Lo-Density CLHR Inline Electric Fuel Oil Preheaters automatically provide precise temperature and viscosity control of heavy oils for efficient and steady delivery from the pump to the burner. Viscosity is the primary concern for producers who burn heavy or used fuel oil in their plants, as these oils become virtually impossible to pump at low ambient temperatures. The lower the viscosity, the more easily a fluid will flow. Correct viscosity also provides proper atomization at the burner nozzle and clean burning of the oil.
There are two methods available to adjust viscosity in heavy fuel oil. One is to cut or blend the oil with expensive #2 heating oil or diesel fuel – which raises operational costs because of the higher costs associated with these fuels. The preferred method to adjust viscosity is to preheat the fuel, allowing the heavier oils to move smoothly to the burner. PHCo inline heaters are fully automatic, easy to control, and – due to their removable drywell tubes – easy to clean, which is especially important when using recycled fuel oil.
PHCo’s 100% efficient electric heaters ultimately provide unique benefits for asphalt producers that include lower operating costs, improved product quality, reduced maintenance, significantly longer heater life, and enhanced sustainability. The PHCo preheater is plumbed between the pump discharge and the burner. The bypass line from the burner relief valve returns to the pump suction, and not the holding tank. This avoids adding heat to the storage tank, and also reduces electrical load by returning heated oil into the system. The unit includes sensors and thermocouples for main temperature control and high temperature limit. An oil flow switch located in the heater discharge piping keeps the heater from energizing unless there is sufficient oil flow. The patented Lo-Density Coil-Lock-design heating elements, which reside within a drywell, allow the units to dissipate controlled heat as low as 5 watts per square inch on the heater’s sheath, eliminating coking of the burner oil on the drywell tubes. All PHCo preheaters include a prewired UL-listed industrial control panel, housed in a weatherproof enclosure. The system can be powered by any industrial voltage to efficiently heat at a rate of 5-7 watts per square in.
