MCZ Antares '03 - Manual (Page 10)

Information
Wood pellets are manufactured by hot-extruding compressed
sawdust which is produced during the working of natural dried
wood. The compactness of the material comes from the lignin
which is contained in the wood itself, and allows the production
of pellets without the use of glues or binders.
The market offers different types of pellet with characteristics
which vary depending on what mixture of woods is used. The
diameter varies between 6 mm and 8 mm, with a standard length
in the range 5 mm to 30 mm. Good quality pellets have a density
which varies between 550 kg/m
3 and 700 kg/m 3 , with a moisture
content which varies from 5% tp 8% by weight.
With the aim of guaranteeing the stated rate of fuel consumption per hour and ensuring
optimum combustion, MCZ has devised a patented method which allows the identification
and cataloguing of any type of pellet with a 6 mm diameter, in terms of its specific gravity
and particle size.
By using the special measuring container and following the procedure
set out in the paragraph on lighting the stove, the user can determine
the correct settings for configuring the stove.
Besides being an ecological fuel (exploiting timber residues to the
maximum and achieving cleaner combustion than is possible with
fossil fuels), pellets also have technical advantages. While good-
quality timber has a calorific power of 4.4 kW/kg (with 15% moisture,
therefore after about 18 months' seasoning), the equivalent figure for
pellets is 5.3 kW/kg.
To ensure good combustion, the pellets must be stored in an area that
is free of damp, and protected from dirt. Pellets are supplied in 15 kg
bags, so they are very convenient to store.
Good quality pellets ensure good combustion, thus lowering the
emission of harmful agents into the atmosphere.
The poorer the quality of the fuel, the more frequently will
intervention be necessary for cleaning the internal parts, such as
the grate and the combustion chamber.
The pellets must be produced from pure wood which has not been
treated chemically.
The standards DIN 51731 and ONORM M 7135 certify a high-quality
pellet with the following characteristics:
Calorific power: 5.3 kW/kg
Density: 700 kg/m
3
Moisture content: 8% max by weight
Ash percentage: 1% max by weight
Diameter: 6-6.5 mm
Length: 30 mm max
Content: 100% untreated wood, with no added bonding substances (bark percentage 5% max)
Packaging: in bags made from ecologically compatible or biodegradable material
MCZ emphatically recommends using certified fuel in its stoves.
The use of fuel of inferior quality or not conforming to the specification given above
compromises the running of your stove and can therefore lead to the termination of the
guarantee and of the manufacturer's responsibility for the product.
Vega, Astra,Aurora and Antares stoves run exclusively on pellets with a diameter of 6 mm
and a length rage from 5 mm to a maximum 30 mm.
1.6 The pellets
Pellet measuring
container
15 kg bags of pellets
9