Man has learned to obtain fuel from waste since time immemorial. For example, biofuels at home from manure were made by peoples engaged in cattle breeding. And today, savvy homeowners manage to provide themselves with virtually free energy. It all depends only on the availability of raw materials nearby.
Biofuel is a cheap energy source.
basic information
This type of fuel is used only for eco-fireplaces. It got the prefix "bio" by using only renewable biological products. The basis of fuel for fireplaces is denatured ethanol, which contains ordinary ethanol. This product is obtained through the fermentation of various sugar-containing crops.
Most commonly used for ethanol production:
- beet;
- wheat;
- sugarcane;
- potatoes.
Alcohol (ethanol) can be obtained by hydrolysis of raw materials containing a lot of cellulose. For this, straw or wood is used.
"Firewood" for biofireplaces
Naturally, in order to create an appropriate aesthetic appearance, a biofireplace must have an appearance similar to a traditional wood or coal fireplace.
Today, the most popular are artificial logs, which in a working electric fireplace are practically indistinguishable from natural ones.
For the manufacture of artificial logs, refractory ceramics are used, coated with special fire-resistant paints. The appearance is very diverse - from spruce and pine, to birch and walnut. The logs "under the spruce" look quite original, which "burn" together with the same artificial cones.
You can add naturalness to biofuels using essential oils. It is enough to sprinkle artificial logs with such oil in order to get almost any flavor.
The main advantages of eco-fireplaces, which make them more and more popular, are environmental friendliness and ease of use. Moreover, their appearance is visually indistinguishable from ordinary wood-burning fireplaces even during operation. When using a fireplace with biofuel, there is no need to stock up on wood, chop wood, clean the chimney and remove ash. All that is required is a couple of minutes for refueling, the click of a lighter - and the room is filled with warmth and comfort.
Biofuel properties
During denaturation, ethanol becomes environmentally neutral. It does not harm human health, as it emits heat and some carbon monoxide during combustion. The use of biofuels allows not only to maintain health, but also to obtain beautiful and even tongues of flame when burning in a fireplace.
It is interesting: the difference between a liquid for a biofireplace and conventional fuel.
Biofuels are absolutely safe for health and the environment. During combustion, smoke and soot are not formed from it. This allows you to build a fireplace without a hood and chimney. Burning produces a lot of heat, which remains in the house for a long time. The efficiency of biofuels reaches 95%. If we compare the flame from burning such fuel and wood, then there are practically no differences.
Another plus in favor of using biofuels is its form of release. It comes in the form of a gel that is very convenient to use and store. It also contains sea salt. It allows you to achieve a crackle, like ordinary firewood, during combustion.
Biofuels are absolutely safe for human, animal and environmental health
Advantages and disadvantages
Like any other product, biofuels have their pros and cons.In particular, all owners of biofireplaces are very interested in data on the consumption and efficiency of such fuel.
If we consider modern models of fireplaces, then half a liter of liquid per hour is enough for their full operation. Gel biofuel for fireplaces takes a little longer. When half a liter of fuel is burned, the energy released is approximately 3-3.5 kW / h.
The operation of a fireplace with liquid fuel in terms of the degree of heat transfer can be compared with a 3 kW heater, but unlike an electric appliance, a bio fireplace does not dry the air, but, on the contrary, humidifies it.
We have summarized other advantages of biofuel in a small list:
- During combustion, environmentally friendly biofuel does not emit harmful substances, burning, soot, soot, smoke or other gases into the air.
- Fireplaces for an apartment on biofuel do not imply the installation of an exhaust hood, a chimney, since they are simply not needed.
- Since there is no chimney or extractor hood, all the heat enters the room. Additionally, the air in the room is humidified, because when burning, water vapor is released.
- Biofuel burners practically do not get dirty from biofuel, and small dirt is easy to clean.
- The level of combustion of the liquid in the fireplace can be adjusted, it is especially easy to do this with a gel composition.
- Biological fireplaces are considered fire-safe devices, since they have thermal insulation of the body. The installation of such devices is elementary, they are easy to assemble and easily disassembled.
- Unlike firewood, biofuels do not leave trash behind and can be purchased at any time. In addition, the price for this type of fuel is quite democratic.
There are also disadvantages, but there are not many of them:
- Biofuel must not be added to the fireplace while it is in operation. To replenish supplies, extinguish the flame, wait for the fireplace elements to cool, and then refuel.
- Biofuel is a combustible composition; therefore, it should not be stored near fire or hot objects.
- Biofuel is ignited with a special lighter made of iron; it is not permissible to use paper or wood for ignition.
Popular brands of biofuels
It is extremely simple to use biofuel in the fireplace, it is enough to pour liquid into a special fuel tank and then set it on fire. It is extremely difficult to fill in more liquid than is necessary for the fireplace, since the flow rate scale is applied to the fuel canister, besides, the fuel block for the biofireplace is made of a certain size. Usually a 5 liter canister is enough for 19-20 hours of fireplace operation.
Good to know: Portal for a biofireplace with your own hands, how to improve the burner
If the biofireplace uses a gel composition, then it is enough to print the jar, install it in a special place in the fireplace behind decorative wood or stones and set it on fire. One can of gel fuel burns for about 2.5-3 hours. Multiple cans can be used to increase the flame. To extinguish the fire in the jars, it is enough to simply close them with lids, blocking the access of oxygen to the fire.
Fuel types
Biofuels are produced primarily in Europe and America. But the leading place in its manufacture is taken by Brazil. All the fuels that are made in the world can be divided into several types:
- biodiesel;
- bioethanol;
- biogas.
The first type of fuel is made from vegetable oils. Biogas is a kind of replacement for conventional gasgenerated during the processing of waste and household waste. Biodiesel also contains ethanol and can easily replace regular gasoline.
Biodiesel is produced during the processing of waste and household waste
For a fireplace, biodiesel is the most optimal. For its manufacture, vegetable oils of animal or microbial origin are used. The main composition of biofuel for fireplaces includes oils from:
- soybeans;
- palm trees;
- coconut;
- rapeseed.
Biofuel is made from foods that contain a lot of sugar and starch
In the production of fuel, conventional algae processing technology is often used. This is mainly practiced by European manufacturers.
Almost any biofuel found can be bioethanol. This ingredient is an alcohol that is formed during the fermentation and processing of carbohydrates. For this, products are used that contain a lot of sugar and starch. Cellulose-containing raw materials can also be used. The finished liquid is colorless and odorless.
Varieties of biofuels and their features
The prefix "bio" in the name of the fuel determines its environmental friendliness. After all, renewable natural resources are involved in the manufacture of this type of fuel. The main components used in the production of ecological fuel are cereals and herbaceous crops with a high content of sugar and starch. So, cane and corn are the most suitable raw materials for biofuel creation.
Biofuel for biofireplaces, produced from natural ingredients, in terms of its energy characteristics is not inferior to the following less environmentally friendly counterparts:
- biogas, which is a product of specific processing of various garbage wastes, is used like natural gas to create thermal and mechanical energy;
- bioethanol, almost entirely composed of alcohol, can replace gasoline;
- biodiesel is made from vegetable oil for refueling cars and other purposes.
For kindling biofireplaces, preference is given to bioethanol - a colorless and odorless liquid. Among its advantages, the following are noted:
- Environmental friendliness is due to the complete absence of the production of carbon monoxide, soot and soot.
- Easy to clean burners.
- High fire safety and reliability of fuel use due to the thermal insulation of the fireplace body.
- No need to install ventilation devices.
- Convenience of transportation of the fuel itself and ease of installation of the device.
- The ability to adjust the intensity of combustion.
- High heat dissipation.
- There is no need to prepare firewood and clean up dirt, debris and ash near the fireplace.
- Vapors released when ethyl alcohol is heated help to normalize the humidity level in the room.
Fuel features
The remarkable advantage of using such a fuel is that the amount of soot is negligible. In the fireplace, when burned, soot is formed no more than from a burned-out candle. Also, there is no carbon monoxide, which is harmful to health.
When using bioethanol, a little water and a small amount of carbon dioxide are generated in the fireplace. This is the reason for the lack of the usual orange flame.
To achieve maximum naturalness, additives are added to bioethanolthat give the flames a characteristic orange tint. They also help to maximize the naturalness of the flame.
Obtaining gas from a mixture of waste
Simple installation for biogas production.
Alternatively, we offer an equally effective technology.
Various additives are used here.
- Mix 2 tons of manure and 4 tons of any plant waste (leaves, grass, hay).
- Moisten the mixture with water to 75%.
- The liquid in the tank should be heated using a coil to about + 35⁰.
- In the process of heating, isolate the components from air access, ensuring tightness.
- Then the heating is stopped, after which the raw material, due to a chemical reaction, will continue to heat up on its own.
- The evolved gas is discharged through the outlet ventilation pipes and is used as intended.
What is bio-based gas made of
You don't have to be a professional chemist to understand the composition.
Enough school knowledge, which will not hurt to remember for your own good.
- Carbon dioxide (CO2).
- Methane (CH4).
- Hydrogen sulfide (H2S).
- Other impurities.
It is worth noting that 0.5 liters of gas can be obtained from 1 kg of manure or a mixture with it.
DIY making
If you wish, you can make biofuel for the fireplace yourself. Ethanol, the main ingredient in fuel, can be purchased freely at the pharmacy. The concentration of alcohol in purchased raw materials will vary between 90-96%. Cooking fuel at home is a simple and straightforward process. To obtain color, you can use ordinary refined gasoline, which is used in lighters. To check its quality, you just need to look and smell the substance. It should be transparent and odorless.
To prepare biofuels, you need to mix 1 liter of ethanol and 100 g of gasoline. You need to use such a product as quickly as possible, since after a while it will begin to exfoliate.
According to statistics, a properly prepared product has an extremely low consumption and a very high efficiency. A home fireplace will consume no more than 400 g of fuel per hour.
Useful information on eco fireplaces
The device is an enlarged version of a conventional spirit lamp with a spectacular design. There is a container for loading a combustible substance, as well as a damper to regulate the intensity of the flame. To design an eco-fireplace, ceramic elements, metal parts and heat-resistant glass are used.
Bioethanol burns without soot and soot, so eco-fireplaces do not need chimney structures, this simplifies their operation and makes them mobile
Glass panels not only decorate such a device, but also serve as protection against heat. Not all devices have this protection, but glass screens of various modifications are sold separately.
It makes sense to purchase a protective element, especially if you intend to use a mobile model that will be installed in different places. Often, such a fireplace is decorated with artificial wood to give the structure a traditional look, but this is not the only option.
Eco-fireplaces are floor-standing, table-top, wall-mounted and even table-top, they vary in size, but they work the same way.
Fuel must not be added to the eco-fireplace during its operation. If bioethanol has been spilled, the contaminated surface should be cleaned up immediately.
Such devices can be used to heat a room or as an interior decoration. The device does not need wires, so it can be easily moved. For example, on a cool summer evening, an eco-fireplace can be installed on an open veranda. Devices come in all shapes and sizes.
An interesting option for a stylish office can be a miniature model, the camera of which is built into the tabletop, only the lid protrudes above the surface. There are interesting options in the form of a basket, an elongated cylinder, etc.
Since an eco-fireplace, in which such biofuel is burned, does not need to be equipped with a system for removing combustion products, the heat obtained during combustion is not lost to heating additional structures.
The fundamental design of an eco-fireplace is almost the same as a conventional alcohol lamp, so such a device is not difficult to make with your own hands.
Therefore, it is believed that the efficiency of such a device is about 95%, a fairly high indicator for any system. For an ordinary eco-fireplace to operate for an hour, half a liter of bioethanol is usually sufficient. At the same time, 6-7 kW / h of energy can be obtained from a liter of fuel.
It is believed that a standard eco-fireplace can successfully replace an electric heater of about three kilowatts.
Wall-mounted models of eco-fireplaces can imitate traditional devices, they are diverse and provide many options for interior design of an apartment or office.
The advantage of using a bio fireplace in comparison with other heaters is that this device slightly increases the humidity in the room. On the contrary, almost any traditional heating method removes moisture, which can be bad for people's health.
Both eco-fireplace and bioethanol are very easy to use, and this fuel is no more dangerous than other combustible substances used in everyday life. Combustion of bioethanol can be regulated if such a possibility is provided in the design of eco-fireplaces.
The device can give more or less heat and light, respectively, the fuel consumption time will also change.
This heating method also has some disadvantages. For example, with all the convenience of use, bioethanol cannot be added to the fireplace container. It is necessary not only to wait for the composition to burn out, but also to let the device cool down. This point will have to be taken into account when planning the time to use the fireplace.
Although bioethanol fireplaces do not need a chimney, such devices cannot be used uncontrollably.
An open flame is always a fire hazard, so it is best to hide it behind a heat-resistant glass screen. This item can be purchased separately
A room that is heated in this way must be regularly ventilated to balance the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide. If a little fuel has been spilled while refueling the fireplace, it must be wiped off immediately, even with a couple of drops of flammable substance.
To do this, it is better to keep a rag with good absorbent properties at hand. For ignition, special long matches are allowed, but long metal lighters are more often used. Some biofuel fireplaces are equipped with an electric ignition function, which is very convenient, but increases the cost of the model.
