Efficiency

Eliminate Oil Use

Question: Two years ago I bought and installed an Englander 12fp wood stove and a supervent chimney. Quite pleased! But I need to improve wood efficiency and need to bypass the oil fired boiler. The baseboard piping scoots right in back of the wood stove and would be a perfect opportunity to incorporate it into the wood stove somehow. Any suggestions?

Answer: Thank you for your interest in Heat-Booster products. My understanding is that you wish to heat with firewood to the extent that oil is no longer needed. Also, you wish to transfer as much heat as possible into water for circulation through baseboards.
The Englander 12 fp stove appears to be well suited for modifications that will accomplish this. Here is what I would do were I in your shoes:

-Install HB Catalytic module and HB24 heat exchanger with water heating coil. This improves combustion efficiency and reduces pollution. Also reduces fouling of heat exchanger.
-Install chimney top Draft-Booster (there are pressure drops through catalyst and heat exchanger).
-Install HB add-on water heating coils on sides, back and top of stove. These coils will be available in the near future.

Result will be an almost 100% combustion efficiency and more than 80% thermal efficiency with at least 75% of energy going into water. No more need for oil. Pay-back will be quick.
Consider installing an insulated water tank for use as a heat sink. Keep stove going at full blast during day and heat up water in storage. Circulate hot water during night.

Woodstove Thermal Efficiency

High thermal efficiency for woodstoves can only be achieved if combustion is completed, and released energy is transferred to media to be heated. Advertised high efficiencies are misleading, as they refer to low burn rates only. The graph shows thermal efficiencies as they relate to burn rates. Hot combustion gases are not allowed sufficient time for effective heat transfer at high burn rates. The Heat-Booster heat exchanger solves this problem by providing a large heat transfer area. Thermal efficiencies of 90% are possible when well seasoned wood is burned, and heat exchanger is sized properly.