[Stoves] Thermo Biopile

[Jeff Davis]

Dear List,

Jean Pain heated a 1000 ft^2 house with a compost pile.

We might have a HHV advantage.


Jeff



Dean wrote:
> Consider the following: An average house looses a lot of heat per hour
> when it's cold outside. Even in a heavily insulated, draft free house it
> is easy to use 5 pounds of wood per hour when capturing about 50% of the
> heat by using a air to air heat exchanger. More than 90% of the wood is
> turned into high temperature heat in the stove, but 50% of the heat flows
> up and out the chimney if we rely on natural draft. That's 45% system
> efficiency. Forced draft stoves can use less wood for this reason. Forced
> draft heating stoves can use more effective heat exchangers. The heat
> exchanger can get exit air close to room temperature.
>
> The compost pile in the house produces methane, etc. so it has to be
> vented, I suppose. I'm not sure how much of the heat would be lost up the
> vent?
>
> If the system efficiency was about the same, wouldn't the compost pile be
> loosing about 5 pounds per hour to heat the house? Do compost piles work
> this quickly?




-- 
Jeff Davis

Some where 20 miles south of Lake Erie, USA