Fueling Log Burner ... The A*a* Thread

[Peasgood]

Doesn’t mixing fuels like that increase corrosion of the burner?

I guess you would have found that out by now though. Something to do with acids being formed. 

[neiln]

Not the stove but the liner yes.  The sulphur in the coal produces SO2, the wood burns giving H2O, these combine to sulphuric acid.

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, neiln said:

Not the stove but the liner yes.  The sulphur in the coal produces SO2, the wood burns giving H2O, these combine to sulphuric acid.

Sulphurous acid, it should only be a problem if the flue temperature falls below the dewpoint

[Steven P]

we burn a 50-50 mix of both (logs only at the weekend when I am at home...) Heating only with solid fuel you either hve a cold house or are tied to the stove, with coal you can get an hour r nore beten fueling.

 

Sulphuric acid - as far as I know this will form if you get sulpher from the coal and water / steam but will only become a problem if it settles on the chimney liner - in other wrds if the chimney is too cold - otherwse it goes up the chimney. The drier the wood the better of course

[openspaceman]

 

1 hour ago, Steven P said:

 

 

 

 

- as far as I know this will form if you get sulpher from the coal and water / steam but will only become a problem if it settles on the chimney liner - in other wrds if the chimney is too cold - otherwse it goes up the chimney. The drier the wood the better of course

Sulphuric acid H2SO4 made by dissolving SO3 in water after a complex synthesis of oxidising sulphur dioxide over catalyst (contact process)

Sulphurous acid H2SO3 made by burning sulphur compounds to sulphur dioxide and adding to water.

 

but yes it should only be a problem if it condenses as the liquid.

 

I think I have posted pictures here of a stainless (316) flue pipe perforated with a multitude of pin pricks where a condensed weak acid from burning treated wood had run back down the flue.