Chip Burner update

[fuelfarmer]

The chip burner has operating for six months or so. A few updates have been added like automatic ash removal and improved fuel stir bar. Also the software was improved to modulate the fuel feed better. After a few issues early on, the boiler has been working well.

The chips in the video are wet soft wood. I am sure the efficiency take a hit with wet chips, but they do burn without a problem. Notice the stack at the end.

Chip burner video

 

[Dune]

Wow you have some great videos.

 

[flyingcow]

i like it, but the wood "chips" are what i would call "grindings". The first part of the vid with paddle turning the chips into the screw, which i assume feeds the boiler, isn't full. Or it's exposed, is this how the system needs to run? The hopper needs to be this way? looks good, just have questions

 

[fuelfarmer]

The "chips" are from some type of grinder. They are not saw dust or planer shavings so I call the little pieces chips.

The auger with the paddle pushing chips into another auger was uncovered for filming. The auger is not full. The pitch of the auger changes at some point coming out of the bin so the chips move faster and less full. The auger is less likely to jam .

 

[JustWood]

That is hogged wood . Basically pulverized .
Works well in this application due to the broken up structure of the wood. Lots of air pockets in the wood vs. a chip which is whole.

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[bigburner]

http://youtu.be/JfocaAo-Zgc

did a visit here, pretty sweet. they had a separate conveyor to get rid of over size material.they can burn fairly high moisture wood but not stupid wet. I would like to add a wood chip feeder to my system but the thought of it plugging constantly with odd shaped pieces has prevented me from moving forward. I did see a system that appears to have a feeder that actually cuts the nonconforming ones as they enter the feed arguer. But you have the bin and storage and drying and and and. In full disclosure I have spent a lot on money on dumb things over the years, so why stop now.

 

[fuelfarmer]

The fuel has to be the proper size no matter what burner you are using. You can't put a 48 in. log into a 24 in. stove, and you can't put a 6 in. wood chip into something that needs a 2 in chip. I have used some chips that came from a tub grinder hammer mill with a bad screen. I did try to pick out the big long pieces. The chips did go through the feed system.

 

[bigburner]

In reality my chips from a Brush bandit 250 would need another step of processing to ensure uniformity. Would you agree with that? The wood in the picture looks stringy, not like my chunky chips

 

[fuelfarmer]

If you search "G50 wood chip", that will give you an idea of what will work in the boiler I have. Max stick length is around 5 inches.

The chips out of your chipper just might work.

 

[fuelfarmer]

The chip burner has a 10 x10 inch opening into the fire box. When the door is removed, it completely changes how the fire burns because of the negative pressure draft. I got a piece of high temp glass and made a temporary window into the heart of the beast. It is fun to watch the fire burn in its natural habitat. I need to learn how to use the camera to get some better photos and video. Using "auto" does not get the beast results.

 

[fuelfarmer]

A video clip shot through the window.

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[PassionForFire&Water]

How are the emissions of this wood chip boiler?
Can you please make a video clip of what comes out of the stack?
Is there like a pre-drying phase of the wet wood chips before they enter the firebox?
Interested to learn more on your setup.

 

[fuelfarmer]

At the end of this short clip you can see the stack for a few seconds. I would be happy to film more if that is not enough.

There is no dryer. I wish I would have put a perforated floor in the chip bin so I could blow some air through wet chips as needed. The wet chips burn just fine, but I am sure the efficiency takes a hit.

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[fuelfarmer]

The soft wood chips are running around 40% moisture. I think someone use the term "stupid wet" in a post. 40% is getting close to stupid wet.