Pellet feeder: types, features, types

What is a pellet feeder? If you ask this question to a search engine, then Ukrainian buyers will be offered boilers with gravitational or vertical feed. It is a cone-shaped reservoir into which fuel is poured and enters the combustion chamber under the influence of gravity. However, this is not the kind of presentation that Internet users want to see. The fact is that forced feeding is organized using a screw conveyor. But there is a distinction between a built-in auger for feeding granular fuel into the burner and an external auger, which, most likely, will interest you as readers.

What is auger feed

Internal auger in pellet burner intended for feeding pellets into the combustion zone. In terms of its design features, it is very similar to a drill. This is a simple and reliable solution that has been used since antiquity, for example, to raise water. The screw mechanically takes a certain portion of the pellets in the hopper and feeds it to the pellet burner.

Distinguish between internal and external auger. When asking a question about a pellet feeder, consumers usually mean an external feed. It can be implemented in a variety of ways. Including, the auger can be made by hand, or rather an external feed device from the hopper to the pellet burner. On sale you can see ready-made samples for filing sawdust and granules.

The pellet feeder is a tilted pipe with an internal auger that is connected to a motor. The supply of granules is often realized under air pressure, moving the required volumes of fuel at certain intervals. Or with the help of a gravity bunker.

Why the screw feed is good:

• mechanical;
• reliable;
• does not fail;
• easily repaired;
• available for self-production.

Note that the auger feed is forced by default. However, it is often combined with gravity feed by placing the auger pipe at an angle and the hopper on top.

Pellet boiler and pellet burner - what is the difference between the feeder

Pellet boiler differs from conventional solid fuel in the presence of a pellet burner. The described devices are usually included in the complex of heating equipment for a pellet mini-boiler house, including:

• burner;
• load-bearing structural tank with a heat exchange circuit;
• internal auger;
• external auger;
• two buffer tanks - with weekly and technical load of the burner.

An example of the construction of a pellet burner from a Polish manufacturer with internal and external fuel supply

In fact, a pellet boiler has all the equipment described in one module with additional functions and technologies from a specific manufacturer. The cost of foreign models is high. But Ukrainian pellet burners FOCUS and FOCUS heating equipment can adequately compete with foreign samples, but, most importantly, they will cost less when buying, implementing an innovative pellet feeding device.