Retrofitting a pellet store to an existing biomass boiler.

[David Cowan]

Hi, I currently have a 28kW pellet boiler which I fill by hand. The manufacturer does not do a kit to retrofit a pellet store so I am thinking of trying it myself ( the boiler is out of warrenty so I have nothing to loose).

I have identified sources of suction systems and stores. I'm not sure how difficult it might be and if anybody else has done it.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Sharpy]

Have a look at centreless augers, as used to fill parlour feeders, looking to do similar here.

 

[ifindoubtflatout]

Mine has a 4 ton bag hanging in a frame with a sweeping arm going round the bottom sweeping the pellets into a channel
This has an auger worm which scrolls the pellets up to the intake hopper

Just got to climb inside the bag every now and again to shovel the pellets from the far edges to the auger worm ( after turning it off and isolating first ) !

 

[Walton2]

Centreless auger if you need to go long distance/around corners., preferably into hopper close by boiler,then short auger into boiler.

 

[f0ster]

you might find pellets does not transport quite the same as cow cake using the centre less spiral. where the pellets enter the tube you have to limit how much gets in so that when they start to travel along the tube they have more room other wise the auger locks up.

 

[Zetor]

Did my own 4 years ago, 8t bin, auger feed into the boiler hopper.
I fitted a grain pressure sensor at the bottom of boiler hopper triggers a timer for the auger.
Auger was from collinson
Reliable and works well

 

[David Cowan]

Hi, Thanks for all the responses. Very interesting they all suggest augers. I was thinking along the lines of a vacuum system because it is a relatively small boiler and a relatively long travel round a corner. Any thoughts on the relative merits of auger/vacuum?

 

[chickens and wheat]

Keep bend radius as big as possible and auger runs well. We use a 75mm worm in 90 pipe. Water proof any outside joints. Wet pellets set like rock