The effects of changes in fuel quality and burner technology on oil furnace performance

Heating oil quality is changing in the marketplace due to varying crude sources, attempts to maximize the use of the crude oil barrel, along with significant growth in other middle distillate uses such as diesels and jet aircraft. Maximum efficiency can only be attained from a combustion system by optimizing fuel quality and burner technology, as well as the heating appliance itself. A number of fuels that have distinct properties such as viscosity and aromatics were evaluated using different burner designs: a conventional cast-iron head burner, a flame-retention head burner, and an advanced-design high-pressure burner. Certain overall combustion characteristics for transient cold start operation were examined in detail-burner ignition behavior, flame and particulate emissions, as well as pressure changes. Combustion performance at steady-state and cyclic operation were also evaluated. Results are interpreted in terms of fuel properties, burner design, combustion air requirements, and potential problems in indoor air quality, as well as effect on optimal system efficiency.