Not all regions of Russia are yet covered by a network of gas pipelines, and for many residents heating a cottage with coal remains the only possible option. The use of cheap and affordable coal fuel is no longer associated with outdated ideas about it. Modern solid fuel boilers are easy to use, reliable and do not pollute the atmosphere with smoke. Our article will help to understand what features heating has in a private house on coal and what are its advantages.
Properties of coal as a type of fuel
Today, the safety of heating homes with coal has risen to a new level, and the operation of solid fuel boilers is no longer a hassle for homeowners, as they used to be. Even though the burning of any kind of coal for heating causes disapproval of environmentalists, its popularity does not decrease, but only increases.
Consumer qualities of coal for home heating compares favorably with the properties of other types of fuel:
- high heat transfer of coal provides more heat per unit of heated area;
- the use of solid fuel units allows you to arrange independent heating from the gas pipeline on coal in a private house or cottage;
- for storage of coal it is not necessary to install pressurized tanks at home;
- coal, unlike firewood, is not afraid of dampness;
- convenient packaging makes it possible to transport purchased coal for heating both within the city and to the country;
- the installation of solid fuel boilers or furnaces does not require special permission, as is the case with gas heating.
Types of coal for heating
Coal available for sale for heating is divided into the following categories with letter designations:
- anthracite (AND);
- long flame (D);
- long flame gas (DG).
Classification by size of pieces of sorted coal:
- TO - large "fist" - 50-100 mm
- ABOUT - average "nut" - 25-50 mm
- WITH - small "seed" - 10-25 mm
All types of coal for heating differ in varying degrees of heat transfer, and during the combustion form an unequal amount of by-products. In particular, the combustion of gas coal and long flame is accompanied by a large emission of furnace gas and smoke. Anthracite, in contrast, contains a larger percentage of carbon, burns almost without smoke, and after its combustion there is little ash and slag.
Which of the grades of this fuel is better? How much coal will be needed to heat a house to last until spring? Among consumers using coal heating, reviews confirm the opinion that anthracite "nut" is considered the best coal. For the heating season it needs much less mass than other varieties. Therefore, the cost of anthracite is twice as high as long-flame.
It should be mentioned that packaged high-quality coal is more expensive than the one sold in bulk. The difference is that there is no dust in the packed coal that interferes with normal combustion. In addition, when selling coal in bags, you can more accurately control its real weight.
Since slag after coal combustion has to be disposed of somewhere, one of the options may be the production of cinder blocks for the construction of outbuildings.
Coal heating equipment
Coal furnaces
A conventional stove can only heat one or two rooms, even if coal is not used, but coal to heat the house. True, it can be improved by wiring a heat exchanger for water heating inside the brickwork. The stove is good in its own way, but sometimes it is dangerous due to the fact that it provokes carbon monoxide poisoning.
Important. The chimney gate valve can be closed only after the coal has completely burned out and the flames of the flame disappear in the furnace.
For coal heating, the cottage is much more efficient, reliable and safe such a heating unit as a boiler.
Coal solid fuel heating boilers
By design, the coal-fired boiler is simple, but very efficient. Its cast iron heat exchanger and powerful grate are resistant to burnout and corrosion. Even the simplest of these devices regularly heat homes for many decades. But still, old-style boilers are inferior in performance and heat transfer to their current competitors.
The principle of operation of the boiler is as follows:
- as soon as a fire is lit in the furnace, draft is created in the chimney and air is drawn into the fuel chamber;
- coal glows and partially burns out;
- the gaseous products of the combustion of coal are mixed with the secondary air supplied inside and finally burn out;
- the gases formed give their temperature to the coolant, and then are discharged through the chimney.
Modern coal-fired boilers stably heat residential premises and outbuildings. They consume 2 times less fuel compared to outdated models. Advanced technologies have improved not only the design and design of heating units, but also the principle of fuel combustion. As a result, now the homeowner does not have to load the next portion of coal into the boiler several times a day and remove the accumulated slag.
The enlarged combustion chamber is designed for a single loading of a large amount of coal, which gradually burns out within 6-12 hours. Forced air boost contributes to the most complete combustion of fuel. Thanks to this, the consumption of coal for heating a house is noticeably reduced.
Especially for automatic models of heating equipment, it is recommended to purchase “eco-pea” coal, which has optimal dimensions and is free from dust.
Automated fuel supply from the hopper to the boiler "frees the hands" to the user. He becomes free from the obligation to constantly monitor a working heating device. The hopper capacity is enough for non-stop burning of coal for a week.
Coal heating reviews show how satisfied users are with the practicality of automated coal-fired boilers. It is very convenient to start the boiler at the beginning of the heating season, and all winter only add coal to the hopper as it empties. It is also not necessary to remove ash and slag too often, only a couple of times a month.
Kindle coal in the boiler for heating, especially anthracite, is not easy for an unusual person. First, the boiler is melted with wood or a special mixture, and then little coal is added a little. When the combustion becomes stable, you can fill up anthracite in large portions. How much and how often - will depend on the model of the boiler and more precisely determined in the practice of its use.
Do not use gasoline to ignite coal in a boiler!
And what if the house turns off the electricity? In this case, the automatic supply of coal to the fuel chamber of the boiler will be suspended. At the same time, the circulation pump will stop functioning and the water will stagnate in the heat exchanger. But boiling the boiler will not happen, because the burning of coal will go into a weak mode. Then, when the power supply is restored, coal will flare up again.
Solid fuel boiler service
The boiler maintenance measures boil down to the need to clean the heat exchanger and the flue ducts. Soot deposits on their surfaces, and this phenomenon reduces the efficiency of the heating unit by 15%. The frequency of cleaning a coal-fired boiler may vary: old cast-iron models have to be cleaned 2-3 times per season, and modern ones once every 2 years.
For unhindered maintenance of the boiler, access to it in the room where it is installed must be free.
Calculation of the power of a coal boiler for heating a house
The power of the water boiler is one of the most important indicators of the entire heating system. Although most modern solid fuel boilers give an efficiency of at least 80–90%, still not every model is able to cope with heating a significant amount of space. The average annual consumption of coal for heating a house also depends on the capacity of the heating unit. The specialist will be able to calculate the boiler capacity necessary in specific conditions, who will take into account the average temperatures in the region and the area of the heated house.
Choosing the boiler power when buying it is possible according to this rule: for heating 100 m² of a residential building, 10 kW of heat energy per hour is needed.
For example, for heating a country house with an area of 200-250 m² (plus a pool and a garage), a 40 kW boiler will suffice. An error in the choice of power can further negatively affect the consumption of coal for home heating and the comfort of heating. If the power is insufficient, it will be cold in the rooms, and if it is excessive, it will result in excessive fuel consumption.
Calculation of coal consumption for the heating season
Engineers have calculated that to get 10 kW of thermal energy, you need to burn 2 kg of coal. However, preliminary estimates of how much coal is needed to heat a house may not be accurate. Actual fuel consumption will be revealed only at the end of the heating season. The error arises due to the influence of many factors: the type of coal for heating, the climate zone, the location of the house, wall insulation, the number of windows, etc.
Reviews of their homes using coal-fired heating indicate that when the temperature in the street is above zero, they have on average 1 bucket of coal burned per day. In frost - 2-3 bucket, and in a severe cold it is necessary to heat the house with 10 buckets of coal per day. You just need to look, they clarify, so that it is good coal, and not waste rock and not dust.
According to the experience of homeowners, for heating a house of 65 m² in the Volgograd region, 4 tons of coal is required for heating a house. And the owner of a house with an area of 200 m² in the Middle Urals, where frosts are below 30 degrees, has to store a whole “Kamaz” of anthracite for the winter.
When calculating how much coal is needed to heat a house, keep in mind that brown coal has the lowest heat transfer, and anthracite has the highest.
On the proposed video, you can familiarize yourself with the methods of using a solid fuel boiler in the heating system.
At the present time, when natural gas and oil products dominate the energy market, heating your own cottage with coal does not lose its relevance in any way. We hope that after reading our article you learned how to arrange heating in a private house on coal. And now, enriched with theoretical knowledge, you can begin to translate them into reality at home.
