Heavy Fuel Oil Delivery
Heavy Fuel Oil Delivery
(OP)
Hi All,
We are operating a "small" burner (~400 kW) on Heavy fuel oil #6. The oil tank is heated to 110C and the pipe delivering the fuel to the burner is electrically traced and insulated. Our problem is that we get a very unstable and pulsating flow of oil to the burner which affects the flame stability. We watched the oil flow right after the pump (into a drum) and was stable, the instability comes from the piping to the burner (about 20 m). The pipe was originally designed for a much bigger burner and hence is oversized (half Inch pipe for 35 L/h oil) but not sure if that can cause all this instability, seems like some gas or air comes out with the oil and causes this pulsation on the burner end. Would a smaller pipe help solving the problem? The pump suction is right at the bottom of the tank, I can't see how any air can get into the system.
Thanks
We are operating a "small" burner (~400 kW) on Heavy fuel oil #6. The oil tank is heated to 110C and the pipe delivering the fuel to the burner is electrically traced and insulated. Our problem is that we get a very unstable and pulsating flow of oil to the burner which affects the flame stability. We watched the oil flow right after the pump (into a drum) and was stable, the instability comes from the piping to the burner (about 20 m). The pipe was originally designed for a much bigger burner and hence is oversized (half Inch pipe for 35 L/h oil) but not sure if that can cause all this instability, seems like some gas or air comes out with the oil and causes this pulsation on the burner end. Would a smaller pipe help solving the problem? The pump suction is right at the bottom of the tank, I can't see how any air can get into the system.
Thanks





RE: Heavy Fuel Oil Delivery
RE: Heavy Fuel Oil Delivery
The oil was atomised with a twin-fluid atomiser and we suspected at some stage that the atomising nozzle is the problem. Well, we disconnected the nozzle and throttled the flow with a valve and the flow was still pulsating.
RE: Heavy Fuel Oil Delivery
RE: Heavy Fuel Oil Delivery
RE: Heavy Fuel Oil Delivery
RE: Heavy Fuel Oil Delivery
Is it homogenous?
JMW
www.ViscoAnalyser.com
RE: Heavy Fuel Oil Delivery
Also, why are you heating to 110C? Would a lesser temperature get your oil to the burner?
What is does your #6 consist of? Is it true #6 or is it some nasty heavy something or the other (think asphalt) cut with some light something or other to make it similar to #6? If it is the latter, which is fairly common in #6 these days, then what ever the lighter component is might be off-gassing before or in the burner tube.
rmw
RE: Heavy Fuel Oil Delivery
Nitrogen used for purging was leaking into the oil line via a faulty ball valve, problem solved.
Apologies for the confusion.
RE: Heavy Fuel Oil Delivery
JMW
www.ViscoAnalyser.com
RE: Heavy Fuel Oil Delivery
Just to be sure, a "pulsation dampener" could be installed on the pump suction. It may help....
If you decide that this is worth a try (modest expense) I would be sure to confirm with a vendor that component materials are acceptable (No. 6 is slightly corrosive to elastomers)
Good luck.......let us know of your final solution...
-MJC