Heating oil consists of a mixture of petroleum-derived hydocarbons in the 14- to 20-carbon atom range that condense between 250 and 350 °C (482 and 662 °F) during oil refining. Heating oil condenses at a lower temperature than petroleum jelly bitumen, candle wax and lubricating oil, but at a higher temperature than kerosene, which condenses between 160–250 °C (320–482 °F). The heavy (C20+) hydrocarbons condense between 340–400 °C (644–752 °F).
Heating oil produces 137,500 British thermal units per US gallon (38.3 MJ/L) to 138,700 British thermal units per US gallon (38.7 MJ/L) and weighs 8.2 pounds per US gallon (0.95 kg/L). Number 2 fuel has a flash point 52 °C (126 °F).
What are the benefits of heating oil?
The great news about heating oil is that it’s a safe, efficient, durable heating source.
So, if you want benefits, we’ve got benefits.
Benefit #1: Home heating oil is safe.
Home heating oil won’t burn in a liquid state, so it won’t ever spontaneously combust. If a leak should happen, it’s not an explosive hazard. Additionally, the advent of Ultra Low Sulfur (ULS) heating oil has made heating your home with oil better for the environment and public
health. How? Traditional oil has a sulfur content of 4,000 ppm; ultra-low sulfur heating oil only has a sulfur content of 15 ppm.
Benefit #2: Home heating oil is
efficient.
A gallon of heating oil produces 35% more heat
than a gallon of natural gas. That means you can use less fuel to make the same
amount of heat. In addition, heating oil produces the hottest flame of any home
heating fuel, allowing it to warm your house faster. But wait—there’s more! ULS
heating oil reduces the amount of sulfur buildup and allows your system to run
at a more efficient level. It’s an efficiency trifecta.
Benefit #3: Heating oil systems are
durable.
A new heating oil system should last for 15 to
25 years or more, if you do a good job of taking care of it. And
using ULS heating oil will help your furnace running smoothly and efficiently
thereby lengthening the life of your system.
Safe, efficient, durable. It’s easy to see why
so many New Englanders count on heating oil to heat our homes through those long
and snowy winters.
Historically, the legal difference between diesel and heating oil in the United States has been sulfur allowance. Diesel for machinery and equipment must be below 15 ppm sulfur content while heating oil needed only stay below 500 ppm sulfur. However, most heating oil in the United States is now "ultra-low sulfur heating oil" (ULSHO) and meets the same 15 ppm standard.
Comments
Post a Comment