Monoblock pellet boilers are distinguished, first of all, by their convenient form factor. This means that private homeowners can buy a boiler without having to redo the heating system and without organizing a separate boiler room. An ordinary utility room is suitable for installing the boiler. In some cases, it can even be a corridor, since we offer a FOCUS monoblock pellet boiler that has a very presentable appearance and a body made of polished stainless steel, and is also protected from excessive heating using basalt wool.

In other words, if you place it even in a living space, it will not lead to injuries, burns or other troubles. Unlike potbelly stoves, in which you can constantly add firewood, pellet boilers need to be loaded with pellets about once a week.

Let's note the advantages

When we talk about autonomous environmentally friendly heating, as a rule, our consumers think that we will talk about heat pumps, solar panels and other similar technologies. In fact, TM FOCUS offers a real solid fuel boiler, but one that runs on “clean” pellet granules. Moreover, the FOCUS monoblock pellet boiler, unlike similar foreign versions, can operate on high-ash pellet granules without violating EU environmental safety requirements.

The smoke coming from your home will be white and almost cold, since the ash residues are completely burned thanks to the special design of the combustion chamber, and the heat exchangers remove the generated heat as much as possible. We can say that well-designed pellet boilers are the most economical and demonstrate the highest efficiency, over 95%, in terms of heat removal from the fuel and the heated coolant. And in many respects, the FOCUS monoblock pellet boiler is the best model on the Ukrainian market precisely in terms of technical solutions. The monoblock design and aesthetic design of the housing only complement the technically advanced performance.

So, about the benefits for households:

• ideal for single-circuit heating systems, and by connecting such a boiler to the heating system of private home owners, the problem with coolant circulation in the system disappears, since the pump is built into a monoblock;
• weather regulation of combustion in combination with automatic switching on means complete automation of heating with complete independence from external networks. All you need is to make the settings and load the pellet in time;
• aesthetic appearance of the boiler in a monoblock format - if necessary, the boiler can be placed in a technical room or corridor without making a separate boiler room, as is required when purchasing other FOCUS equipment.

What are the disadvantages compared to a gas boiler?

The proposed FOCUS monoblock pellet boiler in its functionality resembles a single-circuit boiler, which can be adjusted to three modes: operation with hot water supply, water heating and heated floors. The equipment is not two- or three-circuit, as many owners of private houses are used to, using gas heating and a modern gas boiler. The monoblock is designed for heating either one heating circuit, or hot water supply, or for heated floors.

Technically, you can connect it to a heat accumulator and distribute it to other heating circuits, but this can be done through the built-in DHW circuit, and not through the water heating mode.

If you are familiar with computers, then you are well aware of the concept of Plug and Play, it literally means the principle of “plug and play”. This is the concept that underlies the FOCUS monoblock pellet boiler and takes into account the wishes of ordinary consumers buying equipment for autonomous heating. You are probably well aware that a monoblock pellet boiler is an ordinary solid fuel boiler that runs on pellet granules.

This means that the boiler must have certain design solutions in order to burn the pellet efficiently and with high heat transfer. It is these unique solutions that TM “Focus” has developed, some of them have analogues, some are presented only in FOCUS boilers. As a result, you can use environmentally friendly heat without emissions and losses, while burning high-ash pellets.

What is included in a monoblock pellet boiler

When we say that the FOCUS monoblock pellet boiler is all-inclusive, we definitely mean the most current set of options. They are as follows. First of all, the options are focused on the most current requests. Our customers often have a simple single-circuit heating system to which they need to connect a heating system. It is these parameters that the FOCUS boiler is configured for. Or it can work to heat a water circuit, or a heated floor circuit, or work for hot water supply.

The DHW circuit implies additional possibilities. You can connect an indirect heating boiler or a heat accumulator to it, subsequently making a complex wiring of the heating system to a water circuit, a heated floor circuit, and also use hot water supply in the system.

Benefits for private home owners

A monoblock pellet boiler is, by all characteristics, smart equipment intended for owners of private houses, which will allow you to establish efficient heating without errors and special knowledge in heating engineering:

• complete autonomy from main networks - cheap heating using available fuel;
• low cost of fuel pellets, you can use homemade pellets;
• accepts high-ash pellets without damaging the environmental parameters of the boiler due to the collection of condensed gases for secondary combustion;
• built-in pellet hopper for 70 kg;
• efficient heat transfer;
• software and weather control;
• sensors included;
• Full automation of water mixing using a four-way valve.

All that is required for the consumer to get his own set of heating options is to connect the boiler to the system and set the heating or water heating mode. The rest will be done by your new boiler, which, if desired, can even be placed in the hallway due to its stylish appearance.

Legal Requirements

Another aspect that should be paid attention to, today is the compliance of projects with current legislation. At the moment there are several documents in force that already require the use of energy-efficient pumps with a wet rotor, as an alternative to all of us the usual 3-speed ones, namely the latest revision of the DBN and "Technical regulations regarding the requirements for ecodesign of self-contained circulation pumps and sealless compasses integrated into the device", according to which from September 2022. 3-speed pumps are not officially marketed and wet rotor pumps must meet an EEI (Energy Efficiency Index) ≤ 0.2. In this article, we will not go into the study of legislation and regulatory documents, but consider the practical effect of using energy efficient pumps and try to understand whether this makes sense.

As an example, I took one of the projects, the input data:

Object type: car wash.

Location: Zaporizhzhia.

Boiler type to be installed: Focus 100 kW.

Necessary operating parameters of the pumps according to the project:

• Boiler circuit: Q = 5.47 m3 / h, H = 5.29m.
• Heating circuit: Q = 3.0m3 / h, H = 6.0m.
• Ventilation unit contour: Q = 2.8 m3 / h, H = 4.0 m.
• Recirculation circuit: Q = 0.5 m3 / h, H = 0.8m.

Consider two options for the boiler room configuration:

• 1) Using 3-speed pumps.
• 2) When using energy efficient pumps.

The qualities of a pump supplier, consider the company IMP PUMPS doo.It is a company from Slovenia that has been specializing in the production of pumps for heating and water supply systems for more than 75 years and has a wide product line.

We make a selection according to the first option:

• boiler circuit: Q=5.47 m3/h, H=5.29m - GHN 32/120-180 (3rd speed, P=265 W)
• heating circuit: Q=3.0 m3/h, H=6.0m - GHN 32/80-180 (3rd speed, P=210 W)
• ventilation unit circuit: Q=2.8 m3/h, H=4.0m GHN 32/80-180 (2nd speed, P=160 W)
• recirculation circuit: Q=0.5 m3/h, H=0.8m - SAN 15/40-130 (1st speed, P=40 W)

The total installed power for this variant is: 675.00 W.

We make a selection according to option number 2:

• boiler circuit: Q=5.47 m3/h, H=5.29m - NMT SMART 32/80-180 (3rd speed, P=150 W)
• heating circuit: Q=3.0 m3/h, H=6.0m - NMT MINI 32/100-180 (3rd speed, P=90 W)
• ventilation unit circuit: Q=2.8 m3/h, H=4.0m NMT SMART 32/40-180 (2nd speed, P=70 W)
• recirculation circuit: Q=0.5 m3/h, H=0.8m - SAN ECO PRO 15/15 B (1st speed, P=9 W)

The total installed power for the second option is: 319.00 W.

The difference between the first and second options is: 356 watts.

The average duration of the heated season in Zaporozhye is 157 days.

The average electricity tariff for commercial consumers is 4.5 UAH. for 1kW * h

Let's calculate the average annual potential savings when using energy efficient pumps:

Savings: 0.356 kW * 24 h * 157 days = 1341.408 kW * h

Payback

In monetary terms, the savings will be: 1341.408 kW*h*4.5 UAH. =6036.33 UAH for 1 heating season.

Investment when using 3-speed pumps is: 1115.96 euros.

The investment for energy efficient pumps is € 1,696.57.

The difference in the amount of investment is 580.61 euros.

The course today is: UAH 30.38. for 1 euro.

Let's calculate the payback period: 580.61 euros * 30.38 UAH / 6036.33 UAH = 2.92 heating season.

We see that the payback period when using energy efficient pumps is quite fast, in 3 seasons we will fully return the investment and begin to get the effect.

This is, of course, an approximate calculation, and in each particular case, the payback period may vary, this calculation is made only with the aim of making such big words as "Energy saving and energy efficiency" more visible.

This calculation also does not take into account the additional benefits of energy efficient pumps:

• potential for additional energy savings due to automatic modulation of operating parameters depending on the load;
• the presence of a large number of protections for difference from 3-speed pumps;
• some models are already equipped with thermal insulation, which increases the efficiency of your system;
• reduction in battery capacity or generator power to ensure uninterrupted operation of the heating system;
• an increase in electricity tariffs.

Product range

To familiarize yourself with the range of energy efficient pumps, you can go to link to the IMP PUMPS doo website where you can get acquainted with the range, technical characteristics and select a pump in online.

The choice in which half of the field is, of course, yours and the investors, we just wanted to demonstrate that energy efficiency is not just a conversation over a cup of coffee in the kitchen, but really events and equipment that can have an effect with a quick payback period.

If you have any questions regarding the products of IMP PUMPS doo, you can contact our authorized partner in Zaporozhye, the Teplostar company.

Sincerely,

representative of IMP PUMPS doo in Ukraine

Surzhik Vitaly

Today we will analyze the technical question, should I use a buffer tank with a pellet boiler? In general, the installation of a solid fuel boiler without a program-controlled pellet burner and without a buffer tank, it is extremely dangerous and not economically viable, since in the smoldering mode the efficiency of a hard top drops rapidly, especially for boilers with afterburning of combustion products, which in theory should be more efficient than conventional ones.

Pellet boiler controlled by a microcontroller, so the use of a buffer capacity is technically impractical. But why? And why is an automatic boiler often cheaper than a well-made manual boiler?

A few words about solid fuel boilers

As we wrote earlier - everything solid fuel boilers (TT-boilers) to achieve maximum efficiency operate in a narrow range of temperatures and capacities. The range width for different types of TT boilers varies, but all the same, the main drawback is the narrow zone of stable operation. This problem is almost invincible and is the main problem of solid fuel heating.

The second and essential problem arising from the first is security. The stacking of fuel in various types of combustion (upper, lower, long-term, pyrolysis and the like) has a common drawback - the fuel cannot be extinguished quickly. The masonry warms up, pyrolysis gas (thermal decomposition gas) is released, which burns to generate heat. For some solid fuel boilers, the gas burns up, for some it burns down, which does not significantly affect the controllability of the process.

In the event of a power outage or if the heating system is unable to extract all the heat released from the fuel filling, the boiler temperature inevitably begins to rise. The options for solving this situation are varied, but they all boil down to a simple idea - this is heat loss. And, as the most cost-effective way, the most optimal way is to dump heat into the battery or buffer tank (depending on the tasks). It is the volume of this container that is a kind of - a guarantee of safety, and not efficiency, which allows you to reset excess temperature.

What about objections?

Closing the blower

Even completely closed air blowing into the boiler does not extinguish the fuel and heat continues to be released. If in domestic boilers and furnaces this process has a controlled destructive effect, then in industrial and semi-industrial versions everything is much more complicated.

It is precisely because of the safety and economic component in the disposal of excess heat that buffer and heat storage tanks have become widespread.

Moreover, a conflict arises - the TT boiler works optimally in hot mode, when the supply is in the range of 75-85 * C, the return is at least 65 * C. At the same time, a small margin is the most efficient in terms of efficiency, when there is very little left before the boiling zone of the coolant. At this moment, the fuel burns most efficiently, but the flue gas temperatures also increase (the efficiency decreases with emissions to the street).

Excess heat, as we have already written, is safely discharged into a heat accumulator. With the closing of the air intake, the situation can be aggravated by the fact that a lot of unburned carbon appears in the furnace, which is precisely the basis of tar and tar on the walls of the boiler and chimney. With enough of it, the chimney can flare up, which can lead to a fire, destruction of the chimney structure, and other negative consequences. That is, extinguishing the boiler in this way is not recommended and even dangerous under a certain set of circumstances.

Objections backed by history

There are a lot of craftsmen among the people who are trying to prove that boilers without a buffer tank are not dangerous, they can be successfully operated, they give a lot of examples. But the regulatory framework and the rules for the operation of solid fuel boilers - work without a buffer tank is strictly prohibited. This is labor protection, written in the lives of people, and engineering calculations and economic justifications.

So should you use a buffer tank with a pellet boiler?

We are often as producers pellet boilers we encounter the opposite opinion when the standards of the classical norms of TT boilers are applied to the pellet boiler. Namely, this is the need to install at least a buffer tank and a heat accumulator. This misconception often pushes people to additional costs for no apparent reason. A pellet boiler with a burner is controlled by a microcontroller, which provides instant extinguishing of the boiler or a reduction in the intensity of combustion.

The bottom line is simple - for the normal operation of a pellet boiler or a pellet burner installed in a TT boiler, the installation of additional heat accumulators or buffer tanks is not required, unless otherwise provided by the project and the needs of the heating system.

For example, in greenhouse complexes, to compensate for a sharp drop in temperature, it is simply vital to install a capacious heat accumulator, but this is not necessary for pellet burner. In addition, the buffer tank is installed as a secondary heating boiler for domestic hot water, but again this does not apply to technical requirements.

Hydraulic connections with buffer tank and indirect heating boiler

Examples of hydraulic decoupling when installing pellet boilers

Examples

Let's take a simple example. A household boiler weighs an average of 200-300 kg. When the power supply is turned off, there is approximately 300-500 grams of fuel in the pellet burner nozzle (let's take it with a margin of 50 kW), which, under ideal circumstances, can produce a maximum of 2.5 kW of heat. This energy is enough to heat a mass of 300 kg from 85*C to 92*C (i.e. only 7*C).

Approximate calculation does not take into account the loss of heat with flue gases, reduced combustion intensity in the absence of intensive fan blowing, and in any case, microcirculation present in the system. All these factors will narrow the already small delta of stable operation. That is, we see that even in the most difficult case, the situation cannot get out of control. At the same time, the automation of the pellet burner has a number of additional protection systems against overheating of the boiler, and we also take into account the mandatory presence of relief valves.

All these factors and the exact dosage of fuel with modern automation equate the flexibility of a pellet boiler, its automation, and the response to a change in the heating system to a gas boiler, which itself does not require a buffer tank.

From this it follows that in a pellet boiler room there is no need for most devices inherent in a manual loading boiler room!

Read also about types of heat accumulators.

Best regards - FOCUS team

To install or not to install a buffer tank when installing a solid fuel boiler

The use of a conventional "hardtop" without pellet burner and without a buffer, it is extremely dangerous and economically unprofitable, since in the smoldering mode, the efficiency of a solid fuel rapidly drops, and this is especially true for boilers with afterburning of combustion products!

Consider the features of "solid tops"

Everything solid fuel boilers, regardless of their type and method of fuel combustion, have the following common features:

1. They work only in a narrow high-temperature schedule (90/75 0С or 80/600С).
2. They can change the power in the range 100…50% by reducing the amount of incoming air during combustion. Moreover, with a decrease in power, the efficiency drops sharply due to an increase in the proportion of CO.
3. The boiler cannot be stopped until all the fuel in it has burned out.
4. A manually loaded boiler is selected with a power reserve of at least 30% for the coldest five-day period for residential premises and up to 50% for office buildings, since a significant problem with the quality and humidity of the fuel may arise, which must be taken into account.

Highest efficiency in solid fuel boiler at the moment when it is above the return dew point (usually 51 degrees), but has not yet reached the set temperature set on the controller! As soon as the solid fuel boiler reaches the set temperature and goes into smoldering, the boiler efficiency drops down to 20%, thereby offsetting all the savings.

Experience in installing and piping a solid fuel boiler with a buffer tank