Domestic Installation – EKO CK P 40 Wood Pellet Boiler

Like many of us in rural areas, our clients had been heating their home with oil and had become frustrated by the relentless price rises and sometimes indifferent attitude from delivery companies when faced with an urgent order during extended cold weather periods.  This expense and frustration spurred them on to turn to biomass heating.

Fircone is an attractive and significantly extended chalet bungalow set in beautiful Sussex countryside on the edge of the Ouse Valley, north of Lewes.

The house has six bedrooms and several bathrooms with a total heated volume of about 1080m³.  The property’s cavity walls and loft areas are well insulated and full double-glazing to windows and doors has recently been installed.

Their current oil boiler was about 10 years old with a nominal output of 55 kW.

There is a large, outdoor swimming pool, which is only heated in the summer.

In September 2012 our client approached Stewart Boyle, a biomass specialist consultant, to assess his home for the potential to switch to a modern wood fuelled system.  A survey was carried out and a full feasibility report produced.  Following a consultation with our client, a specification was then drawn up.

Forest Heat Energy Ltd was chosen to supply and install their new biomass heating system.  We carried out our own survey and appraisal in November 2012.

Previously the recommendation had been for the boiler and pellet store to be incorporated in a shipping container to sit alongside a recently built gym/garage/workshop.  However, it was felt that there were numerous disadvantages such as the need for a second container to achieve an adequate pellet storage capacity, planning difficulties and the impact of bulky containers, albeit shiplap clad, on the attractiveness of the house and its curtilage.

On closer inspection of the workshop building our Technical Director suggested installing the system inside at one end of the building so that an external 6 tonne pellet storage silo could feed the boiler by an auger through the wall. This would be wood clad with a tiled roof to match the existing building.

Most of the pipework could be kept inside, minimising the length of the pre insulated, underground flow and return to the house.

Forest Heat Energy installed a Centrometal EKO CK P 40 Wood Pellet Boiler heating through two linked CAS 1001 1000 litre accumulator tanks.  The wood pellets are fed through the end wall via a flexible auger for automatic topping up of the boiler’s 240 kgs side hopper.  A 10 metre run of Calpex insulated pipe feeds the hot water to a heat exchanger situated in the old boiler room. The swimming pool heat exchanger is also connected in this area.

Our client has taken a close, personal interest in his new biomass system, periodically checking that it is operating according to settings and carrying out regular ash removal using a small “Henry” vacuum cleaner.

Our client and their frequently visiting family now find that the house is always at a comfortable temperature and with a good supply of domestic hot water to the bathrooms.

For further information or to understand how your home or business may benefit from a biomass heating system, please contact: John Penfold, Director, Forest Heat Energy Ltd. Tel: 01243 543036 Email: john@forestheatenergy.co.uk

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