Storage tank solution...stupid question? Has anyone tried this....pipes in the ground and radiant co

[headrc]

As with all newbies on this forum ....I am struggling with understanding the total concept on the gasification boilers ....but I am learning thanks to everyone here!

As with an earlier post ...I am seriously contemplating a gasification heating system for Tennessee (please refer to my other post as a newbie if you need more info).

However the complexity and price tag just continues to climb. The former is somewhat a concern ..but the latter is even bigger. I am now becoming convinced that at some point I am going to want a storage tank type of solution ....and if I am going to do that I might as well do it at the beginning and save future headaches (other than the financial one).

However, in researching the whole radiant idea in the first place I had been interested in radiant cooling as well. I wrote that off because of the task of implementing a chiller for the cooling aspect of this concept. But now ....with the thoughts that I could be spending 1.5-2k for a storage tank solution ...I am wondering about this again. Basically my thoughts for cooling were originally to use the pex tubing I would be putting in a new outbuilding floor for the radiant heat to also cool in the summer. I would cool the water by running it through piping run underground and then return it back in a closed loop system to again absorb heat for cooling.

So now I am wondering ...if this concept could work for cooling and resurface in my design ....could it also be the way to dissipate the extra heat generated by the boiler in winter and not have to have a storage tank?? I have a good bit of land and equipment to do this. Running pipe under the ground for a cooling mechanism is a hassle ....but it can certainly be done. I wrote it off originally because I am not as confident about the radiant cooling idea as I am on the radiant heatin my area. There are concerns about dew point etc. that have to be overcome. However if I am faced with having to dissipate extra heating capacity in the winter from the boiler ....and I gain the possibility of some cooling in the summer it seems like it might be a better investment than a hot water storage tank. The cooling aspect may end up being somewhat of an experiment but if I know the piping in the ground will solve my storage tank dilemma it may be a smarter use of resources.

Thanks again for a great forum!

RH

 

[sparke]

I am not sure about the cooling aspect. If you are using the pex underground as a dump zone you are literally wasting BTU's. Why not store them for later? Granted a storage tank is a pain in the arse up front but I think well worth the effort in the end... If you do go that route, you may want to consider running it under your driveway/sidewalks as an ice melter... That is if y'all get ice in Tennessee

 

[Redox]

Cold floors in a humid climate are a byotch. Ever open your garage door in the spring when the humidity has started to climb and the floor is still cold? Sweat city!

Years ago, there was a company that made fin tube convectors to go around the ceiling like a baseboard. I think it was called a valance cooler. The attraction was that it was dead silent and ddn't consume any energy for air circulation. I have never seen one installed, and I am not sure they are still available. Great idea, but never caught on.

Chris

 

[headrc]

I had come to that conclusion as well ....and if pursued I am now thinking that I could put pexthe ceiling of the outbuilding and use that for cooling. The real issue that I am trying to conquer of course is trying to get rid of a $2000 investment in a storage tank and maybe gain another attribute that I can justify because it is answering another need....cooling. As I understand the storage tank idea (I have only 2100 sq ft in Tennessee to heat) ....the boiler puts out much more heat than is needed and thereby will be idling a lot .....which is not a good idea in these things. Anyways ....if the cooling idea is a bad one than I will write it off once again. But with a total install cost with a storage tank now geting in the 10k range ....well that is 7 years of what my average fuel costs have been. That is a long payback period ....and in the meantime I am having to do more work for the fuel. Once again I am facing the "nice idea ...but" phase of this project. I will definitely put radiant heat in the floor of my new outbuilding (650 sq. ft) ....but a water heater could provide heat for that without a major increase in propane use and no major upfront expense.

Thanks for the response though....

RH

 

[MarcM]

I get the idea from reading a lot here, though I don't have a boiler, that if you size the boiler correctly for the house, and don't load the thing up with wood, you shouldn't have a problem with too much heat.