San Francisco Paper - Petroleum as Fuel under Boilers and in Furnaces for Heating, Melting, and Heat Treatment of Metals (with Discussion)

Crude oil attracted attention because of its excellence as a fuel for openhearth furnaoes; for making crucible steel and brass; for melting copper, lead, tin, zinc, nickel, silver, malleable iron, gray iron; and for the production of steam in all sizes and types of boilers. For heating furnaces, mold-drying ovens, core ovens, ore roasters, calciners, hotair furnaces, sand drying, asphalt road work, etc., its superiority over other fuels is due to the fact that the heat is at all times under perfect control, so that a constant temperature may be attained and maintained at the will of the operator. This mcans a maximum amount and uniform quality of work. Crude oil is of two kinds, paraffine base and asphaltum base, and varies from 11 to 46 gravity BaumB. The light-gravity oil does not require heating before use; but oil of less than 20 gravity Baumé should be heated to just below its vaporizing point, in order to reduce its viscosity and to obtain the highest efficiency of combustion. Heavy California oil vaporizes at 230". F., Mexican crude oil at from 175" to 210" F., and Beaumont, Texas, oil at 142" F. Fuel oil vaporizes at 130" F. Scientific Installation Essential The burning of oil is an art based on science, and the "rule of thumb" should never be employed, especially in heating heavy crude oil. Thermometers should be used on both suction and supply pipes so that the fireman or smith will at all times know the temperature of the fuel. The indicators on such thermometers should be large enough to be readily seen by the operator, night or day. It is necessary to have an unvarying pressure of steam or air through the burner, to atomize the fuel. Also, the air used to support combustion should be delivered through a nozzle under the burner at a constant pressure. The oil pressure must not fluctuate; under no eircumstances should it vary more than 1 1b. The oil pump, which should be brass-lined, with the aid of the pulsometer and superheater, will insure a constant