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pre warming oil

mikem99
mikem99 Member Posts: 2
I want to know if there is any benefit to be had by pre-warming oil before it gets pumped to my burner. The oil tank is outside and the oil is very cold,(it is really cold here in the winter) Also, I have a source of warm waste water and I could easily route the oil line to the furnace through a coil immersed in the warm waste water, on it's way to the burner. If this is an economical benefit , I would like to know what efficiencies could be expected.



Thanks    Mikem99

Comments

  • billtwocase
    billtwocase Member Posts: 2,385
    waste water

    sounds like something that could compromise the oil line and create leaks. Treat the oil in the tank, maybe even heat tape around the valves at the tank, but I would be cautious when routing or rerouting a supply line. 
  • highway
    highway Member Posts: 7
    pre heat oil

    Install a Tiger Loop.
  • kcopp
    kcopp Member Posts: 4,472
    I 2nd that....

    a Tiger loop will help. Cold oil is not the best thing. If your burner does not alrady have one a nozzle heater would also help. Is there a way to build a foam "house" around the oil tank and put 100W incadesent light bulb under the tank to warm it?

     kpc
  • kcopp
    kcopp Member Posts: 4,472
    this is....

    http://www.westwoodproducts.com/tigerloop_article.htm

    What A tiger loop does as it primary function. Because it has a small reserve of oil near the boiler it additionally warms it up.  The waste water thing prbably will not warm up the oil enough to make it worth the effort. You would be best served to move the oil tank to a warmer  room or create some place for it to be warm.
  • mikem99
    mikem99 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks kcopp

    Thanks kcopp,

    I think that I now understand the use of the tiger-loop and it's benefits. However I am still wanting to use the warm waste water idea. All that heat going into the sewer bothers me so I have to try to utilize it somehow. In the near future, (next month) I plan on doing some experiments and calculations on this waste heat stream

    Thanks for your help and interest, if I come up with any measurable benefits, I'll post the results here

    Thanks again

    Mike



    Mike
  • kcopp
    kcopp Member Posts: 4,472
    you could....

    use this for your DHW as I have. http://www.gfxtechnology.com/
This discussion has been closed.