Innovative Fuel Oil Products from 2008

New products, systems and services abounded in 2008; conceived, produced and brought to market by suppliers seeking to help operators run their businesses more efficiently and profitably. Fuel Oil News takes a look at some of the offerings that came to market this year.  

Aquaquick 2000

Aquaquick 2000 is a biological, water-based hydrocarbon cleaner formulated to biodegrade all residues into harmless byproducts. It is made from plant extracts and is non-toxic, non-flammable, dermatologically approved. It replaces widely used toxic solvents, alkalines, phosphate-containing and other popular cleaning agents, which displace but do not biodegrade hydrocarbons, said the manufacturer, Ecosolutions. Production started this summer in Michigan, the company said.

Additional details can be found at the company Web site: ecosolutions.com.

Arctic Power Winter Diesel Fuel Additive

Arctic Power Winter Diesel Fuel Additive is added to diesel fuel to improve low temperature vehicle operability as measured by the ASTM Low Temperature Filtration Test (LTFT- ASTM D 4539). The additive is designed to depress operating temperatures by producing small wax crystals. It modifies the shape and size of the crystals in middle distillates, helping to prevent the wax plugging of lines and filter screens. The small wax crystals form a porous wax cake on fuel filters, which allows continuous fuel passage, minimizing power loss or hesitation due to fuel starvation, according to the supplier. As the engine heats up, the warmed recycled fuel dissolves the wax, readying the fuel system for future low temperature conditions. 

The wax crystals that form stay uniformly suspended in the cold fuel for days or longer. The suspension of the wax below the fuel’s cloud point provides a more uniform fuel product upon storage. Wax anti-settling qualities prevent the introduction of concentrated wax into fuel distribution systems and vehicles, where it could bind or overwhelm filters and plug lines.

The additive virtually eliminates the need to find, blend or pay for costly kerosene for winter diesel operation, according to the supplier, and provides winter operation equivalent to a 50 percent to 75 percent kerosene blended fuel.

For more information, contact W.R. ‘Bud” McClintock, general manager of ADT Fuel Additives, at 856-589-8564.

Blackmer TXD1200 Series

The TXD1200 Series from Blackmer is designed for pumping light petroleum products (diesel, heating oil, gasoline, kerosene, avgas, various biofuels, such as biodiesel and ethanol) and addresses several changes in the marketplace.

‘Blackmer introduced the TXD1200 Series high-speed truck pumps to adapt to specific changes in the light petroleum products markets,” said Scott Jackson, product manager. Some of the recent changes that are affecting truck and transport pumps, Jackson said, include: OEM installers finding it more difficult to match automatic transmission models with available PTO ratios and current pump speeds; higher rotation speeds becoming more common; and new engine emission regulations often requiring engine off-loading speeds be increased from previous standards.

Blackmer’s TXD1200 Series high-speed truck and transport pumps are available in 2-, 2.5- and 3-inch port sizes.

For more information visit the Blackmer Web site at blackmer.com, call 616-241-1611 or send an email request to jackson@blackmer.com.

Carlin 90524 Triple Limit or Cold Start Control; high-efficiency burners

The Carlin EZ-Temp Model 90524 is a burner/circulator/reverse acting control commonly referred to as a triple limit.  This microprocessor-based control is designed to maintain a low limit for tankless coils with a reverse acting priority feature for DHW. Upon call for heat, the control energizes the circulator.  If the low limit POT is turned to the ‘off” position, the control operates as a cold start control. Carlin also offers high-efficiency burners, powered by oil or gas. For more information visit the Web site of Carlin Combustion Technology, Inc. at carlincombustion.com or call 1-800-989-2275.

Condensing oil-fired furnace

Made by Adams Manufacturing Co., the condensing oil-fired furnace is designed to be 95 percent to 98 percent efficient. It can be used for heating or a combination of heating and cooling (air conditioning). It fits into utility rooms, closets, alcoves, basements or attics, and comes in highboy, lowboy, counterflow and horizontal models. For more information visit co-opfuels.com.

Field Oil Vent Damper and Field Vent Riser

Field Controls has developed a new Oil Vent Damper designed to reduce off-cycle heat loss in oil burning appliances, resulting in a gain of up to two percent in AFUE, the company said. Normally, when the thermostat is satisfied and the burner shuts down, the residual heat in the burner chamber escapes via the chimney. The Field Oil Vent Damper prevents this loss by closing the vent during the off cycle, the company said. Field testing indicates the average homeowner can save five percent or more on fuel costs.

A hold-open service switch is included to lock the damper in the open position during service or maintenance. The housing and damper are made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel. The damper plate rotates 360 degrees for automatic self-cleaning action.

The Vent Riser is for those times when a power vent termination comes out below grade or without enough ground clearance to meet code. It effectively raises the vent termination approximately 31 inches vertically, according to Tim Begoske of Field Controls. “This allows the contractor to terminate power-vented and direct-vented furnaces and boilers per code by simply digging down to the sidewall penetration and attaching the Vent Riser to the ductwork.” The vent should terminate at least 12 inches above grade and should never be installed in a window well, according to Field engineers.

For more information visit the company Web site at fieldcontrols.com or call 252-522-3031.

Fueloiltickets.com

American Business Forms & Envelopes, a provider of fuel meter tickets, launched the Web site fueloiltickets.com, which includes images of delivery tickets, invoices, envelopes and other items related to the fuel industry. The site provides samples of meter tickets for all the major software providers for the fuel industry. In addition, fuel dealers can get price quotes and place orders. ‘We want to make the Web site really simple to navigate yet provide lots of samples of the types of products that we provide to the fuel industry,” said John Leary of American Business Forms & Envelopes. ‘We want to let dealers know that we can design and provide a fuel meter ticket for any application.” For more information visit the Web site: fueloiltickets.com.

Fuel Right

 

Fuel Right products are marketed to refiners, terminal operators and fuel dealers as fuel system treatments for control of sludge and tank corrosion.

‘We are currently focused on helping fuel oil dealers re-engineer and install bulk treatment systems to take full advantage of our newer, more concentrated Fuel Right additives,” said Bob Tatnall of Fairville Products, the maker of Fuel Right.

The exclusive distributor for Fuel Right products throughout North America is The Solutions Team. For more information visit the Web site fuelright.com.

Hydroburn

Hydroburn, a bio-chemical (green) fuel oil treatment, is designed to eliminate water before problems start. Hydroburn treatments, which are complex organic compounds, have a strong hydrophilic attraction to water. Hydroburn seeks out water droplets, breaks the bond between adjacent water molecules and bonds itself to the individual molecule. The water molecule becomes encapsulated by a combustible shell and is heavier than the fuel, causing it to sink. When the fuel is agitated the encapsulated water molecules are dispersed throughout the fuel tank as an innerphase suspension. Over time the water is removed as the burner runs, “burning” it off with a clean flame.

‘Originally we had Hydroburn formulated by a third party laboratory to meet the demands of a problem gasoline station owners were having with phase separation in ethanol blended fuels,” said Kevin Hughes, research and development manager for Central Illinois Manufacturing Co. ‘Hydroburn is a proprietary blend developed specially for us to eliminate water problems in ethanol. It wasn’t until later our tests revealed Hydroburn works just as effectively in removing water in fuel oil as it does in ethanol blends.”

For literature and technical information, call 888-898-7187. The Central Illinois Manufacturing Co.  Web site is cim-tek.com.  

HydroStat

The HydroStat 3150 is a temperature limit and low water cut-off for oil fired boilers. The HydroStat can be used in two ways: as a universal replacement for common aquastat controls or as a dual function temp limit and low water cut-off.  

Bill Montgomery, Hydrolevel’s national sales manager noted, ‘Many installers view the HydroStat as an original equipment control.  They have not yet caught on to the universal replacement capability of HydroStat.”

He pointed out that the control can replace virtually any temp limit control on an oil fired boiler. Wiring designations are the same, and there is no need to change the existing immersion well.  In this case, HydroStat will provide full temperature functionality including cold-start or triple-action operation.  Installers only need to use a Hydrolevel Electro-Well if they want to add low water cut-off protection.

For more information visit the Hydrolevel Web site at hydrolevel.com.

Oil Solutions

Oil Solutions is a two-step product that works on any oil/petroleum spill, said Kevin Overhuls, National Sales & Marketing Manager for Oil Storage Solutions, the manufacturer.

The product is applied in two steps, using solution from two different bottles that come in a kit. The solution for step one should be poured to cover the same area as the spill, Overhuls said, and judging whether enough of the step one solution has been used is simple.

‘If you didn’t use enough, you’ll still smell some of the oil, and you need to add some more,” he said. ‘As soon as you don’t smell anything, you’ve used enough.” Then the step two, solution is poured out to cover the same area; it causes the oil to coagulate into a gel, Overhuls said, which over a number of hours turns into a non-toxic, non-hazardous silica dust. The product, which works on spills on asphalt, concrete and wood, among other surfaces, is being sold through distributors, Overhuls said.

For more information visit the Oil Storage Solutions Web site, tanktub.com.

R.W. Beckett GeniSys Advanced Burner Control

R.W. Beckett Corp. designed the Beckett GeniSys Advanced Burner Control, a 120 Vac primary safety control, for residential and light commercial oil burners used in boiler, furnace and water heater applications.  It is used with a suitable cad cell flame sensor to control the oil burner motor, igniter and valve. It has 24 Vac thermostat terminals compatible with both mechanical and power-stealing thermostats.  It can provide interrupted or intermittent duty ignition, and it has a 15-second lockout time.

‘We really focused on [customer] requirements before we jumped into the design,” John Bohan, director of business development, said. ‘This eliminated force-fitting late requirements into the product.”

One of the control’s major innovations is the addition of two communication ports to the right side of the control.  These add communication capabilities, both to and from the control.  An optional alarm lockout module can be mounted to one of the ports to provide a signal to an external alarm device, eliminating the need to stock special application controls.  The second port can be used to connect an optional Beckett display or contractor’s tool that allows a technician to monitor and interface with the control.

The display or contractor’s tool also allows the user to change the pre- and post-timings of the control.  According to Bohan, “The field programmability of GeniSys allows oil dealers and contractors to stock a single primary control suitable for almost all field replacements.  When on the job site, the contractor will have what he or she needs to replace virtually any control.”

In addition, Bohan said, ‘We wanted to focus on the control’s burner troubleshooting capabilities. With the display or contractor’s tool the user can access current burner status and the last 15 cycles of history stored on the GeniSys control.”

For more information visit the company Web site at beckettcorp.com.

SafeRack G4 Gangway

The redesigned, patent-pending SafeRack G4 Gangway, in development for 18 months, uses metal-stamping technology to create a stronger gangway that is at the same time lighter and smoother to operate, said SafeRack, the manufacturer.

SafeRack’s G4 Gangways are constructed using parts, most often aluminum, that are stamped out in a tool-and-die process and then formed by bending the metal into the required shape, eliminating the need to weld the pieces together. This accelerates the production process, allowing for more expedient delivery and turnaround time for the customer.

Rob Honeycutt, co-founder of SafeRack, said, ‘When bending the material used in the construction of the G4, you can use thinner, lighter materials that will actually be stronger than the welded parts.”

‘Eighty percent of the welds on the gangway have been eliminated,” said Honeycutt, ‘and virtually all of the welds that remain are not direct-impact welds, they are stitch welds or plug welds that aren’t load-bearing.”

For more information contact Tom Semiklose, sales manager, at 866- 761-7225 or tsemiklose@saferack.com, or visit the company Web site at saferack.com.

VisiTank Remote Tank Level Monitoring System

VisiTank Remote Tank Level Monitoring System is designed to give fuel oil dealers a unique ‘window” into customers’ oil tanks, supplementing or replacing degree-day systems widely used to estimate fuel levels.

With timely, accurate knowledge of tank levels, run-outs can be virtually eliminated, and the oil dealer can schedule drops that optimize delivery routes, the manufacturer said. This saves time and truck fuel.  In addition to fuel level, the system has sensors for temperature and burner lockout.  This capability allows the oil dealer to offer customers a monitoring service, attractive to homeowners with part-time residences. The system can be set to alarm at predefined temperature limits or rate of change.

A key feature of VisiTank is that all sensors are wireless.  This means that installation time is minimized.  

According to Steve Whitman, vice president of Oil Equipment Manufacturing (OEM), the company that developed and markets VisiTank, typical hardware installation is ‘less than 30 minutes.”  The need to run wires, drill holes in walls or make other custom installation is eliminated. 

Whitman also noted that VisiTank ‘provides continuous reading of all sensors, not simply low level alerts.  This allows real time calculation of fuel usage and realistic projections of delivery requirements.”  Sensor data are collected by a ‘smart” modem and transmitted over a phone line to the oil dealer’s host computer, where VisiTank software creates screen displays of levels, alarm conditions and other key customer data.

For more information visit the Web site at visitank.com or contact Steve Whitman, vice president, sales, at 800-556-3417, or by e-mail at swhitman@oil-equip-mfg.com.

Wintac Pro 2009

Wintac Pro 2009 is a new management software for fuel delivery and other service contractors, provided by Intac International. Its functions include: customer relationship management, field service management, contact management, vehicle management and complete accounting.

Wintac Pro 2009 comes with an interactive tutorial, both an online and a printed user’s guide, and unlimited access to live technical support services for a full year.

For more information visit the Web site at wintacpro.com or call 800-724-7899.