fireplace heat exchanger

Jack_21

Try Central Furnace/Boiler. Your problem with type of system is that as you reduce the heat in the flue box you create all kinds of (as in mass qtys)creosote in the breaching and chimney. If you have ever ben invloved in a REAL creosote fire you know you do not want to promote such an event. I would suggest, if you want heat use a real heating appliance. If you want the wood fire...enjoy the ambiance and take whatever heat you get. IMHO, of course!

Vinny baga doughnuts

fireplace heat exchangers

Does anyone know of a product that can be incorporated into a fireplace hearth while it is being constructed, or after it is constructed,that can be tied to a hydronic fhw system to extract the heat from the fireplace and spread it throughout the heating system?

It would probably need its own pump,expansion tank, high limt,and pressure relief valve etc.

Ken_8

I know of no \"legit\" vendors, but...

Many have fooled with this concept somewhat experimentally.

The classic dillema is that water near a flame or high heat source will flash to steam when temps and pressures are right. If the pump should fail to circulate the water - and the fire gets going well, the potential for an explosion is present. Sooner or later, either the water temps will flash to steaming or the fire will go out. Neither would be a "desired" result.

Of course the pipes can be moved far enough away to reduce or even eliminate the potential for a flash over, but then the entire design is also comrpomised to where the expense and experimentation just isn't worth the hassle.

There are a few very obscure wood stove type "boilers" I have only seen in passing. I suspect a Google Search with those parameters may get a few "hits"?

I would just imagine the negatives would be virtually insurmountable. But then, what do I know.

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BillW@honeywell

Those things are dangerous...

There was a tragedy in NJ about 10 years ago that involved one of these fireplace heat recovery systems. The origninal owner installed (or cobbled together a system)then sold the house, and the buyer didn't know the fireplace had a water coil in it, and lit a wood fire on the first chilly fall night. The coil overheated and exploded, two children were killed and the homeowner was badly injured.

Unknown

I agree with Bill

I have seen applications like this where pipe coils have been inserted in hearths and wood stoves with catastrophic results. These can quickly become a bomb if they can't get rid of their heat. I would STRONGLY advise against anything of this nature for safety's sake. Hope this helps.

Glenn Stanton

Burnham Hydronics