My wood I'm burning has got to 35% so it's just too wet now and I'm struggling to find seasoned wood so can anyone tell me that's burned rape and wood in a dragon type boiler what the difference was? I'm burning 400kg wood/day so how much straw would create as much heat? Does straw create more ash?
Burning rape straw compared to wood
- Thread starter Chippy
- Start date
Exfarmer
Member
- Location
- Bury St Edmunds
Dry rape straw burns well with little ash.
Not sure the relative output though
I suspect Linseed straw would burn similarly well.
Wheat straw comes next, but will be a poor burn with a lot more ash
on a Farm 200o i often had a job getting the heat unless the wheat straw was very dry
Not sure the relative output though
I suspect Linseed straw would burn similarly well.
Wheat straw comes next, but will be a poor burn with a lot more ash
on a Farm 200o i often had a job getting the heat unless the wheat straw was very dry
Cowcalf
Member
- Location
- North of Scotland
THINK i READ SOMEWHERE THAT RAPE STRAW IS HARDER ON THE METAL WORK OF THE BURNER WHEN BURNING
humblefarmer
Member
I agree with cow calf on this but still plan on burning it, have heard that to though.
How much heat does 400 kg of wood give, assume it's at 35%?
Linseed is the best I have found, burnt 5 round bales in 25 hrs this week, approx 4500 kW from it.
How much heat does 400 kg of wood give, assume it's at 35%?
Linseed is the best I have found, burnt 5 round bales in 25 hrs this week, approx 4500 kW from it.
humblefarmer
Member
Didn't think Dragon had emission certificates for OSR?
Exfarmer
Member
- Location
- Bury St Edmunds
Having a quick scan of the net, it does not seem much difference between wood and straw or varieties of straw weight for weight, with similar dry matter.
Getting a big bale of wheat straw to burn well is not easy unless very dry in my experience
Getting a big bale of wheat straw to burn well is not easy unless very dry in my experience
humblefarmer
Member
What do you call dry though because it seems lots of people have different views on this!
I agree though, I don't think what you burn will make drastic changes to heat output, from my humble experience the moisture is crucial and is lost on most to start with. Once you have a 'wet' bale smoulder and stink for hours on end with no heat the respect for a moisture meter is born!
Different materials do however release their heat in different ways, wood for eg has a much quicker warm up for me than straw.
I agree though, I don't think what you burn will make drastic changes to heat output, from my humble experience the moisture is crucial and is lost on most to start with. Once you have a 'wet' bale smoulder and stink for hours on end with no heat the respect for a moisture meter is born!
Different materials do however release their heat in different ways, wood for eg has a much quicker warm up for me than straw.
Cowcalf
Member
- Location
- North of Scotland
pushing air through bale will improve burning I presume ?
- Location
- Boroughbridge, york
seems sensible to shred the bale into a boiler, rather than the dragon type of pushing a solid bale in the end door
humblefarmer
Member
Shredding increases volume though needing a bigger chamber, imagine it would burn better though! Also can't shred linseed I don't think plus more moving parts and infrastructure costs?
Air flow is important naturally but if it's wet or bailed wrong it won't burn very well no matter how much puff goes in!
Just ordered a unit that will burn two hestons at once, seeing them in operation I am not expecting any problems if, as ever the fuel is correct....
Air flow is important naturally but if it's wet or bailed wrong it won't burn very well no matter how much puff goes in!
Just ordered a unit that will burn two hestons at once, seeing them in operation I am not expecting any problems if, as ever the fuel is correct....
humblefarmer
Member
Why not force dry the wood using straw, get paid to do it then?
7 months!? Out of curiosity, what's been the hold up?
What are dragon accredited to burn these days?
7 months!? Out of curiosity, what's been the hold up?
What are dragon accredited to burn these days?
RushesToo
Member
- Location
- Fingringhoe
Seems it is still too youthful technology, there is little information around - I googled a bit and found this:
http://www.navitron.org.uk/forum/index.php/board,20.0.html
A bit domestic size. I would experiment, get some experience [it would seem and engineering background and 6 months would do it] and become a consultant. Bit of a field for cowboys and the market place needs some sherrifs.
When you have worked out what works please share it - or sell the experience at a reasonable price - best of luck!
http://www.navitron.org.uk/forum/index.php/board,20.0.html
A bit domestic size. I would experiment, get some experience [it would seem and engineering background and 6 months would do it] and become a consultant. Bit of a field for cowboys and the market place needs some sherrifs.
When you have worked out what works please share it - or sell the experience at a reasonable price - best of luck!
Atomic SL
New Member
- Location
- East Lothian
Two 5' round bales of Rape straw should produce and equivalent amount of heat to 400kg wet wood. If the straw is dry there shouldn't be too much ash but there will be more than if you were burning wood. With wet Rape straw the biggest problem is getting the fire started. Once underway it should burn fine. Wet wheat straw is hopeless even if you already have a bed of embers. I'm not qualified to comment on the acid corrosion risk burning straw but believe that if a high flue gas temperature is maintained the risk is reduced because the acidic moisture in the smoke cannot condense in the flue.
humblefarmer
Member
How do you mean?
Yeh I've considered making a drier out of a container and use dragon heat blown through a radiator inside it and I would be getting paid to do it. I think dragons are just allowed to burn wood. The hold up is ofgem are useless and I've a fairly complicated system because I'm supplying milking robots with hot water to wash with and I don't think they understand what these robots are
humblefarmer
Member
I had the same problem with them not understanding,drove me nuts. They said our purpose built grain stores were not wholly enclosed as they had vents in roof apex! Had to explain that we dry with the doors open to let the danp air out!
You are basically baling chaff.
Our old baler (NH835) used to do it ok (we used to use it for bedding)
Our current baler (NH 740) has a rotor feed and short stuff just stalls between the pick up and rotor and won't feed. Also had problems with short wheat straw. Rotor can't get a hold of it as it is too short and brittle.
Other balers may be better but most modern round balers have rotor feeds.