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Biocom: 30-100kW Wood Pellet Biomass Boiler

The Guntamatic Biocom burns ENPlus A1 or A2 wood pellets.

Contact Features

Guntamatic: The Biocom Range

These versatile units have all the sophisticated features you’d expect from a Guntamatic system and can produce heat outputs of between 30-400kW (as much as 100kW from a single unit).

We often use a cascade approach, installing two or more boilers in the same system to achieve heat outputs up to 400kW. This kind of flexibility allows us to install the most efficient system in modulation.

Biocom cascade of boilers

All models are MCS accredited where relevant and RHI compliant.

Seriously Low Emissions

The Biocom's emissions have been measured as significantly below the maximum emissions set out as a requirement for the RHI. The values of each model are in the table below and you can see the certificate here.

Boiler PM NOx

Maximum Emissions

30 g/GJ 150 g/GJ
Guntamatic Biocom 30 Emissions 3 65
Guntamatic Biocom 40 Emissions 10 54
Guntamatic Biocom 50 Emissions 9 55
Guntamatic Biocom 75 Emissions 7 63
Guntamatic Biocom 100 Emissions 4 71
Guntamatic Biocom 101 Emissions 4 71

Wood Pellets

Choose wood pellets that are ENPlus A1 or A2 rated to ensure you get the best out of your boiler. You should also be certain you’re using a reliable, local supplier to be confident about quality. To find reliable suppliers in your area, check out the Wood Fuel Directory.

Storage and Fuel Delivery

Many of our customers in the Wye Valley have chosen the Biocom boiler because fuel can be quickly blown into a fuel store on delivery. The fuel store can be up to 20m away and wood pellets are fed automatically in via vacuum tube, directly into the 200-litre day hopper.

Automatic Ignition and Lambda Probe

These boilers are designed to achieve a quick and easy start with automatic hot air ignition and a lambda probe to add just the right amount of oxygen. The result is optimum combustion and optimum efficiency.

Self-Cleaning

The Biocom features Guntamatic’s innovative self-cleaning system, where turbulators move constantly to keep heat exchanger tubes free from buildup of deposits.

Control Panel

Your Biocom boiler comes with a touch screen panel fitted as standard. This puts you in control and gives access to efficiency, fault and maintenance information. Plus, if you opt for the additional GSM module, you’ll be able to control the boiler’s settings from your smartphone.

Efficiency in Modulation

Biocom boilers are famed for their ability to maintain 96% efficiency between 26-100% of output. So you’ll enjoy maximum value for money through a more complete burn.

Low Ash Content

For the volume of fuel, just 0.5-1% ash is generated, meaning that you’ll only need to empty the up to 80 litre ash bin every six to eight weeks.

Flexible Fuel Delivery

The Biocom comes with the option of fitting a Flex fuel delivery system. This consists of a vacuum hose which connects your boiler to a custom-built fuel store (of any size) and feeds pellets into your boiler via an auger.

When planning your fuel store, evaluate your likely usage so that you can build a store that’s big enough. Ideally, you shouldn’t need to refill it more than three or four times a year.

The outfeed auger is available in a variety of lengths to fit your custom-built fuel store:

Flex Size Auger Length Options
Flex 1 1,080 – 1,559mm
Flex 1.5 1,560 – 2,039mm
Flex 2 2,040 - 2,519mm
Flex 2.5 2,520 -2,999mm
Flex 3 3,000 – 3,479mm
Flex 3.5 3,480 – 3,959mm
Flex 4 3,960 – 4,439mm
Flex 4.5 4.440 – 4.919mm
Flex 5 4.920 – 5.399mm

Prefabricated ‘Box’ Fuel Store

We also offer a prefabricated fuel store solution that’s suitable for ENPlus A1 and A2 wood pellets. The storage box arrives flat-packed, has a stable, steel base, filling tubes and a suction coupling and it’s adjustable in height. Also supplied is a vacuum tube for feeding the pellets into the boiler. 

Box fuel delivery system

The Box System Comes in Five Sizes:

Box Model Dimensions Fuel Capacity

Box 5.2

 170 (w) x 170 (l) mm 2 - 3.4 tonnes 3 - 5.2m3
Box 7.5 210 (w) x 210 (l) mm 3 - 4.7 tonnes 5 - 7.5m3

Box 8.3

 290 (w) x 170 (l) mm 4 - 5.4 tonnes 6.1 - 8.3m3

Box 11

 250 (w) x 250 (l) mm 5 - 6.7 tonnes 8.3 - 11m3

Box 14

 290 (w) x 290 (l) mm 6.5 - 9.1 tonnes 6.5 - 14.1m3

50 Years’ Experience Built In

Having recently hit their 50-year anniversary, it’s clear that Guntamatic are market leaders in renewable energy technology. This level of experience means that every boiler they make is created with huge industry expertise, and the Biocom is no exception.

Parts Available for 20 Years

Guntamatic are unique amongst biomass boiler manufacturers as they make all of their own structural components. Every single part of the Biocom is of the highest standards, offering you maximum return on your investment, low maintenance requirements and a long service life. You can get hold of spare parts easily as Guntamatic guarantees to make parts available for 20 years.

European Training Academy

They put an equal amount of effort into developing installers at their European Training Academy, so an authorised, highly trained and experienced engineer will fit the system for you.

Dimensions

Video Case Study

Take a Look at The Video Case Study from an Installation at Gulworthy Church in Devon

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Biocom Technical Data 30 40 50 75 100
Fuel 6mm Wood Pellets (ENPlus A1 or A2)
Min-Max Outputs (kW) 7 - 30 9 - 40 12 - 50 22 - 75 22 - 100
Draught Req. (mBar) 0.15
Boiler Temp. (oC) 50-80 50-80 50-80 60-80 60-80
Return Flow Temp. (oC) >40 >40 >40 >45 >45
Elevation of Rtn. Flow Pump (RA60 When Buffered) Pump (Return temperature boost when buffered)
Water Contents (Ltr) 128 128 147 256 256
Operating Pressure (Bar) Max 3
Grate Ash Storage Vol. (Ltr) 60 60 60 80 80
Heat Exchanger Ash Storage Vol. (Ltr) 12
Width (mm) 1,474 1,774
Depth (mm) 980 1,090
Height (mm) 1,810
Flue Connection Dia. (mm) 150 180
Weight, no feed auger (kg) 550 553 585 865
Feed Auger Weight (kg) 70
Safety Heat Exchanger Yes
Power Supply 230V/ 13A

 

FAQs

Wood Pellets

What are wood pellets?

Wood pellets are made from compacted sawdust or any other waste produced from sawmills and other manufacturers.

What is the calorific value of wood pellets?

It’s 4.8kWh per kg, meaning you only need one third of the storage space that you would need for chips. Plus you get three times as much heat.

  • Wood Chips = 250KG/m3
  • Wood Pellets = 650KG/m3
How much do I need, compared to oil?

1 litre of oil is equivalent to 2kg of wood pellets.

What is the cost of wood pellets?

You can expect to pay between £180 - £220 per tonne.

Where is the nearest supplier of wood pellets?

We always recommend using the fantastic Biomass Suppliers’ List (BSL) for a comprehensive list of high quality suppliers across the UK.

Can I use any kind of pellets?

The pellets will need to be ENPlus A1 or A2. These are 10-12mm long and 6mm in diameter. Your wood pellets need to be dry, clean, mechanically robust and possess an ash content defined by appropriate standards. They need to be able to flow freely and delivered via a pneumatic system. Check out this handbook from HETAS for more information about wood pellets.

Wood Chips

What are wood chips?

Passing small logs or wood waste through a chipping machine produces 3mm pieces (also known as G30). Find out more here.

What is the calorific value of wood chips?

Approximately 3.5 kWh per kg, depending on the moisture content of the chips. We recommend a maximum of 30% moisture and you can check this with a moisture meter.

How much space do I need to store them?

Wood chips need approximately three times as much storage space as wood pellets;

  • Wood Chips = 250KG/m3
  • Wood Pellets = 650KG/m3
Where is the nearest supplier of wood chips?

We always recommend using the fantastic Biomass Suppliers’ List (BSL) for a comprehensive list of high quality suppliers across the UK.

What is the cost wood chips?

If you get bought-in wood chips, you can expect to pay £120 per tonne. Alternatively, if you have your own wood supply, you can arrange for contract chipping for around £50 a time. Contract chippers charge about £150 per hour and they can chip around 15 tonnes in an hour. So you can potentially chip your entire annual supply in half a day and load it straight into your fuel store.

Miscanthus

What is miscanthus?

Also known as ‘elephant grass’, Miscanthus is a perennial grass which grows and spreads quickly, even on land of poor quality. It’s so easy to cultivate and requires little to no intervention. This is why it’s such a popular option for biofuel.

What is the calorific value of miscanthus?

Miscanthus has a calorific value of 3.6-4 kWh per kilogram and weighs 70-90 kilograms per metre cubed. It’s less dense than grain and therefore you’ll need more storage space.

Which boilers will burn miscanthus?

The Guntamatic Powercorn and Powerchip models will both burn Miscanthus (in chopped or pelleted form). To ask about other models, please get in touch.

What moisture content should miscanthus be in order for it to burn?

It’s imperative that Miscanthus is kept dry and ventilated to get the best out of it. Its moisture content cannot be above 20% and it must conform to W20 standards for chopped, air-dried Miscanthus and W30 for storing and drying.

We advise adding around 0.3 – 0.5% by weight of slaked lime (calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2) to your fuel before using it in boilers with ratings up to 50 kW and 0.5 – 0.8% for boilers with ratings over 50 kW. This increases the calcium content of your fuel and raises the ash fusion point. This reduces the amount of clinker that can form.

Logs

What is the calorific value of logs?

5.1 kWh per kg, depending on the moisture content of the logs.

What kind of logs should I burn?

Logs need to be sustainably sourced, as dry as possible and have no coatings or preservatives. Only use logs that have been seasoned for 1-2 years before use in your biomass boiler. The moisture content needs to be 20%, otherwise energy is wasted burning off moisture, meaning your boiler isn’t as efficient as it could be.

How long do logs take to dry?

Hard woods need longer to season - around two years. Soft woods need around one year. The ideal size is 500cm long and 12-15cm thick.

Where can I find a good log supplier?

We always recommend using the fantastic Biomass Suppliers’ List (BSL) for a comprehensive list of high quality suppliers across the UK.

How much should pay for logs?

Logs will cost you approximately £90 per tonne.

Grain

Really? I can burn grain?

Absolutely. Grain is an economical and convenient fuel for biomass boilers. Pourable options like oats, barley and wheat have a low nitrogen content and can be used in models such as Guntamatic’s Powerchip and Powercorn boilers.

What is the calorific value of grain?

It really depends on the grain: barley gives 4.3-4.4 kWh per kg and wheat gives 4.5-4.6 kWh per kg. Grain is slightly denser than Miscanthus, so will need less storage space.

Won't I get clinker?

We advise adding around 0.3 – 0.5% by weight of slaked lime (calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2) to your fuel before using it in boilers with ratings up to 50 kW and 0.5 – 0.8% for boilers with ratings over 50 kW. This increases the calcium content of your fuel and raises the ash fusion point. This reduces the amount of clinker that can form.

How dry should it be?

Keep moisture content less than 13% to avoid wasting energy on burning off excess moisture. This will ensure your boiler is as efficient as possible.

FAQs

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Wye Valley Energy - 2014