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Fuel Oil Burners

Reference data and engineering information about fuel oil burners for combustion applications.

fueloilburners

Overview

Engineering reference data for Fuel Oil Burners in combustion engineering.

Key Formulas

Heat Release

Q=m˙⋅HVQ = \dot{m} \cdot HV

Fuel energy release rate.

Air-Fuel Ratio

AF=mairmfuelAF = \frac{m_{air}}{m_{fuel}}

Mass of air per mass of fuel.

Excess Air

EA=O221−O2×100%EA = \frac{O_2}{21 - O_2} \times 100\%

From flue gas oxygen measurement.

Variables

SymbolDescriptionUnit
QQHeat release rateW
m˙\dot{m}Mass flow ratekg/s
HVHVHeating valueJ/kg
AFAFAir-fuel ratio—

Burner Type Classification

Fuel oil burners can be categorized based on their operational mechanism and application scale:

3 rows
Main categories of fuel oil burners and their characteristics
Burner Type
Primary Mechanism
Operating Pressure
Typical Applications
Gun-type (Pressure gun)Atomization via nozzleResidential: 80-130 psi Commercial/Industrial: 100-300 psiWide range from residential to industrial
Pot-type (Vaporizing)Evaporation into combustion airGravity-fed, low pressureSmall to medium capacity, lowest cost
Rotary-typeCentrifugal force atomizationLow pressure, gravity-fedLarger capacity applications

Source: engineeringtoolbox.com

Pot-type Burner Subtypes

Pot-type burners further classify based on air supply method:

Natural Draft Burners

  • Rely on chimney draft for combustion air
  • Gravity causes oil to flow to burner
  • Simple, inexpensive design

Forced Draft Burners

  • Use mechanical fan and/or chimney for air supply
  • Better combustion control
  • Higher efficiency than natural draft

Sleeve Burners

  • Perforated sleeve design
  • Limited to small applications
  • Compact configuration

Rotary Burner Subtypes

Rotary burners operate with low-pressure gravity feed and centrifugal atomization:

Rotary Nozzle Burner

  • Nozzle assembly rotates at high speed
  • Oil supplied through central shaft
  • Fine spray distribution

Rotary Cup Burner

  • Cone-shaped cup rotates around central tube
  • Fuel oil supplied to inner surface
  • Centrifugal force creates fine spray

Configuration Types

  • Vertical rotary burners
  • Horizontal rotary burners
  • Wall-flame rotary burners

References

Source: engineeringtoolbox.com