Burn pellets in a log stove?

[Christophe]

Everything is in the question, because of a problem (temporary apparently but still "annoying") of supply of compressed wood logs, yesterday we bought some pellets for our "classic" wood-burning appliances:
- Saey stove 92 12kW
- a small Deom 13kW boiler
(The rest is solar that takes care of it (when it can), but it does not matter).

Pkoi buy pellets instead of logs? Because last year, I got swollen: 55 € per cubic meter of so-called "dry" wood but full of moss (very wet therefore) which has not heated and has browned to death ... In addition I wanted to test the pellet heating so ... 1 stone 2 birds as they say.

Only here is the problem: pellets it's nice but it's apparently delicate to burn in a conventional stove for lack of air. Indeed; a pellet is already denser compared to wood and the density of a pile of pellets makes it difficult to mix the air naturally as with logs!

Result: there is only the superficial layer of pellets which burns (at 2 cm "deep" the pellets remain intact !!!). And so it lacks a lot of instantaneous heating power even if in the end, everything ends up being burnt.

We understand now the interest of the pulsed air of the automatic pellet stove!

The purpose of this topic is to think of a simple and inexpensive modification of a conventional stove so that it can burn pellets by reaching its nominal power (see the exceed?).

For the moment I am thinking of putting a metal "canvas" in the fireplace to better ventilate the pellets. Let's start by thinking about the Saey because the principle of the turbo of the deom means that when the boiler is well on, it has no problem to burn the pellets.



Here are ideas of realization that came to me during the day to better ventilate the stove:

a) an elevated grid with a mesh size close to that of the pellets (some would fall and no others): thus there would be (theoretically) 2 times more pellet surface in contact with the air and not pkoi 2 grids?

b) a "honeycomb" placed horizontally where every second square would be screened and drilled in the back towards the adjacent squares

c) a plate on which we would weld some air tubes, say 1 inch 1 / 4 2 inches in diameter and 10 cm high, drilled in the bottom (same idea as the b) but easier to achieve.

Here ... I can test any other idea that seems interesting and feasible with my means (welding, drilling ...)

ps: I specify that for the moment, I have not done any research in this direction on the net, I do not want to be influenced in the reflection ... I would look if we dry too much

[dirk pitt]

well then Christophe, and the research function of forum

no I laugh, it was an aside in a post on another topic.

what you are looking for is called a pellet basket.
look at the links that I quoted in this post

[lv13r]

not bad and easy to reproduce
and at the level of yield compared to the log what gives ???
it also works in an insert I guess ??
LV13R

[Philippe Schutt]

last year, I got swollen: 55 € per cubic meter of so-called "dry" wood but full of moss (very wet therefore) which has not heated and has browned to death ...

In fact, if you can not dry your wood yourself it is better to buy compressed logs.

Result: there is only the superficial layer of pellets which burns (at 2 cm "deep" the pellets remain intact !!!). And so it lacks a lot of instantaneous heating power even if in the end, everything ends up being burnt.

What did you do to keep the pellets from falling through the stove grate? Does not it block the air?

The purpose of this topic is to think of a simple and inexpensive modification of a conventional stove so that it can burn pellets by reaching its nominal power (see the exceed?).

What is the goal ?
1. ensure that all pellets are within 2cm of air
ou
2. to ensure that the burned pellets give off so that the layer of 2cm gradually gets closer to the center
ou
3. determining a combustion zone or fresh pellets would replace the consumed ones.

For the moment I am thinking of putting a metal "canvas" in the fireplace to better ventilate the pellets.
Here are ideas of realization that came to me during the day to better ventilate the stove:
a) an elevated grid with a mesh size close to that of the pellets (some would fall and no others): thus there would be (theoretically) 2 times more pellet surface in contact with the air and not pkoi 2 grids?
b) a "honeycomb" placed horizontally where every second square would be screened and drilled in the back towards the adjacent squares
c) a plate on which we would weld some air tubes, say 1 inch 1 / 4 2 inches in diameter and 10 cm high, drilled in the bottom (same idea as the b) but easier to achieve.

You focus on the first possibility. Are not you afraid of getting a very quick but short fire?

[the middle]

Hello Christopher,
I read the title of the subject, but ...
Some time ago, Lietseu sent me an address privately.
It is a seller of compacted wood logs.
Considering the price, it was not better as a solution?
It's just a question..
http://www.e-bois.fr/B@utique/prods.php ... 617&cat_m=

[bham]

For my part, we wanted to try to burn pellets in the insert but mixed with logs; so we put a small amount of pellets on the embers and logs over it.
As a result, the pellets ignite very quickly, turn red and we noticed that the cast iron rose faster and higher in temperature than the only logs which, even if they are dry, are less so than pellets.
There you go, I don't know if my experience can help you, knowing that we put the pellets on a bed of embers, the latter being obtained thanks to the logs; for us the pellet / log mix is ​​therefore very positive, now the fact of burning only pellets in an insert can clearly be a problem if the quantity of pellets "loaded" is too large.

So intuitively, I would say that you could try:
- to put less pellets at a time but more often,
- Or to install a small exhaust fan at the ashtray (if there is room) or suction at the flue gas duct; but in this case take a boiler fan, heat resistant.

NB: the pellets I bought (in France) come from Virton, Belgium, once!

[Christophe]

Yes bahm it's exactly the same with us: in "mix" it works nikel! Virton is the 3rd plant located geographically far from home. Are they DIN their pellets?

Yes pitt is actually the principle of the pellet basket (which I had already seen) but with less draw since there is the draw of the stove is already present ...

The Just: Given their price, compacted logs do not interest me at all!

Philippe, the objective is to increase the operating power 100% Pellets: so more pellets burn at the same time. Yes it may burn a lot faster but the setting of the draft of the stove should help limit this? We have an excellent authority on the draft of the stove with the adjustment of the draft facade: air that comes from the top so (we use almost the one by the ashtray)

So for you the grid is the most effective thing?

ps: this is the old ash bed that prevents pellets from falling into the ashtray.

[Flytox]

Split the pellets "lightly" (with a hammer ?), is it playable or a big mistake? This will give more exchange area for air and heat.

[Christophe]

Yeah but no, it would be worse: it would increase the density of the taa, so even less air down ... on the contrary should be the lengthen

[Philippe Schutt]

ps: this is the old ash bed that prevents pellets from falling into the ashtray.

And prevents air from reaching the pellets.

So for you the grid is the most effective thing?

Ben there is one, as much as it serves.
I would start by cleaning this grid that is part of the stove. Then I would add a finer grid (or an intermediate grid) so that the pellets can not fall through but only the ashes.

Philippe, the objective is to increase the operating power 100% Pellets: so more pellets burn at the same time. Yes it may burn a lot faster but the setting of the draft of the stove should help limit this? We have an excellent authority on the draft of the stove with the adjustment of the draft facade: air that comes from the top so (we use almost the one by the ashtray)

I think you have to increase the air through the ashtray to evacuate the ashes.
I also think that it will heat up hell and that your mixture air / wood will be too rich and that you will pollute
that you will have to reduce the combustion zone to correct the ratio. Since you are in Belgium, FLAM's accessory for burning charcoal in its inserts could inspire you.