Small oil-fired heating equipment: The effects of fuel quality
The physical and chemical characteristics of fuel can affect its flow, atomization, and combustion, all of which help to define the overall performance of a heating system. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of some important parameters of fuel quality on the operation of oil-fired residential heating equipment. The primary focus was on evaluating the effects of the fuel`s sulfur content, aromatics content, and viscosity. Since the characteristics of heating fuel are generally defined in terms of standards (such as ASTM, or state and local fuel-quality requirements), the adequacy and limitations of such specifications also are discussed. Liquid fuels are complex and their properties cannot generally be varied without affecting other properties. To the extent possible, test fuels were specially blended to meet the requirements of the ASTM limits but, at the same time, significant changes were made to the fuels to isolate and vary the selected parameters over broad ranges. A series of combustion tests were conducted using three different types of burners -- a flame-retention head burner, a high static-pressure-retention head burner, and an air-atomized burner. With some adjustments, such modern equipment generally can operate acceptably within a wide range of fuel properties. From the experimental data, the limits of some of the properties could be estimated. The property which most significantly affects the equipment`s performance is viscosity. Highly viscous fuels are poorly atomizated and incompletely burnt, resulting in higher flue gas emissions. Although the sulfur content of the fuel did not significantly affect performance during these short-term studies, other work done at BNL demonstrated that long-term effects due to sulfur can be detrimental in terms of fouling and scale formation on boiler heat exchanger tubes.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH00016
- OSTI ID:
- 10110989
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-49630; ON: DE94004725; TRN: 94:000833
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Aug 1993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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