kiln dryer

[Big J]

11 hours ago, BigRedDog said:

Best heat sources...?

I hope this thread is the best place to put this question... if not I can delete and re-post elsewhere.

I'm seriously mulling over building my own small scale firewood kiln this summer - similar to some of those that have already been discussed. Basic set up - insulated truck body, heat exchanger & fans. I don't have access to RHI schemes, I’m only small scale (and happy that way) and I don't own the site I'm based on, so heavy investing in an off the shelf set up isn't really an option. 

As part of the idea I'm thinking of building my own large scale rocket stove type heat source.

 

Question is do I design it to supply warm air, or hot water? 

 

The box will be fitted with a false floor so the heat can be introduced below the logs and forced up through - either directly as warm air, or as rads placed below the floor with circulation fans.

 

I'm thinking water will give more control and allow for banking heat in a store, but then again warm air will be more more direct = efficient, and I can still bank it if I use thermal mass? 

 

All thoughts welcome. Ta.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a 240kw Ravex biomass boiler going spare (with loads of flue pipe and a complete spare boiler). Let me know if it's of use. Only requirement is 3 phase for the fans.

[BigRedDog]

15 minutes ago, Big J said:

I have a 240kw Ravex biomass boiler going spare (with loads of flue pipe and a complete spare boiler). Let me know if it's of use. Only requirement is 3 phase for the fans.

Google isn't helping me on "Ravex", have you got any more info? Are the fans to assist combustion or distribute heat? 
 

[Big J]

I might have misremembered the name. I'll not in to work today, but I'll get my colleague to send me some photos of it.

 

It is fan assisted for both. Two large fans distribute the heat and a smaller fan helps the combustion.

[Big J]

13 hours ago, BigRedDog said:

Google isn't helping me on "Ravex", have you got any more info? Are the fans to assist combustion or distribute heat? 
 

 

That's the picture of the spare. The other one is installed outside but under cover. The thermostatic control unit on them isn't great, so it's easiest with a manual switch. An on/off for the flue fan and an off for the circulation fan. 

 

They require regular (once an hour or so) stoking for maximal heat output due to the small firebox, but we were able to get a 40ft container up to 65 celsius with it. 

 

Looking for £700 for the two boilers and about 40ft of double skin stainless steel flue.

[BigRedDog]

Thanks J.

 

I think the requirement for 3 phase probably puts them beyond me (there is 3 phase on the farm, but it’s not my supply), but thank you for posting up the info.

 

Have you moved to another warm air boiler?

[Big J]

1 hour ago, BigRedDog said:

Thanks J.

 

I think the requirement for 3 phase probably puts them beyond me (there is 3 phase on the farm, but it’s not my supply), but thank you for posting up the info.

 

Have you moved to another warm air boiler?

No, we just don't kiln dry firewood anymore. All our spare biomass is taken by a local biomass company, so it's all off site quite quickly now, which suits us better.

[richardwale]

43 minutes ago, Big J said:

No, we just don't kiln dry firewood anymore. All our spare biomass is taken by a local biomass company, so it's all off site quite quickly now, which suits us better.

Hi big j, was it not viable, too much hassle or too expensive? Curious to know why you you don't do it any more as I'm  interested in a small kiln set up myself?

 Thanks

[Big J]

1 hour ago, richardwale said:

Hi big j, was it not viable, too much hassle or too expensive? Curious to know why you you don't do it any more as I'm  interested in a small kiln set up myself?

 Thanks

Make more money from sawmilling. I hate selling firewood as the majority of firewood customers are idiots. Selling the unprofitable to the ungrateful, as another Arbtalker once put it.