ENERGY SAVING

Like gas mileage in cars, efficiency can vary greatly in oil heaters.  But unlike cars, which are tested by the EPA, no independent government organization is testing oil heaters to determine their efficiency. Claims are easy to make. Proving OUR claims is easy, with stack temperatures and excess air measurements.
 
As you consider purchasing a new thermal oil heater, be sure and ask the manufacturer for their “Stack Temperature Guarantee.”

We installed a new Phoenix “High Efficiency” Hot Oil Heater here in our yard for testing.  It was connected to two heat exchangers circulating water with a 7000 gallon water tank to carry off the heat from the heater. We installed one of the high efficiency Limpsfield burners with Autoflame controls. We had a big economizer on the heater and found that the heater was so efficient that we didn't need the economizer. There was not enough heat in the exhaust to try to recapture it.
 
At low to mid range, 25% to 50% firing rate, the stack temperature was 405°F, well below the outgoing oil temperature of 476°F. Actually, it was only slightly above the “Return” oil temperature of 395°F.  At 75-100% firing rate, it was still below outgoing oil temperature, only 50°F above return oil temperature.
 
Other manufacturers are claiming 85-90% efficiency for their oil heaters. In our humble opinion, that is physically impossible in anything other than a water heater operating below 140°F.  They juggle the numbers and somehow come up with that fantasy. Efficiency is very simple.  If a heater inputs 100 Btu of gas; 80 Btu goes into the oil and 20 Btu is lost up the stack, (or lost thru radiant losses).  That is 80% efficiency.
There are old formulas, built into computer models that take the excess air and the exhaust temperature Delta T, (stack temperature minus the ambient temperature), into the “efficiency” equation. These formulas have been around for many years. They are the standards which guide us as we design and build our oil heaters and they are built into most Combustion Analyzers.
 
TRUE EFFICIENCY is measured by stack temp and excess air.
REAL EFFICIENCY; You can measure at the gas meter every month.
 
We have a brochure from CEI in which they correctly state that efficiency all boils down to stack temperature in relation to outgoing oil temperature. They are proud of their stack temperature being 150°F over the oil temperature on “low fire”. And this is with the oil temperature being only 375°F. At high fire, their heaters are typically 200-300°F over oil temperature,(according to their brochure).  By my calculations, that relates to 65-70% efficiency. They claim 84% on low fire and 78% on high fire. Talk is cheap. Be sure and ask for a “Stack temp” guarantee.
 
We can send out a video showing our stack temperature in relation to the oil temperature.  When firing at 76% firing rate with an outlet oil temperature of 476°F, return oil temp of 400°F, the stack temperature was 410°F.
 
Even better than that, we can guarantee the stack temperature to not be higher than 100°F over out going oil temperature when on “high fire”. At low to mid fire, the stack temperature will be below outgoing oil temperature.
 
In addition to “heater” efficiency, we offer the option of installing Limpsfield burners with Autoflame micro-modulation controls. These burners are quite simply the most efficient burners on the market, measured by the small amount of excess air required to achieve a complete mix of fuel and air, resulting in complete combustion in a shorter space inside the heater. This allows more time inside the heater to be transferring heat from the hot gases into the oil.  Because of the quick-complete mix, the Limpsfield burner needs less excess air, (or oxygen), to achieve a complete and clean burn. Limpsfield guarantees a clean burn at 3% excess O/2, or 15% excess air. Typically we are able to achieve a clean burn (low CO) down to 2% O/2 – 10% excess air.  Remember: Excess air just carries off valuable heat.
 
We claim to have the most efficient oil heater on the market in North America.  Give us the chance to prove it to you.