FUEL OIL / HPS / LSHS

(Properties / Grades / Specifications / Test methods)

U.K.Jaiswal
Scientist
Indian Institute of Petroleum
Dehradun - 248005
IIP081008

CRUDE OIL DISTILLATES :

Major petroleum fuels (with boiling ranges)

LPG
Gasoline
Kerosene
Diesel
Fuel oil
Natural gas

(- 60 C to - 420 C)
(400 C to 2150 C)
(1400 C to 2800 C)
(2000 C to 3700 C)
> 4680 C
--2

FUEL OILS
Residual left out products from distillation of
crude oil
or
Residual left out products blended with distillates,
to suit the particular specification
Covered by Indian specification
Furnace oil residual type
(600 to 3500 RW1)
(150 to 865 cs)

IMPORTANT PROPERTIES

Composition
Density / specific gravity
Flash point / fire point
Pour point / cloud point
Viscosity
Sulphur
Ash contents
Vanadium
Carbon residue
Stability / compatibility
Water content
Calorific value
Pumpability

COMPOSITION

Contents :

Waxes, resins, asphaltenes

Percentage of these H/C give rough idea of flow properties (viscosity) which
determines its suitability for pumping, atomisation and selection of burning systems
Resin / asphaltenes

smoky combustion

Waxes

needs lesser excess air

C/H

calorific value, viscosity

H2

increase in calorific value & decrease

in viscosity

Aromatics

needs higher excess air, adds luminosity to

flame, improves fluidity at low temperature

Sulphur

increases viscosity

DENSITY / SPECIFIC GRAVITY

* Density = Mass / Volume

Spec. gravity = Density of fuel at 600 F (15.60C) / Density of water

at 600 F (15.60C)

Gives an idea of weight and space for storage

Conversion of volume to weight
Rough idea of calorific value
Cal. value (gross) = 22320 - 3780d2* btu/lb
* (d is spec. gr. at 600 F (15.60C) / 600 F (15.60C) )

Higher spec. gr. Higher viscosity, higher carbon residue

FLASH & FIRE POINT

Flash point :
Minimum temperature at which an oil gives off just sufficient vapours
to form a momentary inflammable mixture with air when a source of
ignition is brought near to it under standard test condition

Fire point :
Temperature at which an oil just starts burning continuously when
an external flame is applied under standard test condition
Importance :
Indirect measure of volatility and fire hazards

POUR POINT

Pour point :
The temperature at which oil just fails to flow when cooled under
prescribed test conditions.

Cause :
Failure to flow may be due to crystalisation of wax .
In very heavy oils it may be due to viscosity.

Importance :
Gives rough idea of preheating required for making the oil to flow.

CLOUD POINT

Definition :
Temperature at which cloud or haze appears when an oil is cooled under
specified test conditions.

Cause :
Due to separation of wax or water coming out of oil.

Importance :
Indicates lowest temperature up to which oil can be used without blocking
of equipment specially filters.

VISCOSITY

Definition :
Resistance to flow between two layers of oil moving with relative velocity
Viscosity / temperature curves of fuel oil obtained from one crude are
almost straight lines.

Importance :
- Effects rate of flow through pipes
- Atomisation (Lower the viscosity, finer the atomisation)
- Pumping losses
- Storage
- Selection of suitable burners

10

SULPHUR

Source : From crude oil source

S + O2 = SO2
2SO2 + O2 = 2SO3
SO3 + H2O = H2SO4

Effects of sulphur :
- It raises dew point of flue gases.
- Reduces efficiency of reducing permissible exhaust temperature.
- Increases formation of deposits on cold surfaces.
- Accelerates gum formation during storage.
- Tendency of sulphur pick up by products.
- Corrosion.

Solutions - problems due to sulphur can be reduced by :

- Using low sulphur fuel
- Using corrosion inhibitors (tetra cyclic tertiary amines)
- Avoiding occurance of low temperature
- Reducing formation of SO3 by reducing excess air

11

ASH

Definition :
A residue left behind after completely burning the fuel oil.

Cause :
- It is due to presence of non combustibles.
- Aluminium, calcium, iron, magnesium, nickle, vanadium,
silicon, sodium

Source :
Element

as

source

Sodium
Salt
Crude and water contamination
Magnesium
Salt
----do----Calcium
Salt
----do----Aluminium
Salt
Crude
Vanadium
Salt
----do---Silicon
Salt
Crude, storage, transportation
Storage & transportation

Iron

Rust

12

EFFECTS OF ASH

Some of the elements, though not economical, can be separated by

centrifuging.

Ash does not play any role in the combustion directly, but ash forming
components cause problems
Maintenance
Power loss
Bad effects on product quality

13

VANADIUM

4V + 5O2 2V2O5 (low melting)

V2O5 V2O3 + O2
V2O3 (corrosive, hard , high melting point)

Problems due to V2O3 :

- Corrosion.
- Reduces heat transfer rate.
- Causes imbalance to moving parts of gas turbine blades leading to
power loss.
- Quality of glass gets effected in glass melting furnaces.
However vanadium may not be harmful in steel industry.

14

CARBON RESIDUE

Definition :
Amount of solid deposits obtained after subjecting the oil to pyrolysis under
standard conditions.

Composition :
Carbonaceous deposits

Importance - it gives
- Idea of deposit formation due to heavy heating in oil heaters.
- Deposits formation in gasification plants.
- Coking tendency in burner blocks.
- Choking tendency of oil nozzle in the burner.

15

STABILITY AND COMPATIBILITY

Definition :
Tendency to form gum and sediments when oil comes in contact with air
and water during storage.

Cause :
Cracked products

Compatibility :
When components of poor compatibility are blended, deposit formation
becomes more prominent.

Importance :
Poor stability of oils cause trouble in storage tanks, lines and filters.
Some additives can be used to improve storage stability.

16

WATER CONTENTS

Solubility :
- Very low (0.005 to 0.05% in lighter oil). It varies with type
of hydrocarbons and temperature.
- In fuel oil, water up to 1% can stay in dispersed form.

Importance :
- During preheating of fuel oil, water separates which
results in unstability of flame.

17

CALORIFIC VALUE

Definition :
- Measure of heat that can be produced by burning oil completely in air or O2.

Cause :
- Due to combustible contents

Heat of combustion :
C
H2
S

7838 Kcal/Kg
28900 Kcal/Kg
2210 Kcal/Kg

Importance :
- For calculating heat input

18

PUMPABILITY

Definition :
- It is the viscosity / temperature at which fuel oil can be easily pumped.
(Two fuel oils of highly different pour points can have pumping temperature very near)

ATOMISATION
Breaking of fuel droplets in to small particles.

Methods of atomisation :
- Low air pressure atomisation
- Medium air pressure atomisation
- High air pressure atomisation
- Pressure jet atomisation
- Steam atomisation
- Centrifugal atomisation
- Ultrasonic atomisation

Importance :
- For initiation and keeping up desired firing rate with good combustion.

19

IMPORTANT TEMPERATURES (0C)

Grades
LV

MV

HV

Storage
(3000 RW1 sec.)
(740 cs)

5-10

23-30

30-40

Easy pumping
(200 RW1 sec.)
(50 cs)

20-30

25-35

45-55

Atomising
(100 RW1 sec.)
(24 cs)

75-85

85-90

90-100

20

TYPICAL FUEL OIL CHARACTERISTICS

Carbon % by weight

84.96

Hydrogen % by weight

11.04

Sulphur % by weight

3.9

Cal. value (Kcal/Kg)

Viscosity cs at 400C
at 700C 70
at 1000C24

Relative density at 15.60C

Flash point 0C (min)

Ash content % by weight

10,475
325

0.9513

65
0.025

21

REQUIREMENTS FOR FUEL OILS

(IS - 1593)
Sl.
No.

Characteristics
LV MV1

MV2

Grades
HV

1.

Flash point, 0C (min) 66

66

66

66

2.

Viscosity, at 500C
(cs)
80

(RW1)
125

327
185

510
370

750

1500

(RW1)
248

600
334

1000
865

1350

3500

(cs)

at 37.80C
150

3.

Water content, % vol. (max)

1.0

1.0

1.0

1.0

4.

Sulphur, % weight (max)

3.5

4.0

4.0

4.5

5.

Sediments, % weight (max)

0.25

0.25

0.25

0.25

6.

Ash, % weight (max) 0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

22

INDUSTRIES USING FUEL OIL

Navy

Glass

Ceramic

Steel

Aluminium

Cement

Gas turbine

Power generation

Fertilizer

Gasification

Sugar

23

GLASS INDUSTRY

Temperature :
- 1500-16000C (Flame remains in contact with glass)

Problems :
- Any organic material in fuel affects glass quality.

Sulphur :
- Produces blisters of sodium sulphate.
- Yellow stains

Vanadium :
- Discolouration of glass takes place.

Recommended fuel ;
- Sulphur : low
- Vanadium : 150 ppm

24

STEEL INDUSTRY

Application - fuel oil is used in :

- Blast furnace
- Open hearth furnace
- Coke ovens
- Billet heating
- Rolling mills

Problems :
- Due to sulphur content

Temperature encountered :
- About 1600 - 17000C
(Higher temperature obtained with o2 enrichment)

Fuel oil consumption about 30 kg fuel oil / tonne of molten metal.

25

SPECIFICATION - FUEL OIL FOR LOW SULPHUR STEELS

Requirement
Sp. gravity 15.60C/15.60C

0.9595 max

Flash point

(650c) min.

Viscosity at 37.80C

1500 - 3500 RW1

370 - 865 cs

Ash

0.1%

SPECIFICATION - FUEL OIL FOR BLAST FURNACE

Requirement
Sulphur

3.5%

Viscosity at 37.80C

3500 RW1
865 cs

26

GAS TURBINES

Application :
- Power generation

Special problems :
- Ash contents containing sodium, vanadium and sulphur
S+O2 SO2+O SO3+H2O H2SO4
V2+O5 V2O3+O2
(V2O5 low melting point, V2O3 hard and more corrosive)
- H2SO4 corrodes turbine blades below acid dew point.
- Sulphur increases deposits formation.
- Corrosion due to V2O5 and V2O3.
- Imbalance of revolving parts due to ash deposits.
- Reduction in power

27

TYPICAL FUEL OIL SPECIFICATION (FOR GAS TURBINE)

Properties

LV

MV

HV

Viscosity at 37.80C (RW1)

(cs)

200
50

900
222

3000
740

Sp. gravity

0.94

0.95

0.96

C/H

7.3

7.4

7.7

Gross calorific value (Kcal/Kg)

10180

Sulphur (% weight)

3.00

4.00

4.5

Ash (% weight)

0.05

0.1

0.15

10400

10290

28

POWER GENERATION / STEAM GENERATION

Important considerations :
- Ash deposits on boiler tubes
- Corrosion due to H2SO4 & H2SO3 in chimney, air preheaters and
economisers.

Effects :
- Frequent maintenance
- Corroded parts to be replaced
- Low efficiency

29

SPECIFICATION - FUEL OIL FOR POWER / STEAM GENERATION

Viscosity at 37.80C (RW1 sec.)

Up to 3500

Temperature to give viscosity of

80 redwood1 sec, (0C)

120

Sulphur, % by weight

0.2

Vanadium, % by weight

0.006 - 0.014

Phosphorous, % by weight

0.003 - 0.005

Sodium, % by weight

0.003 - 0.010

Ash, % by weight

0.035 - 0.050

Sediments, % by weight

0.02 - 0.10

30

GASIFICATION

Useful for clean burning.

Feed stock in fertilizer industry.

Important properties of fuel oil to be considered :

- Carbon residue
- C/H ratio

For gasification, carbon residue content is very important,

requirement of which differs from process to process.
(Range From very low to 12%)

Problems due to sulphur contents in fuel oil can be minimised if gas

produced from fuel oil is used.

31

SPECIFICATION - FUEL OIL (FOR GASIFICATION)

Requirement

MV grade

HV grade

Sp. gravity 15.60C

0.95

0.965

Sulphur %

2.3-3.5

up to 4.5

Viscosity (RW1)
(cs)

500-900
124-222

3000
740

Carbon residue %

4-7

10-12

Calorific value Kcal/Kg

10230

10180

32

HEAVY PETROLEUM STOCK (HPS)

Solid at ambient temperature.

Used as fuel in power plants, steel plants and other large industries.

Produced in two grades :

Low sulphur content (LSHS)
(1% max)
High sulphur content
(4.5%)

33

LSHS AS FUEL
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS :

Low sulphur content

High pour point

SPECIFICATIONS COMPARED TO FUEL OIL :

Characteristics
HV grade
(IS 1593)

Fuel oil

(IS 11489)

Total sulphur
% weight (max)

4.5

Gross calorific value

(Kcal/Kg)
Flash point
0C (min)

LSHS

1.0

10280

66

10700

76

34

Water content
% vol. (max)

1.0

1.0

Sediments
% weight (max)

0.25

0.25

Pour point

not specified

660C (max)

Viscosity (cs)

180-300
(500C)

100
(1000C)

Ash content
% weight (max)

0.1

0.1

35

ADVANTAGES OF LSHS OVER FUEL OIL

Sulphur content :
- Due to low sulphur content, life of equipment used for generating steam is
extended since corrosion is very much reduced.
- Quality of product improves.
- Low sulphur fuel permits operation with lower flue gas temperature, resulting
in improved overall thermal efficiency.

Calorific value :
- Cal. value of LSHS is about 4% more than fuel oil.
- When used efficiently, the use of LSHS will cut down fuel consumption by
nearly 4%.

36

Viscosity :
- LSHS thins down faster than fuel oil.
- For efficient atomisation / combustion, recommended viscosity
at burner tip should be nearly 25 cs.
- Preheat temperature required to atomise LSHS is less than
fuel oil, so it results in saving in steam / electricity.

Pour point :
- LSHS has higher pour point than fuel oil.
- Requires to be handled hot at all stages and maintained at
about 750C temperature through out.

37

FUEL OIL HANDLING - SUGGESTED GUIDE LINES

Use gear pump for pumping and not centrifugal pump.

(since viscosity is high)

Two coarse filters in parallel before pump.

(one being in use, other standby)

Filters to be cleaned periodically.

Preheating of fuel oil necessary for easy pumping.

(viscosity increases as temperature drops in winter, making oil handling
difficult)

Electric heaters every 15 meters of pipe line or use of stream tracer /

electric tracer lines along pipe lines.

All pipe lines to be properly insulated.

38

Preheating of fuel oil in storage tank to render it pumpable, by :

- Either entire tank can be maintained at pumping temperature (bulk heating)
or
- An out flow heater may be fitted to heat oil as it flows.
(only oil leaving the tank is heated to pumpable temperature)
- Outflow heating, a better choice.
(bulk heating desirable only for high flow rate / LSHS heating)

Important :
- Thermostatic temperature control of oil necessary to prevent over heating.
- Thermocouple at a region where oil flows freely in to suction pipe.

39

FACILITIES REQUIRED AT CONSUMERS PREMISES

TO HANDLE LSHS

Unloading :
- Product is filled hot at refinery and the tanker is insulated.
- It is advisable to keep a steam point available near unloading
region so that in case of emergency, steam can be utilised for
preheating the oil in the tanker.

Pipe lines :
- Entire network of pipe lines will have to be steam / electric
traced and lagged.

Storage tanks :
- Steam coils of adequate capacity will have to be installed
in the storage tank.

40

Service tank :
- Suitably lagged and provided with steam / electrical heater to ensure
appropriate preheat temperature of about 750C

Oil pump and burner :

- No major changes will be required since LSHS after preheating will come
down to the same viscosity as fuel oil.

41

SECTOR WISE FUEL OIL CONSUMPTION

TONNES

Engineering and other industries

where LAP burners are used

1.8x106

Miscellaneous plants where MAP burners are used

0.7x106

Iron and steel plant

0.4x106

Fertilizers

0.6x106

Power plant

0.9x106

Chemical industries

1.0x106

Refineries

1.4x106

LSHS / HPS in power plants

2.0x106
TOTAL

8.0X106

42

DEMANDS OF FUEL OIL / LSHS IN INDIA

YEAR

MILLION TONNES

1989-90

8.178

1990-91

8.581

1991-92

8.945

1992-93

9.240

1993-94

9.389

19994-95

9.615

1995-96

9.691

1996-97

9.778

1997-98

9.858

1998-99

9.931

1999-2000

10.814

43

EFFICIENT UTILISATION OF FUEL OIL

SOME ESSENTIAL PARAMETERS AT THE BURNER END

For efficient atomisation of fuel oil :

- Higher the oil viscosity, more difficult to break the oil in to fine droplets.
- Maintain the oil temperature for desired atomising viscosity (about 25 cs).
- Supply atomising air (primary air) at required pressure.
- Primary air, 25 - 30% of total combustion air (for LAP burners).
- Reduction in primary air pressure, adversely affects atomisation of fuel oil.
(indication - smoking chimney)

44

- Examine burner tip periodically specially for pressure jet burners

(for size and ovality)
- Slightest damage to burner tip, considerably effects atomisation
efficiency.
- increases fuel consumption by 10-15%.

- Never clean burner tips with hard metal.

- Reject worn out and damaged burner tips and replace by new one.
- Maintain constant pressure at inlet of pressure jet burners, irrespective
of the load, to ensure efficient atomisation.

45

TEST METHODS
DENSITY/ SPECIFIC GRAVITY :

Pyknometer
Density bottle
Hydrometer
Oscillating U-tube method (ISO 12185: 1996E)

VOLATILITY :

Expressed by following characteristics :

Vapour pressure
Distillation characteristics
V/L ratio

VAPOUR PRESSURE :

Reid vapour pressure (ASTM D 323)

Grabner method (ASTM D5191)

CORROSION TEST :

Copper strip corrosion test (ASTM D 130, IP 154, ISO 2160: 1995)

46

SULPHUR :

Sulphur in liquid petroleum products by Oxidative microcoulometry

(ASTM D 3120)
Range : 3.0 to 100 ppm.

Sulphur in liquid petroleum products by Lamp method

(ASTM D 1266)
Range : 100 to 4000 ppm.

Sulphur in liquid petroleum products by Mickbold method

(IP 243/94)
Range : 1 10,000 ppm.

Sulfur in liquid petroleum products by Raney nickel reduction method

(UOP 357)
Range : 0.1 200 ppm.

Sulphur in petroleum products by Energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence method

(ASTM D 4294)
Range : 0.05 5%

Sulfur in petroleum products by UV fluorescence method

(ASTM D 5453)
Range : 1 8000 ppm.

47

Cloud point :

Pour point :

(ASTM D 97, IP 15/95)

Hydrogen content :

( ASTM D 2500-91, IP 219/94)

Lamp method (ASTM D 1018)

Calorific value :

(ASTM D 1405)
Experimental determination by Bomb calorimetric method

48

SUGGESTED BOOKS FOR TEST METHODS :

IP methods for analysis & testing

Annual book of ASTM standards Vol. 05.01, 05.02 & 05.03

IS 1448 - Various test methods

Significance of ASTM tests for petroleum products ASTM publication

Quality assessment of petroleum products by GEORGE SELL IP publication

Fuel & lubricants by Poprich & Carl Hering

Manual on significance of tests for petroleum products by GeorgE V Dyroft

Modern petroleum technology pub. IP

Petroleum products hand book by B. Guthri

Petroleum refinery engineering by W.L.Nelson

49

THANKS

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