Woodfuelled mini district heating system at Camphill Jerpoint. System commissioned March 2004

Background to the project

The Camphill Community in Jerpoint, Co. Kilkenny is a mutual help community for adults of all ages with varying degrees of disability.

During the planning of a new community house, analysis showed that it made economic and environmental sense to design and install a modern wood fuelled heat ing network for the major buildings in the community. These buildings included the new 9-bedroom community house, an existing 12-bedroom communi ty house, an office building and a separate build ing containing a community hall, apartment and food processing workshop.

This decision to go for a wood fuelled mini district heating system was based on 3 factors:

• Heating with woodfuel is more economical than oil, even before taking into account imminent carbon taxes
• Heating with woodfuel is reliable, convenient and environmental ly sound
• Grants were available for the capital expenditure in the system
• There was a secure source of woodfuel available in the local ity, and general forecasts for Ireland showed increasing volume of local woodfuel becoming available as imported fossil fuels became scarcer and more expensive

Project implementation

Clearpower provided project management support and design services, and are now involved in the ongoing fuel supply. The boi ler is a 150kW Fröling Turbomatic from Austria. Kinsella Electrics carried out the electrical work and Blanchfield Engineering designed and installed the distribution pipework. The boiler-house and fuel store was designed to complement the surrounding buildings by Architect Aidan Lavelle.

Separately, in a sustainable energy competition organised by Wexford County Council , the transition year students of Good Counsel College in New Ross took first place with a project based on the Camphi ll Jerpoint woodfuelled heating system.

Description of the system

The woodchip heating system is located in a purpose built boiler-house, fed from a rotating auger in the attached woodchip store. Each of the buildings in the Community are connected to the boiler by a system of ful ly insulated underground pipes.

Cost benefit

While such a wood fuelled heating system is more expensive to install than a convent ional fossil fuelled system, the fuel and CO2 savings are signi ficant .

The boiler

The boiler is a Fröling Turbomatic 150, which has an output capacity of 80kW - 150kW. A fuel energy to useful heat efficiency of 92% over the output range is achieved. The Turbomatic 150 can produce hot water at 95°C and 3bar pressure. An operating li fet ime of 25years can be expected from the boiler.

The boiler unit consists of the following features:

• Fire-clay lined universal
• Combust ion chamber
• Fire resistant moving grate.
• Water cooled tubular heat exchanger with automatic cleaning
• 2-way ash removal system at the combustion chamber and heat exchanger
• Automatic ignit ion
• Control led stoker conveyer
• Microprocessor control system including a sensor to regulate pump and mixer valve according to outside temperature.
• Chimney constructed of block and clay flues.

The woodfuel store

The fuel store is bui lt on split level ground enabling fuel to be tipped into the store from the upper yard. The under ground level is constructed of concrete above which is an open front shed.

The woodfuel

Clearpower supply dry, quali ty controlled woodfuel and deliver it directly to the fuel store. The boiler can burn woodfuel with up to 40% moisture content, but works most efficiently with fuel under 20% moisture content . The woodfuel particles must be less than 7.5cm long to travel through the fuel-feed auger. However, the fuel feed system has the abil ity to automat ically chop longer pieces to the appropriate size.

The Community requires over 240,000kWh of fuel per year. This is equivalent to approximately 5 tonnes or 25 cubic metres of woodfuel per month at 20% moisture content. The fuel store can easily hold 4-5 months woodfuel supply.

Operation and maintenance

The operating convenience of this modern woodchip system is similar to that of an oil or gas boile r. The boi ler incorporates an automatic ash removal system and fully automatic heat exchanger cleaning. The small quantity of ash remaining from the burning process is used as a fert ilizer on fields and compost heaps for a horticultural project within the Camphil l Communi ty.

Investment and financing

The system is 100% owned by Camphill Jerpoint. The total capital and installat ion cost was €85,500 including boile r, fuel store, distribut ion pipes, electrical work and installation. The system was built in phases with grant funding made available from BNS Leader and Sustainable Energy Ireland. The remainder of the funding was generated by Camphil l parents/friends groups who ran a number of fund raising projects. The transi tion year students of Good Counsel College also raised funds from a 10km run.

Summary of technical data:

Contacts

Project Owner
Camphill Jerpoint
Thomastown
Co. Kilkenny
t: +353 (0)56 7754132
e: jerpoint@camphill .ie
w: www.camphil l. ie

Project management support
and Fuel supply
Clearpower Limited
4 Merrion Square
Dublin 2
t: +353 (0)1 6690979
e: info@clearpower.ie
w: www.clearpower. ie