How to choose a pellet stove for your home?

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Posted on: 2024-04-12
 

Type of pellet boiler and its fuel limitations

✅ It's crucial to assess our fuel options, such as the availability of pellets in our area at a reasonable price, before making a purchase decision. Contrary to popular belief, the term "pellet boiler" doesn't always imply that our boiler will exclusively run on pellets. There are increasingly more solutions on the market, and it's worth considering whether a pellet stove with the ability to burn other fuels might be optimal for us. The type of boiler in the context of its fuel limitation can play a singificant role - when we'd like to find the most comfortable solution.

Wood pellet stove - 2 in 1

☑️ Technically, the term "pellet boiler" should be used for pellet heating - the term "pellet stove" is not entirely accurate, but it is commonly used - so we will allow ourselves to use it in this article.
✅ Contrary to appearances, not all pellet stoves only accept pellets as fuel. There are also stoves on the market where you can burn both pellets and wood - so it's worth considering before purchasing a boiler. If we have access to our own wood or cheaper material, for example, somewhere in a nearby forest district - this can be a very attractive additional option.

A wood pellet stove - so 2 in 1 - doesn't have to be a much more expensive solution at all. It is enough for it to be a device with a grate for wood; this information should be provided by the manufacturer - and the boiler seller.

Pellet and ecopea coal stove - another option

✅ Another option is a pellet and ecopea coal stove. Certainly worth considering in the context of fluctuations in the price of specific fuel. Most often, such boilers are designed in a way that pellets are their primary fuel, with ecoalternative as an additional option. Sellers claim that combining these two types of fuels results in good performance and a favorable ratio of consumed fuel to obtained fuel.

Whether this is really the case or just a marketing gimmick is hard to say. However, the possibility of fuel diversification - namely by installing a pellet and ecoalternative stove in one - will provide greater flexibility and independence in the future.

Pellet boilers and boilers for other fuels simultaneously - hybrids even 3 in 1

✅ It's worth mentioning that there are also solutions on the market that combine even more types of fuels - such as boilers for ecoalternative coal, wood, and pellets in one - usually with an additional combustion chamber. However, it's advisable for pellets to be the leading fuel for them - unless we consciously opt for a boiler of a different type.

Pellet stove size - in the context of the boiler room space

✅ The size, or rather the dimensions of the pellet stove - in terms of space - how large can a pellet boiler be to fit into the boiler room? This is a rather mundane matter, but it often complicates matters when we want to replace a boiler in an existing building. During the planning and construction stages of a new home, if we opt for a pellet boiler, it's worth paying attention to this.

It's possible that enlarging the boiler room may be necessary because in ready-made plans purchased from designers, boiler rooms are often quite small (this is related to the common assumption of gas heating, and as we know, gas boilers are very compact).

Pellet boiler power in kW - how to choose, getting to the heart of the matter

The most common question that pellet boiler sellers hear is: how many kW per X square meters? This is a valid question - it's correct to select these devices based on square footage, but remembering that different heat demands and heat losses occur in old buildings compared to new ones.

How many kW for a pellet stove per 100m²?

✅ The most common ratio encountered is 10kW for a pellet stove - for 150 square meters - for new construction, with a well-insulated building. This would equate to about 6-7 kW per 100m² - we remind you: in new homes and buildings of recent construction.

However, this ratio may not be sufficient for older buildings, which, as we know, have greater heat losses. Similarly, if a building has an old, unmodernized installation, it may potentially be much less efficient, and the heat deposits within it will result in it consuming more energy.
☑️ In such situations, it's often worthwhile to use a ratio of up to 10kW per 100 m² (sometimes even 12 kW per 100 square meteres), although this is rarely necessary. Many professionals advise, not without reason, to consider proper insulation, modernization of installations (such as replacing old cast iron radiators with new panel radiators), window replacement, etc., instead of purchasing a much larger boiler, although this is, of course, a completely different cost calculation.

Can a pellet boiler be oversized? Is it beneficial?

Today's pellet boilers are fully automated, i.e., they have appropriate temperature sensors and when the apartment is heated - the boiler will turn off. This is a mechanism that protects the system from further heating and ensures pellet savings.
☑️A boiler larger than we need should not be a problem... unless it is significantly oversized.

Oversized pellet stove in the house

✅ It's not just about overpaying when purchasing an oversized boiler. The significant oversizing of the boiler in relation to the actual needs rapidly heats up the installation and requires it to shut off in very short intervals. This isn't necessarily healthy for the temperature sensors and the boiler itself, and this type of operation may not positively impact the pellet consumption.

In summary - it's worth staying within the ratios specified by the manufacturers - and it's best to consult the selection of a pellet stove with a professional or seller.

Does the pellet boiler need to be separated from the installation using a plate heat exchanger?

✅ In new buildings where the installation is new and uncontaminated - there's generally no need for this. However, if we want to connect something like a fireplace with a water jacket to such an installation, it's worth considering separation using a heat exchanger. In this case, though, the pellet boiler will usually operate in the same system as the installation. Therefore, there's no need to separate it.
Alternatively, if there's a need to balance the system, a low loss header for central heating can be used. This way, we'll eliminate the cold return - but there are more options here. Besides a low loss header, we can also use a mixing valve, three-way valve, or four-way valve.

Separating the pellet stove from the old vented system

✅ However, a different situation arises in older buildings with an aged, worn installation, where we expect certain contaminants and scale. In such cases, to protect the new pellet stove, it can be separated from the system using a plate heat exchanger. This solution not only protects the boiler circuit but also, provided that the heat exchanger is properly selected, ensures balanced operation without overheating the system and without the pellet stove constantly turning on and off.

☑️ It's crucial, however, to select the right heat exchanger for pellet boiler, as an undersized model can lead to the opposite situation, including system overheating.

What heat exchanger for 15-20 kW pellet boilers?

For pellet boilers up to 20 kW, a very good choice is the plate heat exchanger NORDIC Tec Ba-32-20, which provides adequate heat exchange surface and proper heat transfer. This ensures the safety of the boiler, as well as efficient heating without thermal losses. With 1" connections, issues such as pressure loss or reduced flow are essentially eliminated.

For smaller boilers - for example, 15 kW - 16 kW - a slightly smaller alternative can also be used - namely, the Nordic Tec Ba-32-15 heat exchanger, a 15-plate version, also based on 1" connections.

 
Posted in: Others, Central heating boilers and everything related to them

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