Do-it-yourself pellet burner: drawings, device, principle of operation, types - how to make and install on a solid fuel boiler

Possible options for fluid movement

There are many schemes. But all methods can be divided into two main groups depending on the principle of movement of the coolant through the pipes. Therefore, a specific scheme is selected depending on whether natural or forced pumping is used in the system.

Features of natural circulation

The simplest and most inexpensive solution is piping the boiler, where the coolant will move through the pipes using the laws of physics. Even a beginner can implement such a scheme, and it will take a minimum of time.

The peculiarity of a heating system with natural circulation is the absence of a pump. In this case, the movement of liquid in the pipeline occurs due to the ability of a colder medium to push out a hotter and less dense one.

When organizing a heating system without a pump, the radiators should be located higher than the boiler. At the same time, the number of bends and turns of pipes must be minimized (+)

The advantages of this solution include:

low installation cost;
low cost of service;
ease of installation;
the ability to quickly restore system operation if a breakdown is detected.

But the scheme with natural fluid movement also has its drawbacks. First of all, it can only be used with a single-circuit system. In addition, such a solution will be effective only in small houses.

Forced circulation option

The greatest demand is for heating systems that use a circulation pump. And this is not at all surprising, because such a scheme is convenient, versatile and practical. It can be used in houses and buildings of absolutely any size.

But even despite the unique advantages, schemes with forced coolant circulation have some significant disadvantages:

high cost of installation - the average cost of a pump is about 150-160 dollars;
complexity of implementation - the circuit consists of a large number of elements, which significantly complicates its implementation;
the need for balancing - all components of the home heating system must be precisely aligned with each other;
dependence on the availability of electricity - the heating pump will only work if current is supplied to it.

When organizing a heating system for a building with two or more circuits, it is recommended to use the option with forced movement of the coolant.

The heating system with forced liquid pumping operates thanks to a circulation pump. Therefore, it is better to give preference to reliable devices from trusted manufacturers

However, in this case, the fundamental performance factor is the power of the heating boiler. Please note that if it is not enough, the equipment will not be able to heat a sufficient amount of coolant.

Preparatory activities

Before you make a homemade pellet burner with your own hands, you need to decide on the heating area of the room, this will make it possible to accurately calculate the power of the boiler equipment.

The main factors that are certainly taken into account during the calculation:

height and size of the heated room;
average temperature in your area;
wall material;
number of window and door openings.

Taking into account the reference literature, it is necessary to determine the thermal resistance coefficients of materials, and then perform heat loss calculations. The power of boiler equipment must be approximately 20 percent greater than heat losses.

If you need to independently calculate the boiler power indicators, you can use a special calculator. In this case, the error in the calculations made will be insignificant.

Pellet burner with forced intake

This device is one of the best when it comes to fire safety in the house. The representative is the Teplodar pellet burner. The downside is the high cost of the burners, reaching $3000. The burner has several mechanisms that ensure the supply of pellets inside. One mechanism operates the auger, and the other operates the pneumatic system. The safety of the product lies in the fact that the channel runs from below (pellets move along it). The flame will move in the opposite direction, so it will not get into the bunker.

Note! Fuel is supplied in portions and does not remain in the channel along which they move. Another advantage is that designs with a pneumatic system are equipped with large hoppers. They can be downloaded once a month

They can be downloaded once a month

Another advantage is that designs with a pneumatic system are equipped with large hoppers. They can be downloaded once a month.

As for screw feed mechanisms, they have two main units. The first is the auger. He takes the pellets from the hopper, pouring them into another mechanism. Another auger lifts them directly into the burner. Even so, a fire is possible, since the fuel remains along the entire length of the auger. For protection, engineers create another unit made of material suitable for the burner. It melts and self-extinguishes. This is a kind of fuse that cuts off the fire.

The disadvantage of such mechanisms is that they are dependent on electricity. Without it, the supply of pellets stops, and what’s worse, the heating system may suffer. Power must be supplied to two electric motors. In the case when the electricity is stable and does not disappear, you can purchase additional air inflating. With it, the combustion of pellets will be better, as will the efficiency.

Test drive of a pyrolysis tourist burner

What is this

A tourist pyrolysis oven is used for the same needs as conventional, widely used gas burners - preparing gruel. Consists of 6 parts weighing 400g, of which one is a cover and one bowl for dry/wet alcohol. When unfolded h=16cm, d=13.6cm, when folded h=7.2cm, d=13.8cm, i.e. fits into a regular camping pot.

How it works

Pyrolysis
(from ancient Greek πῦρ - fire, heat and λύσις - decomposition, decay) - thermal decomposition of organic and many inorganic compounds. In a narrow sense, the decomposition of organic natural compounds with a lack of oxygen (wood, petroleum products, etc.). In a broader sense, it is the decomposition of any compounds into their constituent lighter molecules or chemical elements under the influence of elevated temperature. (ts) Vicki

Schematic diagram of the operation of a pyrolysis tourist burner

Pretty simple. There are two combustion zones, with a lack of oxygen and with an excess, which provide high efficiency due to almost complete combustion of the fuel. In the first, the process of pyrolysis occurs, and the output is gaseous flammable products of wood decomposition. In the second, fresh heated air is mixed, which gives a clean, beautiful and almost non-smoking flame.

Peculiarities

Fuel

In the conditions of central Russia, having at least some semblance of a forest at hand, you will not be left without fuel - it happily eats any sticks/twigs/cones and other wood debris within an arm's length radius.

In case of prolonged rain, there are no problems - it eats wet pine cones and branches, but it takes a long time to reach the mode and begins to smoke a little.

In early spring, when all the snow has not yet melted and it rains periodically, the firewood for the pyrolysis stove is too damp. Those. wood that does not ignite without first drying it is useless as fuel - the pyrolysis process simply does not occur.

In addition, there is a special saucer for dry fuel; you can also pour liquid fuel into it. I haven’t tested this functionality and it’s not in the plans, but if it happens, I’ll add it.

Theoretically, and practically, it is possible to burn small plastic waste, but it is not necessary - the air flows were calculated based on the pyrolysis of wood, and not anything else.

Constant power

Entering the mode, depending on the straightness of your hands and fuel, takes from 30 seconds to 5 minutes (if more, you are doing something wrong). After this, the power of the pyrolysis burner also reaches a constant level and practically does not depend on either the quality or quantity of raw materials for pyrolysis.

Thus, until all the wood burns out, the flame will be even and uniform. If you add fresh sticks, the flame does not change (if you add too many, it will go out and you need to blow on it). This makes the burner fundamentally different from various types of wood chippers, where the heat is highly dependent on the specific configuration of the fuel at any given time.

Low power

Three factors play a role here:

V-zero by design: the burner is not structurally designed for five-liter porridge boilers. The authors conceived the device as a mini-kitchen for 1-3 people.

Firstly, the flame diameter is wide, so high efficiency is achieved on flat dishes ala frying pans/kettles, but an army pot may not boil at all.

Secondly, the flame flows “by gravity”, which is why it is susceptible to blowing away in the absence of wind protection and bad weather (the efficiency drops to almost zero, for comparison with gas burners it is about 3/4).

Reliability

If you don’t recall the anecdote about two titanium-tungsten balls, then there is nothing to break in the design - there are no valves, seals, nozzles, pumps, fans, heat exchangers and other high-tech - only steel cylinders with holes.

Weight and volume

The minimum size of gas burners is four times smaller, the smallest gasoline burners are one and a half times more compact, BUT the typical sizes of containers for different types of fuel are larger.

Gasoline, gas and multi-fuel burners themselves can be lighter and significantly lighter, however, together with all standard fuel containers, the total weight is greater than that of a pyrolysis burner. Plus the time factor: the longer we burn, the higher the weight gain.

Financial benefit

The terrible green beast does not croak over the soul while people leisurely fry/cook kilograms of food.

Practical use

At the Bardovsky Circle rally, this burner plowed for several hours in a row without any strain. Only what was lying nearby on the ground was used as firewood. We cooked in a set of utensils for burners, also from the narrow-eyed brothers.

Separately, about the soot: it’s not much, but it’s still there. It doesn’t get very dirty, it doesn’t wash off completely, it looks... well, like bluing or something. However, this is with wet pine firewood and cones; if you take wood debris from deciduous, not coniferous, tree species, there will be no soot in noticeable quantities.

Burning duration is from 15 to 30 minutes at one gas station; there is a video on YouTube where the burner works for one and a half hours at one gas station! Cat litter was used as fuel :)

To use it, you will need not entirely crooked hands: the point is that you need to load fuel not too tightly and not too much, and add it in the process without fanaticism, otherwise it goes astray - it smokes and goes out.

Safety precautions: you can’t put it on dry grass and leave it unattended, it’s still a fire. But it doesn’t require digging, covering with stones, etc. - it’s still not a full-fledged fire.

With your own hands

Easily! Made from two tin cans, instructions of varying degrees of interpretation for the request “DIY pyrolysis oven/burner/from tin cans.” Pros: freebie! Cons: less durable (since it’s tin instead of stainless steel), more voluminous (does not fold), appearance depends entirely on the straightness of your hands and tools in the workshop (a little less than always, the result looks worse than the equipment from the movie Kin-Dza-Dza; rare exception - mini version).

An ambush will lie in wait for those who have taken the hand-made path in the number of holes. Too much flow in the pyrolysis zone will negate this very pyrolysis, too weak a flow will not produce any combustion. Theoretically, pyrolysis gas should be burned with cold air, since it contains more oxygen per volume, but almost all versions of tourist pyrolysis stoves use preheated air, apparently this is necessary for combustion stability. Thus, it is necessary to ensure a certain incoming flow, its correct division and speed, in order to achieve complete combustion. This all entails either a strong calculation on several pages of formulas with integrals, or the method of scientific poking, which was chosen by all the crazy people I have seen.

Where to get it

Varieties

If you don’t take homemade products, then there are several manufacturers riveting approximately the same thing, differing mainly in the shape of the holes :) Most of what is sold is no-name, but there are also branded ones, for example, I took some unknown Chinese brand Lixada. In addition, the dimensions, upper part and equipment are slightly different.

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Malfunctions and their elimination

A self-made or purchased industrial pellet burner may have malfunctions caused by:

content of foreign inclusions in pellets. Diagnosed by the presence of dirty greenish slag in a stopped burner. Eliminated by cleaning the hopper or increasing power and air flow;
using pellets of different diameters or sizes exceeding those required by the design. Leads to failure of mechanical fuel supply elements, which can only be restored by completely replacing parts;
transition to a new pellet size. A possible shutdown of the boiler in this case can be prevented by increasing the feed rate of wood pellets;
using peat pellets, which causes contamination of the optical sensor and leads to an error indication. The solution to the problem is replacement with wood fuel, or constant visual monitoring;

Equipping boiler rooms with economical and automated solid fuel burners greatly simplifies the life of home occupants. However, any technical device requires timely diagnosis and preventive care. Clean up waste and take time to periodically inspect the technical condition of all elements of the boiler room. These simple steps will ensure maximum safety and comfort.

Homemade burner

Having drawings with calculations and being familiar with the design of a solid fuel burner, it is possible to make it yourself. However, there are many nuances here.

Since such a device is not just a chamber for processing pellets, but also a device for regulating flame power and monitoring safety, it will be necessary to equip it with an electronic control unit, which will have to be purchased ready-made, or replaced with a device with simplified but similar functions. A vibrating fuel supply unit with adjustable power is suitable for this purpose.

When making the device yourself, you can also provide fuel supply directly through the air pipe or through the loading auger, and adjust the power with a fan.

Of course, in this case there is no need to talk about complete automation of the process. However, striving for a budget option, and having made such a device with his own hands, the author will not see any particular difficulties in independently managing and periodically monitoring the work of his brainchild.

The exhaust burner must be made of the same materials that are used in industrial production: copper, titanium and stainless steel. The use of more fragile and unstable materials is unacceptable from the point of view of safety and durability of the structure.

Kinds

flare

Such burners for solid fuel boilers are typical mainly for Russian products. The fire rushes to the side plane. The pellets are supplied via a horizontal auger or using a vacuum tube. Draft into the boiler must be provided by force. The air pressure created by the fan is fully consistent with the needs of heating equipment; depending on the vortices that form, combustion occurs more or less stably.

Flare burners provide excellent process efficiency. You can put almost any fuel inside. In addition to pellets of various types, it is possible to use even ordinary dry wood chips that are suitable in size. The device uses the supercharging effect. Smooth adjustment is ensured by a direct connection between the fan and the automatic control system.

Difficulties in assembling the boiler

When building a pyrolysis boiler, the main difficulty is choosing the right design and materials. Without understanding the processes that take place in the furnaces, it is impossible to build a boiler correctly.

The main mistakes that are made when designing independently:

Insufficient lining of combustion zones. Fireclay brick is important because it maintains a constant temperature in the combustion zone and protects the grate and the walls of the firebox from burning out.
Excessive heat removal. The heat exchanger must capture the heat that is not needed to maintain internal processes in the boiler. The location of the water jacket near the combustion zone is unacceptable.
Inconsistency between the dimensions of the loading chamber and the gasification chamber. A gasification chamber that is too small can cause large logs to hang.
Incorrect size or direction of air nozzles. The mixing of air and pyrolysis gases should be as uniform as possible.
Poorly made adjustment of primary and secondary air flows , lack of forced oxygen supply. Be sure to install either a smoke exhauster or a blower fan with power control.

general description

As a rule, a standard pellet burner is sold by manufacturers already equipped with various accessories. Most often, the following items are included in the package:

controller for automation of work;
auger for feeding pellets;
lambda probe, which measures the residual air volume and automatically regulates combustion;
bunker fuel tank.

In some cases, a plastic corrugation is installed in the area from the auger to the burner, which prevents the spread of flame when reverse draft occurs. The main components of the burner are also:

electric heating element, which is involved in automatic ignition;
fan for air supply, located at the bottom of the device or at the back of the boiler, controlled using a controller.

In this video we will learn how to make a pellet burner with your own hands:

Automated supply of fuel from the bunker to the furnace occurs without human intervention. The pellets are fed using an electrically driven screw device, and the process is additionally checked by a controller with thermal sensors and an indication system that displays the operation of the burner itself.

The control circuit for the coolant temperature mode is simple. When the set temperature is reached, the burner, using the controller, goes into standby mode with prolonged smoldering of the fuel. Then, when the coolant cools down to a certain temperature, the sensor transmits a signal to start the fan, this causes the fuel to ignite and transfer the device to normal operation. A heating element is often used for ignition.

The efficiency of the burner will depend on the speed at which fuel is poured into the firebox and the volume of the fuel itself, therefore only the correct setting of all indicators contributes to the optimal effect of the operation of this equipment.

Pellets as fuel

Pellet is a fairly energy-intensive fuel: 1 kg of it produces approx. 5 kW/h heat. Those. To heat a medium-sized house in mid-latitudes, the burner should burn approx. 2 kg pellets per hour; In terms of volume, it’s about half a bucket. You need to add pellets to the bunker (see below) 1-2 times a day and at the same time empty the ash pan of the boiler; the ash is quite suitable for fertilizer. A good branded burner should be cleaned no more than once a week (those requiring cleaning once a season cost from $5,000); homemade will have to be cleaned every 3-4 days.

But, firstly, pellets burn well and just like that, although they produce a lot of ash. The problem with all existing pellet burners without exception is the possibility of the so-called. reverse combustion, when the pyrolysis zone penetrates the fuel bunker, and then - smoke, stench (poisonous), fire. Secondly, pellet burners are critical to the air supply: if there is too much air, the pellets can be blown off the burner and produce a lot of ash; little - again a lot of ash and coking. The air requirement of the burning mass of pellets depends quite strongly on the combustion mode. As a result, it is not so easy to set the correct combustion mode for pellets. In general, a pellet burner is ignited in stages: way:

Ignition is carried out with a special lighter, which is a ceramic rod heated to 900-1100 degrees. A homemade burner can be lit with a torch, but in no case should it be flammable! The combustion will immediately jump into the bunker!
Starting - the air supply is adjusted (see below) until a stable flame is formed;
Acceleration (reaching operating mode) - also using air (possibly together with the fuel supply) to achieve a smokeless flame (possibly with control of its temperature) and blowing off ash from the burner without blowing out the pellets;
Operation in standby mode - the air is covered until the specified temperature of the coolant in the return is achieved;
Stop - the fuel supply is cut off, and air is supplied according to step 3 until the remainder is completely burned.

Kinds

flare

Drawings, dimensions and calculations

You can make a small stove with your own hands to heat a garage or other space using scrap materials.

It’s easy to create a sketch plan and drawing of a small metal stove-stove yourself

An obligatory step is the creation of a drawing or diagram of the future structure. To do this, you need to determine the shape and dimensions of the case, the location of the cameras. After this, the power sufficient to heat the room is calculated. The parameters are determined as follows:

Let's assume that 10 kW of heat is required to heat the room at the lowest outside temperature. We determine the required power of the furnace in normal combustion mode. It is known that in the gas generation mode the furnace power is 10-30% of that which develops in the flame combustion mode. Consequently, to obtain 10 kW with gas generation, the unit, when burning with a flame, must develop a power of W = 10 / 0.3 = 33.3 kW (we assume a 30 percent power ratio);
We choose the least energy-intensive fuel. For example, dry beech is optimal;
We calculate the volume of fuel that can provide the required power. A portion of firewood burns in flame mode in approximately 4500 s. Therefore, during this time it should provide the following amount of heat: Q = 33.3*1000*4500 = 149.85 MJ. Let's calculate the required mass of fuel, taking into account that it burns only 80% completely, and the efficiency of a homemade stove is approximately 50%: M = 149.85 / (15.5*0.8*0.5) = 24.17 kg. Knowing that the density of dry beech is 620 kg/m3, let us convert the resulting mass value into volume: V = 24.17 / 620 = 0.039 m3 = 39 l;
We calculate the volume of the firebox. The average furnace load factor is 0.63. It should have a volume: Vt = 39/0.63 = 61.9 l.

You can make a drawing or technical drawing of the product yourself, taking into account the shape and features of the stove. A ready-made image of a suitable unit is taken as a basis.

Tools and materials

List of required consumables and working tools:

sheet steel grade St20, thickness 3–4 mm;
steel equal angle angle 4x50 mm;
pipe with a diameter of 50–60 mm;
steel reinforcement with a cross section of 8 mm;
steel pipes with a diameter of 110 or 120 mm for the chimney;
bricks in the amount of 15 pieces;
electric welding machine and several packages of electrodes;
drill and metal drills, grinder with 230 mm circles;
building level, tape measure, pencil, hammer.

Choose consumables that are high-quality and reliable. Not only the operation of the pyrolysis furnace, but also the safety of the surrounding area during the heating process depends on this.

Preparation and selection of installation site

The assembly of the structure is carried out directly in the room where the stove will be installed. It is best to order sheet cutting into blanks from specialists in the store. This will ensure a good quality base for the product.

The space around any stove must be safe and heat-resistant, and the floors must be level.

The site for installing the unit must be prepared.

a base of bricks or other non-combustible material is laid on the floor;
the base area should be larger than the dimensions of the oven;
install the unit at a distance of at least 80 cm from the nearest walls;
the floor within a radius of 1.2 m in front of the heating device must have a fireproof coating (iron sheet 1.5 mm thick).

No. 2. "Teplodar Cooper PRO 36"

Kupper PRO boilers are the most frequently purchased among all Teplodar products. “PRO 36” is a stylish single-circuit boiler for heating large private houses (from 250 sq.m. with a ceiling height of 2.7 m). It runs on coal, wood and briquettes, and if necessary can be converted to use pellets or gas (APG-42 and AGG40-K burners are not included). The compact boiler has good build quality and a lot of other advantages, for example, one of them is a well-thought-out design and extended equipment.

"Kupper PRO 36"

Steel body 3 mm thick.
Built-in block of three heating elements with a total power of 9 kW.
Italian thermomanometer.
Accessories for boiler cleaning.
Shiber.
Stainless steel flame arrester to prevent flames from escaping into the chimney.
Cast iron bumper to prevent burning coal from spilling.
Water-cooled grate.
Developed surface of the water jacket for effective heat removal from all surfaces of the firebox.
Steel pipe heat exchanger.
Removable hood inside the heat exchanger for circulation of flue gases.

Can be purchased separately:

chimney;
automation for heating elements;
thermostat;
draft regulator;
gas burner.

pros

Self-cooling combustion chamber door.
Firebox located at an angle for uniform distribution of fuel and ease of loading.
Long burning mode. Firewood - up to 8 hours, coal - up to 10.
3 year warranty on housing and 1 year on electrical equipment.

Minuses

The firebox door is not too spacious.
When using birch firewood as the main fuel, the boiler power may not be enough to heat rooms larger than 250 sq.m.

Fuel burning time

Coal, hour	Firewood, hour	Firebox volume, l
10	8	48

Characteristics

Thermal power, kW	Coolant temperature max, °C	Water pressure in the circuit, bar	Efficiency,%
36	50 — 95	2	85

Technical specifications

Weight, kg	W x H x D, mm	Chimney Ø, mm	Heating circuit connection pipe	Heat exchanger jacket volume, l
130	505 x 970 x 760	150	1 ½»	48

How to check the operation of homemade equipment?

The result of long-term work on choosing a boiler design and implementing this project will be an economical and reliable source of heat. A well-functioning boiler has the following qualities:

Correctly selected power. Pyrolysis has a small range of adjustments. The boiler cannot be “strangled” or “overclocked” too much. In this case, combustion either stops altogether or begins in the gasification chamber. Therefore, the boiler power must correspond to the heat loss of the house.
Possibility of long-term operation in forced mode. One bookmark should be enough for a long time.
Easy access to gasification , a pyrolysis torch in the afterburner should be observed within 15–20 minutes after ignition.
The temperature of the gases in the chimney should not be higher than 40–60 °C. If the temperature is higher, we increase the area of the heat exchanger.
When testing the boiler after going into pyrolysis, only carbon dioxide and steam should come out of the chimney. The presence of dark smoke and odor indicates incomplete combustion of fuel.

Design and principle of operation

A typical pellet burner is both simple and complex at the same time. The components of the devices are:

tray for storing fuel;
fryer;
fan;
kindling device.

A typical burner that runs on pellets is initially supplied in most cases with a full set of necessary parts and accessories. In addition to the automation (controller), it includes an auger that feeds the pellets themselves. There must be a lambda probe. This part measures the remaining air volume and adjusts combustion accordingly. The fuel tank is usually called a bunker.

A plastic corrugation can be placed between the auger and the burner. Its main function is to prevent the spread of flame when backdraft occurs. The key components of a pellet burner will also be the electric heater (which works automatically) and the fan, which is located at the bottom or rear of the device. Since fuel is supplied to the combustion chamber automatically, the labor intensity of the work is significantly reduced. Homemade modifications of burners mainly use an Arduino controller.

In conjunction with it must be:

display;
digital heating sensor;
from 4 to 6 buttons;
several relays and transistors.

As for gearboxes, they, of course, are not used (after all, this is not gas equipment, after all). But geared motors are quite useful

Most manufacturers emphasize that such units are universal, that is, they are suitable for the vast majority of models of burner systems with and without air supply available on the market. Device power is usually 25, 40 or 60 W

Development of the project and drawings

You can make a pellet burner with your own hands only if you correctly develop a preliminary project, prepare the tools for work and the required materials. When making a homemade pellet burner, the drawings must necessarily show all the details and structural elements, including the combustion chamber, which is represented by a pipe with a square or round cross-section, as well as a fan, a fuel loading hopper and a screw conveyor.

The frequency of maintenance of boiler equipment that operates in autonomous mode will depend directly on the size of the installed bunker for loading fuel.
See also: options for modern stoves.
The electronic control panel independently controls the operation of the fan and all data on the air supply intensity, which has a direct impact on the combustion rate of the pellets in the firebox.

When drawing up the project, it is necessary to take into account that the operation of the main structural elements, which are represented by a screw, a fan and an electronic control unit, is ensured using electricity, therefore this equipment is volatile.

DIY pellet burner: varieties

Devices that are used for processing granular raw materials are divided into two types depending on the principle of operation - with forced intake and gravitational. The choice of one type of equipment or another depends primarily on individual operating conditions.

At the moment, pneumatic pellet burners from Obshchemmash are popular

Devices of this type include several mechanisms through which granules are delivered. The first of them operates using a pneumatic system. The second mechanism is equipped with a special tool - a screw. Safety in the system is ensured by the design of the channel, installed from the bottom up, through which the granules are supplied.

Automatic devices have one serious advantage - fire safety. Such devices are used in equipment from different manufacturers. For example, they are integrated into Teplodar boilers. Pellet burners, reviews of which are mostly positive, are quite expensive. The price of some models exceeds 150 thousand rubles. More budget options can be purchased for 60-80 thousand rubles.

The pneumatic type design is characterized by maximum safety. This is because the pellet delivery system delivers fuel in small portions. Thus, it is not delayed in the communication channel. For such a burner, it is possible to install a large hopper that does not require frequent loading. If desired, a device of this type can be purchased. Currently, pneumatic pellet burners from Obshchemmash are very popular.

Screw-type feed mechanisms include two main units. Using the first auger, granulated fuel is taken from the bunker. The operation of this device allows you to transport pellets to another receiver. After this, the second screw sends the raw material directly to the burner.

Automatic pellet burners are characterized by high fire safety

The disadvantage of devices in which fuel supply is forced is their dependence on energy. In the event of a power outage, the burner stops operating.

Gravity pellet burner: design features

Devices of this type, operating on pellet fuel, have a different operating principle for supplying pellets. It should be said right away that such units are more convenient to use. The main advantage of the gravitational mechanism is that it does not require a connection to the electrical network.

In this case, the pellets are located in a bunker and can enter the connected channel under the influence of their own weight. There are several popular domestic companies producing such units (Pelletron, Behemoth). A pellet burner of this type is started very simply - by changing the position of the damper

It is important to remember that there is a draft regulator installed on the chimney, which can also be adjusted

Gravity pellet burners can be used without an electrical connection

The efficiency of gravitational devices is slightly lower than that of analogues that operate through the forced supply of granular fuel. Installing this type of pellet burner is not a difficult task. Its complete connection can be completed in just a few hours.

In order to increase the fire safety performance of this device, many manufacturers install special dampers on it. They are equipped with thermal sensors, which, if a flame enters the channel connecting to the bunker, are activated and block the passage.

Gravity type devices

Gravity-type burners may not depend on electricity. The fuel enters directly into the pyrolysis chamber; pressurization can be provided thanks to the chimney draft. You can put the burner into operation manually, using one damper and a draft regulator in the chimney. But this type of device requires serious maintenance.

Non-volatile manually controlled products are only homemade. Only gravity-driven semi-automatic designs are available for sale, where fuel is supplied by means of a “self-dumper”.

To prevent fire from entering the bunker, you need to install a gateway based on elements that expand when heated, or use a double-grate design. It is movable and periodically moves back, picking up some of the pellets and transferring them to the combustion zone, while at the same time the ash is pushed into the ash pit. But there is a risk that the gap between the grates can quickly become clogged with ash. If the grate gets stuck in the rear position, fire may enter the hopper.

The diagram of a gravity-independent energy-independent burner is as follows:

Sawdust is poured directly into the pyrolysis chamber in the form of a perforated steel basket. It is removable; a new one needs to be made for each pellet size.
Tertiary air, which is sucked through special holes, prevents fire from entering the bunker.
Pyrolysis of sawdust in the basket is carried out using primary air.
In its secondary form, it enters the chamber together with gases, where combustion takes place.
A torch of gases comes out of it.

Some factory-type burners can also be manufactured according to this design. But, unlike homemade products, they will still depend on electricity, since they have built-in automation.

Automation methods

The ratio of fuel and air supply to the combustion chamber must be adjusted, otherwise the operation of the heating equipment will be unstable or constantly occur at high power.

The easiest way to change the speed of the fan and screw motor is to install a simple regulator. But in this case, there will be an added need for regular supervision and adjustment of the equipment, taking into account the ambient temperature and coolant. Setting up a heating system with your own hands consists of selecting, in different operating modes, such a ratio of air and fuel supply, during which the flame will be stable and even. This can only be achieved by automating the operation of the boiler.

First you need to purchase an electronic control unit. If the boiler is already equipped with this device, then you need to carefully study the possibilities of its use. Typically, controllers from leading manufacturers have free control contacts where electric auger and fan motors can be connected. In this case, taking into account the sensor readings, the controller will begin to increase or decrease the fuel supply and regulate the fan speed.

In terms of ignition and flame control, the burner can also be automated. It is necessary to purchase a photosensor, as well as an electronic filament element. The latter turns on at the very beginning, igniting the pellets, and the photosensor, when a persistent flame appears, will notify the controller, which will turn off the incandescent element.

A filling sensor is installed on the pipe; its main task is to send a signal to the electronic control panel if the auger is filled with pellets in order to complete the fuel supply. All these automation methods make it possible to burn fuel efficiently and create comfort during heating boiler maintenance. But there are also certain disadvantages:

The cost of manufacturing the burner increases significantly.
The electronic unit of the heating boiler included in the kit is usually not suitable for simultaneous operation with devices for controlling and igniting the burner; in this case, it is necessary to purchase a new one.
The burner cannot be connected to any controller.

Safe Operation

Instructions for the safe operation of a boiler are the basis for operating personnel; without its study and practical application, people are not allowed to service any boiler, that is, for the safety of equipment and people, not only theoretical knowledge is needed from operating personnel, but also practice.

For owners who decide to install such high-tech equipment at home, practical guidance on working with a pellet boiler is provided by the organization that is responsible for the installation and commissioning of the equipment.

As a rule, the mandatory sections for operating a pellet boiler include the following sections:

bunker maintenance, fuel filling;
starting and stopping the boiler through the control unit;
regulation of the combustion process, air supply;
connecting the boiler to operation in heating and hot water modes;
diagnostics of the operation of boiler unit components: fuel, smoke exhaust, air supply, temperature and pressure of the coolant at the inlet and outlet of the boiler, water mode;
boiler maintenance: mechanical cleaning and ash removal;
current and major repairs.

A pellet burner made in-house is the only effective way today to optimize an individual home heating system, especially if a solid fuel boiler is used as a source of thermal energy.

This device makes it possible to heat housing with the highest efficiency for this category of boilers.

Starting and maintaining the boiler

Comparison of heating costs

The equipment can be started only after installing the pellet boiler and connecting the corresponding heating system pipes to it. Once the mentioned tasks are completed, turn on the cold water supply to the heating system.

Observe the operation of the boiler. If any unusual symptoms occur, turn off the equipment and do not use it until the problem is resolved.

Observe the boiler operation

Homemade pellet boilers, like any other heating units, require appropriate care.

Every 2-3 weeks, empty the ash pan of waste. Clean the smoke exhaust duct every 2-4 weeks. This will not take you much time, but ignoring such simple maintenance will lead to a significant decrease in the efficiency of the boiler 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 some time.

Modern automation tools even allow you to set up remote control of the heating unit, which is also very convenient.

And these are not the only possible additions. How do you like, for example, self-cleaning systems for boilers? Be sure to study the available modifications and, if desired, purchase such additions for your boiler.

Boiler with pellet hopper

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

Video - Operating principle of a pellet boiler

The unique smell of natural wood, a clean and decorated room in a modern style - this is exactly what a boiler room in a house can look like if you choose the right equipment. Innovative heat-generating equipment that will create the described conditions indoors is a pellet boiler or an automatic pellet burner, running on special fuel pellets, which are created from waste from agro-industrial or woodworking production.

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

Advantages and disadvantages

Before making or buying a pellet burner, you will have to carefully study the characteristics of such equipment. It is significantly cheaper than gas-powered devices. It is also worth noting the excellent prospects for device automation. Starting combustion and subsequent fire control occur automatically, without human intervention. All modern models provide reliable protection against excess fuel.

Installing, and if necessary dismantling, a pellet burner is easy. It usually has built-in self-diagnostic tools that make troubleshooting easier. Spontaneous ignition of the fuel in the burner is completely excluded; a special unit is responsible for its prevention. The bunkers of modern devices support autonomous operation for 30 days. It is also worth noting that:

heating with pellets is more expensive than heating with gas;
imported versions may not be designed for winter conditions in a number of Russian regions;
granular fuel does not explode like natural gas;
combustion ash content is low;
the resulting ash can be used as fertilizer;
the use of such devices does not require approval;
You can store pellets in any convenient place - you don’t need to build a separate room for them.

Build process

The process of creating a boiler includes several stages. When manufacturing each element, it is worth taking into account the special operating conditions of the product being manufactured.

We cut a section from a thick-walled pipe with a diameter of 100 mm, the length of which will be equal to the height of the firebox. We weld a bolt to the bottom. From a steel sheet we cut out a circle with the same diameter as the pipe or larger. We drill a hole in the circle large enough to pass the bolt welded to the pipe. We connect the circle and the air duct pipe by tightening the nut onto the bolt.

As a result, we will get an air supply pipe, the lower part of which can be closed by a freely moving metal circle. During operation, this will allow you to regulate the intensity of firewood combustion and, consequently, the temperature in the room.

Using a grinder and a metal disc, we make vertical slits approximately 10 mm thick in the pipe. Through them, air will flow into the combustion chamber.

Housing (firebox)

The body will require a cylinder with a sealed bottom with a diameter of 400 mm and a length of 1000 mm. The dimensions may be different, depending on the available free space, but sufficient for laying firewood. You can use a ready-made barrel or weld the bottom to a thick-walled steel cylinder.

Sometimes heating boilers are made from gas cylinders for a longer service life.

Chimney

In the upper part of the body we form a hole for the removal of gases. Its diameter must be at least 100 mm. We weld a pipe to the hole through which the exhaust gases will be removed.

The length of the pipe is selected depending on design considerations.

Connecting the housing and the air supply device

We cut a hole in the bottom of the housing with a diameter equal to the diameter of the air supply pipe. We insert the pipe inside the body so that the air vent extends beyond the bottom.

We cut out a circle from a metal sheet 10 mm thick, the size of which is slightly smaller than the diameter of the body. We weld a handle made of reinforcement or steel wire to it.

This will greatly simplify the subsequent operation of the boiler.

Convection hood

We make a cylinder from sheet steel or cut a piece of pipe, the diameter of which is several centimeters larger than the outer diameter of the firebox (body). You can use a pipe with a diameter of 500 mm. We connect the convection casing and firebox together.

This can be done using metal jumpers welded to the inner surface of the casing and the outer surface of the firebox, if the gap is large enough. With a smaller gap, you can weld the casing to the firebox around the entire perimeter.

From a steel sheet we cut out a circle with the same diameter as the firebox or a little larger. We weld the handles to it using electrodes, wire or other available means.

Considering that the handles can become very hot during operation of the boiler, it is worth providing special protection made of material with low thermal conductivity.

Legs

To ensure long burning, we weld the legs to the bottom. Their height should be sufficient to raise the wood-burning boiler at least 25 cm above the floor level. To do this, you can use various rolled products (channels, angles).

Congratulations, you have made your own wood-burning boiler. You can start heating your home. To do this, just load the wood and light it by opening the lid and heat dissipation disk.

Despite the fact that science and technology have come far ahead, there is no denying that even today the use of devices such as wood boilers for heating a home is common.

Most models of modern wood-burning boilers today combine the following two elements: a traditional source of thermal energy - wood, as well as a steam heating system, which came into use relatively recently - 100-150 years ago.

For those who live in the city, such a persecution of ancient traditions in the form of wood-burning boilers may seem strange. However, this cannot be said about villages and villages. After all, there is no passing gas main here, electricity fluctuates, and paying bills will be expensive. It is in this case that wood boilers for heating a house will become the only salvation for people in the cold season.

Homemade pyrolysis oven

Let's look at the bubafoni device. An old household gas cylinder is the base of the stove. The wood inside the bubafoni burns. Pyrolysis, as the basis of the process, decomposes wood at high temperatures into gases, which, when burned, generate thermal energy. Wood burns in stages:

Stage No. 1 - the fire heats the wood, burning out light flammable substances. Having crossed the two hundred degree bar, the firewood decomposes into simple substances and the gas begins to burn.
Stage No2. This stage of combustion is the most efficient, as the gases are heated to a temperature of 700 degrees Celsius.
Stage No3. We get what this device can provide - the required heat.

Construction of a pyrolysis boiler. The inner chamber is divided into two parts. This makes it possible to burn solid fuel in one chamber, and burn pyrolysis gas in the second. In the chamber below, which is filled with wood, the initial burning of the wood takes place.

In the upper part, it is filled with wood combustion products, which ignite. The heavy press pushes the fuel down, and the wood is burned efficiently. At the top of the firebox there is a hole to which the chimney is connected, and the smoke leaves the stove through this system.

Air enters the combustion chamber through an air duct located on one structure of the press. The air supply is regulated by the air duct damper.

Advantages and disadvantages of a pyrolysis oven

Let's start with the good, with the advantages of pyrolysis boilers:

Fantastic efficiency, often reaching more than 85%.
The ability to simply maintain the long-burning stove device
When using high-quality materials in the production of the stove, durability and reliability.
Meets strict environmental safety requirements.
Availability of fuel. It is at every step. Wood, chips, other wood waste.
Due to its small size, it is possible to install the unit in any room.
There are no difficulties in servicing the oven.
Baking a bubafonya with your own hands is simple and, most importantly, quick.

Unfortunately, this type of boiler has some disadvantages. One of the main disadvantages is weak traction. Without draft, a pyrolysis stove will be of little use, since there will be no good heat transfer. Let's look at the following disadvantages:

Complex chimney design.
There is no model range of pyrolysis systems that can be fired using mixed fuel. For example, fuel oil, diesel.
It is difficult and unfamiliar for beginners to make the initial setup.
Not everyone can assemble a pyrolysis boiler with their own hands.

However, the flawless performance of the bubafonya stove and the low price of fuel cover all the existing shortcomings.

Making a stove yourself

Baking a bubafonya with your own hands begins with drawings. Like any pyrolysis stove for a bath or a pyrolysis boiler with your own hands, you start with a diagram. For drawings of pyrolysis boilers, see the photo below.

Preparing the room, materials and tools for work

Initially, you need to choose a room where you will make a pyrolysis boiler with your own hands, where we will install a babufonya stove. This needs to be done for this reason. When the pyrolysis boiler operates, the lower part of the body heats up to a very high temperature. To avoid a fire hazard, you need to make a small foundation for the stove.

Fire-resistant brick is best suited. First you need to dig a “pit” measuring one meter by one meter. The depth of the swarm is 20-30 centimeters. We fill the hole with crushed stone. Pour in the liquid solution. As soon as the area is dry, we cover it with refractory bricks in two rows. It's best to do everything below the level.

some modern buildings, such as auto repair shops, production workshops, warehouses and other premises with concrete floors.

You don't have to make a foundation for the stove. The concrete floor is of sufficient thickness. If there is little space and there are walls nearby, in close proximity to the stove, it is better to install a reflector. Of course, made of heat-resistant steel.

The materials are as follows. A two-hundred-liter barrel (if the pyrolysis stove is made from a barrel) or an old cylinder will serve as the basis for the future stove. Select thick-walled boiler pipes for the production of a chimney.

They can be found in any heating network. You will need a channel, a sheet of metal (not thin).

The following tools will be needed: Welding, electrodes, hammer, chisel, metal saw, power cutting tool.

Installation and assembly of the structure. Chimney installation

Stage one. First you need to cut off the top of the balloon. Do not throw away the cut top. It will be needed as a future cover. The diagram of the pyrolysis stove is located above. A do-it-yourself pyrolysis oven begins with cutting off the top of the body.

Stage two. We will make a chimney hood. We make a hole of the required diameter along one of the sides of the body. Find a piece of boiler pipe that is bent at a 90 degree angle. The pipe diameter is suitable from 100 to 150 mm. We will make the chimney riser from a boiler pipe of the same diameter.

The thicker the pipe, the better the draft in the chimney system. And we know that if the draft is good, then the pyrolysis furnace with your own hands will heat with good efficiency. We will weld the adapter for installing the chimney. We will seal the transition using asbestos cord, clay, or fiberglass.

Third stage. We will weld 2 holders and a top tube to the cover; it will be able to control the lowering of the system. We will attach a metal strip to the stove. It will serve as a side that prevents the stove lid from moving.

In the lid of the cylinder, using a gas cutter, we cut out a hole for the pipe (air exhaust) approximately 88 millimeters. This pipe can have any shape. Round or square, it doesn't matter. This is not important for bubafoni to work.

And the assembly will be simplified.

Fourth stage. We take a sheet of metal 4 mm and higher. Cut out a round pancake with a hole in the center of the pancake. The diameter of the pancake will be equal to the diameter of the air exhaust pipe. We leave a gap between the edge of the air distributor and the wall of the furnace body, which is equal to 5% of the length of the circle. We take the thickness of the iron under the plate, based on the size of the stove body.

If the stove is made from a cylinder, take the thickness of the iron plate from 8 millimeters. If you make the stove body from a 200-liter barrel, then take the metal plate from 5-6 millimeters. We will weld six blades under the bottom of the air distributor plate. Their necessity is due to the uniform combustion of wood in the chamber from below, and the gases from above will burn completely.

A do-it-yourself pyrolysis oven with this mode of operation will last a long time.

In the center of the air distributor we attach a second round pancake, smaller in size - 4 centimeters. The plate is necessary because there is sufficient space between the blade and the firewood for the gases to escape. And the coals did not block the air supply path. Having assembled all the parts together, you need to load the body with wood.

The firewood is placed vertically, with paper, wood chips or birch bark placed on top of the firewood for ignition. What kind of wood will we burn with? Dry or raw? If you will often be using raw firewood, you definitely need to add one part to the boiler design. The chimney should be extended downwards, having received an elbow for collecting condensate.

Place a drain valve on this elbow.

Alternative options for installing furnaces

There are three such options. Let's consider additional options for assembling bubafoni that can be implemented.

In option 1, we will cut out the top lid of a 200 liter barrel. Let's make a pressure circle for the air distributor from it.

In option 2, cut two circles from a sheet of iron, with the same diameter as the diameter of the pipe. Then we will connect the first circle to the pipe by welding. This will be the bottom. The next circle will become a pressing oppression.

In option 3 we use an iron cylinder (made of large sheet metal) instead of a barrel. Brew a sheet of rolled paper along the seam. The lid with the bottom is also made from a sheet of metal. Everything else is made in the same way, from previous design options.

Stages of installing bubafoni from a gas cylinder.

We will arrange all the work on producing Bubafoni from an old gas cylinder into logical steps: Fill the body with water (the cylinder valve is unscrewed). This will prevent a possible explosion of residual gases. Important, responsible operation!!!

Fill the body with water (the cylinder valve is unscrewed). This will prevent a possible explosion of residual gases. Important, responsible operation!!!

Using a grinder, cut off the top part of the cylinder. Please note that where there is a seam, an additional reinforced layer is glued to the inside of the cylinder. This will complicate the cutting process, but it can be solved. Without this there is no way, the curb will interfere with the movement of the piston. The action is not simple and it is better to cut below the seam.

Let's make a hole in the body for the chimney near the top of the boiler. An elbow is made from an iron pipe with a cross-section of approximately 100 millimeters at a right angle. Then two pieces of pipes are cut at 45 degrees and welded together. Next, a 120 mm chimney pipe is connected to the elbow through an adapter. This will definitely make the traction better.

The adapter must be sealed using fiberglass or ordinary clay. We will make the lid from a piece cut off from the cylinder, or from sheet metal. Of course, a flat lid would be better. You can place a frying pan or saucepan on it. We cut out the hole for the piston by welding. The section can be anything. Maybe not round.

A square or any other pipe will serve its purpose just as well. Installation will be simple.

A pancake 27 cm in size is cut out of a 4 mm piece of metal. For the rod we make a hole in the center. The circle is made in such a size that there is a gap of 5 percent of the size of the pancake. Six blades are welded to the bottom of the disk. The blades are bent so that a turbulence of air masses is obtained in the direction of the arrow to the right.

The wood will burn better and will burn off all the gas at the top of the chamber. In the center, on top of the blades, a disk with a 40 mm hole is attached. This is necessary so that the charcoal does not clog all the spaces in the air mixture supply rod, and there is sufficient clearance between the firewood and the blades.

The stove is installed on the foundation, shielded from nearby walls and objects. This will achieve additional fire safety. The foundation, after heating, will serve as a good heat store for the room and will not cool down so quickly.

When loading raw wood into the stove, an additional bend is added to the chimney pipe below, which accumulates condensate. And a tap is installed in the elbow to drain condensate.

Laying the foundation for a pyrolysis furnace

To build a foundation for a pyrolysis stove we need:

Shovel
A container for mixing mortar or a concrete mixer (whoever has one).
Ready-made mortar in bags or individual components (sand, cement)
Crushed stone
Fire-resistant red brick

Let's get to work. We will conditionally divide all work into three stages: First stage. First, let's dig a hole the size of each side of the square, equal to one meter, or the side of the square, up to one and a half meters. Accuracy is not important here. The depth of the hole for the foundation of the bubafoni should be thirty centimeters. No need to go deeper. Otherwise, there will be cost overruns and materials.

Second phase. We fill the pit with crushed stone. Mix the concrete solution. The brand of solution is optional. We fill the crushed stone in the hole with concrete mortar. Make the surface smooth. A simple trowel will be enough. You need to pull it across the surface of the concrete with a flat, clean board.

When the concrete has dried, check the quality of the plane using a building level. If necessary, we additionally adjust the resulting plane according to the level. Depending on the temperature at which the concrete dries, from several days to a week, we wait for the concrete pad to dry completely.

After the concrete pad has dried, we move on to the next stage.

Third stage. We lay fire-resistant bricks on top of the concrete base. How many rows of bricks will be enough? Two or three layers of refractory bricks are enough. If there are walls nearby, then it is necessary to install screens to reflect heat from the walls of the building. Screen materials can be the most common.

Ignition of the Bubafonya stove

To begin with, remove the caps from the cylinder and remove the piston-press with the air duct from the stove. Let's put dry wood inside the stove. Any type of firewood. We place the firewood horizontally, as close to each other as possible. If we place the firewood vertically, we will get an unpleasant surprise.

The surprise will be next. An unburned log standing vertically will not allow the piston to move to the bottom. If this happens, there will be a full-fledged fire in the lower chamber. The fuel will burn quickly. The operating mode of the stove will be burning instead of smoldering. I’m generally silent about smoke from the air duct; it will definitely appear. Firewood does not need to be stacked above the level of the chimney opening.

Next, you need to press the firewood with the piston and put the bubafoni cover on the piston.

How to properly set fire to wood? Simply throwing a burning match will not work. It will definitely go out before it even reaches the firewood. We'll keep it simple. Take paper, rags or a piece of birch bark. Let's light it and throw it in the oven.

We need to wait 20 minutes for our bookmark to burn well. Then close the valve on the air duct. Air will begin to enter the stove in less quantity. In the primary chamber with firewood, the firewood will stop burning and begin to smolder. Pyrolysis gases will be released. But we need gas. After all, the installation is pyrolysis! This is how our super stove will reach its operating mode.

Recommendations for increasing the efficiency of a homemade stove

How to increase the efficiency of bubafoni? What problem is preventing this heat generator from working to its full potential? One of the problems is that the stove body heats up unevenly. Because of this, we get poor heat exchange in the room.

Is it possible to solve this problem? Of course you can. To solve this problem, let's take a sheet of corrugated metal profile. We wrap it around the stove, obtaining a protective “shirt” and spot-weld the profile sheet to the cylinder.

You can find another solution besides welding. It's up to you to decide. By implementing this solution into a finished design, we will obtain a long-burning furnace device that forms rising air currents. Cold air will rise from the bottom of the ribs. After passing along the body of the cylinder, the air will heat up and become hot at the outlet. In addition to this modification, you can do the following.

Cover the entire structure with bricks. This will allow heat to accumulate from the generator, releasing it evenly over the entire area of the building for quite a long time. In addition to the profile sheet, you can use pipe scraps. Profile or regular round pipes are suitable. They are welded around the cylinder body, resulting in an effective design for generating heat with uniform heating.

: how can you improve a standard bubafonya stove

The main types of homemade boilers

If you are going to make a long-burning boiler with your own hands, then you will definitely need the information from our review. In the following sections we will tell you how to make a heating unit of one design or another yourself, give several of the easiest schemes, and publish information about the most common long-burning boilers

Let's focus on the last question for now.

The time has come to consider the most current options for long-burning boilers, which we can assemble with our own hands at home. They will all eat wood. As for coal, it is more difficult to obtain, and it also leads to high temperature loads on heating units. In the following sections we will provide drawings of long-burning solid fuel boilers and provide explanatory information.

Long burning mine boiler

We can make the simplest mine boiler with our own hands. It is implemented according to a bottom combustion scheme. The basis of the unit is a capacious loading chamber, which is often called a shaft. Having a vertical design, it allows you to accommodate a large amount of firewood. As they burn, they fall down, and the combustion products are sent through the grate into the ash pan.

If we look at the diagram of a shaft furnace (boiler), we will find that the flame is raging not in the shaft at all, but in the adjacent chamber, from where the resulting heat enters the fire-tube heat exchanger. And the remaining thermal energy is sent to the chimney. The combustion here is long and is determined by the volume of the shaft - after loading a large amount of firewood here, you can safely go to bed.

Pyrolysis boiler

Let's see how a pyrolysis boiler works and how to make this unit with your own hands. The easiest way to explain the operating principle of this unit is to use the example of a potbelly stove. Here we see a volumetric combustion chamber that realizes long-lasting combustion. The resulting combustion products are sent to the afterburner chamber, into which secondary air is supplied. As a result, a large amount of heat is generated. All we have to do is retrofit the potbelly stove with a fire-tube heat exchanger.

There are dozens of drawings of long-burning wood-burning boilers built on the pyrolysis principle of operation. They differ in the location of combustion and afterburning chambers, the presence and absence of blower fans and automation, as well as methods for adjusting the intensity of the wood fuel combustion process. But in general, their operating principle is the same.

Boiler-furnaces Bubafonya

Bubafonya is a stove, and its modification is a water-heating wood-burning boiler with air supply from above, through a pressure piston. We have already written about such stoves more than once in our reviews, now it’s time to talk about units with a heating circuit. To implement the circuit, we can use three schemes:

Installing a heat exchanger on a chimney is the easiest option;
Build a continuous water jacket around the boiler body;
Scald the body of the unit with the pipes through which the coolant will circulate.

Which scheme to choose is up to you. By the way, Bubafonya boilers, due to their spacious chambers, will help to realize long-term combustion lasting up to 24 hours or even more.

Long-burning boilers Bubafonya operate on wood and have an upper combustion scheme.

Boiler-furnaces Buleryan

Initially, Buleryans were (and are) convection-type ovens. They are equipped with powerful convectors, which allow you to warm up a large room in literally 20-25 minutes. Having originally appeared in Canada, these stoves reached Russia, which also boasts a harsh climate (true for some regions). Craftsmen turned stoves into boilers, having worked a little on the design of convectors - now not air, but coolant circulates through them. True, Buleryan boilers cannot boast of long-lasting combustion, since they do not have the largest combustion chambers. Some of them have the property of burning for up to 10-12 hours, some – a little longer. But you still can’t count on 24 hours. But they are characterized by high efficiency and the ability to quickly transfer heat to heating systems.

Trouble-shooting

To organize the normal operation of a pellet heating boiler, you first need to choose the right location and carry out proper installation of the heating system. When installing a boiler, the base must be strong, capable of supporting both the weight of the boiler itself and the weight of the pellet hopper.

The floor and walls must be insulated with non-combustible materials. Ventilation and chimney are installed from the same materials. There are several fairly common boiler malfunctions that can be corrected with your own hands:

The appearance of sparks from the chimney pipe is usually caused by contamination of the ash pans with combustion products.
A high level of fuel consumption can be caused by poor quality pellets or a significant decrease in outside temperature.
Poor heating of the room can occur due to an incorrect calculation of the power of the boiler equipment, if there is an air lock in the heating system, or if there is an insufficient number of batteries.
The appearance of pops and smoke when opening the heating boiler door is most often caused by contamination of the chimney and flame pipes.

The most complex elements are best purchased ready-made. The grate, burner, fan and electric motor, programmers and sensors, factory-made combustion doors are always much better than equipment assembled at home.

A homemade pellet burner is one of the available ways to optimize an autonomous heating system, especially if a solid fuel boiler is used as a heat source. This device will make it possible to heat your home with almost all types of solid fuel.

Manufacturing: options, diagram, instructions

The stove can have a cylindrical or rectangular shape.

We make the necessary blanks: we cut elements for vertical racks (1 m) from a metal corner, and measure the horizontal ones according to the width of the installation. The parts are welded and a frame is obtained.

You can, of course, buy a stove, but it’s more interesting to create it yourself

After this we make the walls. We make two holes in the front panel: one for the firebox, the other for the ash. We weld fasteners for hinged doors onto them.

We attach corners to the inside, one on two opposite walls. And on them we mount a grate and a perforated tray that separates the firebox and the afterburning compartment.

Further scope of work:

A blower with a damper must be embedded into one of the side walls at the level of the top of the combustion chamber. It is made from a short piece of pipe with a diameter of 50–60 mm. Having drilled holes with a diameter of 8.5 mm in the blower, you need to insert a damper axis made of reinforcement with a diameter of 8 mm into it. On one side, the axis should protrude to a sufficient length - after bending, its shank will serve as a handle. All that remains is to weld a steel disk to the axis, the diameter of which corresponds to the internal diameter of the blower. To prevent the damper from moving spontaneously, its handle is equipped with a spring or threaded lock.

It is important to manufacture all elements correctly, based on the exact design drawing

An injector is required for a pyrolysis furnace

All sections of the furnace must be of optimal volume, and the structure itself must be stable

This design can be complicated and turned into a convector: vertical pipes with a diameter of 60–100 mm are installed inside the firebox, 2/3 of the diameter goes inside the firebox. It is better to use curved elements.

Correct operation and cleaning of the oven

Perform the first ignition of the unit with the gate valve open: place quickly burning solid fuel on the grate and set it on fire. After burning, add more logs, close the door and damper, and use the blower to adjust the power. It is worth remembering that the damper has a cut that does not allow blocking the chimney.

The design diagrams are different, but the principle of operation of pyrolysis furnaces is the same - combustion of fuel without oxygen

Long-burning stoves do not have to be cleaned often: the fuel burns out completely and soot forms in the chimney in small quantities.

Regular repair of a pyrolysis furnace with your own hands involves timely troubleshooting. If the firebox door is deformed, this element should be corrected or replaced. If the structure diverges along the seam, it is important to stop operation and urgently eliminate the gaps.

A stove of this type is easy to make with your own hands, but the design must be created with great precision, using ready-made drawings or developing them yourself. The heating system requires the use of high-quality materials and care during manufacturing and assembly. Only in this case will the pyrolysis oven be safe to use and effective.