Would you like to increase your company’s bottom line? Who wouldn’t? Your boiler selection can play an important role. However, there are some specific requirements to consider when choosing a boiler. Here are several requirements to think about:
- Based on your heating needs, the size of the boiler
- The fuel that you will use
- The most appropriate type of boiler
We recommend a coal boiler for your industrial space. Below, we’ll offer some suggestions showing how to identify the right coal boiler to fit your situation, as well as where to buy one that’s high quality.
Combustion Technology
Commercial boilers use various technologies to burn biomass and coal. Let’s look at coal.
Our coal stokers utilize anthracite coal. Anthracite inherently burns very clean, even without fancy technologies. Because of this, we can keep our stokers simple and rugged, all while having excellent combustion efficiency. Coal stokers use grates, and most wear out; our grate never needs to be replaced. Our signature Swirl Chamber heat exchanger has an efficiency of 83% and is self-cleaning. Automatic feeding and ash removal are available to make our coal boilers hands-free.
Let’s now take a look at wood. The EPA now requires residential wood boilers to burn much cleaner than was traditionally common. The new regulations have caused wood boilers to be more complicated than coal boilers. Burning wood releases creosote which is very corrosive to steel. We combat these two problems with a simple combustion chamber design that yields up to 87% efficiency. We use high-quality type-304 stainless steel; creosote can not corrode this type.
Type of Fuel
When selecting a boiler, one of your considerations will be what kind of fuel to use for heat generation. Again, there are several types: biomass, natural gas, propane, and coal. Let us focus on coal here.
Anthracite coal burns very clean with virtually no smoke or particulate emissions. Anthracite coal burns hotter than oil, pellets, wood, or gas, which means you get more BTUs per pound than most other fuels. It burns evenly throughout each loading period. Anthracite coal is one of the most economical heating fuel sources. Pricing for anthracite coal per million BTUs is below that of oil, gas pellet, electric, or wood. No creosote build-up means there’s no risk of a chimney fire since anthracite coal doesn’t produce any creosote. There should be no concern about fuel or gas leaks; anthracite is ideal for long-term storage in any environment.
Suppose you have an ample supply of log wood or have biomass as a byproduct of production. In that case, a wood gasification boiler is your ticket! Wood gasification boilers are very efficient, and your ROI can be as low as two years with free fuel. Our stainless steel residential wood gasification boilers have the best warranty in the industry.
Type/Design of Your Boiler
For today’s commercial facilities, you can choose a myriad of designs. Some coal stokers have a bolt-on style feeder/stoker. You can bolt multiple stoker assemblies on a boiler shell to produce more heat. These tend to have many parts and can be hard to clean. They typically bring combustion air through cast iron grates that wear out after several years.
We use a boiler with a single large grate on which the coal fire sits. A combustion fan brings air up and around (not through) the grate. This fan moves the fire into the self-cleaning heat exchanger. Once cooled, the exhaust enters the flue. You will never need to worry about replacing grates with this system.
You may also choose between a boiler or a hot air furnace. Please take a look at our other blog laying out the differences.
You Know You Have a High-Quality Coal Boiler If You Purchase from Alternate Heating Systems
Did you know that, in some instances, you may be able to save up to 70% on your heating costs with the right Alternate Heating Systems product and fuel? We’d love to help you explore that option. Our representatives will be happy to answer all questions you have about our products. Feel free to contact us today at 717-987-0099!