Trench vs Box Burners: Which Should I Choose?
In This Article:
– What are the similarities between Refractory Box Air Curtain Burners and Trench Burners?
– What are the similarities between Refractory Box Air Curtain Burners and Trench Burners?
– Which type of burner is best for me?
When initially beginning their search for a burner, most people don’t realize just how similar trench burners and box burners are. Granted, they look very different, but the science behind them is the same. Whether burning in a pit with a trench burner or above ground with a box burner, both machines ultimately work because they are a fans with an engine that force a large volume of fast-moving air through a long and narrow opening in the manifold. This air circulates through the contained space where the fire is burning and traps smoke, sparks, and emissions, and increases the temperature and efficiency of the fire.
So what are the differences and advantages of each?
Since Trench Burners are comprised only of the air curtain with a small body, they are light weight and easily towable even by a standard pick-up truck. This makes them both very easy and comparatively inexpensive to transport. They are ideal for projects that require increased mobility, have limited access, or have smaller budgets. This is especially true because the refractory lined box is expensive to produce, so trench burners will be a more budget-friendly option for both rentals and purchases. Additionally, one often unexpected advantage to a trench burner is that you can often get more volume and production out of it compared to a box of the same size since, with a box, you are locked into about 8 or 9 feet in depth to burn in, while with a trench burner, you can normally dig your pit to a depth of around 10-15 feet. This means that for the same length manifold, you can have more volume and production out of the trench burner.
Above Ground Box Burners, on the other hand, are very large, heavy machines (often upwards of 50,000 lbs). The refractory material inside of the boxes is not cement – it is a special material that is capable of withstanding the extremely high temperatures within the burner. These burners are mobile and can be moved with relative ease around a site and loaded up to transport to new locations. They are especially ideal, though, for long-term burn sites and permanent solutions to consistent debris and waste streams such as for local governments that pick-up storm or residential debris, landfills, companies that process pallets, farms, etc.
In short, both trench burners and box burners are fantastic solutions for debris management. If mobility and budget are your chief concerns, then likely a trench burner is your best option. However if permanence and longevity are what you are looking for, then likely it is a box that will be most beneficial for you.
For more information about Trench burners, please see our page: Trench Burners: Everything You Need to Know.
For more information about Box burners, please see our page: Box Burners: Everything You Need to Know.
For any additional questions about how to operate an air curtain burner or to learn about rental or purchase options, give us a call at 678-793-8546