logwood gasifying boiler or woodchip boiler?

[difflock]

On that particular theme, I had hoped to pick up a grant installed/ripped out sosphicated log-wood burning gasifing boiler.

At sensible money=scrap price.

BUT

If the RHI is "free money" that will allow me to install new boiler (but retain existing flue an other bits)

IS it worth the risk.

Any one seen nominal 50kw gasifiers for sale, windhager, hoval, froling, kob, any of the reputable makes.

Regards

Marcus

[StephF]

HI STEPH well said mate as theres a very large house nr us use 250/300 tons of logs per year for there boiler and there going to run out soon of there own hard wood soon jon

 

Thanks jon, good to know I'm not talking to myself on this subject

[skyhuck]

Excuse me, not being rude but what planet are you are you on, these boilers consume a LOT of wood and it certainly is not free where I come from, it is a hard earned product, with a value!!

 

I am finding the attitude of the boiler salespeople I meet is all about £££'s on yor feed in tarrif and no mention of the fuel needed.

I have supplied a few owners, so seen 1st hand the problems.

UK timber supplies are under huge strain and over next few years if more boilers are installed it will become more difficult to source your fuel locally, and it will not be free..

 

He was referring to to chip not logs.

 

I guess he thinks normal arb chip will burn on most boilers, unfortunately that is not the case.

[StephF]

He was referring to to chip not logs.

 

I guess he thinks normal arb chip will burn on most boilers, unfortunately that is not the case.

 

So I see, sorry missunderstanding, but still there is a general public conception, that our 'arb arisings' are of no value, and we will give them away. Agree with your point though; most arb chippers do not produce a chip suitable for boilers, or separate green and branch wood, I know we certainly dont!

[mendiplogs]

He was referring to to chip not logs.

 

I guess he thinks normal arb chip will burn on most boilers, unfortunately that is not the case.

 

HI SKY no sorry I'm NOT talking about boiler chips it LOGS here this very large house use 250/300 ton per year off there own wood all hard wood but they will run out in 6/8 years time thanks jon

[openspaceman]

So I see, sorry missunderstanding, but still there is a general public conception, that our 'arb arisings' are of no value, and we will give them away.

 

 

This has been said ever since I can remember chippers being used, that chips will become a scarce commodity and that too many woodchip boilers with cause the price to rise. It has never really happened, though it still might. At present in the SE there is a glut and few firms are paying for wood to chip. Those that do seem to only want round wood that has seasoned in the stack for their woodchip customers.

 

Many of the small arb firms' yards that I am aware of are not accessible for Stobarts 44 tonners.

 

 

Agree with your point though; most arb chippers do not produce a chip suitable for boilers, or separate green and branch wood, I know we certainly dont!

 

 

The prime reason for an arb firm chipping wood is to reduce the size of the heap (increase the bulk density) and simultaneously load the truck. They do not aim to produce a nice chip like an angled disc chipper does and they want it to keep loading when the knives get a bit blunt, which again reduces overall chip quality.

 

Incidentally chipping all the branchwood reduces bulk density compared with separating cord wood out and loading it separately, the trade off is ease of loading against vehicle capacity (rather than payload).

 

We could discuss why this unsuitability for stokers is the case, I guess most will realise that arb arisings contain leaves and needles that push up the moisture content but there are other things about them that need to be considered when used in a chip stoker.

[difflock]

I was and am aware of the particular/more onerous specification requirments for wood-chip to fire an auger fed burner.

Leastwise at the domestic scale.

Compared to general branch/brash disposal, and I never intended to attempt to burn arb arisings anyway.

I also suspect that any chipper I am likely to hire locally will not be suitable for my particular requirments, being aimed at the tidy up/disposal market.

So therefore required to buy one, at a substantial capital cost, even 2nd hand.

So I will stick with the logs.

cheers

m

[openspaceman]

I was and am aware of the particular/more onerous specification requirments for wood-chip to fire an auger fed burner.

Leastwise at the domestic scale.

 

You have made your decision but I wondered if anyone cared to debate the surmountable problems of burning chipped arb arisings domestically. Capital cost is the issue.

 

I said that moisture content was the major problem but talking to Farmer Rod today he pointed out that dry woodchip can get so hot on his grate that the ash actually melts and fuses to the grate, something I'd only seen on small burners using coke.

[difflock]

I reasonably imagine it is exactly the question of the small scale of a domestic installation making the necessary technology too expensive for to realize any cost savings.

The other rub is wood is known to burn at very high temps, normally relying on a bed of ash to insulate the metal grate, or in the case of a logwood gasifier, the "grate" is ceramic and can sustain the high temps.

I am not sure how they get around this in wood-chip burners.

Do they rely on the damp (30% for domestic?) incoming chip keeping the grate cool?

I dont know.

PS

Surely the other difficulty is storing the damp chip, it will surely heat/compost if stacked in a bin or store.

But again on a commercial scale it is practical to have lorry or trailer loads delivered on an ongoing basis and being consumed at such a rate as to prevent any composting/ heating issues.

Also practical on a commercial scale to have a fan blowing cold air through the heap.

etc

etc

Edited September 1, 2013 by difflock

[aspen]

Excuse me, not being rude but what planet are you are you on, these boilers consume a LOT of wood and it certainly is not free where I come from, it is a hard earned product, with a value!!

 

I am finding the attitude of the boiler salespeople I meet is all about £££'s on yor feed in tarrif and no mention of the fuel needed.

I have supplied a few owners, so seen 1st hand the problems.

UK timber supplies are under huge strain and over next few years if more boilers are installed it will become more difficult to source your fuel locally, and it will not be free..

 

 

Im a self employed tree surgeon and currently give away my woodchips, as do lots of companies around here. My point was he could tap into that market and get something for free, everybody wins.

 

 

So ill ask you what planet are you on???