Chimney theme - which chimney to use for the boiler

Boiler installation

At this stage, you have to take care of the arrangement of the boiler room and the smoke exhaust system.

Boiler room arrangement

The floor and walls of the boiler room must be made of non-combustible material. The floor can be made of concrete. Pave it with ceramic tiles, if desired.

Place the boiler on a strictly level surface. Choose a place so that the distance from the front side of the unit to the nearest wall is at least 100 cm. Choose the distance from the rest of the walls so that in the future it is convenient for you to carry out preventive work, maintenance and repair of the equipment.

Chimney device

Pay special attention to the issues of arranging the smoke exhaust system. Not only the efficiency of the homemade pellet boiler, but also the safety of the residents of the house directly depends on the correctness and quality of the chimney.

Choose the length of the chimney so that it rises above the roof of the building by at least 50 cm, better - more.

Use a sealed pipe to make a chimney

It is important that the pipe material does not support combustion and withstands high temperatures.

The chimney must be insulated. To protect the pipe from atmospheric precipitation, install a protective cone on it.

Make a hole at the bottom of the chimney to drain the condensate. For more convenience, you can connect a tap to the hole. Also prepare a hole to clean the soot from the pipe.

Pellet boiler chimney: the importance of correct installation

Thanks to the good draft, the efficiency of the pellet plant is increased. If the chimney is made, it is true, then it will be able to provide the required draft, despite the weather conditions. What a homemade chimney looks like can be found in the photo.

It is very important to remember that the diameter of the chimney pipe must match the outlet pipe.

In this chimney, a device is installed that will drain condensate. The correct approach to the installation of the hood will guarantee protection against aerodynamic pressure or pipe blocking.

When installing a pellet boiler, special attention must be paid to the installation of the chimney

Most often, metal pipes are chosen for the chimney, which are equipped with hatches for cleaning and insulation. Speaking of the gap between the outer surface and the roof, it should be no more than 13 cm. It will not be superfluous to say that both a small draft and too large draft are dangerous for a pellet boiler. To avoid this, additional installation of a gate damper and stabilizer will be required.

Device

Any burner has one goal - to create a powerful flame to heat the air or water jacket of the boiler. In this case, the combustion power itself can be adjusted independently.

The pellet burner serves a similar purpose. The device is a wind tunnel into which solid fuel is supplied and air is injected for combustion. Fuel supply to the pipe is carried out using a special screw-type conveyor. The fuel itself is stored in the feed hopper before combustion. The bunker can have a different volume, while it depends on the volume how long the burner can burn on its own without human intervention (adding fuel).

Pellet burner device: 1 - Pellet enters the burner by gravity; 2 - Air enters the burner due to the vacuum created by the chimney draft; 3 - Pellet combustion takes place in the combustion chamber,which is called a "basket"; 4 - Due to the high temperature, thermal decomposition of wood occurs in the basket, which forms a flow of combustible gases; 5 - Secondary air flow under the basket; 6 - In the burner nozzle, the flow of combustible gases and secondary air is mixed, forming a torch; 7 - Solid combustion products are ejected from the burner into the ash pan of the boiler or furnace by the secondary air flow; 8 - Ventilation of the feed duct prevents hot gases from diffusing up the duct and destroying the pellets, ensuring a stable pellet feed.

Air is supplied to the combustion zone by means of forced delivery by means of a fan.

The chamber for combustion of fuel in the burner can be of a round or rectangular type. Round burners are the most common due to their ease of manufacture. Outside, a pipe branch is attached to the combustion chamber, through which fuel is supplied from the conveyor.

The design also provides an ash pan in which combustion waste accumulates. In the process of burning pellets, a little ash is formed, therefore, the ash pan should be cleaned no more often than once a week with active use of the burner.

There are several types of pellet burners, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Flare type

Initially, the device was used to generate heat by burning grain, later it was re-equipped for burning solid pressed fuel.

Flare burner side view

• Small overall dimensions;
• Can be used in conjunction with boilers in which the combustion chamber is small;
• Simplified operation;
• Increased reliability;
• Poor quality pellets can be burned.

• Low power compared to other burners;
• The flame is directed horizontally, which is why it heats up the boiler locally.

Volumetric type

Unlike the previous model, they have increased power and high efficiency. The disadvantages of the device include a complicated design, large overall dimensions, dependence on the quality of the used pellets.

General view of the volumetric combustion burner Pellet combustion in a fireplace burner

Such structures are mainly used in domestic conditions, installed in fireplaces and boilers. The principle of operation of the device is as follows: the pellets fall into a special bowl, where they are burned under the action of the air supplied from below.

The disadvantages of the model include the size of the device and the need for spot adjustment for proper combustion.

Principle of operation

The principle of operation of a pellet boiler (click to enlarge)

However, alternative heat sources form serious competition for it, among which a pellet boiler for heating a house is the most profitable solution. At first glance, there are no fundamental differences. The heat exchanger, which is built into the combustion chamber, heats up the water, which heats the house.

Why are the most productive gas boilers made using innovative technologies economically inferior to self-made counterparts working on pellets? The answer is simple, the cost of 1 kW of energy during gas combustion will be higher than the same amount of heat when using alternative fuels.

The raw material for pellets is woodworking waste, the cost of which is minimal, since the issue of their disposal is very acute and the production of fuel pellets is one of the ways to get rid of unwanted products of the main activity. Pellets can be made with your own hands, but this will require special equipment.

Features of work and installation of pellet boilers

Although pellet boilers are classified as solid fuel equipment, they are an order of magnitude better than traditional units that burn wood or coal, because:

• dry pellets burn, giving off much more heat, which significantly increases the efficiency of the unit;
• in the process of operation, a minimum amount of fuel combustion products is produced;
• the loading of pellets into the hopper is carried out much less frequently than when using firewood or coal.

This effect is achieved due to the special design of the equipment, as well as through the use of highly efficient pyrolysis combustion processes. An important point in the operation of a pellet boiler is the moisture content of the fuel, which should be less than 20%. If this requirement is not met, then the power of the equipment will decrease and condensed moisture will enter the system. And this can very soon lead to serious equipment damage.

There are combined pellet boilers in which there are two furnaces: one for burning pellets, the other for conventional solid fuel. The efficiency of such units is slightly lower than that of boilers that operate only on pellets, and the requirements for installation and piping remain quite high.

During the installation of the pellet boiler, it is necessary to install a hopper, a burner and a screw mechanism for feeding pellets. Often, experts also recommend using a special buffer tank, the volume of which can be 50 liters for each kW of power of the pellet boiler. All this significantly increases the size of the boiler room, in which the equipment will be installed and piped.

About pellet burner

A pellet burner is a special heating device that generates heat by burning pellets or fuel pellets in a boiler. In some cases, these burners use unnecessary dry grain.

There are manual and automatic burners, in automatic burners the fuel is fed into the combustion hopper using a special screw, and the whole process is controlled by sensors, due to which the device needs minimal control by the user. Pellet burners have found their application not only in everyday life, but also in industry. They are used for space heating, water heating and a number of other needs.

Pellets, or fuel pellets, are a special solid fuel that is obtained from wood waste or agricultural waste by pressing and granulating under the influence of high temperatures.

Pellets are an environmentally friendly type of fuel, since when they are burned, the same amount of carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere as is formed during the natural decomposition of wood.

In countries in which agriculture and woodworking industry occupy leading positions, the cost of pellet fuel is much lower than that of coal. The only exceptions are those regions in the immediate vicinity of which coal mining enterprises are located.

When burning pellets, no hazardous vapors are emitted, as is the case with burning liquid fuels.

Features and device of a pellet heating boiler

Pellet boilers work with wood pellets or pellets. Pellets are made from wood waste. Wood shavings and sawdust are pressed with a special device, and thus make fuel for pellet boilers.

The boiler consists of a special fuel burner where the pellets are burned. The pellet boiler has a small combustion chamber, and due to this, it has a high heat transfer.

The main element of such a boiler is a heat exchanger, for the manufacture of which steel or cast iron is used.Advantages of a heat exchanger made of cast iron: resistance to corrosion, long service life. Advantages of the steel heat exchanger: due to the lower weight, the installation process takes less time.

With the help of an automatic conveyor, the pellets are fed into the fuel burner. Next, the automatic ignition process takes place, and the boiler starts to work. Some have the function of remote adjustment using a mobile phone. Also, in addition to the pellet boiler, it includes a bunker for storing pellets, because the dampness of the pellets reduces efficiency, a burner, a cleaning tool and a conveyor.

Making a pellet burner

Pellet installations are often ignored by buyers due to their high cost compared to gas and electrical equipment, while the problem is solved by making the device at home.

General scheme for self-manufacture of a pellet burner

The combustion chamber can be equipped with a square or round pipe. Give preference to better heat-resistant steel that can withstand elevated temperatures, the wall thickness should be at least 4 mm.

The self-made installation is fastened to the boiler with a flange plate made of heat-resistant steel with a thickness of 3 mm or more.

A container for supplying fuel to the combustion chamber can be purchased or made by hand. The best option is to immediately make an installation in which fuel will be supplied automatically. To do this, we place the auger in the purchased pipe of the required diameter. The rotation of the device will be carried out at the expense of a bearing, a gearbox and a motor operating at low speeds.

Additionally, a fan is purchased in the store, which will blow air. The fan is fixed on a plate, which is made depending on the size and design of the door of the boiler used in your home.

It is also important to worry about adjusting the amount of incoming fuel and the volume of air blown by the fan, otherwise the homemade device will work unstable. In home devices, the air supply and the amount of pellets are adjusted manually

This method is inconvenient due to the fact that it requires constant supervision of the burner.

An electric filament element and a photosensor are purchased for automation. The first device ignites the flame in the event that the pellets are extinguished, and also regulates the inclusion of the device. A photo sensor monitors the appearance of a flame: if the flame is stable, the sensor sends a signal to the glow plug to stop ignition.

A fill sensor is also purchased to automate the system. It will notify the electronic filling of the device about the degree of filling the combustion chamber with pellets.

Pellet burners are modern equipment for boilers that can improve the environmental friendliness of the process and reduce fuel costs. At the same time, the equipment itself in the store has a high cost. For basic household needs, it is better to give preference to home-made devices, the work of which can be automated if necessary.

Minimizing housing maintenance costs is one of the most important tasks today. The search for ways to optimize costs is ongoing. Heating a house, with regularly increasing tariffs, is an essential item in the family budget.

There are several ways to reduce it. With the help of energy-saving technologies in the construction of a house and the use of efficient heating systems. A pellet boiler is more economically profitable than analogs working on gas, not to mention electricity and other energy sources. The reason lies in the low cost of consumable raw materials and high energy efficiency of the device.

Pellet boiler piping: basic requirements

Basically, the installation of boilers for heating corresponds to one standard scheme. It includes a number of stages.

Namely:

• Installation of spreading combs;
• Installation of the required contours;
• Installation of fuses;
• Expansion tank installation;
• Installation of valves;
• Connection of the unit to the supply and return type circuits;
• Equipping the circuits with coolants;
• Checking the functionality of the installation.

For strapping the pellet boiler, it is better to seek help from the masters

It must be said right away that very impressive requirements are put forward for the strapping of the pellet installation. This is due to the fact that the moisture content of the fuel must be low, and since it heats up to a very high temperature, high-quality operation may be impaired and the installation will stop working.

Taking into account fire safety standards, it is better to use non-combustible pipelines for piping a pellet boiler. It is better to refuse polypropylene materials. As practice has shown, such use is dangerous and unprofitable, because the outlet temperature is sometimes much higher than the material can withstand.

The pellet installation is quite complicated, therefore, experts do not recommend doing amateur activities and entrusting the installation and strapping to those who work in this area.

But if you know the main stages of strapping and certain nuances of this case, then you can control the quality of the work of the specialists you have called.

A high-quality strapping includes the following steps:

• Boiler installation;
• Installation of a suitable burner;
• Installation of a pellet hopper;
• Fuel auger connection;
• Remote control connection;

After all the steps above have been completed, you can proceed to the next, which are the main ones.

They include:

• Installation of a pressure gauge, automatic air vent and relief valve;
• Installation of a sensor for a thermal valve;
• Chimney installation;
• Installation of devices that control and maintain reverse flow;
• Installation of a circulation pump and thermal head.

The connection diagram is not complicated, all actions are combined. The master can easily install and configure any boiler. It is categorically impossible to use a pellet installation if the coolant has a low temperature. The temperature equal to 55 degrees is called the "dew point", with this indicator a large amount of condensate is formed, as a result, the amount of soot in the heat exchanger increases, and the equipment will reduce its capacity.

We make ourselves

Having decided to do everything yourself, you should first develop a project. Guided by the drawings, you should purchase everything you need, as well as prepare the tool.

What is required?

It is better to purchase the most complex elements already assembled. So, a factory-assembled pellet burner is always preferable to one assembled with your own hands. The same applies to sensors and programmers, a fan, an electric motor for the auger, a grate, two oven doors, if they are not planned to be manufactured independently. You will also need:

• steel sheet with a thickness of 3mm and 6mm;
• steel square and round pipes (wall thickness 4 mm);
• sheet asbestos and in the form of a sealing cord;
• fireclay brick for the combustion chamber;
• round bar (20 mm);
• electrodes.

To perform the work, you need to prepare a grinder, a welding machine, a ruler, a drill.

Pellet feeding unit

We cook the pellet hopper. We connect it to the auger shaft. The latter can be in the form of a pipe. If a dispenser is provided for supplying fuel, we install it at the entrance to the auger shaft and connect it to the electric motor.

Heat exchanger

Square pipes are used as frontal pipes, round - connecting pipes.In the frontal ones, round holes are cut for supplying and removing the coolant.

The spatial arrangement of the connecting pipes at the time of their welding is carefully controlled. After completing the welding work, check the tightness of the seams by filling the heat exchanger with water.

Case fabrication and assembly

The body is welded from sheet steel 6 mm thick. We provide two doors for subsequent maintenance of the equipment, located in the front and rear. We lay fireclay brick inside the chamber.

We place the heat exchanger inside the case, providing a small gap between the outer surface of the first and the inner second. We install the fan at the top of the case.

In many regions, the problem of heating private houses is still relevant. Of course, on the modern market there is a huge range of equipment that uses a wide variety of materials as fuel, be it gas, wood, electricity or oil, etc. However, access to gas pipelines and stable power grids is far from everywhere, so solid fuel heating remains the most preferable in many regions.

One of the best options for a solid fuel heating unit is a pellet boiler that you can assemble yourself.

Contents of step-by-step instructions:

Advantages and disadvantages

The equipment has a number of advantages:

• Pellets are a safe fuel compared to gas and electricity;
• It allows you to significantly reduce the cost of heating the premises in comparison with the use of electric boilers. At the same time, pellet installations are more expensive than gas equipment, but do not forget that it is not always possible to supply gas and purchase gas cylinders;
• Self-made installations guarantee high efficiency - 95%. Some in-store installations have over 97%;
• They are used not only for heating the room, but also for obtaining hot water;
• There are no rules for transporting and storing fuel. Being near a person, pellets do not cause allergic reactions, and there are no toxic fumes during combustion;
• Fuel is available for purchase. The owners of the equipment complained about the lack of fuel and the need to prepare a supply of pellets from the winter when the devices appeared, now there is no need to store a large volume of pellets at home, you can buy them everywhere if necessary;
• The price of pellets is on average at the same level, in contrast to gas and electricity, the tariffs for which periodically experience seasonal fluctuations;
• Installation of the device does not require special skills, and there is no need to coordinate the installation with the authorized bodies;
• After the combustion of pellets, natural mineral ash is formed, which does not require special rules for disposal.

Along with the advantages of similar equipment, a number of disadvantages are also distinguished:

• The high cost of finished store equipment. Despite the popularization of devices in recent years and a slight decrease in prices, pellet boilers are still more expensive than gas or electric equipment of similar power;
• The equipment needs constant maintenance (especially outdated models). The user will have to clean the ash pan and heat exchanger from the accumulated ash once a week. In modern models, cleaning is provided at an automatic level;
• In the absence of automatic fuel supply, the user has to load pellets into the hopper in manual mode;
• It is necessary to ensure the conditions of minimum humidity in the rooms in which the pellets will be stored pending use;
• Imported equipment is practically not designed for the conditions of the harsh domestic winter, as a result of which breakdowns and malfunctions often occur;
• In remote areas, fuel for the winter still has to be stored due to the instability of supplies.

Setting up a pellet boiler: common mistakes

Those who have not yet gained sufficient experience in installing pellet boilers often make a number of mistakes.

Here are the most common ones:

• Neglect to install a device for controlling the level of the return water temperature, this is the reason for increased condensation and the appearance of tar and soot;
• Poor sealing of the boiler, chimney or bunker, which entails a leak of pyrolysis gas and a decrease in efficiency;
• The lack of thermal insulation during the installation of the base will lead to the fact that during the winter period the boiler will begin to emit harmful condensate;
• Installation of a bowl that is not intended for this type of work;
• Small dimensions of the room, which will not allow you to take out the auger with pellets and clean the bunker;

If you are sure that the installation was carried out, correctly, and the boiler still smokes, goes out or there are unburned pellets, then after the boiler was started it was not configured correctly or no adjustment was made at all. Do not rely on factory settings, they need to be adjusted taking into account fuel and boiler power.

Boiler start-up and maintenance

Comparison of heating costs

The equipment can be started only after installing the pellet boiler and connecting the corresponding pipes of the heating system to it. After the above tasks have been completed, turn on the cold water supply to the heating system.

Observe the boiler operation. If you have any abnormal symptoms, turn off the equipment and do not use it until troubleshooting.

Observe the boiler operation

Homemade pellet boilers, like any other heating units, need proper care.

Clean all waste from the ash pan every 2-3 weeks. Clean the flue gas duct every 2-4 weeks. This will not take you long, but ignoring such simple maintenance will lead to a significant decrease in boiler efficiency and make the equipment potentially unsafe.

If desired, additional automation equipment can be connected to the pellet boiler. This will make the operation of the equipment more convenient - you can simply forget about the need to reload fuel and other related activities for a while.

Modern automation tools even make it possible to establish remote control of the heating unit, which is also very convenient.

And these are not the only possible additions. How do you, for example, self-cleaning systems for boilers? Be sure to check the available modifications and, if you wish, buy such add-ons for your boiler.

Boiler with pellet hopper

You can assemble a simple pellet boiler with your own hands, following the instructions received earlier.

Video - The principle of operation of a pellet boiler

The unique smell of natural wood, a clean and decorated room in a modern style - this is how a boiler room in a house can look if you choose the right equipment. An innovative heat-generating equipment that will allow you to create the described conditions in a room is a pellet boiler or an automatic pellet burner, working on special fuel pellets that are created from agricultural or woodworking waste.

If a few years ago, pellet installations were used in only 20% of houses in Europe, at the moment the figure has increased to 70%. The use of pellet boilers and burners is the most profitable option for heating a living space from an environmental and economic point of view. Today we will talk about the principles of operation of the equipment, its advantages and disadvantages, and also consider the scheme for making a pellet burner with our own hands.

Required materials and tools

If you plan to install and then connect the pellet boiler on your own, without involving a specialist, then first you need to take care of the availability of the necessary materials and tools. In work you will need:

• The very device of the pellet boiler and fuel hopper.
• Metal pipes, distribution tank, circulation pump, air vent valves and shut-off valves for piping the system.
• Heat meter, pressure gauges, safety valves, flow meters (these devices do not need to be installed, but they make the boiler easier and safer to use)

Pellet boiler installation instructions

Of course, you can install the unit on your own if you have special knowledge, but it is still better to seek qualified help from a specialized organization that has a building license.
The main and important stage in the installation is a professionally executed design. It is followed by the following stages for the installation of heating equipment:

• Preparatory stage. Includes preparation of the boiler room, erection of a hill for the boiler, installation of a chimney, ventilation;
• Installation of a heating unit on a hill;
• Connection of heating system pipes and hot water supply to the boiler;
• Flue gas duct connection;
• Commissioning and start-up of the heater.

Preparatory work

The boiler room should be prepared - the base should be leveled and strengthened, which should withstand a weight of up to 200 kilograms. According to the requirements, the boiler is installed vertically, therefore there should be no slope. The base must have a fireproof surface.

Wiring is needed to automate the heater and to illuminate the boiler room, which will provide convenience during operation. Construction of a sandwich-type chimney with a height of at least 5 meters. A chimney and ventilation are also installed.

Boiler installation and piping

Installation and piping occurs in the following sequence:

• The brought boiler is mounted on the podium;
• The fuel compartment and the auger feeding the pellets are mounted;
• The distributor comb is connected;
• An expansion tank and shut-off valves are being installed;
• The boiler is connected to the heating medium supply and return circuits.

Chimney connection, start-up and commissioning

After the system has been filled with a heating medium (water, ethylene glycol or propylene glycol), it must be connected to the chimney. Moreover, the diameter of the chimney must correspond to the diameter of the outlet. And the height of the chimney - to the technical requirements.
The correct diameter will provide good traction regardless of wind strength and air temperature. Good draft is the key to efficient operation of pellet equipment. But this type of boiler is afraid of strong draft, but too small will not work. Therefore, to solve this problem, a traction stabilizer or a gate damper is used.

Most often, the chimney is made from a metal pipe, in which hatches are built for further cleaning. Also, the chimney should be equipped with a condensate drainage device and insulated. An important step is pressure testing, if it is done poorly, pyrolysis gases will leak, which will lead to a decrease in efficiency.

After that, a test start-up and adjustment are carried out. An unsettled device will entail such problems: the boiler will smoke, smoke, extinguish, and the pellets will not completely burn out.

Step-by-step description of the installation

Experts do not recommend installing and piping pellet heating boilers according to schemes from the Internet for beginners who have never dealt with heating and plumbing systems before. But the knowledge of how the installation is carried out and what nuances it is important to observe in the work will allow you to control the work of the contractors.

The system is installed according to the following scheme:

1. Installation of main equipment:

• Installing the boiler in a suitable place.
• Installing the fuel tank away from the boiler.
• Installation of auger pellet feeders in the hopper.
• Fixing the pellet feeder pipe with clamps.
• Installing the burner, suction pipe and hose.

1. Pellet boiler piping.
2. Filling the system to the specified working pressure.
3. Chimney connection. The section of the chimney must correspond to the section of the flue pipe of the boiler. Natural thrust must be at least 12 Pa.
4. Installation of additional elements such as safety valves (they are not required, but they increase the convenience and safety of use).
5. Electrical connection. If there is an increased risk of regular power outages, it is recommended to complement the system with a suitable UPS model.

Attention: the article contains a general installation diagram. Installation details may vary depending on the particular model. A more detailed diagram is given in the instructions, which must be issued when purchasing a boiler.

EXAMPLES OF ILLUSTRATIONS ON THE TOPIC:

Installation of the boiler base, fuel tank

Two options for chimney connection

Boiler assembly manual

Pellet boilers have a rather complex design. Instructions for assembling them will also be difficult and multi-stage. For greater convenience, the assembly process for each main unit is considered separately. Buy or manufacture the items you need, and then simply assemble them into a single system.

This element of the pellet boiler is highly recommended to buy ready-made. It is on the burner that you will spend the most money.

Self-fabrication of the burner is almost impossible for the reason that this part of the boiler is not just a container for igniting the loaded pellets, but a complex control and regulation mechanism.

Pellet burners are equipped with special sensors and have several pre-installed programs that allow you to achieve the most rational fuel consumption and ensure the most efficient heating of the house.

Housing and heat exchanger

You can handle the assembly of the case and the manufacture of the heat exchanger yourself. It is best to make the boiler body horizontal - with this arrangement of the unit, the maximum heating efficiency is achieved.

For the manufacture of the case, it is recommended to use fireclay brick. You simply assemble a kind of box without a top cover and place a heat exchanger with pipes and other elements connected in it. Brick is recommended for the reason that it accumulates heat much more efficiently than cast iron, steel sheets and other popular materials.

The heat exchanger of a pellet boiler is a system of pipes interconnected and connected to the heating pipes of a private house.

First step. Assemble a rectangular heat exchanger from square pipes. To do this, cut the pipes into pieces of the desired length and weld them into a single structure.

Second step. Make holes in the profile serving as a vertical post for connecting round pipes.

Step three. Prepare holes in the remaining front pipes for the water outlet and connection pipes. Hot water will be discharged through the top hole, cold water will be supplied from the bottom.

Use metal pipes with a length of 150 mm or more. Further, it will be possible to use polypropylene pipes. Be sure to install ball valves in the places where pipes are connected to the boiler. Additionally, you can install filters if necessary.

Fourth step. Weld the rear of the unit to the front and weld the side pipes.

At the same stage, choose a convenient place for connecting a chimney with a diameter of 10 cm. At the bottom of the heating unit, provide a small chamber for collecting ash.Also, the design of the pellet boiler necessarily includes a firebox. About him further.

In the firebox, as already noted, pellets are stored and from here they are fed to the burner.

First step. Prepare the necessary materials and fixtures. You will need an auger with a diameter of 7.5 or 10 cm, an electric motor and a metal casing. Connect the engine to the pellet burner control unit.

Any container of suitable volume with sufficiently thick walls can perform the function of a metal casing.

Second step. Install the inlet of your auger into the outlet of the casing. Connect a corrugated plastic pipe to the other part of the auger to supply granular fuel to the burner.

In the end, you just have to collect all the listed elements into a single structure. Do this and proceed to installing the boiler.

Principle of operation

All pellet installations that can be purchased in the store are equipped with additional units:

• Auger - supplies fuel from the bunker to the combustion chamber;
• Controllers for automating the work process;
• Bunker - the place where the fuel is located before being fed to the combustion chamber;
• Lambda probe is a special sensor that monitors the oxygen content in smoke chambers and independently controls the fuel combustion process, depending on the conditions.

The pellet burner must be protected with a plastic corrugated pipe. It acts as a safety device in the event of reverse thrust. If the fire starts to move towards the bunker, the pipe burns out, preventing the spread of the flame.

Additionally, a fan is used, which intensifies the combustion of pellets by forcing air, as well as a thermoelectric heater, which makes it possible to ignite the fuel without human intervention.

In automated devices, pellets are fed into the combustion chamber in an automatic mode; a person is only required to monitor the amount of fuel in the bunker. The need to supply fuel to the combustion chamber is determined using thermal sensors (they can monitor the air temperature in the room, the water temperature, or any other ambient indicators, depending on the operating mode of the equipment).

The required temperature of the heat carrier is set by the user; all further increases and decreases are controlled by automated equipment. As soon as the temperature reaches the set level, the burner starts to work in standby mode (the pellets do not go out, they start to smolder). If the temperature, on the other hand, has dropped, the controller activates the built-in fan. Under the influence of air, the pellets ignite, the burner goes into operation. If the pellets go out for any reason during the downtime, the heating element is activated, which re-ignites.

How to connect a pellet boiler correctly?

Pellet boiler (PC) is a heat generator that is used to generate hot water for heating and hot water supply and uses solid fuel - pellets in granules.

They are made by pressing wood waste: shavings, sawdust, straw, sunflower husks and buckwheat with a diameter of 5-10 mm and a length of up to 7 cm.The calorific value of pellets is 4500 Kcal / kg, which is almost equal to the indicators of low-calorie coal and some timber.

Modern PCs differ from conventional coal or gas boilers and consist of four main units: a boiler with a pellet burner for combustion, a pellet storage bin, a fuel supply mechanism to the furnace and a storage tank.

The installation of a pellet boiler is carried out by a specialized installation organization. It is equipped with an automatic fuel loading system, which allows it to work autonomously for several weeks.

In general, the rules for installing a PC are similar to those for solid fuel boilers.The complete package of requirements for the pellet boiler piping scheme is indicated by SNiP and the manufacturer's instructions. To install a PC, you will need to have technical conditions that reflect the following requirements for the piping scheme for pellet heating boilers:

PCs must comply with the design documentation and manufacturer's instructions.

The design of the boiler elements must comply with the design and operational documentation.

In the passport of the PC, the data must be indicated: heated volume, bunker volume, type of permissible fuel, efficiency, maximum temperature of flue gases and coolant, maximum pressure of the working medium, diameter of the chimney, diameters of supply and return pipelines, electrical power.

Before installing the pellet aggregates, it must undergo factory hydraulic tests, as indicated in the passport. In general, the PC must meet the requirements of GOST 23660 and GOST 24444.

If all the conditions of the plant for transportation, installation and commissioning are met, the life of the PC must be at least 20 years with the operating hours of 200,000 hours.

The PC is mounted in a separate building or an annex to it. With a PC capacity of more than 30 kW, it is placed in a separate building - a furnace.

To organize its work, the owners of the boilers draw up regulatory documents in terms of operation and fire safety.

Basic requirements for placement:

The floor for the installation must be made of non-combustible materials: concrete or sheet metal.

The base for the PC should be made of reinforced concrete with a height of 10-20 cm.

Emergency and operational passages must be provided, between the boiler and the walls of the building - a distance of at least 1 m.

The room must be dry and heated, with an internal air temperature above + 10 C.

Supply and exhaust ventilation in the building should be calculated based on the power of the PC, the data can be clarified from the technical and design documentation of the boiler house.

If the boiler room is installed in a separate room, heating networks to the heating object are laid either underground, with laying below the freezing level of the soil, or by air. In both cases, the heating main must be well insulated from heat loss to the environment.

The chimney height must be at least 5 m and protrude at least 0.5 m above the roof level; it is recommended to install a draft stabilizer or a conventional rotary damper.

The chimney diameter is calculated according to the boiler output. For pellet boilers, it must be at least 150 mm.

The installation of a condensate trap is compulsory.

The roof is treated with a master flush, the lumen is filled with non-combustible mineral wool.

The boiler room must comply with fire safety requirements. The PC must stand on a non-combustible podium located above the floor surface so that dangerous situations do not arise during operation or repair:

ignition of fuel;

getting burned while servicing a PC;

carbon monoxide poisoning with low draft and inoperative ventilation.

To increase the reliability of the equipment, the boiler is equipped with a safety automatics equipped with temperature and pressure sensors.

For the effective operation of the system as a whole, a storage tank is placed during the installation of the PC. Therefore, it will require additional space at the rate of 50.0 l per 1 kW of boiler power. Optimizing the thermal circuit by using the tank results in 30% fuel savings and protects the PC from overheating.

The total weight of the equipment according to this scheme has a large value, which must be taken into account when calculating the load on the boiler room floor.

In addition, the area under the unit must be well insulated, otherwise condensation will constantly occur under the unit.

Before carrying out construction and installation work, the following materials and equipment are purchased:

Pump for circulation of the coolant in the circuit.

Air valves for removing the air mixture from the expansion tank in schemes with natural circulation of the coolant.

Collector for distributing the coolant through the heating circuits.

Sump for removing debris from the network water.

Heating radiators

Indirect heating boiler.

Polypropylene pipes for an apartment heating system.

Metal pipes for connecting the boiler.

Safety valve to protect the PC from sudden pressure surges.

Shut-off and control valves.

Safety automation on the PC is built-in and consists of the following elements: pressure gauge, sensors, signaling device, boiler control panel.

Set of tools.

High demands are placed on the installation of PCs. This is due to the fact that according to the technology, the moisture content of the fuel should be minimal, then the coolant is heated to high operating temperatures.

Incorrect installation will lead to a violation of the operating conditions of the boiler and its auxiliary elements, which will create an emergency situation and the output of the rev.To ensure the reliability of the boiler room, it is recommended to connect two different phases as power supply. One for the functioning of the PC and auxiliary equipment, and the other for the needs of lighting.

This greatly simplifies the repair work of the main units, so as not to do them in the dark. In addition, independent illumination of the boiler front will help to perform routine maintenance work efficiently.

After checking the equipment according to design specifications, they proceed to direct installation.

Installation algorithm:

PC installation, connection of the gas-air duct with the chimney.

Installation of a pellet hopper.

Fuel auger connection.

Assembling and configuring the PC control panel: pressure gauge, safety valve and air vent.

Piping with pressure gauges and thermometers of the circulation pump.

Installation of automatic equipment for controlling heating of the return heat carrier.

Placement of backup power supply and voltage stabilizer.

Before starting up, commissioning works are performed:

verification of the compliance of the assembled boiler room with the project;

checking the tightness of the gas path;

pressure testing of PC and heating system;

checking the operability of safety automation;

control start-up, measurement of operating parameters and implementation of a set of commissioning works.

After the completion of the installation and construction work, adjustments are carried out otherwise the equipment will operate with low efficiency, cost overruns in fuel and electricity.

The first start of the boiler

Fill the pellet hopper.

Check the water pressure in the heating network and, if necessary, recharge to the standard value.

I open the smoke flap.

The burner is ignited - through the operating panel of the boiler or manually.

Check the compliance of the operating parameters with the design parameters.

A complete stop of the PC is performed after all the fuel has burned out. The process is monitored through a viewing window.

In order to prevent the formation of condensation, the temperature of the inlet heat carrier of the water heater is monitored. It should not be cold, otherwise this will lead to abundant formation of condensate, an increase in soot in the gas path, both on the walls of the heat exchanger and in the chimney, which sharply reduces the efficiency of the installation.

Common mistakes in piping a pellet heating boiler:

There is no control over the temperature of the return water entering the boiler.

Poor sealing of the gas path, leakage of pyrolysis gas and drop in efficiency.

There is no thermal insulation of the base under the boiler, as a result of condensation with the release of harmful substances.

The inconsistency of the dimensions of the premises with the fire safety requirements leads to the impossibility of servicing the auger with pellets and the bunker.

Pellet boilers are efficient and easy to operate, since they have the possibility of long-term autonomous operation. The cost of heat energy of such an installation is not high, and it is much more convenient to use it than other heating equipment in a wooden house. However, all this will depend on how correctly the choice of equipment is made, its installation and commissioning.