Pellet Fan

Accessories & Essentials => Pellets -- comments & questions => Topic started by: ylr on May 13, 2020, 10:08:56 AM

Title: Do you burn more pellets if they are smaller?
Post by: ylr on May 13, 2020, 10:08:56 AM

There was a point made in an earlier thread that smaller pellets may burn hotter. Would using smaller pellets cause more usage, since they may burn hotter, and I'm guessing, faster?

Title: Re: Do you burn more pellets if they are smaller?
Post by: Brushpopper on May 13, 2020, 11:14:21 AM

Can't say anything about pellets, but from my stick burner days it seemed like smaller pieces of wood caught and burnt faster and hotter than a piece that wasn't split up.  Had to add wood more often with smaller stuff.  Perhaps a correlation??? :2cents:

Title: Re: Do you burn more pellets if they are smaller?
Post by: Canadian John on May 13, 2020, 11:23:51 AM

  As I see it, smaller pellets should not cause more usage as long as they have the same heat value (BTU/LB) as larger pellets. There will be more pellets per volume however..The controller's main function is to

 regulate temperature by controlling the amount of pellets. It has no idea of pellet size or heat value.

 As far as burning faster; the smaller the pellet the faster it will burn, all things being equal. That's due to the smaller volume of wood. Same burn rate/less to burn.   :2cents:

Title: Re: Do you burn more pellets if they are smaller?
Post by: pmillen on May 13, 2020, 11:41:02 AM

I see that Canadian John beat me to posting essentially the same response.  Oh, well, I wrote it—I'm posting it.

The heat produced by burning pellets is pretty much a constant if calculated on a BTU/lb. basis, around 8,250.  They’ll produce their heat faster if the pellets are small and burn faster, but it’s the same amount of total heat.

So, I think that burning small pellets will reach your desired temperature faster. 

When the pit’s temperature drops, fewer small pellets may be dropped into the fire pot to return to the set temperature because they burn fast (hot) but the overall pellet use in pounds will be the same for large and small pellets. 

So, your question was, “Would using smaller pellets cause more usage…?”  My answer is, “No.  No more pounds of pellets will be required.”

Title: Re: Do you burn more pellets if they are smaller?
Post by: slaga on May 13, 2020, 01:15:20 PM

Agree with Candian John and pmillen. I would add the smaller pellets burn hotter and faster because they have a higher surface area to mass ratio. Much like crushed ice will cool your drink faster than ice cubes.

Title: Re: Do you burn more pellets if they are smaller?
Post by: ylr on May 13, 2020, 11:13:13 PM

Well, that makes sense. Forgot to account the BTU/lb. ratio. ;)