CASE STUDY: Farmhouse with Boiler Room

Case study; Farmhouse with Boiler Room

In a remote boiler room a Baxi Multi Heat 2.5 600f boiler produces hot water for the farmhouse. At present the fuel is wood pellets but the boiler can be adapted to burn wood chips or even grain. A 23 metre underground submain of insulated pipes connects the boiler room to the main house. Then the hot water is delivered to a 300 litre heat store cylinder containing a high efficiency heat exchange coil which delivers main pressure domestic hot water to the bathrooms and kitchen. 

The cylinder also supplies a distribution system for three separate radiator circuits; upstairs radiators, downstairs radiators, towel rails and airing cupboard. These three circuits are separately timed to allow complete control. The cylinder has a 3kW immersion heater fitted for optional use in summer. The cylinder also has a coil to accept input from the solar panels on the roof and the control box has a contactor to isolate the immersion heater if the cylinder temperature rises above the set point of 90 degrees. Similarly, if the cylinder is below the set point of 40 degrees, the radiator circuits are isolated to allow temperature recovery.

The system has been cleansed, flushed and protected with Fernox F1 and filled to a standard ½ bar pressure and sealed. The heat expansion is absorbed by an 80 litre expansion vessel in the boiler room. There is a temperature and pressure relief valve on the cylinder and a pressure relief valve in the boiler room.

PROS:

-          Pellet prices are low; the entire central heating system is run on the equivalent of 35p of all; essentially, making a saving of 60%

-          Automatically fed boiler, not labour intensive. During winter the 35 litre lopper is filled every two days, and the ashpan emptied every two weeks. This reduces to once a week/every three weeks respectively in the summer months.

-          Carbon neutral

CONS:

-          Physical size of boiler 1200mm x 1500mm x 600mm

-          Additional cost of chimney if not already in place

GOOD FOR:

-          Rural situations with lots of space for equipment and storage of pellets.

-          Large houses

-          Unsuitable for two bed city dwellings.

FoFor more information on this case study or others, please call us on 01579 345018 or email sales@stoveshop.co.uk