Results of performance tests on a design analysis made on a wood burning furnace intended for the winter heating of poultry houses
Mr. J. William Flatte approaches the University of Arkansas with a proposal conduct performance tests on a cordwood burning furnace he had invented, patented and constructed. The proposed tests would determine two principal characteristics of the Flatte furnace: the maximum heat output of the furnace, and the heating efficiency of the furnace when operated at maximum heat output. Much of the impetus for this project derives from the plight of the poultry farmers in the Ozark region. The high cost of hydrocarbon fuel to these farmers for winter heating severely limits the profitability of poultry production. The chief deficiencies of available commercial wood furnaces appear to be the rate of heat output (BTU/hr) and the unattended time span for operations. When fired at the maximum rate of fuel consumption (126 lbs/hour) the furnace produced heat at the rate of 255,508 BTU/hour with a thermal efficiency of 27.1 percent. Tests made by students at the reduced fuel firing rate of 72 lb/hr showed the furnace producing a heat output of 311,695 BTU/hr at a thermal efficiency of 57 percent. Measurements of the fuel burned and of the mass flow of combustion air along with Orsat chemical analyses of the combustion products indicate this furnace cannot burn fuel efficiently at the maximum firing rates. The combustion products carried significant proportions of carbon monoxide gas in all of the tests made. It is evident that the firebox design needs to be improved. The test results indicated the furnace would have a very long service life of 24 years if it were operated as in the tests. Design changes that can be expected to produce improved heat output and thermal efficiency are proposed in the text. 8 figs., 4 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Arkansas Univ., Fayetteville, AR (USA). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG01-87CE15320
- OSTI ID:
- 5962120
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/CE/15320-T3; ON: DE91009990
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
FARMS
FUEL SUBSTITUTION
WOOD BURNING FURNACES
PERFORMANCE TESTING
AIR FLOW
CARBON MONOXIDE
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS
DATA
DESIGN
FLOW RATE
FOWL
FUEL CONSUMPTION
FUEL-AIR RATIO
HEAT RATE
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MODIFICATIONS
MOISTURE
OZARK REGION
SERVICE LIFE
SPACE HEATING
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
THERMAL EFFICIENCY
THERMAL STRESSES
WOOD FUELS
ANIMALS
APPLIANCES
BIRDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUID FLOW
FUELS
FURNACES
GAS FLOW
HEATING
INFORMATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
STRESSES
TESTING
VERTEBRATES
WOOD BURNING APPLIANCES
092000* - Biomass Fuels- Combustion- (1990-)
320301 - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Industrial & Agricultural Processes- Energy Sources