What is fireplace biofuel

Biofuel properties

During denaturation, ethanol becomes environmentally neutral. It does not harm human health, since during combustion it releases heat and a little carbon monoxide. The use of biofuel allows not only to maintain health, but also to obtain beautiful and even flames when burning in a fireplace.

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. When burning, a lot of heat is released, 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 a gel form which is very convenient to use and store. It also contains sea salt. It allows you to achieve crackling, like regular wood, during combustion.

Biofuels are absolutely safe for the health of people, animals and the environment.

At the same time, the outlines of the fire are quite colorful, the flames are even, bright, saturated with color. The color of the flame is, of course, slightly different from the usual one, it is not as orange, since burning ethanol releases carbon dioxide and water. To get a more natural fire, natural, environmentally friendly additives are added to liquid fuel for fireplaces, which paint the fire in the desired orange color.

But even better, the heat generated during combustion is not lost, but completely enters the room. Thus, the efficiency of such an installation reaches 95-100%. At the same time, according to the type of flame, eco-fuel for fireplaces is not much different from ordinary firewood, which allows you to see a real fire. Fireplace gel created on the basis of ethanol with the addition of sea salt allows you to create a complete illusion of burning real firewood, because in addition to a similar fire, a characteristic sound design in the form of crackling will also appear.

A biofuel fireplace during its operation, as we have already said, practically does not emit soot and soot. Experts compare its emissions into the atmosphere of a room with the burning of one ordinary candle. At the same time, the liquid for the biofireplace during combustion does not emit carbon monoxide, which in large volumes can be dangerous.

The bioethanol used for fireplaces can also be poured into an ordinary kerosene lamp. In this case, during combustion, soot and odor will not be emitted, as during the combustion of kerosene, and the device will perform its initial functionality perfectly, illuminating the room.

Manufacturers overview

Alcohol fuels are being developed all over the world. The main producers of bioethanol are European countries, as well as Canada, the USA and South Africa.Some are produced in Asia.

1. Kratki is a Polish company whose products are of high quality and not only burn without waste, but also additionally humidify the air, improving the indoor climate. A feature of fuel from Poland is a wide range of odors. When the fireplace is burning, the room can be filled with the aroma of coffee, coniferous forest and much more. The average consumption of bioethanol is 1 liter in a few hours.

2. Planika. Produces Fanola fuel, the safety of which is confirmed by certificates from many laboratories. The smell does not appear, during the combustion of alcohol, carbon dioxide is formed in an amount comparable to the release of CO2 during breathing. Combustion requires a constant influx of fresh air, therefore, turning on the fireplace, you should open the window. A liter of Fanola alcohol burns out in about 3-4 hours.

3. The Russian company Bioteplo offers a composition of French production. Its consumption is slightly higher than that of the previous options - a liter is enough for a little less than three hours. Thus, a fireplace with a standard 2.5 l tank will last for approximately 8 hours of continuous operation. Supplied biofuel for smokeless fireplaces Bioheat in cans of 5 liters, its cost is quite low.

4. Fuel for biofireplaces Ecolife is also sold in cans of 5 liters. Also suitable for alcohol burners. During combustion, a small amount of water is released in the form of steam, due to which the fireplace humidifies the air in the room. One liter of fuel is enough for an hour and a half of the furnace.

Price

It is worth considering that most often you can buy fuel only in bulk.

Self-manufacturing

If necessary, it is quite possible to produce bioethanol for the fireplace with your own hands. All it takes is 96% rubbing alcohol or industrial alcohol and odorless refined lighter gasoline to give the flame a natural orange color. For a liter of alcohol, you need to take no more than 80 ml of gasoline and mix thoroughly.

It is best to knead the solution immediately before refueling, as over time, heavier gasoline begins to separate from ethanol. Alcohol consumption is not higher than that of ready-made fuel - a full tank filled with home-made fuel should be enough for 8 hours of operation.

“Is it possible to make biofuel with your own hands?”

We are afraid to imagine, but some, it turns out, are trying to create do-it-yourself biofuel. Friends, this is impossible! Don't even try this at home, you're not Walter from Breaking Bad after all.

Yes, the composition of biofuels is simple - bioethanol, that is, alcohol and impurities. But, this does not mean that you just need to buy ethyl alcohol and add something to it. Moreover, pure ethyl alcohol in Russia is prohibited for use (Resolution of the Chief State Sanitary Doctor of the Russian Federation dated March 27, 2020 N39 "On the suspension of retail trade in alcohol-containing non-food products, alcohol-containing food additives and flavorings").

By the way, of all the biofuel options presented, one stood out for its composition, in which, in addition to bioethanol, water was added - this is sample number 5 “FireBird”. Is it good or bad? We didn't notice much of a difference.

What fuel can be used

Botfuel is a fuel that does not emit harmful substances into the atmosphere. There are three types of it:

• bioethanol;
• biogas;
• biodiesel.

Liquid fuel

Liquid biofuel has no smell and burns completely

For the operation of eco-fireplaces, bioethanol is used, which is obtained through the processing of plant materials. This is ordinary ethyl alcohol, which is sold in containers of different volumes: from 0.5 to 10 liters.

The average consumption is 0.3–0.5 l/h (liters per hour). In the process of combustion of this volume of fuel, about 5 kW of thermal energy is released. Therefore, a medium-sized eco-fireplace can be used to heat a room. The efficiency of this equipment is comparable to electric heaters with a capacity of 3 kW/h.

Advantages of liquid fuel:

• economical consumption;
• complete combustion;
• lack of smell;
• the ability to control the intensity of combustion with the help of dampers;
• does not leave soot and greasy deposits after combustion, so the burners and the fuel block are easy to clean.

Manufacturers offer biofuels enriched with special additives that provide bright flame colors. Bioethanol is obtained from starch-containing raw materials:

• corn (stalks and cobs);
• beets;
• cassava;
• sugar cane;
• potatoes;
• barley.

The raw materials are crushed and fermented with yeast, glucomylase and amylosubtilin. Then they are sent for bragorectification. The leaders in the production of bioethanol are Brazil, China and India.

Liquid fuel can be made independently. For this you will need:

• 96% alcohol;
• gasoline "B-70".

The ingredients are mixed in a ratio of 1:9 (one part of gasoline and 9 parts of alcohol). The consumption of the resulting fuel will be greater than that of bioethanol: up to 1 l/h.But self-made fuel is still more profitable, since it requires cheap raw materials.

Popular brands:

• Art Flame;
• FANOLA;
• "Bioheat".

solid fuel

Solid fuel - firewood or dry fuel. It is not used for the operation of biofireplaces. The amount of heat obtained from the combustion of these types of fuel exceeds the norms allowed for eco-fireplaces.

How to make a biofireplace with your own hands?

This is where we come to the most interesting part, practical and to some extent creative. If you try, then such a unit can be made independently. A small bio-fireplace for an apartment, a summer residence does not require any special knowledge from you, and the result will certainly please you. The main thing is to think over its design in advance, observe the required distances between the walls, the top and the fire source, select the appropriate materials and work out all the steps.

How to make a biofireplace:

To get started, stock up on the necessary materials and tools: glass (approximate size of an A4 paper sheet), glass cutter, silicone sealant (for gluing glass). You will also need a piece of metal mesh (fine-mesh building mesh or even a steel grate from an oven will do), an iron box (it will act as a fuel compartment, so it is better to choose a steel box)

You will also need heat-resistant stones, it can even be pebbles, lace (future wick for a biofireplace), biofuel.
It is important to make correct calculations, for example, the distance from the fire source (burner) to the glass must be at least 17 cm (so that the glass does not burst from overheating). The number of burners is determined by the size of the room in which the eco-fireplace will be installed.

If the room is small (15 or 17 m²), then one burner will be enough for such an area.
The fuel compartment is a square metal box, keep in mind that the larger its dimensions, the further the fire source will be located from the glass. This box can be painted with paint of a suitable shade, but only on the outside! Inside, it must be “clean” so that the paint does not catch fire and does not begin to release toxic substances.
We take 4 glass fragments (their dimensions must correspond to the dimensions of the metal box) and glue them with silicone sealant. We should get something like an aquarium, only without a bottom. During the drying of the sealant, all sides of the “aquarium” can be supported with stable objects and left in this state until the binder mass has completely solidified (this is about 24 hours).
After the specified time, excess sealant can be carefully removed using a construction knife with a thin blade.
We take an iron can (you can use a container from under some canned product), fill it with biofuel and install it in a metal box. It is important that it has thick walls! But the best option is a stainless steel container.
Further, according to the dimensions of the fuel box, we cut out the metal mesh and install it on top of it. The net can be fixed for safety, but keep in mind that you will periodically lift it up to fill the iron can with biofuel.
We lay the pebbles or stones that you have chosen on top of the grate - they are not only a decor, but also help to evenly distribute heat.
We take a string and form a wick for a biofireplace out of it, lower one end into a jar of biofuel.

The wick impregnated with a combustible mixture can be set on fire with a thin wooden stick or a long fireplace match, or a splinter.

This is the simplest creation model. do-it-yourself biofireplace, more complex analogues are made using guide profiles, drywall, tiles and other materials. The principle of creating a "burner", a casing and a fuel compartment is similar. To replenish the fuel reserves, you will need to remove the stones and raise the metal grate, but you can use a large syringe and direct a stream of flammable liquid between the cells of the grate, directly into the iron jar.

I want to pay special attention to the "heart" of the whole structure - the burner. A burner for a biofireplace is, in other words, a container for fuel

Factory burners are already manufactured according to all required standards, the most reliable material is stainless steel, such a burner will last a very long time without deformation, oxidation and corrosion. A good burner should be thick-walled so that it does not deform when heated. Also pay attention to the integrity of the burner - it should not have any cracks or any other damage! Under the influence of high temperatures, any crack increases in size. To avoid spillage of fuel and subsequent ignition, treat this nuance especially meticulously.

By the way, if you make a biofireplace yourself, you can make another version of the burner. To do this, do not fill the steel container too tightly with white glass wool, cover it from above with a grate (or mesh) cut to the size of the container. Then just pour alcohol and light the burner.

Varieties of biofuels and their features

Biofuels - environmentally friendly fuel

The existence of the prefix "bio" in the name of the fuel determines its environmental friendliness. Indeed, in the manufacture of this type of fuel, renewable natural resources are used. The main components used in the production of ecological fuel are cereals and herbaceous crops with a high content of sugar and starch. Thus, cane and corn are the most suitable raw materials for the creation of biofuels.

Biofuel for biofireplaces, produced from natural ingredients, is not inferior to less environmentally friendly counterparts in terms of its energy characteristics:

• bioethanol. consisting almost entirely of alcohol, can replace gasoline;
• biogas. which is a product of the specific processing of various garbage waste, like natural gas is used to create thermal and mechanical energy;
• Biodiesel is made from vegetable oil for fueling cars and other uses.

For kindling biofireplaces, preference is given to bioethanol - a colorless and odorless liquid.

1. Environmental friendliness is due to the complete absence of the production of carbon monoxide, soot and soot.
2. Ease of cleaning burners.
3. The ability to adjust the intensity of combustion.
4. No need to install ventilation devices.
5. High fire safety and reliability of fuel use due to thermal insulation of the fireplace body.
6. Convenience of transportation of the fuel itself and ease of installation of fireplaces for its use.
7. It is characterized by one hundred percent heat transfer, since heat is not lost in the wilds of the chimney.
8. It does not require the preparation of firewood and cleaning near the fireplace side effects: dirt, debris and ashes.
9. The water vapor released when ethyl alcohol is heated contributes to the normalization of the humidity level in the room.

Advantages and disadvantages

Like any other product, biofuels have their pros and cons. In particular, all owners of bio-fireplaces 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 is consumed a little longer. When burning half a liter of fuel, the energy released is approximately 3-3.5 kW / h.

We have reduced other advantages of biofuels to 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 a biofuel apartment do not require the installation of an exhaust hood, a chimney, because they are simply not needed.
• Since there is no chimney and hood, all the heat enters the room. Additionally, the air in the room is humidified, because. when burned, water vapor is released.
• Burners of a biofireplace from biofuel practically do not get dirty, and small pollution is easy to clean.
• The level of burning of the liquid in the fireplace can be adjusted, this is especially easy with the gel composition.
• Biological fireplaces are considered fireproof devices because they have thermal insulation of the body. The installation of such devices is elementary, they are easily assembled and easily disassembled.
• Unlike firewood, biofuels leave no waste behind and can be purchased at any time.In addition, the price of this type of fuel is quite democratic.

Disadvantages are also present, but they are few:

• Biofuel must not be added to the fireplace while it is in operation. To replenish supplies, you should put out the flame, wait for the fireplace elements to cool, and then refuel.
• Biofuel is a combustible composition, so it is impossible to store it near fire and hot objects.
• Biofuel is ignited with a special lighter made of iron; paper or wood for ignition is not allowed.

Popular brands of biofuels

It is extremely simple to use biofuel in a 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 the fireplace needs, since the fuel canister has a consumption scale, in addition, 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.

If the biofireplace uses a gel composition, then it is enough to open the jar, install it in a special place in the fireplace behind decorative firewood or stones and set it on fire. One can of gel fuel burns for approximately 2.5-3 hours. To increase the flame, you can use several cans. To put out the fire in the jars, it is enough just to close them with lids, blocking the access of oxygen to the fire.

Biofireplace "aquarium"

This option is also easy to implement.

Necessary materials

– glass for walls (refractory or ordinary with a thickness of at least 3 mm).

– silicone

- a square-shaped flowerpot made of metal or wood, treated with an anti-priene (fire retardant) composition

- metal mesh, 2 cm larger than the size of the flowerpot

– decorative design (for example, smooth stones)

- a fuel tank, which consists of two containers, the smaller of which is inserted into the larger one, and then both containers are inserted into the flowerpot. The height of the containers should be 3-4 cm below the flowerpot. If you are using a wooden flowerpot, insulate the tank with isover.

- a wick or cotton cord.

Sequence of work:

1. Prepare a flowerpot.

2. Glasses prepared according to the size of the flowerpot are glued together with silicone, lubricating the vertical edges and substituting supports. Silicone grabs quickly, excess can be removed after complete drying.

3. A fuel tank is installed in the center of the flowerpot (two containers inserted one into the other). If the flowerpot is wooden, then wrap the outer container with isover. The outer tank can be glued to the silicone vase.

4. Fix a metal mesh on top of the flowerpot. It can be deepened into a flowerpot or laid along the upper perimeter.

5. From above, install a glued glass "aquarium" without a bottom and fix it with silicone.

6. Lay a decorative design (stones or firewood made of ceramics) on the grid, passing a wick between them. In this case, stones (ceramic firewood) play not only a decorative role, but also serve to evenly distribute heat over the grate.

Thus, if the work is done carefully, then no one will be able to distinguish a fireplace made with their own hands from that purchased in a store.

The video shows one of the biofireplace options