"No Smoke" Grain Burner

"No Smoke" Grain Burner ENERGY Alternative Fuels 30-5-10 Morten Jensen and Teresa Walker of Harvest Heat Inc. at Redvers, Sask., are firm believers in burning small grains or wood pellets because they're cost efficient and easy to handle. They sell the HS Tarm Multi Heat Boilers from Denmark, which are said to deliver up to 91% efficiency, and can run for days on a single load of fuel in the hopper. On top of that, they burn much cleaner than other wood stoves, according to Walker. The Tarm Multi Heat Boiler has two distinct burning chambers so it can burn up the combustible gases created by the burning fuel. "The boiler burns so clean and hot that no visible smoke comes out the chimney. Tests have shown that the boilers can burn with less smoke output than the equivalent of one cigarette," says Teresa. The heat chamber is lined with a ceramic arch which, when combined with precise carburetion, superheats the solid fuel to a gasification state. This allows a hotter burn than other types of furnaces and turns the grain into a white ash, which requires minimal maintenance. This eliminates the need for total shut down cleaning. "A combustion draft fan blows the released gases through the live embers, and into the superheated ceramic tunnel, where secondary air is injected to complete the burning process," she explains. The system is available in three different sizes - 51,200 btu/hour, 85,300 btu/hour, or 146,700 btu/hour. For larger applications, two or more units can be linked together. Walker says that any grain can be burned, but wheat or rye at 15% moisture or less are most efficient. The boiler is easily operated with a multi-functional digital control on the front panel. It allows you to regulate the flow of fuel and air, and also provides individual temperature readings of the water supply and return, and smoke. The unit has variable heat output from 30 to 100 percent, and an automatic shut-off to prevent hopper burn back. No water storage tank is required, and automatic hopper refilling is available. The combustion chamber is constructed from acid-proof stainless steel and the boiler interior has 1/4-in. water-cooled steel plates. A gear motor turns the worm conveyor/auger to feed fuel into the combustion chamber at the proper rate. The unit has two heavily insulated doors, which can be mounted on either side for easier access. Heat exchange tubes, which feature turbulators (or retarders) for maximum heat exchange efficiency, are located behind the upper door. The boiler can be installed with either closed or open expansion. With closed expansion, a separate hot water tank can be connected prior to the shunt valve. With correct adjustment, it's possible to heat domestic hot water outside the regular heating season. The unit is delivered completely assembled, and prices range from 7,600 to $10,200 (Can.), depending on the model. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Harvest Heat Inc., P. O. Box 44, Redvers, Sask., Canada S0C 2H0 (ph 306 646 2070; harvestheat@sasktel.net; www.harvestheat.ca).

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