What kind of briquettes for furnaces is better to choose? Briquettes for heating: at what price can you buy briquettes and how to do it yourself What are fuel briquettes

Anti-advertising of firewood on the packaging of fuel briquettes - is it true?
We select portions of fuel briquettes and birch firewood equal in weight.
We kindle both firewood and briquettes with the help of newspapers and birch bark.

Wood briquettes are a modern fuel option. It is made from wood waste - compressed wood chips and sawdust. Wood briquettes are an environmentally friendly type of fuel that does not contain any "chemical" additives. Particle bonding occurs at high pressure due to lignin, a polymer contained in the wood itself. Fuel briquettes are conveniently packed in plastic or in cardboard boxes; they take up little space during transportation and storage. Humidity of fuel briquettes at the correct storage is no more than 8-9%.

When burning briquettes, little ash is formed, they burn longer than firewood, and they emit more heat. At least that's what the ad says. Are there any disadvantages of fuel briquettes? Like everything good and convenient, there is only one drawback - the high price.

Compare prices for firewood and fuel briquettes

Retail fuel briquettes type Ruf (in the form of bricks) cost about 70-75 rubles. for 10 kg, and they are sold in bulk for 6,000 rubles. per ton. Since the density of fuel briquettes is about 950 kg/m 3 , we can assume that a cubic meter of fuel briquettes costs about 6,000 rubles. (briquettes of other types are not considered, since their cost is much higher).

How to compare the cost of fuel briquettes with the cost of firewood?

As you know, firewood is most often sold in bulk or stacked. If firewood was brought to you on pallets in stacking, then a cubic meter of such firewood is equivalent to 0.7 cubic meters in terms of dense wood. If firewood was brought to you in bulk in the back of a truck, then with a firewood length of 30-35 cm, a cubic meter will contain only 52% of dense wood.

In other words, to compare the cost of firewood in bulk for dense wood with the cost of fuel briquettes, the cost of firewood should be doubled.

So let's compare prices. Firewood in bulk in the Leningrad region costs 1,500-1,600 rubles. per cubic meter. In terms of dense wood, a cubic meter of firewood will cost 3,000-3,200 rubles. In neighboring regions, firewood can cost about one and a half times cheaper. Thus, a cubic meter of Ruf-type fuel briquettes costs the buyer, depending on the location, 2-3 times more than firewood.

We decided to find out if such a difference in price is worth the declared advertising advantages of fuel briquettes in the form of convenience, increased heat transfer and increased burning time of fuel briquettes. We conducted an amateur experiment, which, although it does not claim to be scientifically reliable, can clarify some aspects of using fuel briquettes instead of firewood.

How briquettes and firewood burn

We compared fuel briquettes made from hardwood sawdust with birch wood, which is stored under a canopy on outdoors more than a year.

Equalizing the chances of firewood and fuel briquettes in our competition, we selected the amount of firewood equivalent to the mass of two fuel briquettes (approximately 2.2 g). Although the comparison is not entirely adequate: stale firewood can contain from 12% to 25% and even up to % moisture, while in fuel briquettes the moisture content rarely exceeds 8-9%.

For kindling, we put fuel briquettes on paper and birch bark in the fireplace. We put firewood in exactly the same conditions: we melt them with paper and birch bark. Both firewood and fuel briquettes light up and flare up equally well.

The burning of fuel briquettes is slow, the flame is small and ugly. Fuel briquettes burn much more vigorously if they are placed vertically. But if you need a beautiful flame in the fireplace, and you are not ready to burn all the packaging at once, then fuel briquettes are still not for you.

With a small flame, little heat is released - you can safely sit at a distance of 1 m from the fireplace.

But when burning firewood, so much heat is released that I had to move away from the fireplace - it is simply impossible to sit closer than 2 m because of the heat.

The first hour has passed. Briquettes are not particularly reduced in volume and burn themselves slowly. And the firewood had already been smashed into coals, but small tongues of flame were still dancing on them. The time of complete (until the flames disappear) combustion of three birch poles weighing 2.2 kg is 1 hour (the anti-advertising of firewood on the packaging of fuel briquettes claimed that firewood burns out in 30 minutes, which is not true).

I had to break the briquettes into coals somewhere in the 90th minute of burning. The total burning time of fuel briquettes is exactly 2 hours, which corresponds to the declared time on the briquettes packaging.

Both firewood and fuel briquettes light up and flare up equally well.

Birch firewood, as expected, burns with a large beautiful flame. Fuel briquettes burn more slowly and give off heat less intensively.

The result of comparing the firebox with briquettes and firewood

Fuel briquettes do burn longer than birch firewood, but the difference is not as great as the description of the briquettes claims. But at the same time, the intensity of heat release during the combustion of firewood is incomparably greater. The amount of ash after briquettes is actually less than after birch firewood, but not at times, as stated, but only by 25-33%.

Thus, in my subjective opinion, a 2-3-fold excess of the price of fuel briquettes over birch firewood in the current price conditions with constant operation does not justify itself economically. Since a large flame is not obtained when burning inexpensive fuel briquettes, their use in fireplaces and in fireplace stoves, which are also installed for aesthetic pleasure from contemplating fire, does not make much sense.

At the same time, fuel briquettes have a number of undeniable advantages: they are compactly packed, leave little debris and less ash. Long time combustion allows less fuel to be added to the stove or fireplace. Although ordinary firewood is better for quickly warming up a cold house, fuel briquettes can be successfully used to maintain the desired temperature in the house.

Since I come to the dacha in the heating season on short trips, it’s easier for me to buy several packages of fuel briquettes in the supermarket than to buy a car of firewood for the season. In the cold season in my house with an area of ​​120 m 2, which is well insulated, it takes two packs of fuel briquettes (20 kg) to warm up on the first day, and to maintain the temperature on the following days - 1 pack per day with slight frosts and 1.5 -2 packs per day in severe frosts (subject to additional heating by several electric convectors).

Thus, each type of fuel has its advantages and disadvantages. Knowing about them, everyone can choose the best type of fuel for themselves, depending on the mode of operation of the house and personal preferences.

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Fuel briquette is an alternative material that allows you to quickly and efficiently kindle a stove or fireplace and warm up the room. However, 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. In addition, you can even organize your own business.

2. Long duration of burning. The briquette can burn from 1 to 4 hours. At the same time, it constantly emits heat.

3. The minimum amount of smoke, sparks.

4. Ecological cleanliness, as they are made from plant and other natural materials with their own hands.

5. Profitability. The cost of one ton of such fuel is much less than the same amount of coal or firewood. At the same time, the energy efficiency is much better.

6. Practicality. The ash that is formed after the combustion of briquettes can be used as fertilizer.

7. Easy storage. The presented material does not take up much space, it can be 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. Unpretentiousness in storage.

Applications 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, catering 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 the most efficient and economical, 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 source material and equipment. First, let's figure out what the product can be made of. So, wood and plant waste is most often used in production.

For example, you can make a briquette at home from vegetable husks, sawdust, straw. In addition, it is also allowed to use materials such as fallen leaves, shavings, dry plant stems, chips, seed husks for production.

Naturally, for the production you will also need water, clay and other substances that can glue the raw materials together. In some cases starch may be added. In general, you can use for the manufacture of briquettes any combustible garbage that lies uselessly on your territory.

Applied equipment

In order to make a fuel briquette with your own hands, you need to choose the right press or chipper. When choosing a press, it is necessary to decide what shape and area the elements will have. Most often, round and rectangular briquettes are made.

Among the professional equipment, one can single out a screw, shock-mechanical and hydraulic press. The first apparatus is capable of producing octagonal elements with a small hole in the center. They are characterized by maximum density, therefore, they provide the highest burning time. produces rectangular elements with the smallest density, which ensures high material consumption. Making fuel briquettes at home using a shock-mechanical device gives you the opportunity to make material of any shape. At the same time, 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 to produce the elements.

2. Dry clay should be added to the same container, which will serve as a 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 be well molded. 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 gruel. After that, the resulting products must be thoroughly dried in the sun. In order for them to be durable, each element should be overlaid with paper or rags. After complete drying, all briquettes can be put together.

When you press the raw material with a press, you will have to put in a lot of effort to squeeze as much water out of the mixture as possible.

Do-it-yourself production of fuel briquettes is quite simple, although laborious. Please note that the humidity of each product should not exceed 13%. In order for the element to burn better, paper can be added during manufacture, which must be torn into small pieces. And so that all the constituent parts stick together better, a little starch can be added to the mixture.

Please note that for different types of 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 eurofirewood or wood briquettes. They can both burn and 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!

During the heating season, each owner chooses the best type of fuel for himself in order to heat the living quarters. In recent years, fuel briquettes have been gaining popularity. Feedback from customers and experts will help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of the presented alternative fuel. 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 of existing types of briquettes, or, as they are commonly called, eurofirewood. Also, knowing what questions to pay attention to when buying, you can choose high-quality, effective briquettes.

General concept

Fuel briquettes are made from waste from the agricultural and woodworking industries. The material is dried and pressed using special equipment.

So, there are fuel briquettes from sunflower (expert and customer reviews will be presented below), sawdust, tyrsa, buckwheat or rice husks, etc. Peat, straw, herbaceous plants can be used for the same purposes. This is quite beneficial for the owners of farms, agricultural enterprises. The amount of waste is reduced, it turns out 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 profit from the sale of eurofirewood.

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 of consumers and experts make it clear that in addition to environmental friendliness, eurofirewood has a high calorific value. It is 2 times higher than that of ordinary wood. There are several explanations for this.

The moisture content of wood is about 15%. During the production of briquettes, the material dries out strongly. As a result, a product is obtained from the same, for example, wood, but with a moisture content of 4 to 8%. It is this factor that causes an increase in the combustion temperature of the material.

The second important reason due to which a similar effect is observed is the high density of eurofirewood. It is 0.9-1.3 g/cm 3 . In ordinary wood, the density is 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 eurofirewood.

Consumer reviews

Apart from technical advantages There are many positive reviews about briquettes from consumers.

First of all, their compactness is noted. When storing, you do not need to allocate a lot of space.

Fuel briquettes do not harm the environment. Eurowood, reviews of which are presented by consumers, are made from natural materials by pressing. They do not contain glue, other auxiliary substances. And due to the low humidity, less soot is released during combustion. This allows you to clean the chimney much less often, which is a definite advantage. Also, maintenance of heating equipment can be carried out not as often as before. The cost of this fuel is much lower, as it is made from waste. Agricultural, woodworking enterprises can process their own raw materials at the place of production.

disadvantages

Wood fuel briquettes, reviews of which are presented in the article, have several disadvantages. First of all, buyers note the high demands of such products on storage conditions.

The briquettes can become damp if left outside or in a damp room. The combustion temperature is greatly reduced. Eurowood should be stored in a warm, ventilated area.

Some buyers talk about fuel briquettes in a negative way. They claim that these are poor quality products that can crumble and not provide enough warmth. However, this happens only if the production technology is violated. Some unscrupulous manufacturers may add low-quality wood to the processed material. This causes trouble during the operation of such products.

Types of briquettes

There are several classifications according to which fuel briquettes are divided. Feedback from experts and consumers will help you understand the difference between these species.

First of all, eurofirewood is distinguished by the type of equipment with which the pressing took place. In accordance with this factor, the main forms are also determined. finished products. Hydraulic presses were originally used by RUF and Nestro, and mechanical impact machines by C. F. Nielsen. Extruder technologies are used in Pini-kay briquettes. Therefore, it is customary for consumers to call round eurofirewood "nilsson" or "nestro", and products in the form of receivers - "ruf". The shape of an irregular polygon with a hole in the center has piney-kei briquettes. Eurowood is also distinguished by the material that was taken as the basis for production.

Round euro firewood

Fuel briquettes, reviews of which are different, quite often have a round shape. They are created using mechanical or hydraulic presses.

On sale are products with a diameter of 50 to 90 mm, and a length of 50 to 350 mm. For their production, dry chopped wood, as well as other agricultural waste, is used.

Nowadays, equipment for the creation of round briquettes creates a huge number of enterprises. It differs greatly in quality. When buying, pay attention to appearance products. High-quality eurofirewood in diameter should be at least 80 mm. Their length is in the range from 250 to 350 mm.

If the briquette is thin and short, it was pressed at insufficiently high pressure. The calorific value is lower due to insufficient density. Therefore, when buying, preference should be given to thick and long eurofirewood. If, with such dimensions, they do not crumble, then the density of the briquette meets modern requirements.

Briquettes "ruf"

The shape of a brick is eurofirewood, which is produced on equipment such as RUF. Their dimensions are 65 x 95 x 150 mm.

RUF fuel briquettes, reviews of which are left by buyers all over the world, differ good quality at an acceptable cost.

The name RUF comes from the 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 material for production is also chopped wood and other waste. When buying ruf briquettes, you need to pay attention to what material they were made of. In our country, the possibility of creating this type of eurofirewood from birch dust - waste from plywood factories is not ruled out. In this case, in addition to wood, various chemicals can enter the composition of the product, 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 buying. Such a product has a fine-grained structure. It also distinguishes 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"

The premium class fuel is eurofirewood "pini-cay". Their name comes from the Austrian company Pini & Kay, which has already ceased to exist today. However, its technology is still actively used by many manufacturers.

The form of an irregular polygon is fuel briquettes "pini-kay". Reviews about this product are only positive. The hole in the center allows you to increase the burning area, which makes the flame look 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. On sale are products with a diameter of 50-80 mm and a length of 200-300 mm. Their cost is higher than that of other varieties of eurofirewood. But in terms of their performance, "pini-kei" is significantly superior to other similar products.

Material

The material from which eurofirewood is made can be different. The limiting combustion temperature and other operational qualities of the product depend on this. For example, "ruf" 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 established. The highest energy productivity is distinguished by fuel briquettes from sunflower husks. 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 (eg oak). But it should also be noted that straw bars, the density of which is 1.08 g/cm 3 , and tyrsa with pressing 1.37 g/cm 3 , have a higher calorific value during combustion. Only after these materials follows softwood.

Rice husk has the lowest thermal efficiency. A few words should also be said about peat briquettes. They are used only in the conditions of certain industrial productions. The composition of this material includes a certain amount of harmful, toxic substances. Therefore, such briquettes can only be used using a special technology. When burning such products, a special ventilation system is equipped.

Such fuels as firewood and coal are more and more confidently replacing heating briquettes, for the manufacture of which waste from the food, light and woodworking industries is used. Both from an economic and environmental point of view, pressed briquettes are much more profitable, because at a very affordable price, they have a very high energy efficiency and emit a minimum of carbon dioxide. Depending on the type of waste, briquettes are wood, coal, peat and pressed from sunflower husks.

Comparative characteristics of briquettes

Each type of briquettes has its own characteristics and advantages. And although they are all great for domestic heating, it is still worth familiarizing yourself with their characteristics in more detail in order to choose the best option.

This type of briquettes is obtained by pressing various wood waste - deadwood, sawdust, shavings, substandard wood. Before pressing, the waste is heated to a certain temperature, as a result of which an adhesive substance, lignin, is released from the cells. Thanks to lignin, briquettes acquire high strength and retain their shape during transportation and storage.

The advantages of briquettes over solid wood are obvious:

In addition, wood briquettes have other advantages:

• pressed wood does not spark during combustion and emits very little smoke;
• the boiler is maintained at a constant temperature;
• briquette burning time 4 hours;
• the remaining coals after combustion are great for cooking on an open fire;
• the correct form of briquettes simplifies their transportation and storage.

Such fuel is sold not in cubic meters, like wood, but in kilograms, which is much more profitable.

Prices for Eurowood Briquettes

Eurowood Pini-kay

This type of briquettes is obtained from screening hard coal. The screenings are first crushed, mixed with a binder, and then pressed under high pressure.

The main properties of such fuel:

• coal briquettes do not smoke;
• do not emit carbon monoxide;
• burning time in conventional boilers from 5 to 7 hours, with adjustable air supply - 10 hours;
• suitable for domestic use;
• have a compact shape;
• during combustion, 5200k / cal is released and a constant temperature is maintained;
• maximum ash volume - 28%;
• have a long shelf life.

Coal briquettes are the most optimal fuel in severe winters, when pressure drops in households due to low temperatures. Briquettes burn at any temperature, the main thing is that there is a constant flow of air.

Prices for coal briquettes WEBER

Coal briquettes WEBER

To make briquettes, peat is dried, heated and pressed under high pressure. The result is neat light bricks of dark color. With adjustable air supply, peat briquettes maintain the temperature for 10 hours, which is very convenient for heating the house at night.

Basic properties:

The ash that remains after the combustion of fuel can be used as an effective lime and phosphorus fertilizer. For many owners of private households, this factor is decisive when choosing heating briquettes. Since peat is a flammable substance, it should be stored at a safe distance from open flames and heating appliances. Even dust spilling out of the packaging can ignite and cause a fire, so you need to handle the briquettes correctly.

Sunflower husks, buckwheat and rice husks, rye, oat waste and even straw are widely used to make fuel briquettes. The most common are sunflower husk briquettes, since a large percentage of waste remains in the production of oil. The maximum humidity of the pressing husk is 8%, which increases the heat transfer and reduces the ignition time.

Specifications:

• the density of briquettes is 1.2 t/m³;
• heat transfer - 5200 kcal / kg;
• the volume of ash is from 2.7 to 4.5%.

Additional benefits:

• no harmful impurities;
• affordable price;
• long burning time;
• ease of storage and transportation.

Comparison of the characteristics of heating briquettes and fuel shows that pressed materials are still more efficient. If you choose between the briquettes themselves, you should take into account their features and properties.

To less often lay fuel, you should purchase coal or peat briquettes; if ash is required for fertilizer, wood briquettes and husks are the best choice. They are also the most affordable. And in order to better determine, it is recommended to buy a small package of each type. This will help to accurately assess the strength of the briquettes, the duration of burning, the amount of heat generated and make the best choice.

Type of fuel	Average weight of fuel for the production of 16,000 MJ of energy	Comparative price of obtaining energy for a consumer on average in Russia, rub.
Fuel briquettes	1000 kg	2000
Wood	1600 kg	2200
Gas	478 cubic meters	3500
Diesel fuel	500 l	8000
fuel oil	685 l	5500
Coal	1000 kg	2800

How to make briquettes with your own hands. Photo + instruction

Close with a wooden lid

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The search for an alternative type of fuel sometimes leads to unexpected results. And it all started with wood - the mother of all modern coolants. And it would seem that she was finally lost against the backdrop of cheap gas, efficient diesel fuel or exotic. But the time has come to take a fresh look at the tree and the reason for this was the emergence of a new product - a fuel briquette, or as they are also called, eurowood.

They are a compressed mass, consisting in most cases of wood waste (sawdust, shavings, etc.). Briquettes may differ in composition, shape and method of production. But regardless of these parameters, they all have certain physical properties.

The physical properties of the briquettes fully correspond to the tree, since it is it that is included in their composition. But there are certain performance differences.

The main problem of simple firewood is an increased moisture content and ash content. When any type of wood is burned, 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 their harvesting, transportation or storage. These impurities can be included in the composition with 15% content. Briquettes are completely free from this "unnecessary" component.

The calorific value (transfer of internal energy to the environment) for firewood has a maximum value of 3000 kcal / kg. For briquettes, this value ranges from 4400 to 5200 kcal/kg.

You can sum it up with a small table of characteristics of briquettes:

Knowing these data, you can professionally choose one or another type of briquette fuel. But before that, it is worth considering their advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

• High calorific value.
• During combustion, a small amount of CO2 is released - several orders of magnitude lower than that of coal or gas.
• Minimal ash formation, which can later be used as a mineral fertilizer.
• Convenient form for storage.
• Higher density compared to conventional wood. This allows you to get enough heat with smaller briquettes.

Disadvantages:

• Briquettes are more expensive than regular firewood. But their efficiency is much higher.
• Organization special place storage.

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, it is they who are often called eurofirewood.

In some species there is a longitudinal hole. Its presence indicates the method of production. Prepared and dried raw materials are poured into a container, the neck of which leads to the screw, which is located in the pipe. The auger transports the wood pulp to the pressing zone, where it enters the cylindrical pressing mold in dosed portions. Further, under a pressure of 500-600 bar, ready-made briquette forms are formed.

The advantage of this technology is the minimum configuration of the production line and high productivity.

Geometric dimensions:

• Diameter: 60-90 mm.
• Length: from 50 to 350 mm.

Rectangular

This type of briquettes is firmly entrenched in another name - RUF. It was borrowed from the manufacturer of press equipment - the German company Ruf.

They have a rectangular shape and are easy to store. In their production, no special additives are used, only pure sawdust. Equipment for this form of briquettes is supplied by several European companies. And despite its low price, the quality of products almost always remains at a high level.

Geometric dimensions - 65 * 95 * 150 mm.

multifaceted

The main problem of the above products is the fear of moisture. To solve this problem, special equipment was developed that allows not only pressing, but also producing external heat treatment briquettes.

Their shape can be 4-sided 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 the high pressure of the press - up to 1100 bar. This increases the density of the product and, accordingly, its efficiency during combustion.