When choosing a heating boiler for a home greenhouse, it is necessary to elaborate information on the types of equipment, their operational features, cost. This is necessary so that during the subsequent operation of expensive heat engineering, it will pay off in the shortest possible time. Read more about boilers for the greenhouse and their installation later in the article.

How to choose the best boiler?

When choosing a boiler with which it is planned to heat the greenhouse, it is necessary to take into account the footage and cubic capacity of the room, as well as material costs associated with the purchase, installation, etc. Preferred is equipment that uses the long-term combustion technology - at the same time produce two fuel bookmarks.However, the cost of such boilers is high. The larger the area of ​​the heated room, the sooner the payback period will come. In small greenhouses (about 20 sq. M), the payback period of technical equipment can last up to 10 years. In these circumstances, it is recommended to install solid fuel or gas devices, which for greater efficiency are equipped with a system for pumping water through pipes, which will evenly warm the room.

An electric boiler is not economical, consuming a large amount of electricity. When using it, the upper part of the greenhouse is warmed up, and the lower part does not get fully heated, which causes the plants to freeze. Combined models of long burning are industrial, operate on gas, liquid fuel.

Did you know? The boiler is depicted on the emblem of the city of Kronstadt. This is due to the fact that the mentioned city is located on the island of Kotlin.

The cost of such equipment is high and economically justified for greenhouses of large cubic capacity when growing plants that are extremely demanding on changing the temperature regime (strawberries, raspberries, eggplants). The pyrolysis solid fuel boiler of long burning has high heat transfer, is economical and at the same time highly efficient.

However, it is high-dimensional: due to the large heat transfer, plants must be planted at a distance of more than half a meter from the boiler. Therefore, it cannot be installed in small greenhouses. In case of unforeseen circumstances, a stationary wood-burning stove or a mobile pellet boiler will come to the rescue, which, if necessary, is heated by any solid fuel (firewood, ears of corn, etc.).

Greenhouse heating methods

To maintain the temperature regime, the following types of heating are applicable:

• steam, water;
• air;
• gas;
• electric;
• stove.

Air

Air heating is carried out in two ways:

• heated air is taken from the external environment and is heated in the supply ventilation system;
• With the help of gas convectors or blowing furnaces, the internal volume of air is heated.

Water

Water heating is the most popular type of heating in the winter. Having unique physico-chemical properties, water is a coolant for most heating systems. Units to which coolant water systems are connected can operate on any type of fuel. In this case, it is possible to equip the furnaces with a water circuit, and, therefore, the system operates according to all principles of water heating.

Types of boilers

The following is a more detailed description of the various devices.

Important! If a cyclic heating mode is used, then it is recommended to fill in a non-freezing liquid, antifreeze as a liquid coolant.

Gas

It works using liquefied or natural gas, and water of any quality is used. The boiler is installed in the greenhouse in an empty place. The device includes a heat exchanger, an atmospheric burner, a pump, an expander (tank), and a safety valve. A working boiler heats the water in the heat exchanger and delivers it to the system circuit using a pump. Smoke is removed and removed through a chimney or pipe.Register - heating equipment, consisting of smooth-walled pipes interconnected by welding. Typically, the tubes are located in the horizontal direction and are fixed between themselves by vertical jumpers, through which the coolant also moves. Often, registers are mounted in heating systems designed for technical, industrial premises.

The algorithm for connecting the register to the main unit:

1. Understand where the inlet-outlet of hot and cold water in the water circuit is located.
2. In the end parts of the register, holes are drilled for threaded couplings, which are the basis for fittings connecting the heat exchanger to the water circuit.
3. Using a welding machine, an air vent is fixed (from the feed - on the opposite side). The optimal place for mounting the valve is the upper part.
4. Given the large mass of the register, a reliable mounting system should be provided. At floor placement - these are stable legs and additional fixation to the wall.
5. A distance of at least 25 cm is maintained between the register and the walls or objects surrounding it.

Did you know? The first ever armored car was designed in 1916 — the basis of its building was the boiler brought from the Guinness brewery.

• Advantages of heating a greenhouse using a gas boiler:
• ease of maintenance;
• very fast heating and even distribution of warm air inside the greenhouse.

• Disadvantages:
• Since the installation of the above equipment is advisable in large greenhouses, the price of the system will be high.
• Coordination on equipment connection and gas supply is required, which also entails sufficient material costs.

Solid fuel or pyrolysis

Pyrolysis is a chemical process that occurs at high temperatures and low oxygen content in the combustion chamber, during which excess heat energy is released. In solid fuel pyrolysis boilers, wood (or other solid fuel) is burned with the release of pyrolysis gas and the formation of coal residues. In boilers of this type, the generated gas is subsequently burned. During combustion, carbon is not oxidized to CO², but to CO (carbon monoxide).

The list of types of fuel for pyrolysis boilers:

• firewood
• briquettes;
• sawdust, shredded branches;
• pellets;
• coke;
• coal;
• peat.

Wood is most preferred, as the process proceeds with the maximum release of pyrolysis gas. You can use a combination of firewood with sawdust, branches and pellets. It is not worth carrying out a furnace with sawdust or finely chopped branches, since the boiler will not work or the efficiency will be extremely low.

Important! In rooms with large heat losses (continuous glazing, drafts, high ceilings), it is necessary to install a boiler with increased power. If it is intended to generate hot waterestimated power increases by another 20–50%.

The sequence of operation processes of a solid fuel (wood) pyrolysis type boiler:

1. Firewood is loaded onto the grate.
2. After igniting the fuel, the door is tightly closed and the smoke exhauster is opened.
3. Air begins to flow into the upper chamber due to the pressure difference.
4. The resulting pyrolysis gas is lowered into the lower firebox in which it burns.
5. After a lapse of time, the air circulation stabilizes, combustion in the furnaces proceeds evenly. It is necessary to control the stability of the processes occurring in the upper and lower furnaces, to remove ash from the lower chamber in a timely manner.
6. In the process of burning the upper layer of fuel, the funnel-shaped distributor is lowered, thereby supplying air for permanent combustion.
7. Gases formed during combustion are discharged through a chimney.

• Benefits:
• Efficiency reaches 90%;
• long interval between fuel loads (up to several days);
• combustion is constant, therefore, the coolant temperature is stable;
• comfort in servicing equipment.

• Disadvantages:
• considerable dimensions. The height of the pyrolysis furnace exceeds the height of an ordinary, wood-burning;
• the loaded fuel must be completely dry;
• carbon monoxide is emitted during combustion - it is necessary to carefully monitor the CO level sensors;
• high price.

Electric

Electric boilers in small greenhouses are connected to a 220 V network. For greenhouse rooms of large areas - from 100 square meters. m and above, the project provides for three-phase high-power units that are powered from a 380 V network. Equipment is usually connected to an electric boiler (pipes, radiators, etc.) so that there is the possibility of additional water and electric heating of the entire volume of the greenhouse.

• The undoubted advantages of this type of system include the following:
• ease of installation, operation and maintenance;
• environmental friendliness (there is no waste of the combustion process, as well as noise during operation);
• small sizes;
• reliability.

• The disadvantages include the following factors:
• high cost of energy;
• Constant power supply is required.

Diesel

Diesel boilers are rarely used to maintain the temperature inside the greenhouse. This is due to the fact that in addition to the large dimensions of the unit itself, it is necessary to provide an additional location for the fuel tank. In addition, you need additional equipment with convectors and (or) a pipeline.

Important! If you plan to connect a gas boiler to a home-made heating system, the participation of a gas master is required. Independent work in this case is prohibited!

• The undoubted advantages are:
• high efficiency;
• automatic fuel supply;
• relatively low boiler price.

• Disadvantages:
• high cost of fuel;
• large dimensions;
• noise at work, the unit spreads a stable specific odor;
• the need to install a chimney;
• fire hazard.

Waste Oil Devices

Installing a heat generator that works using any available waste oil (machine, pyrolysis, animal and vegetable oils, crude oil, kerosene, etc.) allows you to heat the room with hot air. An oven of this principle of operation is also installed as an additional heat source with an existing one. The indicated type of devices during independent operation requires the installation of a chimney and a fuel tank, which is not a costly undertaking.

• Pros:
• low cost of fuel raw materials. The devices for “working out” are especially beneficial for those who have constant access to the fuel resource (pizzerias, fast food restaurants, service stations);
• fast heating of the room due to high heat transfer;
• low cost of repair kit.

• Minuses:
• increased oxygen consumption.

Combined

Boilers of this type allow the use of various types of fuel in any combination (depending on model and manufacturer). Initially, it is necessary to determine which type of fuel will be priority and which type will be secondary. The specified type of equipment is often formed according to the principle of the designer.Also, like a single-fuel boiler, the main elements of the combined one are a heat exchanger, a reliably insulated casing (minimization of heat loss), and an automatic control system. For household needs, when operating in small rooms, the choice is stopped on a double-circuit boiler with the possibility of operating on two types of fuel.

• Positive points:
• trouble free operation;
• the choice of preferred fuel at the time of operation of the unit;
• ease of use.

• Disadvantages:
• high price;
• difficult setup;
• expensive repairs;
• the need to store several types of fuel raw materials.

Making a greenhouse boiler with your own hands

The first step to the independent installation of thermal equipment in order to create a heated greenhouse in the household should be a detailed drawing of the planned heat installation. The required power is also calculated based on the area and volume of the room, type of boiler, type of fuel, operating time, etc. After a painstaking process of theoretical pre-preparation, you should go to the main stages of creating a boiler.

Materials and Tools

For a simple solid fuel boiler model you will need:

1. A metal barrel with holes or an old gas cylinder sawn in half.
2. Water circuit or coil.
3. Hinges, metal handles, suitable gate valves, etc.
4. Welding machine.
5. Cutting tools.

Construction and connection

The most common homemade boiler model is as follows:

1. The cylinder (barrel) is placed in a metal furnace.
2. A chimney pipe is welded to the resulting structure, through which gases will be vented from the greenhouse.
3. The last step is the welding of pipes (plastic, metal) and their further laying.

Video: how to make a solid fuel boiler yourself

Possible problems with a homemade device

• The most common problems when operating a home heating unit are:
• uneven heating of the internal space;
• excessive air dryness.

Both factors negatively affect the condition of plants in the greenhouse, so you should be especially careful in laying air ducts and provide additional air humidification. Undoubtedly, the selection and installation of technically difficult expensive equipment requires a considerable amount of time and effort to study the issue. Nevertheless, these efforts can be attributed to a prolonged investment in the future rich harvest, which both in moral and material terms will please you more than one season.