I would appreciate some advice regarding a project I am pursuing. I
intend to retrofit a hot water heater to burn wood and I need a pump
that will pump the water from a storage tank up 15 to 20 feet and
through a copper pipe heat exchanger(aluminum fins) placed in a forced
air system (formerly a functional Heat pump). I intend to use gravity to
return cooled water in a closed loop to the boiler. I have several
options for a pump, including a sump pump that currently pumps a head of
at least 10 feet(more potential) now, but I have concerns for heat
transferance to the attached motor. Is heat transferance in a metal
jacketed sump pump a valid concern?
     Can a water pump such as from a chevy citation (seperate
housing type) provide 20 foot head? Is their a larger capacity
water pump and external housing (sans motor) available in an automotive
wrecking yard? I have several 110 and 240v motors available, but would
like to know if a 12 volt motor could be used here, as I intend to make
this system easily dismantled and moved offsite with the potential to be
solarpowered. In this scenario, the pump would be belt driven.
     Can I utilize galvanized pipe from the storage pipe up to the heat
exchanger or will their be interaction with the copper?
     I intend to have a switch/valve that can activate upon pump shut
off, to drain system when temperatures drop below freezing (to protect
copper heat exchanger), but do I have to use antifreeze for rust
prevention being that it is a closed loop system??
     Will limiting flow for better heat transfer at the exchanger
create a strain upon the motor, or is the flow rate inconsequential?
I know the concept has too work...lennox is starting to make furnaces
utilizing fast recovery gas water heaters with aluminum heat exchangers,
but they plumb into the hot water line of the house, an approach I am
not comfortable with for my application.
      How high can I pump water with these types of pumps?
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