Pumps, did you say?

[fuelfarmer]

With the name of this forum section, Pumps,Pex and thermal storage, I just had to post some photos of the first alternative energy project we did on the farm. There was no dipping the toe to test the water. This was a head first plunge into the deep end of the proverbial alternative energy pool.

[BioHazard]

 

What are you heating with all that?! Is that the furnace in the last pic?

[fuelfarmer]

Turkey barn. Yes that is a boiler in the last photo.

[BioHazard]

Damn, those turkeys have it better than I do when I'm working out in the barn!  They better be some tasty birds...

[rcavictim]

Yikes.  Glad I didn't have to bankroll that project out of my own wages.  Now I know why the price of copper went up.  Nice looking installation.  Top shelf!  I didn't know you could still find tradesmen that were capable of such work.

[mbryner]

Holy cow!   That's cool!

[billswan]

so what is firing the boiler?

Billswan

[fuelfarmer]

Grain is the fuel. Corn ,barley, and a little wheat. We grow a lot of the fuel on the farm, but we look for damaged grain that we can buy at a good price.

Youtube clip...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHiqtZ3B4mQ

[LowGear]

What an interesting world this site opens up time after time.

It looks like you're flirting with rocket surgery to raise turkeys.

Casey

[rl71459]

Very Impressive!

I first watched it @ work and had to show a buddy of mine I share the office with... He is also a farmer
we were both impressed! Thanks for the video.

Rob

[BioHazard]

I would have never thought so much heat energy goes into my turkey sandwich.  How many BTU is the boiler, and how many gallons is that tank?

It amazes me how high tech farms are these days, my poor uncle bud had 1000 acres and nothing more than an ex army Jeep he converted into a flatbed/tractor.

[fuelfarmer]

I can get 850,000 btus out of the boiler. The storage tank is a recycled well insulated 1000 gallon stainless steel milk cooling tank. I call it a tempering tank because it does not store that much heat for the size of the building. Water is pumped from the tank, through the floor, and back into the tank. Water also is pumped from the tank, through the boiler, and back into the tank. This allows the "cold " return water to mix with the hotter water before it gets pumped through the boiler.