Listen, the most a large boiler stove would do is 12 to 14 rads. You really need to get a review done and perhaps consider a gasification boiler and not a stove. You would be forever feeding such a stove.
Just to clarify, by 12-14 rads you mean 12-14 single rads of an average size so 6-7 double rads?
Any large stove will require continuous feeding with considerable amounts of fuel to heat a large heating system.
Compared to oil or gas, you need to look at the type of fuel that you have access to and that you are happy to use, i.e. coal (heavy, dirty, storage, etc.) or timber or turf, etc.
To compare, you need to compare the calorific values of each fuel. This is the maximum amount of energy that can be obtained from a given quantity of that fuel, for example:
Each fuel calorific value is measured for comparison purposes in kWh/unit:
Home Heating Oil = 10.9kWh/Litre
Natural Gas = 10.8kWh/m³
Coal = 7.0kWh/Kg
Turf = 3.56kWh/Kg
Briquettes = 4.7kWh/Kg
Wood Pellets = 4.9kWh/Kg
Split Ash Logs (Fresh) = 2.6kWh/Kg
Split Ash Logs (Dried) = 4.0kWh/Kg
From the above you compare fuels to Natural Gas & Oil as their calorific values are virtually equal.
Therefore to obtain the same heat as from oil/gas you will require the following:
Coal = 1.56Kg
Turf = 3.06Kg
Briquettes = 2.31Kg
Wood Pellets = 2.23Kg
Split Ash Logs (Fresh) = 4.18Kg
Split Ash Logs (Dried) = 2.67Kg
You must also consider their moisture contents as this will have an effect on the energy you are extracting from the fuel, such as Turf with a MC of 35%, Fresh Ash 45%, Coal 10%, Pellets 8%, etc.
Finally, you must take into consideration the efficiency of the appliance compared to the efficiency of an oil or gas boiler, such as a high efficiency boiler with excess of 95% efficient at converting the energy of the fuel into useful energy and not lost to the atmosphere.
Stoves are generally at best 40% efficient with open fires at around 20%. Some manufacturers claim higher efficiencies but they need to produce certification & test results for this.
To summarise, if you have a heat demand of say 20kW for one hour, (seven double 1.0m x 0.5m high radiators) + hot water demand, you will require approx 2 litres of oil for one hour @ 95% efficiency.
For turf, you will need approx 15Kg of turf for one hour and this is not taking into the account the moisture content.
Similarly, you will need approx 8kg of coal for one hour for the same.
excellent post...well done...!!!any large stove will require continuous feeding with considerable amounts of fuel to heat a large heating system.
Compared to oil or gas, you need to look at the type of fuel that you have access to and that you are happy to use, i.e. Coal (heavy, dirty, storage, etc.) or timber or turf, etc.
To compare, you need to compare the calorific values of each fuel. This is the maximum amount of energy that can be obtained from a given quantity of that fuel, for example:
Each fuel calorific value is measured for comparison purposes in kwh/unit:
Home heating oil = 10.9kwh/litre
natural gas = 10.8kwh/m³
coal = 7.0kwh/kg
turf = 3.56kwh/kg
briquettes = 4.7kwh/kg
wood pellets = 4.9kwh/kg
split ash logs (fresh) = 2.6kwh/kg
split ash logs (dried) = 4.0kwh/kg
from the above you compare fuels to natural gas & oil as their calorific values are virtually equal.
Therefore to obtain the same heat as from oil/gas you will require the following:
Coal = 1.56kg
turf = 3.06kg
briquettes = 2.31kg
wood pellets = 2.23kg
split ash logs (fresh) = 4.18kg
split ash logs (dried) = 2.67kg
you must also consider their moisture contents as this will have an effect on the energy you are extracting from the fuel, such as turf with a mc of 35%, fresh ash 45%, coal 10%, pellets 8%, etc.
Finally, you must take into consideration the efficiency of the appliance compared to the efficiency of an oil or gas boiler, such as a high efficiency boiler with excess of 95% efficient at converting the energy of the fuel into useful energy and not lost to the atmosphere.
Stoves are generally at best 40% efficient with open fires at around 20%. Some manufacturers claim higher efficiencies but they need to produce certification & test results for this.
To summarise, if you have a heat demand of say 20kw for one hour, (seven double 1.0m x 0.5m high radiators) + hot water demand, you will require approx 2 litres of oil for one hour @ 95% efficiency.
For turf, you will need approx 15kg of turf for one hour and this is not taking into the account the moisture content.
Similarly, you will need approx 8kg of coal for one hour for the same.