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NORA Advanced Efficiency

National Oilheat Research Alliance 19 Research by the US Department of Energy at Brookhaven National Laboratory, the Canadian Clean Energy Technology Center and others has shown a direct relationship between the sulfur content of home heating oil and the fouling deposit buildup on heat transfer surfaces. As the percentage of sulfur in fuel is reduced, the rate of heat exchanger fouling drops and the need for vacuum cleaning decreases. Research in Germany indicates that the use of ultra-low-sulfur fuel improves efficiency over the heating season by 1 to 2 percent. The advantages of low-sulfur fuel are: • Reduced service costs through less frequent vacuum cleaning of heating equipment • Lower air pollutant emissions, includ- ing sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides and fine particulates, improved fuel stabil- ity and lower environmental impacts. Hydrocarbon Emissions (Smoke and Soot) When properly adjusted, oil burners produce very few unburned hydrocarbons (smoke and soot). Oil burners should be over 99.99% clean burning. However, older, non-flame-retention burners are not this clean and an improperly adjusted new burner can also produce smoke. Burners must be adjusted for zero smoke. If this is not possible, they should be replaced. Bioheat®—New Carbon Doesn’t Count Bioheat® is a blend of heating oil (ASTM D396) and biodiesel (ASTM D6751). Biodiesel is a non-toxic, biodegradable, renewable fuel derived from natural vegetable and animal oils. Current feedstocks for the creation of biodiesel are soy, canola, sunflower, mustard and rapeseed oils, as well as waste cooking oil and grease, including trap grease, tallow and animal fats such as fish oil. Since all of these feedstocks are “new” carbon that is currently in the carbon cycle, they do not contribute to climate change. Only carbon that has been captured underground, locked up in petroleum for many years, subsequently brought to the surface, burned and released into the air increases the amount of carbon in the cycle and contributes to climate change. The US Environmental Protection Agency recently confirmed biodiesel as an “advanced biofuel” that meets the demands of the EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard. It enjoys the highest energy balance of any renewable fuel. For every unit of energy produced, biodiesel returns 5.54 units of energy. The vegetable oils and animal fats used for biodiesel feedstocks are not produced specifically for biodiesel—they are minor byproducts of food production— therefore, they do not suffer from the fuelfrom food stigma, as do other biofuels such as ethanol. Adjusting Oilheat Equipment for Maximum Efficiency Installing and adjusting heating equipment for maximum safety, reliability and efficiency is very important. Even the best equipment can waste fuel if it is not installed and adjusted properly. Older oil boilers and furnaces are less efficient than newer units. However, there are some steps covered in this chapter that can increase older equipment’s operating efficiencies. Air Leaks Air leaks into the heat exchanger should be sealed. Locations for air leaks are: • The space between the burner air tube and the combustion chamber opening • The seam between the combustion chamber and heat exchanger on furnaces and dry base boilers • The space between sections of cast iron boiler • Flange seals • Loose fitting clean out and flame inspection doors.


NORA Advanced Efficiency
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