Heating boilers for solid fuel. Solid fuel combined boilers. Prices for the range of solid fuel boilers

If economic issues relate to heating your own home, it is better not to depend on anyone. To organize an autonomous system, solid fuel heating boilers are often chosen. They provide an opportunity to quickly reach a comfortable temperature in the room, while providing a significant reduction in the cost.

You will learn everything about choosing a solid fuel boiler from our article. We have given and described the main criteria that allow you to accurately determine the most suitable option. Taking into account our advice, the search for the desired model will be greatly facilitated.

A solid fuel boiler is a good incentive to save money on heating. It happens that even with hot water meters installed, utilities send bills with inflated numbers.

Individual heating eliminates dependence on a centralized heating system and makes it possible to control the amount of fuel consumed. This is especially important when it comes not to domestic use, but to heating the premises of an enterprise. Costs directly affect the cost of production.

Cost Determinants

An autonomous solid fuel heating system is a fairly practical way to heat small industries. Such boilers are used when there is a lack of electricity or no connection to the gas main.

The installation of such units is especially relevant in woodworking industries or in small workshops (solid fuels are all types of coal, wood, sawdust, etc.)

Classic solid fuel boiler with additional protection. The ideal solution for private housing construction

The cost of the boiler itself depends on its design. The simplest option is an improved furnace with manual fuel loading. In some models, automated feeding is organized, but their cost is several times higher.

The increase in cost can also be influenced by the materials used in the manufacture of the product, its heat exchanger (cast iron is most often used). The last factor that affects the price is power. A solid fuel boiler for a small house will cost less than one that can heat a 200 sq. m.

Cast iron and hardened steel are used as the main materials for the production of the boiler heat exchanger. A cast iron boiler lasts about thirty years and requires regular cleaning. Any solid fuel can be loaded into it, and the efficiency of these models is quite high. Which modification of the unit to choose depends on the parameters of the heated room.

Cast iron boiler. Suitable for heating large areas. Due to its strength, it copes well with any type of fuel

Steel boilers are cheaper than cast iron ones, but they are practically no different from them - they have high performance at a lower cost. The steel alloy heat exchanger heats up faster, but also cools down faster. When choosing any model, you need to take care of the fireproof security of the room where the equipment will be installed.

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A rational owner always thinks about how to wisely invest in the purchase of a solid fuel boiler for a private house and reduce the cost of its further operation during the heating season. Which is better, more profitable, more convenient? What are the boilers for heating, their types, advantages and disadvantages will tell this article.

Prices for electricity and gas are rising from year to year, moreover, it is not always possible to connect to the highway. Thus, a solid fuel boiler can be considered a reliable, autonomous and economical option for heating a house. With its pros and cons.


Domestic heating boiler

All existing solid fuel boilers can be divided as follows for convenience:

  1. Boilers, in the furnace of which fuel is supplied automatically, are solid fuel pellet boilers. They run on solid granular fuel. Pellet boilers are often referred to as long-burning boilers.
  2. Boilers that require manual loading of fuel. They can also be divided into groups:
  • classic or traditional boilers;
  • pyrolysis boilers of upper combustion;
  • long burning boilers.

The general parameter by which boilers are usually selected is the fuel combustion time at one load, as well as the type of fuel on which they operate efficiently.


Solid fuel boiler with hob

When choosing a solid fuel boiler for heating a summer house or a private house, you should pay attention to the following parameters:

  • the number of working circuits. A double-circuit boiler will allow you to heat the room and provide hot water;
  • the presence of a cooking burner will help solve the problem with cooking;
  • boiler power and efficiency. A boiler with a capacity of 5-12 kW will be able to heat a house with an area of ​​100 square meters. m;
  • dimensions, weight and ease of installation;
  • boiler arrangement and fuel loading method;
  • used fuel.

Advice. Solid fuel boilers are produced only on the floor, it is impossible to hang such a boiler on the wall.

Classic solid fuel boilers

This is the most common type of boilers. Made from cast iron or heat resistant steel. Heat is generated by burning solid fuel. Solid fuel boilers operate on coal, wood, peat, heating pellets. Used for heating, as well as for heating water. Most often they are heated with coal, as firewood burns quickly. The temperature sensor is responsible for maintaining the temperature in the boiler and regulates the air damper. When the temperature drops, the sensor opens the damper slightly and vice versa.


Classic solid fuel boiler

On one load of fuel they work from 2 to 6 hours. Absolutely autonomous: do not depend on the electrical network and the presence of gas. In more modern versions, electronic temperature sensors and a control panel are built-in, as well as a boost fan, which makes the operation process more comfortable.

Advantages:

  • time-tested technology;
  • simple and reliable in use;
  • relatively low cost, a wide range of manufacturers, models and prices for boilers;
  • the ability to use fuel available in your area;
  • autonomy - connection to the mains is not required;
  • low level of efficiency;
  • simple boiler piping;
  • low cost of fuel compared to energy carriers and gas tariffs.

Be prepared for the fact that you will need a significant amount of fuel storage space

Flaws:

  • it is necessary to equip a warehouse for storing fuel reserves;
  • small depth of temperature regulation;
  • inertia of the fuel combustion process;
  • the need for fuel delivery and preparation.

Advice. Coal flares up slowly and gradually, maintaining approximately the same temperature in the furnace. Firewood and its by-products ignite faster, so they cannot immediately fill the entire firebox. This will lead to a short-term release of a large amount of heat and overheating of the boiler, which is very dangerous.

Pyrolysis solid fuel boilers

Pyrolysis boilers are a relatively new technology. This type of boiler is used for heating and heating water. They have two combustion chambers. In the first chamber, the fuel itself burns with artificial oxygen deficiency. During combustion, volatile substances are released, which burn in the second chamber.

Pyrolysis boiler device

Pyrolysis boilers work on wood, fuel briquettes, pellets, brown coal, there are models with the consumption of coke and coal. The fuel must be dry, otherwise water vapor entering the second chamber can extinguish the boiler. Some pyrolysis boilers are equipped with a thermostatic air regulator and devices that protect the boiler from boiling. In case of boiling, the thermostatic valve will release water by opening the damper, and the temperature inside the boiler will drop.

Advantages:

  • Efficiency not less than 90%;
  • minimum amount of ash and soot formation;
  • 2-4 times additional fuel is required;
  • convenient and reliable in use;
  • the fuel burns completely, the ash pan does not need to be cleaned often;
  • reduced emission of harmful smoke into the atmosphere;
  • you can burn large unchopped firewood.

Pyrolysis boiler afterburner

Flaws:

  • complex design of the boiler;
  • high price;
  • wood must be dry (no more than 20% moisture);
  • connection to the mains is required;
  • at a load of half the power, combustion is unstable, tar is formed in the gas ducts;
  • there is no way to automate the process of fuel supply.

Advice. The boiler can be installed in almost any technical room with an organized air supply. The chimney is organized internal or external.

Pellet solid fuel boilers, boilers with automatic fuel supply

In Europe, this type of boilers is very popular. They are used for heating, as well as for heating water for domestic needs. Pellets are used as fuel for these boilers - pressed shavings, sawdust from wood. The main important convenience is automation. They do an excellent job of maintaining the set temperature. All that is required of you is to fill the bunker with fuel at the beginning of the heating season. An auger is built into the boiler, which independently feeds pellets into the furnace. The only disappointing thing is that, apart from pellets, nothing can be burned.


Automatic pellet boiler

Advantages:

  • durability, service life more than 20 years;
  • fuel refueling automation;
  • automatic ignition;
  • Efficiency 90%;
  • keep the set temperature stable.

Flaws:

  • works only on wood pellets;
  • high cost of fuel and equipment;
  • connection to the mains is required.

Important. The use of unsuitable fuel leads to excessive fuel consumption and may cause damage to the equipment.

Long burning boilers

This type of boilers is able to work on coke, brown and hard coal, peat briquettes, firewood, wood chips, sawdust. Those models that are designed to work only on wood differ only in the air supply system and the materials from which the combustion chamber is made. Up to 50 kg of fuel can be loaded at one time. Firewood burning time from 12 hours to two days. If the firebox is filled with coal, then the burning time will be from four days to a week. If it is warmer outside, and there is no need to heat much, then you can reduce the boiler power by 10% by simply lowering the fuel burning rate.


Long-burning boilers are very convenient because they do not require constant fuel tossing.

Long-burning boilers are boilers of a new generation. In many models, the boiler has a bottom, which indicates complete tightness. Solid fuel burns in such a boiler from top to bottom. That's why they can run for so long on a single load. The fuel does not burn all at once, but only the first 10-20 cm. The air that is supplied to the furnace is heated by the outgoing smoke, and then enters the combustion zone with the help of a recuperator. The air distributor is always at the combustion level of the fuel.

Advantages:

  • non-volatile;
  • with one load of coal they work up to 5 days, and with firewood - up to 2 days;
  • deep power adjustment;
  • ash is taken out 2-3 times a month;
  • the price of such a boiler is lower than the pyrolysis one, but higher than the classic solid fuel boiler for long burning.

Installed long burning boiler

Flaws:

  • The efficiency is low;
  • full cycle operation without the possibility of refueling;
  • in addition, it is necessary to install a circulation pump that operates from the network.

Advice. Some manufacturers provide interchangeable burners, which allows the user to easily switch from one type of fuel to another (for example, from coal to pellets) without losing the comfort of using the boiler. The user only needs to change the burner and reconfigure the automation.

How to heat a house with a solid fuel boiler: video

An industrial solid fuel boiler for long burning came to our homes not so long ago, although humanity has known about the principle of this kind, slow burning, since medieval times. And the technology of a “smoldering fire” enclosed in a stone vise will be shown in practice by any professional forester or hunter. There are a great many modifications, and almost every seller offers a long-burning solid fuel boiler.

It will be possible to choose the optimal and reliable long-burning boiler for a private house only after a thorough assessment of the characteristics of the presented devices. In addition, it will be necessary to coordinate them with the characteristics of the heated room.

Solid knowledge of the range and classification of devices will help you choose a long-burning solid fuel boiler. Let's take a look at their varieties together and see what makes up the price of such an interesting and attractive product.

The demand among the population to buy long-burning solid fuel boilers is based on the constant need to save money, as well as the time spent on fuel loading and regular cleaning of equipment.

Solid fuel boiler of long burning - varieties.

The honorary title - a solid fuel boiler of long burning is given to any device that maintains combustion during the day. The boiler burned out for a day - it received the status of long burning, two burnt out - the status does not change, it burned out for a week - get everything the same name.

Thus, we can come across an apparatus with a different fuel smoldering support period, while the phrase “long-burning solid fuel boiler” itself is unlikely to reveal to us all the technical characteristics of the device.

Only two main types of equipment are distinguished in this segment - a long-burning wood-fired boiler and a long-burning coal-fired boiler. Both devices are capable of serving both a system with a water circuit and a system with. In addition, a long-burning solid fuel boiler has a number of distinctive features, which we will focus on.

Solid fuel boiler of long burning - methods of burning fuel

Traditional volatile boilers.

In traditional models, the simplest scheme for burning fuel reserves is usually implemented. By design, they resemble an ordinary stove, with an uncharacteristic special window located in the upper part of the boiler and used to load firewood or coal.

The principle of its operation is based on the smoldering process, which does not involve the burning of a bright flame. During smoldering, a special ventilation pump helps to release enough heat for heating, which turns on automatically and removes excess oxygen from the furnace.

Manufacturers have taught devices to monitor the percentage of oxygen in the combustion chamber, allowing the required amount only to maintain smoldering, preventing an open flame from flaring up. The smoldering state, which maintains a solid fuel boiler for long burning, provides obvious savings in expensive fuel, and also frees the owner from the routine, hourly lining of firewood or coal.

Engineers made sure that the traditional solid fuel boiler of long burning included a special compartment for afterburning fuel residues. The afterburner is a winding labyrinth that promotes maximum heat transfer.

A simple solution made it possible to ensure almost complete afterburning and destruction of toxic products that occur during the operation of the boiler. Thus, the environmental safety and efficiency of the device as a whole is increased. At the same time, the generated heat is used to heat the coolant, increasing the efficiency of the boiler up to 85%.

The main element in the implementation of heat exchange in a traditional boiler is a heat exchanger. The coolant flowing through it ensures further transfer of thermal energy directly to the heating radiators.

The traditional solid fuel long-burning boiler is famous for its ease of operation, high reliability and long service life. The disadvantage is the mediocre efficiency, which leaves much to be desired. A more significant problem may be volatility.

Electronic oxygen regulation and fan operation are not possible without mains power. Thus, the operation of the heating system becomes vulnerable in case of emergency power failures. Of course, a pre-installed uninterruptible power supply device will come to the rescue. But, firstly, you need to buy it, and secondly, its work does not imply a long service life.

non-volatile long-burning boilers

The second method of combustion is represented by numerous gas generators. This structure is often referred to as pyrolysis boiler. It is characterized by an increased efficiency value reaching 90%. High intensity of thermal energy generation is achieved by a special method of fuel combustion.

First, the fuel material is dried. The further process is accompanied by degassing, as a result of which, about 85% of the substances during combustion are converted into combustible pyrolysis gas. Video review, describes in detail how a long-burning pyrolysis solid fuel boiler is operated.

The advantage of pyrrole boilers, is their complete non-volatility, the device is perfect for installation in problem regions with difficulties in supplying electricity. The second plus is autonomy. Constant adjustment is not required, and the temperature regime is maintained in a given mode with an error of no more than ± 3 ° C.

Five times more economical than a direct flame boiler. It will take 10 kg of fuel per day to heat an area of ​​100 m2. Almost complete combustion - frees you from the frequent work of cleaning the boiler from ash. The duration of burning is about 12-16 hours.

Solid fuel boiler for long burning - pros and cons

In the absence of a gas main, there are not many alternatives to build a heating system. You can install, provided that gas supplies are established in the region. You can use environmentally friendly, but expensive electricity by connecting. But what if these options are not affordable? Or are gas and electricity resources limited or non-existent?

A long-burning solid fuel boiler will not require significant installation costs from the owner and will provide a reasonable replacement for the listed heating methods.

Advantages:

  • Simple operation. Traditional work on wood, pellets or coal does not require special skills. Ash removal takes no more than an hour a week.
  • Durability. Service life exceeds 10 years. A long-burning boiler is an unpretentious technique. A simple design, with careful operation, can regularly serve for several decades.
  • Ecologically pure. The afterburner ensures almost complete combustion of the fuel. Emissions of harmful substances are a natural product of combustion - they are processed as a result of photosynthesis.
  • High efficiency. There are models on the market with a value of up to 90 - 95%. Minimal heat losses are ensured. Engineering solutions optimize the process of afterburning pyrolysis gases. The design of the heat exchanger is designed with maximum heat transfer to the heat carrier.
  • Efficiency and economy. Modern equipment is not much inferior to gas counterparts. The effectiveness of long-term burning reaches seven or more days.
  • Acceptable cost of fuel. Sometimes the only possible one. Frees you from dependence on expensive gas equipment.
  • There is no permit documentation for the installation of the boiler. It is not required to conclude contracts with gas services for service.
  • A solid fuel boiler of long burning allows you to provide homeownership with hot water, if there is a second circuit. In addition, it will help to expand the functionality.

Flaws:

  • Permanent participation of the owner. Despite the long burning process from one load, sooner or later one has to return to replenishing the loading compartment with fuel.
  • Regular cleaning. Probably the most unpopular process in maintenance requires constant cleaning of ash. It remains only to envy clean gas equipment or electric devices.
  • Separate room. You will have to allocate a separate room with good ventilation and a chimney. A long-burning solid fuel boiler for a private house, as a rule, has significant dimensions, it may be necessary to prepare a special installation site with a reinforced foundation.
  • Maintenance of fuel stocks. Replenishment and storage of fuel residues will require additional financial investments. Compliance with safety measures and maintaining a certain moisture content of the product also add to the problems in solving warehousing issues.

How to choose a long-burning solid fuel boiler

We propose to determine the evaluation criteria, according to which it will be easier to choose a long-burning boiler for a private house. Consider the main sections that you should pay attention to and get acquainted with the optimal parameters of suitable devices.

We hope our advice will help you choose the right long-burning solid fuel boiler to ensure a comfortable stay in the absence of gas.

solid fuel.

From the very beginning, you need to decide on the type of fuel most affordable in your area. Keep in mind that it will be cheaper and more accessible in transportation and warehousing. Is there active logging in the immediate area?

Most likely, wood-fired equipment should be preferred. Homeowners, where wood raw materials are in short supply, should be advised to take a closer look at heating with pellets.

A coal-fired or anthracite boiler is recommended for those properties where mining is underway or coal transportation is properly established. It is advantageous to organize heating systems using the sawdust combustion process at a wood processing facility.

Machine power characteristic

The contractor for the installation of the heating system will help you choose the required power of the long-burning boiler. If you equip comfort with your own hands, calculate the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe heated room.

Traditionally, 10 kW of boiler power is assigned per 100 meters of area. With a simple mathematical calculation, determine the required value. The obtained data will help to find the optimal long-burning solid fuel boiler in a large assortment on the heating equipment market. As a rule, it is recommended to add 10% to the obtained value in order to provide a power reserve in case of severe frost.

loading chamber

There is an indicator that depends on the ratio of the volume of the loading chamber and the power characteristic of the boiler. Sufficient, the value is considered if it falls within the range of the coefficient from 3.3 to 5 liters / kilowatt. The coefficient is an important criterion that helps you choose a long-burning boiler for your home.

If the final figure is closer to the maximum index threshold, the more joy for the homeowner - he will not often need to exercise before loading the device.

For example, consider the pyrolysis boiler Viessmann Vitoligno 100-S 25. According to the technical data, the size of the loading chamber of the apparatus has a volume of 110 liters. Power is 25 kW. We calculate the index: 110/25 = 4.4 l / kW. As you can see, the coefficient is within acceptable limits and is considered very good.

Boiler for solid fuel long burning Stropuva

Since we are talking about companies that market long-burning solid fuel boilers, we cannot ignore the well-deserved leader - Stropuva. The Lithuanian boiler is able to work on one refueling of coal up to 120 hours, on pellets 72, on firewood 30 hours, respectively.

Not very bad parameters for this type of long-burning boilers. Let's take a look at why Stropuva boilers have gained such great popularity:

  • Long burning. Reaches 5 days.
  • Multilevel security level. The company claims that during overheating and overloading, the boiler device shrinks like a tin can under the load of the foot and under no circumstances does not explode, but only shrinks inward.
  • Profitability. Optimal characteristics of resource use. Waste wood can be used as fuel.
  • Energy independence. The Stropuva boiler does not need electricity.
  • Ecology is in the first place and meets high European standards.
  • Attractive appearance.
  • Warranty 5 years.

Lithuanian engineers, it was not in vain that they designed a long-burning boiler in the form of a cylinder. Now, thanks to its compact size, the installation of the Stropuva boiler does not require a large area and can fit in the limited space of a city apartment.

Pricing policy for long-burning boilers

The price is determined based on a variety of indicators and values, the main ones fit into three fundamental factors:

  • Brand, country of origin;
  • Thermal power characteristic;
  • Design versatility and the ability to process various types of fuel.

By the way, Stropuva long-burning wood-burning boilers with a capacity of 20 kW are in the price range of 1400-1900 euros. At the same time, similar power, but on a universal model, will cost 2000-2400 euros.

The classic is represented on the market by the Buderus long-burning boiler, from a German concern. Operation is allowed on wood, coal, anthracite and pellets. The cost of the Buderus boiler is determined by the thermal power and lies in the range of 1400-1900 euros.

Let's add one more manufacturer of the European Union from Germany - the solid fuel boiler of long burning of the company (Junkers) shows excellent characteristics. The Junkers boiler stands out from the assortment for the better with a power of 32 kW with a price of 1600 euros for the device.

Viessmann asks for the highest price for its long-burning pyrolysis boiler for the Vitoligno model, the concern wants to receive from 2300 to 5900 euros for a boiler with a maximum industrial output of 80 kW.

It's time to turn to a domestic manufacturer. Available options start at 35 thousand rubles, so a Russian-made Cooper solid fuel boiler can be purchased for 40 thousand rubles.

Also on the Internet there are a huge number of tips on how to make a solid fuel boiler for long burning with your own hands. If you have the material and skillful hands, you can create your own cauldron!

conclusions

In conclusion, we want to say that you should not give in to the impulse desire to buy a long-burning solid fuel boiler, calculate all the options, compare the calculations of operating savings again. Try to clarify the necessary and sufficient power of heat generating equipment. Most likely, the issue price will be in the same range.

Perhaps, in aggregate, let's say with, they will be equally costly from a financial point of view in comparison with a long-burning boiler, but less troublesome to use. Well, if you have decided that you cannot do without a long-burning boiler, do not be stingy and purchase a device with automatic coal supply, it will greatly improve your life.

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Furnaces on Earth appeared at the moment when an ancient man, sitting in a cave, guessed to overlay a fire on all sides with stones. solid fuel heating is very different from its prehistoric prototype, however, the principle has not changed for many centuries.

The fuel in the fire burns out, quickly dissipating thermal energy into the surrounding space. In furnaces, the combustion process slows down, heat accumulates in the walls of the furnace, and an intricately shaped chimney can heat the adjacent room.

If you add to the design of the furnace, you get a full-fledged boiler, the very name of which implies that this is not a simple stove, but a water-heating one. The stove was such an important invention of man that it is difficult to remember all of its types that have been invented. they heated dwellings, cooked food on them, slept on large Russian stoves, and steamed with the help of stoves - heaters. Now, with the development of science and technology, people are using new types of gas, liquid fuel and electricity. Very good stoves, high-tech, economical and environmentally friendly.

However, as experience has shown, the achievements of civilization can suddenly fail. It is impossible to prepare gas for the winter in an apartment in the required volume, and it is not recommended to bury a tank with diesel fuel in a personal plot. You can't even talk about power outages. And here is a woodpile of firewood - here it is, harvested in the fall. Like - it lies to itself, loaded into the bunker in sufficient quantities and promises comfortable warmth in the house.

Features of solid fuel boilers

Compared to boilers operating on other types of fuel, where an automatic system reigns, the features of solid fuel boilers are that they need periodic attention and maintenance. However, here, too, engineers offer many improvements that make life easier for the owner. Cleaning the grates from a tedious task turns into easy and quick manipulation of the shutters when using a special chamber cleaning system with overturning grates.

Some allow you to load solid fuel, firewood and coal, no more than once a week, which, due to the tedious maintenance, raises them to the level of liquid fuel units, and this is very good.

Solid fuel heating boilers differ from their counterparts operating on other types of fuel by their solidity. The lower heat capacity of solid fuels compared to gas or liquid fuels requires an increased size of the combustion chamber.

In addition, lower combustion intensity implies slow heating and slow cooling, therefore it is more profitable to make such long-burning boilers from massive materials with increased heat capacity. Basically, of course, solid fuel boilers are made of steel and cast iron. These materials are suitable for all parameters and technical characteristics, moreover, over the previous period of operation they have proven themselves from the best side.

Since ancient times, steel and cast iron have been used in the manufacture of furnaces and. For cast-iron heating boilers, individual elements of the heat exchanger are first cast, then they are pulled together with thick, durable studs. Steel solid fuel boilers are usually welded. Each of these household appliances has its pros and cons.

A cast-iron solid fuel boiler is noticeably heavier than a steel one, which is less sensitive to mechanical damage. With a crack in a cast-iron boiler, it is cheaper to buy a new one than to repair an old one. On the contrary, a steel solid fuel boiler can be welded for sane money. A steel heating boiler survives overheating better (expansion coefficient 3.5–4.5), cast iron is more brittle (coefficient 7.5–8.5), but it rusts less. In steel models, a coil with water is welded into the body, in cast iron cavities for a water jacket are cast initially at a metallurgical plant.

cast iron boiler

If we compare them by the frequency of loading the heating energy carrier, then cast iron boilers need 1.1–1.4, and steel 1.6–2.6 liters per 1 kW. The higher the indicator, the less fuel is required. The number of pros and cons for each type is approximately the same, it all depends on the specific conditions in which the boiler will be operated. But there is a general rule that applies to all types.

Boilers must not be operated without heating medium, i.e. coolant. It doesn't matter if it's water or special antifreeze. Without liquid, the boiler will quickly overheat and deform, and may even crack.

Overheating of the boiler is successfully fought. They make special systems with sensors that signal the excess of the temperature limit in the boiler. In this case, the boiler cooling system is turned on, boiling water is drained into the drain, and cold water is added instead. Security is also given close attention.

Automatic solid fuel boiler

When solid fuel boilers are operating at full capacity, for example, in frosty winters, the temperature of the boiler is high, and in order to protect a person from being burned by the furnace door, protective systems are invented. The door is made multi-layered, with asbestos gaskets.

On some steel boilers, a special water cooling circuit is installed for those metal parts that the person operating the boiler touches. The process of cleaning the boilers is also not ignored. In addition to the conventional poker, there are also special systems with swivel grates and retractable ash pans. With the help of such systems, it is possible to clean the boiler without opening the furnace.

Single-circuit and double-circuit boiler

When buying a solid fuel boiler, you must decide whether you need a single-circuit or for heating. If only for home heating, then buy. If you have plans to carry out hot water supply in the house, then feel free to take a double-circuit boiler. An additional coil is added in it, in which tap water is heated. Very convenient, but there is a small drawback of the boiler.

The device of a double-circuit solid fuel boiler

Running water is heated and when taking a shower for a long time, for example, the temperature of the heated water can drop significantly. In order to prevent this from happening, a storage boiler is placed next to the boiler, one hundred liters and a second, water circuit is connected to it. It is not running water from the water supply that goes through it, but the coolant goes in a circle, heating up in the boiler and giving off heat in the boiler. These are additional costs, but for the sake of comfort and convenience, you can go for them.

Solid fuel heating boilers are found in two types. Which, traditional or gas-fired boiler to choose - it's up to you. In a traditional boiler there is a combustion chamber with grates, under it there is a blower, a chimney begins above it, ending with a pipe.

Construction of a traditional boiler

In gas generating systems, the heating system is more complicated, there is a bunker for firewood or coal above the firebox, and smoke and combustion products are pulled through a complex labyrinth of heat exchangers with the help of a fan, giving off heat to the maximum before literally flying out into the chimney. The efficiency of pyrolysis boilers is 92%, which is much higher than traditional ones.

Coal, and especially firewood, lying in the upper bunker, is dried before starting to burn. This means that the energy at the time of burning wood is not spent on the evaporation of water and more of it is spent on heating the coolant and, therefore, less fuel is required for heating. You can also say about the blower fan, which sucks the smoke deep into the boiler, which is very convenient when kindling, when in traditional boilers part of the smoke enters the room.

Non-volatile or volatile

If the boiler has control units and fans, it cannot do without an electrical connection. Which boiler to purchase, volatile or non-volatile, should be considered in advance. If you choose a solid fuel boiler with control units, with automatic fuel supply, then this, of course, greatly simplifies the maintenance of the boiler room. Fuel for the boiler can be loaded a week in advance, fans draw out smoke, preventing carbon monoxide from entering the room, smart sensors turn pumps on and off in time.

This is all great, but what if the centralized power supply is turned off? And this can happen at any time and in severe frosts too. In this case, autonomous power generators or DC-to-AC converters, the so-called inverters, are provided on batteries. That is, be prepared for additional spending for convenience.

Safety regulations

Manufacturers of solid fuel heating boilers claim that, from the point of view of safety rules, their devices are ready to work flawlessly for 10 years or more. This can only be true in the case of ideal operation, when all the manufacturer's instructions are followed and heat engineering is carefully treated. In many houses, boilers manufactured 15 and 20 years ago are standing and working perfectly. That is, the attitude to the operation of the boiler can both increase its service life and reduce it.

A competent engineering calculation of the boiler power will lead to the choice of exactly the boiler that will serve consumers without overheating. Proper fittings of the boiler will allow the coolant to circulate in the system without accidents and troubles.

The rules for safe operation are very important and we will consider them in more detail.

Preventive measures against overheating of the boiler include special heat exchangers built in at the factory, draining boiling water into the drain and pouring cold water into the system. As well as safety control valves, which organically fit into the structure of water conduits and do not allow overheating to disable the boiler. It is one thing if the pipes of heating and hot water systems are made of metal.

It is quite another if it is made of metal-plastic or polypropylene. Overheating of the heating boiler can end badly for such pipes, from 100-110 degrees Celsius they will melt. Therefore, the first meter or two pipelines from the boiler are recommended to be steel or copper, and only then, through special couplings, switch to plastic.

Solid fuel boiler piping

Chimney equipment

A properly equipped chimney under the boiler is critical for trouble-free solid fuel operation. Without good traction, there will be no complete combustion of fuel and a lot of waste, ash and slag will appear. The place where the chimney will be must meet fire safety requirements, and the chimney pipes themselves must be made of good metal and be resistant to corrosion. The height of the chimney pipe must be at least 4 m, and the diameter must be at least 180 mm.

Sometimes it happens that it is impossible to draw a direct chimney through the roof, you have to design a complex system of transitions. This cannot but affect traction. Most often negative. In this case, it is highly recommended to buy pyrolysis, gas-generating boilers. They have a built-in blower and compensates for insufficient draft by forced smoke extraction outside the boiler room.

Correct installation

Of course, only a serious organization can perform a long-burning boiler, and the instructions for the boiler directly state that only certified organizations are allowed to use solid fuels. However, the owner of the unit must also be aware of the elementary rules, because after installation it is up to him to operate the boiler, and be responsible for the fire safety of the entire building.

The solid fuel boiler must be at least 20 cm from the walls, if they are wooden or made of combustible materials. Walls should be protected with metal plates with asbestos lining. The same applies to gender. Additionally, it should be noted that the floor in front of the ash pan must be covered with metal by at least 30 cm.

Connecting the boiler to the chimney also has its own characteristics and rules. The horizontal flue between the boiler and the chimney must be no more than 1 m. If more than one pipe enters the chimney, then they must enter at least 80 mm, otherwise back draft may occur. Not only the long and reliable operation of the boiler depends on a well-planned and properly installed chimney system, but also the health and safety of the residents of the house.

Connection to the chimney of a solid fuel boiler

It is also necessary to be able to kindle correctly

It doesn't matter if you burn coal, firewood, pellets, or peat, kindle it correctly - it's always starting with wood chips. They can be set on fire with a piece of paper or a special candle for ignition, and only after they light up, gradually add the main type of fuel. The blower is initially completely open for maximum air access, after the appearance of a stable flame it is covered and the draft is monitored.

If the house has not been heated for a long time, the boiler is turned on at full power, the building is warmed up and only then the combustion and the temperature of the coolant are reduced. For safety reasons, boilers must not be ignited with fuels and lubricants and other flammable liquids.

Boiler cleaning

If the boiler ash pan is not cleaned for a long time, the efficiency of the boiler is reduced. Instead of heating the coolant, part of the energy is spent on maintaining the temperature of the ash and slag. The boiler must be cleaned on time, but it all depends on the size of the ash pan and the mode of operation. But in any case, the solid fuel heating boiler must be cleaned regularly.

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Today, modern solid fuel boilers are quite often used today for heating a private house, despite the fact that they are inferior in ease of operation to their electric and gas competitors. Such popularity of this equipment is primarily due to rising prices for traditional energy sources (especially electricity), as well as the lack of centralized gas supply in some regions. Do not forget that often waste from an agricultural or woodworking enterprise is used as a fuel for solid fuel boilers, so heating a private house is absolutely free.

Types of fuel for solid fuel boilers

The list of fuels suitable for use in a solid fuel boiler is quite wide, it can include almost everything that is not a gas or liquid and can burn. In most cases, the heat sources are:

  • coal;
  • peat;
  • wood briquettes;
  • pellets;
  • waste in the form of wood shavings and sawdust;
  • husks and husks of oilseeds and cereals;
  • straw.

Each type of fuel has its own requirements for the material and design of the furnace, the air supply system and some other components of the boiler. Of course, the fuel will burn out even if all these parameters do not match, but the efficiency of the boiler in this case will be significantly lower than the maximum possible. Therefore, before choosing a suitable model of a solid fuel boiler, you should decide exactly what type of fuel you will use in it.

The disadvantage of household solid fuel boilers is that this equipment is not able to work without user intervention. Even in models with automatic fuel supply, it has to be constantly added to the storage hopper, and the owner also needs to periodically remove the ash.

Features of solid fuel boilers

In the simplest version, household solid fuel boilers are devices consisting of a body, a combustion chamber located inside it and a chimney. Such boilers provide the so-called air heating, that is, simply put, they heat the air around them in the same way as a traditional Russian stove does. These models have the lowest cost, but it is impossible to use these types of modern boilers for a private house with several rooms. They are suitable for small buildings consisting of one or two rooms.

To heat the coolant of the water heating system, a solid fuel boiler with a heat exchanger should be used. The heat exchanger is blown by the hot gases formed during the combustion of the fuel, due to which the water circulating through it is heated. Heat exchangers are made of steel or cast iron.

Cast iron heat exchangers are considered the most preferable: they are more durable than steel ones, do not corrode and have better working qualities. However, they also have some disadvantages: cast iron is much less ductile than steel, so it tolerates temperature changes worse; in terms of weight, the cast-iron heat exchanger is significantly superior to the steel one, which complicates the transportation and installation of the boiler. The main "minus" of steel heat exchangers is the fear of corrosion.

In modern models of household solid fuel boilers, this problem is solved by adding special additives to the steel composition that increase corrosion resistance. Another disadvantage is that the steel heat exchanger, unlike the cast iron one, is a welded structure:

  • firstly, welds are the weak point of the product;
  • secondly, this method of manufacturing a heat exchanger greatly complicates its repair.

However, steel heat exchangers make it possible to implement a very useful feature, which is the use of a cooling coil. When the temperature of the coolant rises above the permissible limits, the thermostatic valve will open, ensuring the flow of cold water into the tank. Boilers with cast-iron heat exchangers cannot use this method to lower the coolant temperature; the system has to be refilled with cool water.

Double-circuit boilers

More "advanced" models of solid fuel boilers can be used not only for heating private houses , but also for heating water in the hot water supply system. Such boilers are called double-circuit. Anyone who wants to buy such a device should take into account one circumstance: immediately at the time of using the hot water tap, the boiler switches completely to heating the DHW circuit, while heating is turned off.

This happens as follows: as a result of switching valves, the coolant heated by the boiler is redirected to the heat exchanger of the DHW circuit, so it temporarily does not enter the heating system. Therefore, such a scheme for connecting a solid fuel boiler is justified only if hot water is consumed sporadically and in small volumes. If you need a lot of water, the water supply system is supplemented with a storage tank (boiler), which provides the following advantages:

  • allows you to increase the consumption of hot water;
  • makes it possible to use hot water longer without turning off the heating;
  • smoothes the operation of the boiler, reducing the frequency of its switching from the heating circuit to the DHW.

In inexpensive models of solid fuel boilers, fuel is loaded manually, while in more advanced versions this process is partially automated. Such boilers are equipped with a bunker from which fuel is fed into the furnace by a screw or piston feeder. Of course, such a system is unlikely to be able to lay firewood instead of the user, but with bulk fuels - fine-grained coal (with a size of 5 to 25 mm), pellets, etc. - will cope with "excellent". The volume of one filling of the bunker is usually enough for several days.

Pellet boilers

One of the most high-calorie and easy-to-use types of fuel are pellets, which are also called biogranules. They are mainly made from wood chips, but peat, husks of sunflower seeds, etc. can also be used. To obtain granules, the feedstock is crushed and then pressed under pressure reaching 300 atm. Therefore, pellets occupy a much smaller volume than a portion of chips in its pure form, which has the same mass. It is very convenient to use pellet boilers for home heating: one load into the bunker is enough for a whole week, while the fuel burns out almost completely, so you can remove the ash about once a month. This equipment differs from other types of solid fuel boilers, first of all, by the presence of a special burner called a pellet burner.

The basic setup of a pellet boiler consists of the following steps:

  • fine adjustment of the time of switching on and waiting for the screw feeder when fuel is supplied;
  • selection of the optimal fan speed for air supply;
  • adjustment of operating modes of circulation pumps in heating and hot water circuits;
  • temperature settings.

The maximum and minimum consumption of a pellet boiler is determined by several factors:

  • boiler efficiency;
  • calorie content of fuel;
  • thermal resistance of building envelopes;
  • outdoor air temperature;
  • the number of consumers connected to the boiler in addition to the heating system (heat-insulated floor system, hot water supply).

Pyrolysis boilers

If a household heating boiler in a private house is supposed to be fired with coal or wood fuel, it is better to give preference to a pyrolysis or, what is the same, a gas generator model. Such equipment is also called long-burning boilers. Pyrolysis is the process of formation of combustible gas during the smoldering of coal or wood fuel. without access to oxygen. It takes place in a special chamber of the boiler and is accompanied by the release of a significant amount of heat. Wood gas, which consists mainly of ethylene and propylene, is fed through a ceramic nozzle into the second chamber, where air is injected and where it is burned. Solid fuel pyrolysis boilers for the home are very beneficial, because they have increased efficiency, and besides, much less effort is required to clean them, because there is not much ash left after pyrolysis.

Rules for choosing a solid fuel boiler

Before choosing solid fuel boilers for long burning, their power should be calculated. On average, the specific value of energy consumption for heating a house with an area of ​​​​100 - 150 square meters. m is 120 - 130 W/sq. m, for a house with an area of ​​400 - 500 sq. m - from 80 to 85 W / sq. m.

It is also worth paying attention to various improvements that can greatly facilitate the operation of the equipment. So, for example, heating a country house with a solid fuel boiler can be controlled by commands from a mobile phone if the boiler is equipped with a GSM module with a SIM card installed in it.

As a conclusion, we recommend watching an interesting video with a review on the operation of a cast-iron solid fuel boiler.