Questions & Answers

 

Can a BX Series boiler be installed into a forced air system?

Yes. Almost all boilers can be easily integrated into a forced air system.  This is simply done by installing a hot water heat exchanger into the plenum of your existing furnace.  It works on the same principle as a central air conditioner, where input air passes over a heat exchanger changing the output air temperature.

 

 

How long will the unit run on one hopper?

It depends on the size and efficiency of your heating space.  The BX200 running at full capacity consumes approximately 12.7 Kg/Hr, which will yield approximately 24 hours of operation.  However, in normal operation in today’s mid-efficiency homes the BX200 will run between 3 to 4½ days on one hopper fill.

 

 

How much more space would be required to store pellets vs. oil?

If you would like to maintain the same refill cycle as oil, it typically requires 3 times more volume in wood pellets for the same energy content in oil.  Oil contains 10,350 kWh/m3 vs. wood pellets at 3,036 kWh/m3.  If we compare the fuels in unit that there sold on the market, 2.1 tonnes of pellets would replace 1000 liters of oil.

 

 

Can a larger hopper be added to the system?

Yes, a larger hopper can be added.  Several different sizes are available.  The larger hopper can be located up to 50 ft away in distance; independent to the number of bends.  You can also have a (limited) rise in elevation.  The pellets are transferred using a vacuum system.  A low-level hopper sensor automatically controls the pellet transfer.

 

 

Can the BX Series boilers burn wood chips?

Yes, the BX Series boilers can burn wood chips.  However, they should be relatively clean and somewhat consistent in size.  Some wood chip suppliers will not separate long strings of bark or torn wood caused by poor chipping.  This could cause the fuel auger to become clogged.

 

Does the BX Series boiler have automatic ignition?  

Yes, it is equipped with an electrical igniter.  This is only activated if the furnace is shutdown for longer than 2 hours and cannot restart using the hot coal feature.  If hot coals are present in the chamber, the controller detects it and restarts the furnace without the need of the electrical igniter.

 

 

Why use a pellet boiler?

Traditional fires are very inefficient.  Brandelle Biomass Systems’ BX Series boilers are 85% efficient or better.  So you require much less fuel to obtain the same amount of heat.

 

 

What does "Clean Burn" mean?

This is the ability to burn the volatile gases given off by the fuel, which would otherwise go up the flue and into the atmosphere.  This is usually achieved by introducing additional air at the top of the combustion chamber.  This function gives maximum efficiency and heat output from the fuel, together with having less detrimental impact on the environment.

 

 

Why do you need sophisticated control systems?

Clean burning is a fine balance.  Too little oxygen results in unburned fuel in the flue gases and excessive particulates such as smoke.  On the other hand, too much oxygen leads to clinker formation and a loss of fuel efficiency.  The control system ensures the optimum balance is constantly maintained.

 

 

Why not just burn wood?

Pellets have a high energy density - the manufacturing process reduces the volume by around five times, raising the density to typically 650 Kg/m3 with an energy content of 17 MJ/Kg or 4.7 kWh/Kg.  Pelletized fuel also has consistent and much lower moisture content.  Therefore, reduces space and increases efficiency.

 

 

What is a carbon neutral process?

The CO2 released when energy is generated from biomass is balanced by that absorbed during the fuel's production.  Put another way, the carbon released when wood pellets are burned is equal to the carbon stored in the tree as it grows.