Objective
To assess the performance, on an operational scale, of the "Emulsystem" an emulsifier unit consisting of a mixer and an emulsifier to produce a homogenous emulsion of the fuel (gas oil, heavy or light fuel oil and water) to achieve energy savings, reduce environmental pollution, improve boiler efficiency and provide better heat exchange and a steady output over time.
Setting the dispenser upstream to the preheater proved to be the most constructive solution, both from the point of view of setting up the device and of operation, and was therefore preferred in comparison with the other solutions. The most outstanding benefit resulting from use of the dispenser was a reduction in the grade of smoke at the chimney.
Overall fuel savings amounted to 2,880 tonnes without changing the manner of plant of operation.
Use of the new system will yield the following advantages :
- a substantial reduction in the proportion of unburnt fuel (90 %), which means a cleaner boiler, lower maintenance costs, better heat exchange and a steady output over time;
- a higher emission of radiant energy;
- a reduction in the excess of air, increasing heat output;
- the possibility of using low-grade fuels to give the same output as higher grade fuels (reducing fuel costs);
- the reduction in pollution resulting from keeping the blackness index at minimum levels (between 0and 1 with emulsion);
- a reduction in the emission of carbon particles, even though the excess of air has been substantially reduced, thus eliminating smoke and fouling;
- a reduction in stack emissions of CO and NOx particles into the atmosphere.
Fifty plants were chosen from 86 possibilities in both the domestic and industrial sectors, to test disperser performance, meeting the following criteria :
- to test a wide range of flows from 20 Kg/h to 4,000 Kg/h of emulsified fuel;
- the assignment of differing applications; 24 applied to domestic heating, 2 to hospital heating, 2 to the heating a sports facilities and 1 to school heating;
- the use of different fuels and different burner types. For this 7 plants were fed with gas ooil, 41 with distillate fuel oil (3-5 E), 2 with bunker fuel oil (15-20 E and 20- E). The burners were manufactured by 13 different firms and all are of the "on-off" type, with tall and low flame modulating;
The disperser had been set occasionally to by-pass the fuel pump, on the delivery of the pump and upstream and downstream of the preheater. For all plants test duration was 1,000 hours with 10 measurements taken according to the following criteria;
- the grade of smoke before and after conversionto emulsifier fuel combustion;
- the % volume of CO2 in the fumes in order to compute the value of combustion efficiency;
- the combustion efficiency prior to conversion by a single measurement and after it by the average of several measurements;
- fuel consumption during the period of operation of each plant;
- the savings obtained by the improved efficiency of combustion.
Programme(s)
Topic(s)
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
DEM - Demonstration contractsCoordinator
00144 Roma
Italy