kiln dryer

[arboriculturist]

The tier is calculated out at 1314 hours times the boilers capacity x .0518p ( current medium tariff). The boiler must have a capacity of between 201 and 499kwh to fall in to this category.

 

so a 250kwh boiler would have a tier 1 level of 250 x 1314 x.0518p = £17K

 

a 450kwh would be £30,600 etc

 

So is it correct to say you need perfect fuel and the labour to run it flat out for 1314 hours to receive the optimum return? Thanks.

[Duffryn]

i would say that. one spending buying a kiln and boiler at the traiff now must think very care full , i was in the right place at the right time 2years ago ,but i do no some one selling a second hand one at the high rate 2 years old..

 

Totally agree on the under 200kwh no one in their right minds would put one of these in now.

 

Not true on the >200kwh though, this tariff has remained the same since RHI was introduced and still pays well. It was this tariff that my post on this thread have been based on

[Duffryn]

So is it correct to say you need perfect fuel and the labour to run it flat out for 1314 hours to receive the optimum return? Thanks.

 

No, it doesnt mater how you use it for the 1314 hours. The 1314 hours is how the tier 1 is calculated 13143 x 300kwh = 394,200 kwh

 

So the first 394,200 kwh are paid at .0518p , it could take you 2,000 hours of running the boiler to get that and it wouldn't matter. No matter what , you get paid .0518p for the first 394,200kwh generated each year then it drops to tier 2 for the remainder of the year, the counter is then reset for the next year

Edited January 12, 2016 by Duffryn

[arboriculturist]

No, it doesnt mater how you use it for the 1314 hours. The 1314 hours is how the tier 1 is calculated 13143 x 300kwh = 394,200 kwh

 

So the first 394,200 kwh are paid at .0518p , it could take you 2,000 hours of running the boiler to get that and it wouldn't matter. No matter what , you get paid .0518p for the first 394,200kwh generated each year then it drops to tier 2 for the remainder of the year, the counter is then reset for the next year

 

Ah, I am enlightened now - great thanks.

 

I am surprised we don't hear of larger boiler installations in light of what you have highlighted.

 

I think a Farm 2000 was circa 13K last time we spoke, I wonder what a 3-400 kWh batch boiler is.

[Duffryn]

Ah, I am enlightened now - great thanks.

 

I am surprised we don't hear of larger boiler installations in light of what you have highlighted.

 

I think a Farm 2000 was circa 13K last time we spoke, I wonder what a 3-400 kWh batch boiler is.

 

The GF boiler is now 210kwh to take advantage of the medium tier, and Farm 2,000 offer a number above 200kwh. The extra cost of the larger boiler is marginal because the installation price is the same, though in the case of a Farm 2000 you would need a larger accumulation tank to match. The ROI on the extra cost of say a 300kwh boiler versus the extra tier 1 would be less than 2 years so well worth it for this let alone the increased drying speed.

[arboriculturist]

The GF boiler is now 210kwh to take advantage of the medium tier, and Farm 2,000 offer a number above 200kwh. The extra cost of the larger boiler is marginal because the installation price is the same, though in the case of a Farm 2000 you would need a larger accumulation tank to match. The ROI on the extra cost of say a 300kwh boiler versus the extra tier 1 would be less than 2 years so well worth it for this let alone the increased drying speed.

 

More food for thought - the advantages are huge -higher temperature daily cycle equating to drying time reduction, less re-fueling intervals and larger door opening for mechanised loading.

 

I am wondering why some are adding a 2nd boiler instead of upgrading to 1 500kWh boiler linked to a modular system of containers, with the exhaust vents progressively feeding to longer cycle containers.

Edited January 12, 2016 by arboriculturist

[BigRedDog]

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.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 2, 2018 by BigRedDog

[FJMatt]

8 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.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Save your money and put a pole shed up, three open sides, maybe some of those mesh fencing panels plenty of draft 

Start filling it now and by back end you'll be ready to go 

[BigRedDog]

8 minutes ago, FJMatt said:

Save your money and put a pole shed up, three open sides, maybe some of those mesh fencing panels plenty of draft 

Start filling it now and by back end you'll be ready to go 

I understand the point, but unfortunately that's just not an option I have with the way I'm currently set up. I'm very lucky to be allowed to use one dash of an open sided barn, but that's already at capacity. I have use of a small yard area but I don't own the site, and putting up more sheds isn't really an option for a number of reasons - current site ownership is not straightforward either. Buying or renting another site in my area isn't a realistic option, costs would make the business unviable I think and I'm not really interested in taking on any debt. Basically I run with an absolute minimum of overheads and I'm very lucky to be able to do so but it does mean some compromises. I have a relatively large throughput for a one man outfit, and there are a number of other issues that have pushed to me to this conclusion. Thanks for the input though!       

[FJMatt]

I understand exactly where your coming from, I installed a container type dryer 4yrs ago when I reached a certain production point but that was linked to RHi, which makes a difference

If your minds made up about the kiln route then there's plenty members on here who will give you advice