Bio-heat is the heat that comes from living things. Plants, animals and microbes all produce heat through photosynthesis, the process by which plants make food from sunlight. As a result, most biomass generates heat with which we can work. Boilers are a form of heating technology that uses heat from burning solid fuels (wood or coal) to produce steam that’s used in industrial processes such as iron smelting and manufacturing.
Biomass heat is produced either directly or indirectly from living things. For example, there are bio-heat boilers that produce steam made from methane and hydrogen mixed with oxygen produced by natural gas streams or solar energy. Indirect methods employ waste materials — lignite (brown coal) for example — to create heat instead of burning fossil fuels directly.
What is a Bio-Heat Boiler?
A biomass boiler is a portable boiler that is used to produce heat from biological and chemical energy sources. The biomass used to generate heat in a bio-heat boiler can include plants, animals, and microbes. The term bio-heat has been in use for a long time to describe this type of heating system.
A bio-heat boiler consists of a water heater and an engine to drive it. The engine uses the heat from burning fuel to drive an turbine to produce electricity or a heat stream to be used in the household. The heat from the turbine is transferred to water through a heat exchanger. The warmed water, along with the turbine’s exhaust, isreturned to the burner to be used again.
How Does a Bio-Heat Boiler Work?
For a bio-heat boiler to work, it needs to heat water to a high enough temperature to vaporize the fuel — in this case, carbohydrates from sugar cane or corn. Once the fuel is vaporized, heat from the fire is transferred to the water. The high temperature of water causes it to vaporize further, releasing energy and creating steam. The steam then drives an engine to produce electricity or heat for the home.
Which Bio-Heat Boiler is Best?
The best bio-heat boiler will depend on your needs. There are several factors you’ll want to consider, such as the efficiency of the boiler, ease of maintenance, and cost of electricity. Some heat boilers are less expensive to run on a year-round basis but require a long duration of operation. Others are more efficient in winter but need little maintenance in hot weather.
Advantages of Using Bio-Heat
Efficiency — Using biomass to produce heat means that you’ll have fewer heat-related energy bills. This is because most heat is lost through heat transmission — that is, through air and water — rather than being used directly in the home. Efficiency is especially important in hot weather because it allows you to use less energy. Easy to Install — Anywhere you want to install a home boiler is a good place to start.
Because they’re portable, you can easily move them from location to location. Easy to Use — You won’t need any special skills to operate a bio-heat boiler. Anyone with a little experience can perform maintenance and repairs. Fast to Get Hot — You won’t have to wait long for the boiler to start making heat. Once you turn it on, it produces hot water almost immediately.
Disadvantages of Using Bio-Heat
Efficiency — The efficiency of a heat boiler is the ratio of heat production to the amount of fuel consumed. If you use less fuel, then you get more heat. However, less fuel means less electricity. In winter, where you may not be using the boiler as much, you could see an increase in electric bills.
Longer Equipment Servicing Times — A longer equipment servicing time is another disadvantage of bio-heat. For example, it takes longer to unclog the burners on a gas or oil-fired boiler. Lack of Control — You can’t precisely control the temperature of the water in a bio-heat boiler. This is because the heat from the fire is provided to the water by a boilers Radiators and Air Conditioning Units You can, however, control the flow of water — either through a valve or hose.
Conclusion
Hiring a contractor to install a bio-heat boiler is often expensive and risky. Although it may generate more heat than a natural gas or coal-fired boiler, the increased scale of the installation would reduce your control over the heat. Furthermore, installing a bio-heat boiler in cold weather is challenging. You will have to dig up the ground and line the canal with insulation. These are difficult and costly projects. Learn more>>>
