Another Wood Gasification Boiler Hits the Market

[Eric Johnson]

Looks suspiciously like the Black Bear Boiler, which is made about 100 miles to the north.

http://www.adobeboiler.com

These are both water tube boilers with a huge refractory mass to store heat, and very little water in the boiler.

The flip side of gasification technology, such as that seen in the Tarm and EKO boilers, involves firetubes and 40 or 50 gallons of water around the firebox and refractory chamber. I believe the Garn and Greenwood are also firetube affairs, but with much higher water capacity than the Tarm/EKO design.

Anybody have a preference?

 

[Andre B.]

To me they look very different. In fact almost exactly upside down from each other, looking at it from a gas flow point of view.

The Black Bear is a downdraft firebox with the gases then going back and up thru the heat exchanger.
http://blackbearboilers.com/bb90inaction.jpg

The Adobe is an updraft firebox with the gases going back and down thru the heat exchanger.
http://www.adobeboiler.com/Features.html

 

[slowzuki]

Looks like the greenwood. I've seen 2 other models that seem to be rebadged greenwoods. Internals of a greenwood http://www.greenwoodfurnace.com/images/Furnace_Cutaway copy.gif

 

[Burn-1]

It actually looks a rebadged Seton from Montana, )or Seton is a licensed model from some common ancestor). Because the diagram is virtually identical.

Seton diagram

Seton appears to have been acquired by this company which has a range
of boilers. BurnsBest

So it looks like the technology might be being licensed out.

Another one I found which looks like it might be based on a GARN type
large integrated tank is this one Turbo-Burn

 

[slowzuki]

Thanks Burn-1, the seton diagram was the one I was looking for, the internal layout is similar to greenwood's. Seton also licenses to an ebay company that sells them in a different colour.

 

[Eric Johnson]

Wow, thanks guys for the links. Who knew? Looks like there might be a future in clean-burning central heat after all.

BTW, my local Adobe dealer got right back to me with a price. The 220K btu/hr model is about $8,000 for the indoor model, delivered. For the outdoor configuration, add another $400.

That big refractory chamber makes me a little nervous. The only review I've seen on the Greenwood is the guy who got his new one up and running, only to have a big crack develop in the refractory. He says the company sent him a can of Stovo and a putty knife. Or some such. You've probably seen the post if you've Googled Greenwood.

 

[KarlK]

Looks suspiciously like the Black Bear Boiler, which is made about 100 miles to the north.

http://www.adobeboiler.com

These are both water tube boilers with a huge refractory mass to store heat, and very little water in the boiler.

The flip side of gasification technology, such as that seen in the Tarm and EKO boilers, involves firetubes and 40 or 50 gallons of water around the firebox and refractory chamber. I believe the Garn and Greenwood are also firetube affairs, but with much higher water capacity than the Tarm/EKO design.

Anybody have a preference?

 

[KarlK]

Do you need water storage with the Adobe Boiler?