Ellsworth
01-27-2025, 06:25 AM
I came across this video that explains how to up the burn time in an outdoor wood boiler.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w7niqYuggU
The fellow needed to extend the overnight burn time, so he used coal.
There is a wood vs coal debate on carbon production.
It's arguable that coal can be a little better for carbon reduction versus burning wood.
AFAIK when it comes to particulate emissions, wood produced particulates are far safer (less harmful) than those produces from several kinds of coal.
Although it could be that just wood pellets / pressed log emissions are better than coal. It's an interesting complex topic, comparing wood to coal (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877705817326188).
Different wood species, different kinds of coal, various moisture contents, et cetera, the comparison numbers are highly malleable based on many factors.
https://alternateheatingsystems.com/resources/blog/the-environmental-impact-of-burning-wood-or-coal/
https://greenolivefirewood.co.uk/smokeless-coal-vs-wood-which-is-better-for-burning/
https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-are-types-coal
It's cool that coal can help bring the heat during a Polar Vortex.
That led me to consider the potential of pressed logs as a coal alternative.
Pressed logs are denser than real firewood and thus can have longer burn times.
I haven't found data on using press logs in an outdoor wood boiler, it just seems like they should work -- and might help during an extreme cold snap.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/pressed-logs-question.174386/
As noted in that thread, using compressed logs ups a wood stove's / fireplace's BTU output.
So press logs might help anyone who uses wood heat during a Polar Vortex.
Edited to add:
I looked at waste oil burners for shop heat.
Looking at waste oil particulate emissions (https://www3.epa.gov/ttn/chief/ap42/ch01/final/c01s11.pdf)led me to go another route.
Lots of folks love their waste oil heaters like I love my wood stove. Some people hate both so they use gas or electric.
The hardcore pollution haters stick with only using jumping jacks/jog in place for heat!
Edited to add:
Buffer tanks.
Installing a good sized buffer tank would likely get him through the cold winter Polar Vortex nights while just using standard, locally sourced firewood.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w7niqYuggU
The fellow needed to extend the overnight burn time, so he used coal.
There is a wood vs coal debate on carbon production.
It's arguable that coal can be a little better for carbon reduction versus burning wood.
AFAIK when it comes to particulate emissions, wood produced particulates are far safer (less harmful) than those produces from several kinds of coal.
Although it could be that just wood pellets / pressed log emissions are better than coal. It's an interesting complex topic, comparing wood to coal (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877705817326188).
Different wood species, different kinds of coal, various moisture contents, et cetera, the comparison numbers are highly malleable based on many factors.
https://alternateheatingsystems.com/resources/blog/the-environmental-impact-of-burning-wood-or-coal/
https://greenolivefirewood.co.uk/smokeless-coal-vs-wood-which-is-better-for-burning/
https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-are-types-coal
It's cool that coal can help bring the heat during a Polar Vortex.
That led me to consider the potential of pressed logs as a coal alternative.
Pressed logs are denser than real firewood and thus can have longer burn times.
I haven't found data on using press logs in an outdoor wood boiler, it just seems like they should work -- and might help during an extreme cold snap.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/pressed-logs-question.174386/
As noted in that thread, using compressed logs ups a wood stove's / fireplace's BTU output.
So press logs might help anyone who uses wood heat during a Polar Vortex.
Edited to add:
I looked at waste oil burners for shop heat.
Looking at waste oil particulate emissions (https://www3.epa.gov/ttn/chief/ap42/ch01/final/c01s11.pdf)led me to go another route.
Lots of folks love their waste oil heaters like I love my wood stove. Some people hate both so they use gas or electric.
The hardcore pollution haters stick with only using jumping jacks/jog in place for heat!
Edited to add:
Buffer tanks.
Installing a good sized buffer tank would likely get him through the cold winter Polar Vortex nights while just using standard, locally sourced firewood.