During the heating season, each owner chooses for himself best view fuel to heat living spaces. In recent years, fuel briquettes have been gaining popularity. Reviews from customers and experts will help you understand what advantages and disadvantages the presented alternative type of fuel has. It is used in stoves, fireplaces or boilers instead of the usual coal or firewood.
To date, many types of briquettes have been developed. To do right choice, you need to know their differences. Experts in the field of heating equipment will help you understand this issue and give a number of recommendations. This will allow you not to get lost in the huge variety existing species briquettes, or, as they are commonly called, Euro-firewood. Also, knowing what questions to pay attention to first when purchasing, you can choose high-quality, effective briquettes.
General concept
Fuel briquettes made from waste from the agricultural and wood processing industries. The material is dried and pressed using special equipment.
Thus, there are fuel briquettes made from sunflower (reviews from experts and buyers will be presented below), sawdust, tyrsa, buckwheat or rice husks, etc. Peat, straw, and herbaceous plants can be used for the same purposes. This is quite beneficial for owners of farms and agricultural enterprises. The amount of waste is reduced, and it is possible to use such raw materials as efficiently as possible.
Even if a particular enterprise or household does not use briquettes for their own consumption, they can make a profit from the sale of European firewood.
Fuel briquettes, reviews of which can be found in various sources, are an environmentally friendly product that does not harm human health.
Advantages of briquettes
Fuel briquettes have a lot of advantages. Reviews from consumers and experts make it clear that in addition to being environmentally friendly, Euro firewood has a high calorific value. It is 2 times higher than that of ordinary wood. There are several explanations for this.
Wood moisture content is about 15%. When producing briquettes, the material is heavily dried. The result is a product made from the same wood, for example, but with a moisture content of 4 to 8%. It is this factor that causes the combustion temperature of the material to increase.
The second important reason why a similar effect is observed is the high density of Euro-firewood. It is 0.9-1.3 g/cm3. Ordinary wood has a density of 0.4-0.8 g/cm 3 . This means that the substance that undergoes combustion will be larger by the same volume. These reasons determine the high calorific value of Eurowood.
Consumer Reviews
In addition to technical advantages, there are many positive feedback about briquettes from consumers.
First of all, their compactness is noted. You won't need to allocate a lot of space for storage.
Fuel briquettes do not harm the environment. Euro firewood, reviews of which are provided by consumers, is made from natural materials by pressing. They do not contain glue or other auxiliary substances. And due to low humidity, less soot is released during combustion. This allows you to clean the chimney much less frequently, which is a definite advantage. Also, servicing of heating equipment will not be possible as often as before. The cost of this fuel is much lower, since it is made from waste. Agricultural and wood processing enterprises can process their own raw materials at the production site.
Flaws
Wood fuel briquettes, reviews of which are presented in the article, also have several disadvantages. First of all, buyers note the high demands of such products on storage conditions.
Briquettes may become damp if left outside or in a damp area. The combustion temperature is greatly reduced. Euro-firewood should be stored in a warm, ventilated area.
Some buyers talk about fuel briquettes in in a negative way. They claim that these are low-quality products that can fall apart and not provide enough heat. However, this only happens if the production technology is violated. Some unscrupulous manufacturers may add low-quality wood to the processed material. This causes problems when using such products.
Types of briquettes
There are several classifications by which fuel briquettes are divided. Reviews from experts and consumers will help you understand the difference between these types.
First of all, Euro firewood is distinguished by the type of equipment used for pressing. In accordance with this factor, the main forms of finished products are determined. Hydraulic presses were initially used by RUF and Nestro, and mechanical impact machines by C. F. Nielsen. Extruder technologies are used in Pini-kay briquetters. Therefore, consumers usually call round Euro firewood “Nilson” or “nestro”, and products in the form of receivers are called “roof”. Piney-kei briquettes have the shape of an irregular polygon with a hole in the center. Euro-firewood is also distinguished according to the material used as the basis for production.
Round Euro firewood
Fuel briquettes, reviews of which vary, quite often have a round shape. They are created using mechanical or hydraulic presses.
Products with diameters from 50 to 90 mm and lengths from 50 to 350 mm are on sale. Dry shredded wood, as well as other agricultural waste, are used for their production.
Nowadays, equipment for creating round briquettes is created by a huge number of enterprises. It varies greatly in quality. When purchasing, you should pay attention to the appearance of the products. High-quality European firewood must have a diameter of at least 80 mm. Their length ranges from 250 to 350 mm.
If the briquette is thin and short, it was pressed at an insufficiently high pressure. The calorific value is lower due to insufficient density. Therefore, when purchasing, you should give preference to thick and long European firewood. If, given these dimensions, they do not crumble, it means that the density of the briquette meets modern requirements.
Briquettes "roof"
Euro firewood is brick-shaped and produced on RUF-type equipment. Their dimensions are 65 x 95 x 150 mm.
RUF fuel briquettes, reviews of which are left by customers all over the world, are of good quality at an affordable price.
The name RUF comes from a German company that was the first to produce equipment of this type. Today, these presses are produced by only a few European companies. Therefore, the quality of this type of briquettes is usually very high.
The raw materials for production are also shredded wood and other waste. When purchasing “roof” briquettes, you need to pay attention to what material they are made from. In our country, the possibility of creating this type of Euro-firewood from birch dust - waste from plywood factories - cannot be ruled out. In this case, in addition to wood, the product may contain various chemicals, for example, formaldehyde resin and glue. They are characterized by a certain toxicity and, when burned, can affect human health.
The appearance of birch dust briquettes is easy to recognize when purchasing. This product has a fine-grained structure. It is also distinguished White color. Therefore, experts advise purchasing such fuel only from trusted manufacturers. It is also important to evaluate the appearance of the product.
Briquettes "Pini-Kay"
Premium fuel is European pini-kei firewood. Their name comes from the Austrian company Pini&Kay, which today has ceased to exist. However, its technology is still actively used by many manufacturers.
Pini-kei fuel briquettes have the shape of an irregular polygon. Reviews about this product are only positive. The hole in the center allows you to increase the burning area, which is why the flame looks very impressive. This quality is important for fireplaces. The decorative effect will exceed all expectations.
The burnt top layer, which has a dark color, prevents the destruction of the briquette during storage. Products with a diameter of 50-80 mm and a length of 200-300 mm are on sale. Their cost is higher than that of other types of Euro-firewood. But in terms of performance, pini-keys are significantly superior to other similar products.
Material
The material from which Euro firewood is made may vary. The maximum combustion temperature and other performance qualities of the product depend on this. For example, “roof” fuel briquettes, reviews of which were discussed above, can emit different amounts of heat depending on the type of material being processed, its density and humidity.
Based on the research data, the calorie content of each variety was determined. Fuel briquettes made from sunflower husks have the highest energy productivity. Expert reviews make it clear that they contain oils. This significantly clogs the equipment during operation. However, due to its good calorific value, this particular fuel has recently gained popularity.
The next energy-efficient raw material is dense wood (for example, oak). But it should also be noted that straw bars, the density of which is 1.08 g/cm 3 , and compacted tyrsa, 1.37 g/cm 3, have a greater calorific value when burning. Only after these materials comes softwood.
Rice husks have the lowest thermal efficiency. A few words should also be said about peat briquettes. They are used only under certain conditions industrial production. This material contains a certain amount of harmful, toxic substances. Therefore, such briquettes can only be used using special technology. When such products burn, a special ventilation system is installed.
Fuel briquettes are an alternative material that allows you to quickly and efficiently light a stove or fireplace and warm up the room. At the same time, it has many other advantages. Today this type of fuel is becoming very popular. Let's look at why.
Advantages of the presented material
So, the main advantages of these elements are the following.
1. Making a fuel briquette with your own hands is quite simple, so you can do it yourself, using simple devices - presses. Plus, you can even start your own business.
2. Long burning time. The briquette can burn from 1 to 4 hours. At the same time, it constantly generates heat.
3. Minimum amount of smoke and sparks.
4. Environmentally friendly, as they are made with their own hands from plant and other natural materials.
5. Cost-effective. The cost of one ton of such fuel is significantly less than the same amount of coal or firewood. At the same time, energy efficiency is much better.
6. Practicality. The ash that is formed after the combustion of briquettes can be used as fertilizer.
7. Easy to store. The presented material does not take up much space and can be stored in plastic bags. At the same time, it can be stored for a long time in conditions of high humidity.
8. Application in all types of fuel equipment: fireplaces, boilers, stoves.
9. Easy to store.
Areas of application of the material
Before you make a fuel briquette with your own hands, you need to figure out where it can be used. Most often the material is used for heating residential buildings, educational institutions, food establishments.
In addition, fuel briquettes can be used in warehouses where wood materials are dried and stored. Industrial enterprises The presented type of fuel is also often used in combination with other materials. In any case, the presented material is as efficient and economical as possible, especially in comparison with other types of fuel.
What raw materials are used in production?
Before you make a fuel briquette with your own hands, you need to select the necessary starting material and equipment. First, let's figure out what the product can be made from. So, most often wood and plant waste are used in production.
For example, you can make a briquette at home from vegetable husks, sawdust, and straw. In addition, it is also allowed to use materials such as fallen leaves, shavings, dry plant stems, wood chips, and seed husks for production.
Naturally, for production you will also need water, clay and other substances that can glue the raw materials together. In some cases, starch can be added. In general, you can use any flammable waste that is lying around on your property to make briquettes.
Equipment used
In order to make a fuel briquette with your own hands, you need to choose the right press or chipper. When choosing a press, you need to decide what shape and area the elements will have. The most commonly produced are round and rectangular briquettes.
Among professional equipment We can distinguish auger, shock-mechanical and hydraulic press. The first device is capable of producing octagonal elements with a small hole in the center. They are distinguished by maximum density, therefore they provide the longest burning time. produces rectangular elements with the lowest density, which ensures high material consumption. Making fuel briquettes at home using a mechanical impact device gives you the opportunity to make material of any shape. In this case, the elements have an average density.
You can make a machine for making briquettes at home. To do this, you will need a simple press and a mold (a sewer pipe with drilled holes). Please note that during the manufacture of the presented product you will need to take into account the length of the firebox.
Material manufacturing technology
The production of fuel briquettes consists of several stages:
1. First you need to grind the waste that will be used for the production of elements.
2. Dry clay should be added to the same container, which will serve as a binding link.
3. Now you need to add water to this mixture. Moreover, the gruel should not be too liquid or thick. In any case, the mass should mold well. In addition, the density of the briquette depends on the amount of water.
4. The resulting mixture must be poured into the mold and flattened with a press. Make sure that as much water as possible comes out of the slurry. After this, the resulting products must be thoroughly dried in the sun. In order for them to be durable, each element should be covered with paper or rags. After complete drying, all briquettes can be stacked together.
When you press the raw material with a press, you will have to exert quite a lot of force to squeeze out as much water as possible from the mixture.
Making fuel briquettes with your own hands is a fairly simple matter, although labor-intensive. Please note that the humidity of each product should not exceed 13%. In order for the element to burn better, during manufacturing you can add paper, which needs to be torn into small pieces. And so that all the components stick together better, you can add a little starch to the mixture.
Please note that for various types heating appliances you will need different briquettes. For example, peat and birch elements are well suited for fireplaces. For barbecues, it is better to use European firewood or wood briquettes. They can either burn or slowly smolder. In addition, they practically do not emit any carcinogenic or other harmful substances.
Now you know how to make a fuel briquette with your own hands. Good luck!
The main types of fuel for heating stoves are wood and coal. But on modern market They are increasingly being replaced by an alternative type of fuel – briquettes.
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What are stove briquettes?
Briquettes for the stove or Euro-firewood, as they are sometimes called, are compressed products from the processing of various materials. During the processing of raw materials under high pressure, more moisture is released from it. Due to this, the finished product has low humidity and high calorific characteristics.
Briquette composition
The materials for making Euro-firewood are usually various wood species, straw, cereal or seed husks, peat and coal. Let's look at them in more detail.
Kinds
The method of processing raw materials plays an important role. Taking into account the manufacturing process, briquettes can be divided:
- Piny-kay. Fuel having the highest density of 1.40 g/cm3. The shape is similar to a cube or hexagon, which has a hole in the middle. The air inside the cavity ensures even combustion.
- Low density products - 0.8 g/cm3. These are squares or rectangles made from the smallest particles of material. They are characterized by high thermal conductivity and long-lasting combustion. Convenient to store and transport, do not take up much space.
- Products made from large sawdust with medium density. Their disadvantages include rapid combustion, frequent loss of shape and deformation. Due to low production costs, they have a relatively low price.
Advantages and disadvantages
Heating with alternative fuels has its positive and negative sides.
Pros:
- High calorific value and heat transfer. These figures are significantly higher for alternative fuel than that of ordinary logs.
- Long burning time. Therefore, their consumption is significantly less than that of firewood or coal.
- Uniform combustion. Briquettes burn without unnecessary noise and smoke. And they produce less ash than coal or firewood. This makes it easier to clean the oven device after use.
- Slight release of tarry substances. Thanks to this, the chimney does not become clogged.
- Long shelf life. Briquettes can be stored from 1 to 5 years (depending on manufacture).
- Environmentally friendly. The product is natural, without various impurities. Safe for people and the environment.
Minuses:
- Briquette fuel prices are higher. Firewood is much cheaper. But thanks to economical consumption, the costs are worth it.
- Purchasing such goods in some cities or towns is difficult.
- Products should be stored in accordance with the instructions. Therefore, you should prepare a clean and dry place.
- The ash gives off a pungent odor.
Briquettes or firewood?
Although Euro firewood is usually made from wood waste, its characteristics are completely different. Euro firewood is aesthetically pleasing and easy to store and use. They burn slowly and provide more heat. But the amount of heat from briquettes is much less than from firewood.
Therefore, it will take a little longer to heat a house in severe frosts than with wood heating. And this causes some inconvenience. The ash content of alternative fuels is low.
But their ashes have a pungent odor, which may not please others. Briquettes do not create aesthetic pleasure, because they burn without noise or crackling. Using firewood is much more pleasant: you can create a cozy atmosphere.
Is it better to heat the stove with wood or briquettes? There is no clear answer to this question. The optimal heating scheme for a house: burning both types of fuel (classical and alternative) simultaneously.
It is better to achieve the optimal temperature using ordinary firewood, and then only maintain it with briquettes. The use of briquettes alone should be used for long-burning stoves. This way you will save yourself from the need to constantly add a new batch of firewood.
What briquettes are best to use?
Different types of briquettes have different level calorific value. This feature should be taken into account when choosing a product, because it is the most important. Sawdust briquettes are considered the best option.
These fuel briquettes are best for a stove in a house, bathhouse, cottage or other room. They have high heat transfer, burn for a long time, leave little ash, are easy to use and transport, and do not pollute the air.
Briquettes of sunflower seeds and coniferous husks also have good performance, but due to the presence of oils they pollute the chimney. As a result, the heating device will require frequent cleaning.
Before purchasing, pay attention to the structure and moisture content of the product. If it becomes deformed or crumbles when pressed, it is better to refuse such a purchase. And high humidity reduces the thermal efficiency of the product. Give preference to Pini-kay fuel. It has maximum density, burns more evenly and longer.
Fuel briquette is one of the varieties solid fuel, and is a modern substitute for “classic” firewood. The use of briquettes allows you to increase the efficiency of stoves and fireplaces, as well as reduce waste output.
What it is?
Today, fuel briquettes are made from the most different materials. In general terms, they are a compacted (compressed) “brick” consisting of waste wood production or analogues.
Briquettes can have different shapes, which is determined solely by the pressing technique and equipment. The briquettes do not have any serious differences due to their shape. The only exception is specialized ovens that are adapted to a specific shape of briquettes.
Briquettes are made from the following materials:
- Wood (including in the form of dust, sawdust, etc.). This option is the most common due to its ease of production, low price and good heat capacity. Typically, briquettes are made from coniferous wood, birch or oak. The specific type of wood has virtually no effect on the cost of briquettes, since it is, in any case, a production waste.
- Sunflower and cereal seed husks. Briquettes of this type are distinguished by a darker color and a specific smell. In addition, they are the leaders in the amount of heat generated. On the one hand, this increases their energy efficiency. On the other hand, husk-based fuel briquettes produce more soot, which leads to the need for more frequent and more thorough chimney maintenance.
- Straw. This type of briquettes is considered the cheapest. It is also distinguished by the lowest amount of heat produced during combustion. At the same time, straw briquettes produce a lot of ash, which makes them a “cheap and cheerful” option.
- Peat. Such fuel cells They have average energy efficiency, but during combustion they emit the largest amount of soot compared to other types of briquettes. In addition, peat briquettes can only be used in special ovens, which limits their scope of application.
Thus, the best option for use in the oven is briquettes based on wood waste or husks.
The main advantages and disadvantages of briquettes
The feasibility of replacing traditional firewood with briquettes can be explained by the following factors:
- The efficiency of briquettes is approximately 2 times higher than that of firewood. Also, the burning process of briquettes lasts longer due to their high density.
- Fuel briquettes take up less space compared to a similar supply of firewood.
- The combustion of briquettes is more uniform due to the uniform structure of the material.
- Even not the best briquettes produce less soot than average firewood. At the same time, they burn almost completely, leaving a minimum of ash.
- Almost all types of fuel briquettes are made from some kind of waste, which may appeal to people who care about the environment.
It would be unfair not to note some of the disadvantages of this type of fuel:
- Higher cost compared to firewood.
- The need to comply with storage conditions. In particular, the briquette may collapse when exposed to moisture.
- The quality of a briquette is difficult to determine by appearance. It happens that non-wood waste is added to wood types, which increases the volume of the material, but reduces its energy properties.
Search alternative type fuels sometimes lead to unexpected results. And it all started with wood - the mother of all modern coolants. And it would seem that it was completely lost against the backdrop of cheap gas, efficient diesel fuel or exotic fuel. But the time has come to take a fresh look at wood, and the reason for this was the emergence of a new product - fuel briquettes, or as they are also called, Euro-firewood.
They are a compressed mass, consisting in most cases of wood waste (sawdust, shavings, etc.). Briquettes may differ in composition, shape and production method. But regardless of these parameters, they all have certain physical properties.
The physical properties of briquettes fully correspond to wood, since it is part of their composition. But there are certain differences in characteristics.
The main problem with simple firewood is the increased humidity and ash content. When any type of wood burns, a certain amount of minerals remains. For many breeds, this parameter ranges from 1.2 to 3% of the total mass. At the same time, due to the primary processing of raw materials before the production of briquettes, the ash content can be reduced to 0.7%.
There is also the so-called external ash - mineral substances that got into the firewood during its preparation, transportation or storage. These impurities can be included in the composition with a 15% content. Briquettes are completely free of this “unnecessary” component.
The calorific value (transfer of internal energy to the surrounding space) for firewood has a maximum value of 3000 kcal/kg. For briquettes, this value ranges from 4400 to 5200 kcal/kg.
We can summarize the results with a small table of briquette characteristics:
Knowing these data, you can professionally choose one or another type of briquette fuel. But before that, it’s worth considering their advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages:
- High calorific value.
- During the combustion process, a small amount of CO2 is released - several orders of magnitude lower than that of coal or gas.
- Minimal formation of ash, which can subsequently be used as mineral fertilizer.
- Convenient form for storage.
- Higher density compared to conventional wood. This allows you to obtain a sufficient amount of heat with smaller briquette sizes.
Flaws:
- Briquettes are more expensive than regular firewood. But their effectiveness is much higher.
- Organization of a special storage place.
There are several types of this fuel, each of which differs in the degree of processing and form.
Cylindrical
In most cases, this is pressed wood pulp of a cylindrical shape; they are often called Euro firewood.
The advantage of this technology is the minimal configuration production line and greater productivity.
Geometric dimensions:
- Diameter: 60-90 mm.
- Length: from 50 to 350 mm.
Rectangular
Another name is firmly attached to this type of briquettes – RUF. It was borrowed from the manufacturer of pressing equipment - the German company Ruf.
They have a rectangular shape and are easy to store. No special additives are used in their production, only pure sawdust. Equipment for this form of briquettes is supplied by several European companies. And despite its low price, the quality of the products almost always remains at a high level.
Geometric dimensions – 65*95*150 mm.
Multifaceted
The main problem with the products described above is the fear of moisture. To solve this problem, special equipment was developed that allows not only pressing, but also external heat treatment briquettes
Their shape can be 4- or 6-sided. As a result of exposure to temperature, the surface acquires a dark brown color and a protective moisture-resistant layer is formed. Another feature is high pressure press – up to 1100 bar. This increases the density of the product and, accordingly, its combustion efficiency.
