Oil pellet furnace

Types of oil pellet furnaces

Oil pellet furnaces are used to burn biomass pellets that contain cooking oil residue. Such pellets are distinct from other biomass pellets in terms of chemical content, moisture, and ash residue. There are a few ways to categorize oil pellet furnaces based on their design and function.

• Cyclone Oil Pellet Furnace

  The cyclone oil furnace is a kind of oil waste recovery equipment that can use waste cooking oil as fuel. It can use the oil itself or the oil extracted after processing. The cyclone oil pellet furnaces may have different processing requirements when used in different places. One distinct feature of the furnace is the cyclone separator. The separator adopts centrifugal force to separate the combustion gas and residual particles, thus improving the overall efficiency of the furnace.

• Small-Sized Oil Pellet Furnace

  Small oil pellet furnaces are often used in residential heating systems or for small-scale commercial applications. These furnaces are designed to burn oil pellets directly without the need for pre-processing into oil or oil vapor. Some small-sized oil pellet furnaces are designed to burn oil pellets with other kinds of pellets.

• Large-Sized Oil Pellet Furnace

  Large oil pellet furnaces are typically used for industrial or commercial heating, hot water production, or steam generation. They have a bigger capacity to burn larger quantities of biomass oil pellets. Large oil pellet furnaces generally have feeding and emission control systems.

• Indirect Oil Pellet Furnace

  Indirect oil furnaces are designed to heat a fluid (usually water or antifreeze) that circulates through a closed-loop system to transfer heat. They are typically used in residential heating systems or for small-scale commercial applications.

• Direct Oil Pellet Furnace

  The direct oil pellet furnace is a model that can burn biomass pellets containing oil directly. Its primary advantage is that it can burn oil pellets without preprocessing. It increases combustion efficiency and reduces energy loss.

Specification and Maintenance

The oil furnace specifications go along with the critical performance of the oil burner, which is the main component of an oil pellet furnace for feeding pellets from the storage area into the combustion chamber.

• Supply voltage: Typically, oil furnaces operate on a standard power supply of 120 volts. This is the voltage required to ignite and maintain the operation of the furnace. Some designs may have a different voltage for the specific applications or functions.
• Ignition system: An oil furnace uses an ignition system to ignite the oil as it comes into the combustion chamber. The two common types used are cad cell and intermittent pilot ignition. Both these types work under similar voltage requirements of around 24 volts for transformer-based ignition systems.
• Oil pump and blower motor: The fuel oil pump and the blower motor are parts of an oil furnace that help to circulate air through the house. A blower motor helps to pull in air, which is heated by the furnace and blown throughout the home. The motor operates on 120 volts AC. The oil pump is driven by a small electric motor. Typically driven motors used to operate furnace oil pumps are around 24 volts DC.
• Thermostat control: A thermostat is part of an oil furnace and is used to set the desired temperature of the home. It works to turn on and off the oil burner as needed. The typical oil furnace thermostat operates on 24 volts AC. The thermostats may have different voltages depending on whether they are programmable, digital, or other model types.
• Furnace sizes and BTU: Oil furnaces come in various sizes to meet specific heating needs. They are also rated in BTUs (British Thermal Units) per hour. One BTU is the amount of heat required to raise one pound of water, and it is one unit of heat energy. The smaller the size, the more suitable it is for heating smaller, tighter homes. The larger sizes are ideal for colder, bigger spaces.

Regular maintenance is important to ensure the proper functioning and efficient operation of the oil furnaces. Here are some oil furnace maintenance tips to keep in mind:

• Make sure to change the furnace filter regularly. This helps keep dirt and dust away from the moving parts of the furnace.
• Before the heating season starts, it is important to do an annual inspection of the furnace. During the inspection, the qualified HVAC technician will check the oil lines and tank parts to see if there are any needed repairs.
• During the annual inspection mentioned above, the technician will also clean essential parts of the oil furnace, like the burner, flame, nozzle, and air passage.
• NOTE: While it's a good idea to try to do some basic maintenance on the oil furnace, it's better to leave all inspections and cleaning to the professionals.

Applications of oil pellet furnaces

Oil pellet furnaces offer considerable versatility across many industries and applications. These are some key sectors benefiting from the widespread adoption of oil pellet furnaces.

• Residential heating

A growing number of households are switching away from fossil fuels to oil pellet furnaces. Such furnaces provide heat and hot water for homes using wood pellets as an abundant and widely available resource. Furnaces that can be automated, durable, and convenient are the main choices for this.

• Commercial and public buildings

Oil pellet furnaces are good heating options for schools, universities, hospitals, offices, shopping malls, hotels, and other commercial and public buildings. Their ability to deliver heat to larger spaces means they can serve buildings with many people inside. Centralized heating systems using oil pellet furnaces can help lower operating costs for businesses and reduce carbon footprints.

• Industry

Many industries that use oil pellet furnaces as a primary or auxiliary heat source for production processes or equipment. Iron and steel, machinery, chemicals, building materials, food processing, and other industries are all examples where this is true. Oil pellet furnaces can provide high-temperature smelting, drying, and other production processes. The renewable energy concept behind oil pellet furnaces also fits in well with many industries who wish to reduce their carbon footprints.

• Agriculture

Agriculture is also an industry that often needs large amounts of energy for breeding, greenhouses, and aquaculture. Oil pellet furnaces can provide the stable and sustained heat and temperature regulation needed for these activities. This ensures the proper growth of plants and animals. Using oil pellet furnaces also helps to control costs and improve the sustainability of agriculture.

• Remote areas and off-grid applications

Oil pellet furnaces provide heating benefits in areas lacking natural gas or other energy sources. Rural areas also benefit from this technology since transporting fossil fuels is both costly and impractical. Wood pellets are an affordable biomass fuel made from local agricultural and forestry waste, so oil pellet furnaces are an ideal choice for heating in remote locations. Pellets are easy to store and transport, making them a convenient energy source. Oil pellet furnaces can provide domestic hot water, heating, and off-grid energy solutions for stand-alone homes, mobile dwellings, and field facilities.

Oil pellet furnaces stand out for their ability to provide heat and hot water in remote areas and off-grid situations where conventional sources of energy are unavailable. They allow rural and isolated communities access to an affordable and renewable source of energy for everyday needs. Oil pellet furnaces have the potential to transform rural life by providing independence from centralized power and fuel distribution networks.

• Farms

Oil pellet furnaces are also beneficial for heating greenhouses, livestock spaces, and other farm facilities. Heating represents a large proportion of costs on many farms, so using oil pellet furnaces can help cut expenses and increase efficiency of farm operations. Greenhouses need a reliable source of heat for plants to grow all year, while poultry, pig, and cattle barns must maintain adequate temperatures to raise livestock. Oil pellet furnaces allow for agricultural activities to be carried out without interruption, whatever the outside climate conditions. Oil pellet furnaces help support sustainable agriculture and food production by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on fossil fuels.

How to choose oil pellet furnaces

• Applicable area:

  Both industrial and home pellet furnaces can provide heat for different-sized spaces, but the amount of space they can heat is dependent on the furnace's size. Whether in homes or shops, small-sized furnaces are typically used for spaces of under 1,000 square feet. In contrast, large furnaces are more suitable for larger areas, such as warehouses, with a dimension that can reach up to 10,000 square feet or more.

• Temperature control:

  Temperature control is an important consideration when choosing an oil pellet furnace. Some furnaces may offer manual temperature adjustment, while others have an automatic thermostat for more convenient use. An automatic thermostat can help regulate the temperature more precisely and provide a comfortable indoor environment.

• Noise level:

  The noise level of an oil pellet furnace is an important consideration when choosing. Some furnaces may be relatively noisy during operation, which could affect the indoor environment's tranquility. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the furnace's noise level and choose a model that meets one's needs and preferences.

• Self-cleaning:

  Cleaning is an important consideration when choosing an oil pellet furnace. Some models offer self-cleaning features, which can save users' time and effort for maintenance and cleaning. Moreover, a pellet boiler with a storage tank for ashes is often more convenient to use, as it can automatically remove and store ash, reducing the need for frequent cleaning.

Oil pellet furnace Q and A

Q1. Can oil furnaces be used with alternative oil sources?

A1. Some furnaces can use alternative oils, but checking with a professional is essential.

Q2. How long does an oil pellet furnace last?

A2. Typically, if well maintained, an oil furnace can last up to 20 years.

Q3. What is the future of oil pellet furnaces?

A3. The trend is towards adapting existing furnaces for biofuel use and improving efficiency.

Q4. Can the gear on an oil furnace be changed to increase capacity?

A4. Yes, but it requires a professional to ensure it is safe and compatible.

Q5. What are the inclusions in the maintenance schedule for an oil pellet furnace?

A5. Checking the filters, replacing worn parts, and system lubricating are some inclusion.