their main advantage is the ability to use inexpensive local raw materials as fuel material.
Design Features
Boiler equipment This type, in fact, is a slightly modified version of standard boilers - the design additionally includes a water circuit.
The design includes:
- firebox;
- grate;
- ash chamber;
- water circuit.
If single-circuit models are intended only for heating rooms, then double-circuit models are used both for heating the building and for supplying it with hot water.
Advice. Before purchase dual-circuit model you should calculate the power that will be spent not only on heating the room (about 1 kW per 10 sq. m), but also on heating hot water.
Fuel loading can be done manually or automatically. The second option involves having a reservoir in the boiler into which fuel is added every 3-7 days. But models are more expensive than those with manual fuel supply, and therefore less common.
Diagram: operation of a wood boiler
In addition, only fuel that has undergone special preparation is suitable for supply - coal up to 2.5 cm or the so-called “eco-peas”. Some models are equipped with built-in electric heaters that start up when the fuel supply is cut off - thus ensuring their continuous operation.
Operating principle of models with water circuits
The process of heating water is carried out exclusively during the period of fuel combustion. The main fuel is coal or wood. In this case, one load is enough for 3–4 hours; a longer period of fuel combustion will be provided by a gas generator (pyrolysis) solid fuel boiler.
The higher the quality of the boiler, the efficiency of heat exchange processes in the water circuit and the more accurate the control of coolant temperature, the lower the cost of each kilowatt of heat produced. The special design of the water circuit allows the main coolant to be heated as efficiently as possible when the boiler is operating.
Furnace design of a solid fuel boiler
The wall in the water jacket is capable of accumulating the resulting thermal energy. Thereby heating device quickly heats water and also maintains high temperature for a long time. Boiler heating equipment with a water circuit works equally effectively both in a system with natural and with forced circulation.
Advantages of solid fuel boilers with a water circuit
In addition to the relatively affordable cost of fuel and the equipment itself, the advantages also include:
- high reliability;
- long service life;
- no need for frequent maintenance.
A solid fuel boiler is an environmentally friendly and cost-effective means of heating a home
Waste from fuel combustion, that is, ash can be used as fertilizer in private garden plot. Another plus is that a solid fuel boiler, if necessary, can be converted to work with other types of energy carriers, such as gas, diesel, etc.
Equipment disadvantages
In addition to undeniable advantages, boilers of this type are not without some disadvantages:
- The efficiency of wood boilers at the most high flow rate fuel varies from 70 to 80%;
Combining a boiler with a heating water system
A system of pipes and radiators connected to the water circuit allows the heat to be evenly distributed over the entire area of the building. The simplest type of heat exchanger can be a water reservoir, when a heat source is located directly below it. But such heating is ineffective, since the liquid will be heated only from below.
A solid fuel boiler allows you to create a uniform heating system for the entire house
Much more effective in terms of transfer of thermal energy will be the so-called “ water jacket" More complex look The water circuit consists of double top and walls along the entire contour of the boiler, inside which the coolant circulates. Due to constant circulation, the water does not stagnate, and the thickness of 3-5 cm between the walls allows the liquid to warm up as quickly as possible.
Another equally effective type of water circuit is welded from thick steel pipes, bent in waves along the walls and top of the combustion chamber like a “coil”. The coolant moves slowly through pipes with a diameter of 5-6 cm, providing excellent heat transfer. In addition, this type of circuit has important advantage- improved maintainability.
Control and monitoring unit
The boilers are equipped with special systems to regulate the water temperature in the water circuit. The simplest system is based on the operation of a thermostat - when the required temperature is reached, the blower damper is closed and thus the air flow is reduced. As soon as the water cools down, the system will work in reverse.
Control units
More advanced control systems work with the inclusion of precise temperature sensors and forced electrified air supply. During installation forced ventilation There is an overhead air supply, due to which the fuel is burned almost completely. Boiler equipment of this type needs to be connected to the electrical network, but in the absence of electricity it is not able to work.
Equipping a circulation pump can save the system from completely defrosting. Left in winter period unattended, the boiler, having used up all the fuel, will not be able to maintain the temperature level of the water in the system for a long time, as a result of which it will freeze over time. In this kind of critical situation, the control system will turn on the circulation pump, which will lead to the circulation of coolant - in mild frosts running water won't freeze.
Installation features
To heat a small home, it is advisable to install it directly in the house itself. Also, the boiler room can be equipped as a separate building or inside other outbuildings.
Construction of a solid fuel boiler
In this case heating pipe Always laid underground, always below the freezing level of the soil, thermal insulation is ensured. In the boiler room, the air temperature should be at 10 degrees, and special care should be taken to ensure high-quality ventilation equipment.
Advice. You can equip an insulated mini-boiler room in the basement or on the first floor of the house, and also allocate space there for a fuel supply.
The floor covering at the installation site must be non-flammable, level and hard. To increase the strength of the floor, the boiler is installed on a thin concrete screed. A sheet of metal with an area of at least 1 square meter must be laid in front of the heating unit. m.
Attention! The distance from the heating equipment to the walls of the room must be at least 50 cm.
During installation, you should strictly adhere to all the recommendations given in the boiler equipment operating instructions regarding the main parameters of chimneys: cross-section and height. Connections between the chimney and chimney be sure to be filled with heat-resistant sealant or coated with a clay solution.
Installation of a solid fuel boiler
Conclusion
Solid fuel boilers are less popular than electric or gas ones, but for private homes without the possibility of gasification and with frequent power outages, they become the number one choice. You can connect to the system yourself, but it is important to comply with all fire safety requirements.
Which heating to choose for a private home: video
Solid fuel boiler: photo
For several millennia, people have used firewood as a source of heat to heat their homes. But with the advent latest technologies the consumption of this type of fuel has become less relevant as humanity began to give preference to electricity, natural gas, and petroleum products. But in the private sector, firewood is still in demand.
Design features and operating principle
Despite the variety of types of wood-burning boilers for heating a home, their structure is similar.
Each heating unit consists of:
- combustion chambers solid fuel;
- water heat exchanger;
- chimney structure;
- ash pit.
The simplest wood-burning boiler for heating by design is a potbelly stove, in which water is heated during the combustion of wood, which then enters the heating system. But in this case, the equipment efficiency indicator is insignificant, and the wood consumption is high.
In the process of improvement modern boilers Wood heating systems for private homes are equipped with a long-burning function, so they have a more complex design. In this case, fuel is loaded into the combustion chamber, after which it gives off heat to the heat exchanger built into the unit during the combustion process.
Pipelines are connected to it, which are intended to supply heated liquid to the heating system of the household. It is equipped with radiators, pipes and an expansion device.
A wood-burning boiler for heating a house and a chimney structure supply heat to the room in which they are located. After the combustion of fuel, smoke appears - through the chimney it is discharged out into the atmosphere, and soot collects on its walls. It must be remembered that a large layer of it in the pipe leads to a decrease in draft and an increase in the risk of fire.
The smoke exhaust channels are cleaned through special openings covered with dampers. To do this, use ruffs and brushes. Thanks to development modern technologies special compounds have appeared that are added to a wood-burning boiler for water heating of a private house - during the combustion process they help clean the chimney channels from the inside.
The supply of cold coolant and heated water from the heat exchanger occurs thanks to the pipes. Modern devices equip automatic devices, which simplify boiler maintenance.
These include:
- Temperature sensor that sends signals to the air supply fan.
- Pressure sensor signaling when the required value is exceeded.
- Coolant pressure sensors.
The operating efficiency of a wood heating boiler depends on the quality of the fuel used. If firewood is needed for heat supply, then you cannot use coal and peat briquettes. Also, you should not use insufficiently dried firewood, since the combustion process produces a lot of soot and steam, as a result of which the boiler will need to be cleaned.
Scope of use of wood boilers
The wood heating system in a private house is popular among residents rural areas, where there is no central gas supply, and heating with electrical appliances is expensive. This heating method is also in demand among summer residents.
Wood-burning units are also used when visiting Russian baths, where they perform two functions - heating and water heating.
Advantages and disadvantages of a wood-fired heating boiler
The advantages include:
- Independence from power supply. The units do not depend on voltage drops or lack of electricity.
- Producing environmentally friendly heat. As a result of wood combustion, compounds harmful to health are not formed. However, if safety measures are not followed, there is a danger of carbon dioxide poisoning.
- Availability of fuel. Living in a forested region, its residents can stock up on free raw materials. In addition, heating a country house with a wood-burning boiler is possible using household solid waste of organic origin.
- Affordable price unit and fittings for it.
- Easy installation and further operation of the boiler.
Among the disadvantages it should be noted:
- The need to constantly look after the house.
- The unit is made of cast iron and has a significant weight, but on the other hand, this material is more durable.
- Increased fuel consumption since wood produces a small amount of thermal energy.
- Failure to maintain the required temperature automatically.
- Low efficiency, which does not exceed 80%.
- Wood-burning heating boilers for private homes are large in size and to obtain the required degree of heating, you need to burn a lot of wood at a time.
Installation of a wood-burning boiler for heating a private house
To ensure efficient and safe operation, high-quality installation of the unit is required:
- Location. Equipment operating on wood requires a large amount of air, so the devices low power located in the utility areas of the household, where there is supply and exhaust ventilation. If the power of the unit is 50 kW or more, a separate room should be equipped for the boiler room, with a useful volume exceeding 8 cubic meters. A wood-burning boiler for heating a private house is mounted on a solid, as level and fireproof base as possible, such as concrete, tiles or porcelain stoneware. The walls of the boiler room should also be finished with non-combustible materials, and the room should be equipped with forced ventilation.
- Requirements for the chimney structure. To make a chimney, you can use stainless steel, thick wall pipes made of metal or ceramics. The optimal solution For wood-burning boilers with water heating for the home, experts consider a stainless steel chimney of the “sandwich” type. It is easily assembled from elements, including pipes held together with clamps, roof passages and unloading platform. Such a chimney can be brought out both through the roofing and through the walls of the household. To ensure the required draft, the height of the straight section of the chimney must exceed 6 meters with a device power of 16 kW.
Choosing a wood-burning unit for water heating
First of all, it is necessary to calculate the power of the heating equipment in kilowatts. The necessary information regarding this parameter is available in the boiler passport. It is generally accepted that heating 10 “squares” of area requires one kilowatt of power. Premises that are not sufficiently insulated need a reserve of 20–30%.
When choosing, you should pay attention to the rated power and other functionality of the boiler, since in autumn and spring it will not be used to its full potential.
If the unit is planned to be used for a wood heating system and hot water, then you also need to buy an external boiler and provide a power reserve.
When choosing a device, the material it is made of is taken into account, usually steel or cast iron. A steel boiler weighs little, it has more simple design fireboxes compared to cast iron products. The chimney of steel units is longer and therefore the coolant in them is heated more efficiently. Cleaning the furnace of steel equipment involves removing deposits from the ash pan.
Cast iron appliances have a shorter chimney, and due to the ribbed surface, an increased heat exchange area is created. Combustion particles settle on it, so removing them requires the use of scrapers, pokers, and brushes. But the heat capacity of cast iron models is higher.
All wood-burning units can be divided into several types:
- pyrolysis boiler - it uses both firewood and the gas released during this process to generate heat;
- pellet boiler - compressed pellets can be used as fuel, the raw materials for which are sawdust, shavings, bark, agricultural waste, etc.;
Popular models
The following models of wood heating equipment are in demand among consumers:
- Buderus. Logano G 211–26 D products can be loaded with various solid fuels - wood, coal, coke, pellets. There are devices with a power of 15 and 32 kilowatts.
- Zota Pellet. Models of this series are used not only for heating the house, but also for hot water supply. They have a protection system, efficiency exceeds 85%. The boilers are equipped with electric ignition and an automatic function to support the necessary temperature regime. Their power reaches 100 kilowatts. Weight is 300-800 kilograms.
Geyser. One stack of wood is enough for 7–18 hours of work. These boilers are equipped with automatic draft control.
Unlike natural gas, diesel fuel or electricity - firewood is a public resource. In regions with significant forest resources, the cost at which firewood can be purchased is sometimes determined only by the difficulty of delivering it to the consumer, and the price of a kilowatt of thermal energy obtained in the process of burning firewood is significantly less than the cost of the same kilowatt obtained from burning gas, fuel oil, diesel fuel, or using electric heating. And this state of affairs is typical for almost the entire territory of our country.
Under these conditions, the use of wood-burning boilers for heating becomes not only possible, but also beneficial in terms of cost reduction. One of the types of wood-burning boilers are long-burning boilers with a water circuit. The use of such boilers allows you to distribute heat throughout the house as efficiently as possible using a water heating system.
Cast iron wood-burning stoves, fireplaces and wood-burning boilers for heating water have been used by humans for several hundred years. But the peculiarities of cast iron as a material did not allow the formation of boilers based on such efficient systems water heating. It is quite difficult to give cast iron products a complex shape, and the material itself is so sensitive to rapid temperature changes that it can suddenly crack, making the operation of cast iron heating boilers difficult and dangerous.
What other types of heating systems are used to heat a home?
you can learn about the advantages of the design brick oven with water circuit.
It describes the operating principle of heat pumps.
And here’s how to create the most effective potbelly stove with your own hands:
Current state
With the development of steel welding technologies, it became possible to produce wood-burning boilers and fireplaces from refractory steel grades with a complex internal structure. This opportunity allows us today to buy and install boilers at home with our own hands. complex shapes, with efficient internal water circuits, or a system of pipes - heat exchangers. The efficiency of such boiler systems has increased significantly, the service life has increased, and unpretentiousness and reliability in operation have become an order of magnitude better.
At the same time, modern wood-burning heating fireplaces, boilers and steel stoves that can be bought on the market do not have complex electronic systems for controlling combustion and ensuring the operation of the equipment. If, in some models, electronic control systems are present, then in the minimum quantity necessary to ensure safe operation. Of course, this moment has a positive effect on the price of such heating boilers.
Using a wood-burning boiler equipped with a water circuit, you can make a very high-quality heating system for a country house with your own hands.
Boiler design
- So, any boiler you can buy consists of:
- combustion chamber
- grate
- chambers for collecting combustion products (ash chamber)
- heat exchanger (water circuit)
Combustion chamber- this is the heart of a wood-burning boiler, or fireplace. Wood combustion occurs in it and heat is released. Volatile combustion products enter the combustion chamber into the chimney, which leads them outside. The air required for combustion enters the combustion chamber through the lower ash pan (ash pan), or through adjustable blinds in the combustion door. The combustion chamber is also equipped with a door for loading fuel. It can be made both from the materials of the boiler body and from glass, such as, for example, near a fireplace.
At the bottom of the combustion chamber there is a grate. Through it, the coals and ash remaining from the combustion of wood enter the chamber for collecting solid combustion products.
In the ash chamber a door is provided that is used to clean it from unburned residues and to adjust the combustion intensity by increasing or decreasing the inflow fresh air into the lower part of the combustion chamber. You can do this with your own hands or with the help of a special mechanical thermostat, regulating the flow of fresh air into the combustion chamber depending on the achievement of a given liquid temperature in the water circuit.
Heat exchanger a water circuit can serve as a kind of second body of the combustion chamber. In this embodiment, the liquid heated by the boiler circulates around the firebox, isolating it from the outer casing of the wood-burning heating boiler. Such a heat exchanger is very effective in terms of quickly warming up the liquid and reducing unnecessary heat losses, but if it is damaged for any reason, repairing this circuit can be very difficult.
Also, a system of pipes passing through the internal space boiler in places of the most efficient heat transfer from the combustion chamber. Such a system is more convenient to repair than a continuous water jacket system, because each pipe, or the entire pipe system, can be easily pulled out and replaced with a serviceable one.
Boiler interior
Combustion chamber, heat exchanger system, isolated from the outer casing non-flammable materials with a low thermal conductivity coefficient. It could be asbestos mineral wool, fireclay clay, ceramic filler, etc. materials.
This thermal insulation has two purposes:
- firstly, by reducing the heat transfer of the boiler body into the surrounding space, the efficiency of the boiler itself increases significantly in terms of heating efficiency working fluid;
- secondly, the operating safety of the boiler itself increases when it is installed in a room with fire-prone building materials.
Heating a modern house with a boiler
Both with their own hands and with the help of a contractor, today every homeowner has the opportunity to buy and organize a heating system for a country house based on a wood-burning boiler. In this case, a boiler or fireplace with a water circuit, located in one of the rooms of the house, or even in a separate boiler room building, will effectively heat the rooms of the house isolated from each other by walls and ceilings. A boiler designed specifically for heating water is capable of heating seasons reliably cope with heating tasks.
In this case, the system can be organized both with forced pumping of the coolant and with its natural circulation, independent of an external power source.
Systems not dependent on external power supply, at first glance, seem more attractive, primarily due to complete autonomy of use. But with this type of system layout, it is very difficult to achieve uniform heating of all rooms. Almost always, in such systems, some rooms will be too hot, while others will not have enough heat.
For a system with forced circulation of coolant of course you need it external source energy consumed to operate the pump pumping the coolant, but the energy requirement of such a pump is very insignificant, and, in the event of a failure of the external power supply, can be easily compensated by the use of backup power sources. Emergency generators and backup sources In any case, power supply is necessary in every house in case it is disconnected from the general power supply network, and it will not be difficult to power the circulation pump from them in an emergency. But, uniform circulation of the coolant will allow you to maintain a comfortable temperature in all rooms of the house, which, of course, significantly affects the convenience and comfort of living in it.
One of the options for water boilers for heating a house are so-called boilers. long burning.
It can be pellet boilers, using not ordinary firewood as fuel, but specially prepared wood pellets, which are products of sublimation of waste from industries that use wood in their cycle.
In addition, long-burning boilers are also created for ordinary firewood. In this case, a complex system of internal chimneys complicates and suppresses the rapid combustion process, increasing the intervals between loading the next batch of firewood into the firebox and making it possible to increase the efficiency of the boiler due to a more rational use of the energy released during the combustion of firewood.
Before you buy a boiler for your home, some preparation of the room is required. The heavy weight of the boiler allows installation only on a specially prepared base. Such a basis can be a special concrete platform. It is advisable to place a sheet of thick metal under the boiler itself and in front of it to prevent the possibility of smoldering or burning fuel falling onto ignitable objects located below the boiler. The walls and ceiling of the boiler room located near the boiler must be reliably insulated from thermal effects from the boiler side. The room must have reliable system hoods and a fire alarm system in case of smoke in the room.
The chimney system for your future boiler must be correctly designed and executed. Proper insulation of chimney pipes from wooden structures premises. The temperature of combustion products that enter the chimney during intense combustion reaches many hundreds of degrees, and inadequate thermal insulation chimney pipes may cause a fire.
A properly organized chimney is also very important for the efficiency of the boiler itself. If the end of the chimney pipe is located too low, insufficient draft may form in the boiler firebox, and the combustion process will differ from that which was designed by the boiler manufacturer. The end of the chimney pipe should be located above 50 centimeters above the level of the roof ridge. In this case, the correct draft in the chimney will be ensured in any weather conditions.
In the lower part of the chimney, it is necessary to provide and make a collection for condensate, which forms inside the chimney pipes when they cool. If you don't do this excess moisture will get inside the boiler and cause corrosion, which, of course, will reduce its service life.In general, there is nothing complicated or special about a home heating system based on a water boiler. It can be easily designed and assembled with your own hands. In this case, the boiler can be integrated into an existing heating system without significant costs (since the installation price is small), using it as a spare one, or even as the main source of heat in the house.
Control and security
Of course, every heating system requires means of control and automation. This is especially important if you make this system yourself and it is located inside the house, where any malfunction can cause a fire, which can lead to loss of property and even casualties.
Complex multi-level combustion process control systems that can ensure maximum safety of a boiler or fireplace exist, but the equipment on which they are used is usually expensive and not everyone can afford to buy it. But even simple and inexpensive wood-burning boilers have protection and control systems.
The simplest system, which has already been mentioned above, consists of a simple thermostat that measures the temperature of the coolant in the working circuit of the boiler and, through a mechanical transmission, regulates the damper responsible for the process of access of fresh air to the furnace. When the temperature of the working fluid reaches a predetermined parameter, the draft of fresh air is reduced and the combustion process slows down. When the temperature drops below a preset limit, the damper opens slightly and the burning of wood in the firebox becomes more intense. Such a system not only makes the operation of the boiler safer by adjusting the temperature of the coolant and eliminating the possibility of it boiling in the heating circuit, but also allows for more efficient use of fuel, reducing its unnecessary consumption for excessive heating of the working fluid.
In some boilers, with more complex system control, the combustion process is regulated using supply fan, which pumps air into the firebox and smoothly regulates the combustion process in accordance with the specified parameters. Such an automation system not only makes the combustion process smoother and safer, and the heating of the house more uniform, but also allows for less frequent loading of firewood into the boiler furnace.
Features of operation of such boilers
- low price (every homeowner can afford it)
- long service life
- reliability (if used correctly there is simply nothing to break)
- availability and low cost of fuel
- do-it-yourself setup and maintenance (does not require high qualifications)
- relatively low efficiency (compared to gas or diesel boilers)
As you can see, such boilers have both their pros and cons. However, the fact that they are ubiquitous in our country suggests that the use of such equipment for heating a house in winter is very effective.
Long-burning wood-burning boiler with water circuit
A long-burning wood-burning boiler with a water circuit for heating a house is selected for a specific room, taking into account all operating conditions of the heating equipment.
How to choose a wood-burning boiler?
You should definitely pay attention to the following circumstances.
1. Capacity must be selected depending on the area it needs to heat.
2. It is necessary to take into account the thermal insulation of the house.
3. Select equipment with good efficiency.
The mass of the boiler depends on the thickness of its walls, which is directly proportional to the number of years of service. If its walls are 2 millimeters thick, then the guaranteed service life will be up to three years.
With a wall thickness of 5 millimeters, it will last up to thirty years. It is necessary to analyze what size of firewood will be used. If you use short logs, then more effort and money will be spent simply preparing them.
Long-burning wood-burning pyrolysis boiler for working on logs
An important parameter is the power supply at home. All automatic solid fuel boilers will not work if there is a power outage in the house. At the same time, boilers with automation allow you to extend the burning life of firewood. The tree burns almost completely, producing small quantity ashes.
Firewood should be conveniently placed in the firebox, ash should be easy to unload, and the heat exchanger should be cleanable. The equipment must be installed in a room with a separate entrance, or in the basement. Here it is advisable to provide a place for storing and drying fuel.
The higher the moisture content of the wood, the lower the boiler performance will be.
In simple and cheap models of devices, the fuel quickly burns out within three hours, the temperature of the coolant is not regulated. In more expensive models– all these shortcomings have been eliminated.
Types of solid fuel long-burning boilers with a water circuit
Such equipment allows loaded firewood to burn for a longer time. These boilers can supply not only the heating system, but also heat hot water used for domestic purposes. All this increases the comfort of living in country house. After all, the constant presence of hot water in the tap makes homework lighter.
Household models are compact. They do not take up much space and can be installed in any room. The main thing is that it is fireproof and equipped exhaust ventilation. The base for the equipment must be made of concrete. A sheet of metal needs to be laid on the floor. Maintain a distance of at least 30 centimeters from the walls of the room.
Most cheap option is a simple traditional boiler in which air is supplied naturally in an unregulated way through an ash pan. The water circuit is heated through a coil. But such a boiler does not belong to long-burning equipment. Firewood burns out quickly, on average in three hours. It is impossible to regulate the coolant temperature.
More modern boilers for water heating, with an extended fuel combustion process, are more economical and operate longer without loading. They are made in several basic versions.
1. Boilers with an extended firebox and dosed air supply to the combustion zone by a fan, which is controlled automatically, taking into account sensor readings. At the same time, the tree smolders.
2. Boilers in which the burner ignites the fuel from top to bottom, this also lengthens the burning time of the wood.
3. Units using pyrolysis, having two combustion chambers.
Boilers with metered air supply and different types burners
Long-burning pyrolysis boiler Viessmann Vitoligno 100-S
1 - boiler control unit;
2 - tubular water jacket;
3 - volumetric combustion chamber;
4 - supply of primary air to the boiler;
5 — supply of secondary air to the chamber;
6 — primary air damper;
7 — secondary air damper;
8 — gas combustion chamber made of silicon carbide;
9 - fireclay brick;
10 - cleaning door.
Some models have temperature sensors and a fan that forces a given amount of air, creating an artificial effect of active smoldering. The coolant is heated by the burning of wood and the combustion of carbon monoxide. At the same time, fuel is saved in the amount of 10-15%, and the burning time of one load of firewood is extended.
Their firebox consists of two sections. Firewood is loaded onto the grate, the doors are closed and the smoke exhauster is started. It creates a temperature in the first compartment that allows the wood to slowly smolder in the absence of oxygen. This operation allows the wood to burn three times slower.
Most of the heat comes from the combustion of gases, which in ordinary boilers simply escapes through the chimney. You need to load the firebox less often. The fuel burns almost completely. You can lay larger logs, which means you spend less time preparing firewood.
These boilers are more economical. They can only be used with dry fuel, with humidity up to 20%. The devices are non-volatile, but some models provide for the installation of electric heating elements, for example, in solid fuel boilers. See the photo below.
Pyrolysis boiler "Kupper" "Teplodar"
Stages of operation of a pyrolysis boiler:
— firewood is loaded onto the grate and set on fire;
— the doors are hermetically closed;
— the air supply damper opens;
— the air supply process is controlled automatically, gas circulation is stabilized;
— such an amount of air is supplied to the combustion chamber that allows the wood to burn slowly.
There is less oxygen than usual, so CO gas is formed, not CO2. This is a generator gas that is suitable for repeated combustion to release heat. It is heavier than air, so it sinks into the lower chamber, where it is utilized with additional heat.
Since the fuel burns more completely, the amount of harmful substances released into the atmosphere decreases.
But the requirements for tightness and operation of the automation system are higher. The price of this equipment is higher than usual. You need to choose a reliable boiler manufacturer who makes quality equipment, With correct calculation of this process.
Typically, the boiler firebox has double walls, or a special coil, inside which the coolant circulates. The second option is better for repair or replacement if it fails. Boilers can produce warm water for household needs. This may be equipment with a heating circuit and a hot water supply circuit. Or the boiler must include an additional unit - a boiler.
Disadvantages of wood boilers
1. The efficiency of wood-burning boilers is 70-80%, with high fuel consumption. This is the lowest rate of all types of heating equipment. Firewood needs to be loaded constantly. In the most simple systems this should be done every three hours. In long-burning boilers, this procedure is performed after 8–12 hours.
2. Each time you load, you need to empty the tray of ash. Periodically clean the boiler and monitor the operation of the ventilation systems. Firewood generates a lot of dust, soot and ash also pollute environment. Therefore, there must be a separate room for such a heating system.
Long burning boiler Don
Connection in parallel with a wood-burning, electric or gas boiler
A solid fuel wood boiler does not require large expenditures. You can also connect a gas boiler to its water heating system. If the water temperature drops, this equipment will automatically turn on and prevent the system from cooling down or freezing if there is no one to start the wood-burning boiler. After all, maintaining such equipment is labor-intensive. You need to constantly replenish solid fuel supplies, make sure that the firewood is dry, load logs, and clean it of ash.
It is not advisable to install a gas boiler in the same room with a solid fuel one, because it complex equipment afraid of dust and pollution.
It is better to entrust the installation and installation of a heating system to a specialized organization that will calculate the parameters of the system, select the required boiler, install equipment and pipes around the house, and install expansion and boiler equipment.
Connecting communications requires special welding and soldering equipment. It is necessary to properly arrange the chimney and boiler room. Let the experts do it. They will provide a guarantee for the operation of the equipment as a whole. If there are factory defects in the operation of the heating equipment, it can be replaced or the money returned. When self-installation, this will not be easy to do.
The most important advantage of such heating is that a long-burning wood-burning boiler with a water circuit is inexpensive to operate, convenient and profitable equipment for any country house, cottage, building with several floors. The payback period for the equipment is several years, and it will work for a long time and reliably, using the cheapest fuel. Let's watch the video.
