Biomass Boilers

A biomass boiler burns renewable organic fuel and transfers the heat into water for a hydronic heating system. MBTEK biomass boilers use cordwood, wood pellets, wood chips, or compatible agricultural biomass on specific models.

Yes. Wood pellets are manufactured biomass fuel, so a wood pellet boiler is one type of biomass boiler. Pellet boilers use consistent fuel and automatic feeding, while cordwood boilers are usually loaded manually and wood-chip boilers need bulk fuel handling.

Fuel depends on the boiler family. Wood boilers primarily burn dry cordwood, pellet boilers burn manufactured wood pellets, BIO DUO burns properly sized wood chips, and PELLET DUO can also use compatible corn, grains, or other biomass. Always follow the selected model's approved-fuel specifications.

Yes. A correctly designed biomass hydronic system can heat radiant floors, radiators, fan coils, or air handlers and can support domestic hot water through a compatible indirect tank. Final design depends on heat loss, water temperature, storage, controls, and local code.

Yes. PRO and UNI wood boilers and several ATLAS, PELLET DUO, OLYMPUS, and PHOENIX pellet models serve residential and light-commercial heating ranges. BIO DUO 50 and 100 are intended for large homes, estates, and light-commercial wood-chip projects.

Residential boilers serve smaller heat loads and usually need less fuel storage and simpler distribution. Commercial and industrial projects involve higher output, longer runtimes, larger storage, heavier pumps and controls, more demanding mechanical-room access, and project-specific engineering.

No. MBTEK biomass boilers are hydronic hot-water heating systems. They are not high-pressure steam boilers, cogeneration equipment, or power-plant boilers.

Begin with a building heat-loss calculation. Account for climate, insulation, ceiling height, air leakage, domestic hot water, supply-water temperature, operating schedule, distribution equipment, buffer tank strategy, and backup heat before selecting boiler output.

Many biomass systems benefit from thermal storage because a buffer tank can absorb boiler output, reduce short cycling, and stabilize supply temperature. The required volume depends on boiler output, fuel type, water temperature, building load, and control strategy.

Typical maintenance includes burning approved dry fuel, removing ash, cleaning the burn chamber and heat exchanger, inspecting the chimney and seals, servicing automatic feed equipment, and checking pumps, valves, controls, expansion equipment, and system water quality annually.