FireBird Bio-Tec User manual

Bio-Tec
Wood Gasification Boiler

Page 2
CONTENTS
Page
1. Introduction 4
2. Health and Safety 5
3. Technical Specification 6
4. A note on wood moisture content 7
5. Operating Instructions 8
5.1 Householder User Guide 8
5.2 Controller Functions 11
5.2.1 Advanced Controller Information 13
6. Installation 14
6.1 System design 14
6.2 Locating the boiler 15
6.3 Plumbing connections 17
6.4 Assembly of tank insulation 18
6.5 Laddomat Pump Charging System 18
6.6 Flue Installation 19
6.7 Wiring instructions 20
7. Commissioning 27
8. Maintenance 28
9. Spare Parts 30
Tables
A Firebird 200mm twin wall flue system 28
B Resistance Chart – NTC25/5k 28
C Resistance Chart – Pt2000 28

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1. INTRODUCTION
We would like to thank you for purchasing your high efficiency Firebird Bio-Tec wood
gasification boiler. The Bio- Tec wood gasification boiler represents the very latest in
high efficiency wood burning. It has a rated thermal output of 35kW and is produced
in compliance with the EN 303-5 and 304 standards. The widely sized combustion
chamber allows large pieces of wood to be burnt and ensures minimum cleaning and
maintenance
EU legislation governs the manufacture, operation and efficiency of all wood
gasification boilers. The Bio-Tec boiler must be installed, commissioned and serviced
by qualified and experienced installers. It should be noted that it is the responsibility
of the installer/ householder to ensure that the boiler is properly commissioned.
Failure to do so may invalidate the boiler guarantee and any extended warranty.
WARNING!
Firebird cannot accept responsibility for any damage to persons, animals or property
due to error in installation or in the appliance adjustment, or due to improper or
unreasonable use or non observance of the technical instruction enclosed with the
appliance, or due to the intervention of unqualified personnel.

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2. HEALTH AND SAFETY
When installing, commissioning or servicing a Firebird Bio-Tec boiler you must
comply with all relevant health and safety regulations and recommendations. Proper
safety and protective clothing should be worn, including hats, boots gloves and
appropriate eye protection.
If no mechanical fall protection
or fall arrest systems are
provided, working without
suitable safety harnesses can
lead to falls from great heights,
thus causing serious or lethal
injuries.
Safety harnesses should
be fixed above the users
where possible. These
harnesses should only be
fixed to structures or
fixing points with
sufficient load- bearing
capacity.
If mechanical fall protection or
fall arrest systems cannot be
installed for technical reasons,
safety harnesses must be worn.
Do not use damaged
ladders.
Only use safety harnesses that
have been tested and certified
by authorised testing bodies.
Ensure that ladders are
put up safely. Observe
the correct leaning angle
(68º-75º).
Ladders not properly secured
against sinking in, sliding or
falling over may lead to
dangerous falls.
Only lean ladders against
secure points.
Contact with live overhead
cables can be lethal.
Wear protective goggles
when drilling.
Wear cut-proof safety gloves
when carrying out installation
work.
Wear a helmet when carrying
out installation work.
Wear safety shoes when
carrying out installation
work.

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3. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Specification Bio-Tec 35 Unit
Nominal thermal output 35 kW
Total weight 515 Kg
Boiler water content 96 Litre
Max. operating pressure 2.5 Bar
Max. operating temperature 90 ºC
Inlet and
outlet
1 ½ “ InchBoiler connections Filling and draining
½ “ Inch
Flue gas temperature (avg.) 190 ºC
Chimney draught 18 Pa
Diameter of flue outlet 150 mm
Max. length of the wood piece 550 mm
Wood storage volume 132 Litre
Boiler Dimensions in mm
DIMENSIONS
H1
L1
B1
Outer dimensions
1245 1200
720
H
L2 Flow pipe connection 1300 660
H2 Return pipe connection 80
H3 Flue gas outlet 960
B
L Chamber width Chamber length 540 685

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CAS 2000 Accumulation Tank
Specification CAS 2000
Capacity 2000 Litres
Outer Diameter 1275 mm
Total height 2490 mm
Min room height required 2570 mm
Connections (flow & return) 1 ½ “
Drain Connection 1 “
Max Operating Pressure 3 Bar
Thermal Insulation 80 mm
Max. Operation Temperature 100 ºC
Weight (empty) 265 Kg
4. The Importance of Low Wood Moisture:
The moisture content of wood greatly influences it’s calorific value or ‘burning
energy’. The lower the moisture content, the higher the calorific value as the chart
below demonstrates.
Freshly cut timber in our climate has a moisture content of between 40% and 60% so
it’s important to let the timber dry sufficiently. This may take up to two years in some
cases. Hard woods such as Ash, Oak and Beech enable a longer burn time, raising
the temperature quicker.
Firebird sells a wood moisture meter which
measures the woods moisture content. To use
simply insert the two probes into the wood, along
the grain a wait a few seconds for a reading. For
proper combustion performance the wood
moisture content should be around 20%.

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5. OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
This appliance is not intended for use by children, or persons with reduced physical,
sensory or mental capabilities, or lack of experience and knowledge.
5.1 Householder User Guide:
Important! Before starting the fire make sure the lower chamber door is closed.
A. To start the fire.
Step 1.
After switching on the main switch, push
the start button once until it flickers. The
firing mode is now activated.
Step 2.
Place one firelighter on the base of the
upper/main chamber.
Step 3.
Place a bundle of sticks on top of this fire
lighter as shown.
Step 4.
Light the firelighter and allow in to kindle.
Step 5.
Push the start button again to stop the
light from flickering and allow it to stay
constant green.

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B. Filling or re-filling
Once glowing embers have formed, the
chamber can be filled with larger logs.
Close the door after filling.
You should check the upper chamber
from time to time and refill if necessary.
The fuel warning light will also indicate
when the more wood is required.
C. Maintaining the fire overnight
The ‘glow’ button is engaged if you want
to maintain the fire for up to 12 hours.
Pressing this button ensures that a small
fire is maintained until the chamber is
refilled (i.e. the following morning)
To disengage the function press the
‘glow’ button
D. Stopping the fire
If you want to switch off the boiler, you must wait until the fuel warning light comes
on. Once that happens you can turn off the main power switch.

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5.2 Controller Functions
The following is a brief explanation of the main controller buttons and icons labelled
above:
1. The “ON/OFF” switch is used to switch on mains electric power switch.
2. The LED display shows boiler temperatures and other system information
explained in section 5.3
3. The “START” button engages the boiler for use (once the mains power is
switched on (see 1 above)
4. The “P” button is used to view system information and parameters. Pressing this
button for three seconds and the first system information P1 will appear.
5. The “+” button is used to ‘toggle’ through system information and to increase
figures during the setup operation.
6. The “STOP/-“button switches off the boiler if it is held down for 3 seconds
7. “GLOW” button is used to maintain an ember fire for up to 12 hours
8. If the “FUEL” light comes on it means that the boiler is running low on fuel, or that
the boiler has not fired up successfully
9. The “FAN” led indicates that the fan is running
10.The “ERROR” light flickers when a system error has been identified. The relevant
error code number will appear on the LCD screen, which are;
E1. Boiler sensor error
E2. Flue gas sensor error
E3. Error with upper sensor of the first accumulator tank
E4. Error with lower sensor of the last accumulator tank
E5. Error with sensor for the hot water tank
E6. Error with room stat sensor
1
13121110
9
8
2
.
7
.
6.
5
.
4
.
3
3

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11. PUMP No. 1 LED – this indicates that the boiler pump (normally the Laddomat) is
running. This pump is used to charge the accumulation tank.
12. PUMP No. 2 LED – indicates that the central heating pump is operating
13. PUMP No. 3 LED – indicates that the domestic hot water pump is running (when
connected)
5.3 Advanced Controller Information
To view key boiler measurements hold down the P button on the controller for more
than 3 seconds. The first measurement number “01” will flash on screen. Use the +
and – buttons to toggle between the seven different measurements described below.
Code Description
P- 01 Boiler temperature
P- 02 Temperature of hot water storage tank (if connected)
P- 03 Measured room temperature (from room thermostat)
P- 04 Required room temp. (from the room thermostat)
P- 05 Upper temp in the first accumulator (outlet)
P- 06 Lower temp. in last accumulator (or 1st accumulator if only one is used)
P- 07 Measured flue gases temp. (in 5 ºC increments)
Set-up Parameters
To view system set-up parameters hold down the P button and the glow button for
more than three seconds. The two red LED’s will begin to flicker. Again use the + and
– buttons to toggle between the different parameters listed below. Please note that
for safety reasons only the first three can be changed by the user – all others are
factory set.
Parameter
No. Factory set-up Description
01 50 Setup temperature for hot water tank (if connected).
Adjustment range 20-70ºC
02 0 Hot water priority.
0=equal priority
1=priority given to hot water heating.
03 0 Parameter which determines if hot water accumulator and
sensor are inside the configuration. 0=no accumulator, 1=
accumulator connected.
04 90 Maximum boiler temperature.

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05 92 Temperature at which the boiler cooling will be activated
Parameter
No. Factory set-up Description
06 65 Boiler temperature at which boiler pump (Laddomat) will
be activated
07 250
Maximum flue gases temperature permitted
08 85 Flue gases temperature level at which the burning
process stops when glow function is not activated
09 115 Flue gases temperature level at which the burning
process stops when glow function is activated
10 120 Boiler warming up period (minutes).
If combustion is not successful after this time, i.e. min flue
gas temperature is not achieved, then the boiler is
deactivated and the FUEL light goes on.
11 95 Maximum lower accumulator temperature
12 5 Minimal upper temperature difference between the first
accumulator and the room temperature in order to enable
the heating pump

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6. INSTALLATION
Installation of the boiler must be carried out by a qualified person.
6.1 System design
Please note that the following system schematics are concept designs only and are
intended as a guide to installers. They are NOT intended as full system design
drawings and installers must always calculate the system requirements for each
individual installation.
Sample schematic for an open vented heating system:
The following diagram represents one method of connecting the Bio-Tec boiler to the
accumulation tank and heating circuit in an open vented heating system. This
boiler/tank connection is often called a serial connection. In this set-up the
accumulation tank charging circuit (boiler to tank via boiler pump/Laddomat) is
‘decoupled’ from the heating circuit.
An alternative arrangement is called a parallel connection where the heating circuit
is tee’d into the charging circuit which allows heat to be delivered to the building
quicker.

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Tank sizing
The recommended sizing of the accumulation tank is a minimum of 50 litres of water
storage per 1kW of rated boiler output, i.e. a 35kW boiler will require a minimum tank
size of 1750 litres. The Bio-Tec boiler should only be operated when connected to
an appropriately sized accumulation tank.
Connecting two or more accumulation tanks
If two or more accumulation tanks are to be used they should be connected in series
as shown in the diagram below. The bottom outlet of the first tank is connected to the
top inlet of the next tank and so on. The lower tank temperature sensor is connected
to the base of the last tank.
6.2 Locating the boiler
The Bio- Tec boiler and accumulation tank should not be installed inside a house or
outdoors; the ideal location is a garage or suitable outbuilding. Firebird recommends
that the boiler is placed on a solid concrete surface with a minimum thickness of
100mm. The boiler and flue system should be install to ensure easy access for
loading, cleaning and service.
Ventilation
The boiler room needs to be properly ventilated and protected from freezing. The
size of the ventilation opening to the boiler room, A, is calculated as follows;
A = 6.02 Q Where
A = ventilation surface area in cm2
Q = boiler’s output in kW
For a 35 kW boiler you will need an opening of 211cm² or 32 inches². The ventilation
opening to the must always be protected by the steel mesh or grid.

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6.3 Boiler connections
The diagram to the left shows the main plumbing
connections to the Bio-Tec boiler. Connection
sizes for the 35kW model are;
Flow 1 ½ ”
Return 1 ½ “
Filling /draining (on return conn.) ½ “
6.4 Flue Installation
A properly sized and insulated twin wall flue is critical
to the safe and efficient operation of the Bio-Tec
boiler. Table 1 shows the components of the flue
system provided by Firebird.
Key considerations with the installation of the Bio-Tec
flue are;
•The flue must be insulated to avoid
condensation and tar build up
•A minimum inner diameter of 200mm is required
for the 35kW Bio-Tec
•Minimal distance between boiler and the vertical
section of flue should be 500mm
•Flue must leave boiler with a 45 degree rise
•Good access for cleaning must be provided
Determining the correct chimney size
Having the right draft and construction is critical to the
efficient and safe operation of the Bio-Tec boiler. An
insulated flue must be used with a minimum inner
diameter of 200 (8”).
Flue height must be according to the chart right.

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6.5 Fitting CAS-2000 tank insulation jacket
To avoid damage during storage and transport the insulation jacket for the CAS-2000
tank is supplied seperately. Note: This is a two person job and a ladder will be
required during the assembly.
Step 1.
The insulation jacket comes in two pieces so first zip the
two pieces together to that the openings for the pipe
connections line up correctly.
Step 2.
Wrap the insulation around the storage tank. Allow for
the insulation to fit around the pipe connections the
correct way around.
Step 3.
Bring the two sides of the insulation together as so that
they almost meet.
Step 4.
Firebird recommends that you tie three belts around the
insulation jacket as shown. Tie one around the upper
half, one around the middle area and the other around
the lower area.
Tip: If you leave this to settle overnight, the insulation
will be easier to fit around the tank.
Step 5.
Close the zip starting at the top and working
downwards.

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6.6 Laddomat 21
Firebird recommends that a Laddomat 21 pump charging system is fitted with every
Bio-Tec installation. The Laddomat 21 is installed as shown in the schematic in
section 6.2 The key benefits of the Laddomat 21 are;
•Enables the boiler to reach a high working
temperature quickly by allowing self-circulation
through the boiler
•Charges the accumulation tank in the most
efficient manner. This is achieved by means of a
slow flow of hot water, where cold water from the
base of the tank is blended with hot water exiting
the boiler
•Prevents reverse circulation when the boiler is
not operating to minimise heat loss
Full details on the Laddomat operation and installation
can be found in the manual supplied with it.
Thermister wires:
The picture on the left shows the thermisters
wires exiting from the tank. These wires
must be passed through pre-cut holes in the
insulation jacket.

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6. 7 Electrical connections
Electrical connections to the Bio-Tec are made to two terminal blocks located behind
the digital controller. These terminal blocks can be accessed by removing the top
panel behind the digital controller. The terminal block on the left hand side contains
all the power and relay connections while the block on the right hand side is for
sensor and stat connections.
Power/Relay Connections – Left hand terminal block
The mains power and fan connections
are already pre-wired. The earth, live
and neutral for the three circulating
pumps are connected according to the
symbols shown on the block.
P1 = boiler pump / Laddomat
P2 = heating circulating pump
P3 = circulating pump to hot water
storage tank (if connected)
Sensor & Stat Connections - Right hand terminal block
The table below identifies the different sensors used on the Bio-Tec boiler and the
sensor type. Two types of resistant sensors are used – PT1000 and a NTC 5k/25
sensor. The performance of these sensors can be checked using the resistance
charts shown in tables 2 and 3
No. Measures Sensor Type
O1 Boiler Temperature NTC 5k/25
O2 Flue Gas Temperature Pt1000
O3 Accumulator Tank Upper
Temperature NTC 5k/25
O4 DHW Tank Temperature NTC 5k/25
O5 Reserved for additional
accumulator tank NTC 5k/25

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Sensors O1 and O2 are pre-wired at the
factory. Sensors O3 and O5 should be feed
from the accumulation tank. Sensor O4 is
connected if a hot water tank is used.
Room thermostat (terminals 11 to 15)
A room thermostat is supplied with the Bio-
Tec boiler which should be installed in an
appropriate location inside house. The room
stat has 5 terminal connections inside it
labelled 1 to 5. These are connected to
terminals 11 to 15 respectively on the right terminal block of the Bio-Tec. Terminals
11 to 13 relate to the temperature control; terminals 14 and 15 are for the fuel
warning LED. If a room stat is not used terminals 11 and 12 must be bridged.
Terminal 16 is not used on the Bio-Tec boiler
If extra cable length is needed always make sure to use 1.5mm 2-core cable.
6.8 Pre-firing Checks
Before starting up the boiler for the first time the following checks should be made
•check all electrical and plumbing connections
•ensure that the flue system is properly sealed and air tight
•ensure that the chamber doors seal properly when closed and that the exhaust
tubulators are free to move using the riddle lever on the right hand side panel

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7. MAINTENANCE
Weekly / Every 20 hours of operation (can be carried out by the householder)
•Clean the upper and lower combusting chambers using the cleaning poker
provided.
•Scrape the ash from the refractory stone using the
semi-circular shaped poker.
•Open the small door at the back of the boiler and
remove all ash and debris
•Rotate the riddle as shown below to dislodge ash on
the flue gas turbulators.
Every six months
This work must be carried out by a qualified service engineer.
i. Clean the upper and lower chambers thoroughly but do not remove the
refractory stone.
ii. Remove the flue extractor fan at the back
and clean

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iii. Clean the flue gas turbulators at the back of
the boiler. To do this remove the rear upper
cover of the boiler and unscrew the cover of
the upper opening by removing the screws
as shown. Pull out the spiral turbulators
(spring from spiral bar 5) out of the flue gas
tube.
iv. Check operation of the safety pressure switch and air vent