STORAGE TANK and OPEN OR CLOSED SYSTEM?

[tug hill rook]

Is tarm the only company that sells 1000 gallon storage tanks desiged for there wood boilers? I want to install a EKO 60, and research tanks ,but the dealers aren't very helpful so far. I will be running the eko in my cellar. It will be hooked up to my hot water system in the house. (5 zones) I also want to heat my dhw. Should I have an open or closed system? I look forward to the day when I will be able to awnser some one elses questions. Heh, it could happen! THR

 

[sweetheat]

Hey THR I'm looking for water storage for my Tarm solo 40 gasifier too. Tarm will supply you with STSS CO INC unpressurized open system tank. Pricey. I'm sure it would work with your EKO 60. Or you can DIY pressurized retro LP steel w/insulation closed system tank. There may be more threads in here about that. No one seems to know of any other manf. of open system water storage tanks. I keep looking and reading. sweetheat

 

[tug hill rook]

Thanks ! I am out of my depth, as far as open or closed system, with existing indoor hw heat. THR

 

[sweetheat]

THR Check out this thread! http://www.nofossil.org he explains everything. sweetheat

 

[jebatty]

Just got delivered on Tues a 1000 gal LP tank, bought from the local LP gas co. $850 delivered. I have it plumbed in, still need to get the expansion tank, as I am going pressurized.

 

[tug hill rook]

Must be a big mother. What made you decide to go closed? THR

 

[jebatty]

I'll post a pix, maybe. It's about 3' diameter and about 19' long - old style tank, called a wiener tank, that's why price was really good. I went pressurized to reduce corrosion. Open system with steel tank keeps introducing O2 into water, rust, etc. Pressurized closed system, once O2 consumed, rust stops, no more air. That's the main reason, but also needed more water storage to make system more efficient.

It was the muther of muthers to get where I wanted it, more than 2000 lbs.

 

[Sting]

You can also run hotter!

 

[tuolumne]

I chose pressurized storage, being much cheaper and avoiding all of the heat exchange steps. I used two 500 gallon propane tanks in the boiler loop as a buffer. The tanks were around $600 each and the requisite expansion tank cost $300 something. I think the heat exchangers Tarm offers are $900 apiece for 180' coils, plus the cost of the tank.

 

[tug hill rook]

Thanks for the info. Mr T, is the way you are plumbing your two propane tanks, the way to get the most effiancy , out of your set up?If it is, could you post a diagram, that a simpleton could follow? (Not naming any names) Thanks again,THR

 

[tuolumne]

There are are a bunch of diagrams in the thread "Boiler piping with pressurized storage." The tanks will be stacked one atop the other. When the boiler is hot, water flows into the top of the top tank, out the bottom at the other end, and returns from the bottom of the lower tank. When the boiler is off line, the primary pump pulls water in reverse, taking the hot water off the top tank to take advantage of thermal stratification. I will be firing my boiler for the first time on Tuesday, so I have no years of experience here; I've based this design on recommendations of users of this thread, and asking a lot of questions. It's been referred to as the rule of 5's...ask five people for advice on something and then take an average of the responses based on your own instinct. I just put some recent pictures in the thread asking for installation photos of Tarm and Eko. I got my boiler and tanks from AHONA...they're in Burlington Flats which is just south of Herkimer...probable a few hours from your neck of the woods.

 

[tug hill rook]

Thanks for the info. Thats a plan i can under stand. Good Luck