03 September 2018 –
Anyone wishing to inform about the possibilities and advantages of future low-greenhouse gas fuels is best advised to use them under conditions that are as realistic as possible. The Institute for Heat and Oil Technology (IWO) is currently carrying out a model project in which seven buildings with oil condensing boilers in different configurations are operated with a mixture of greenhouse gas-reduced fuel and low-sulphur heating oil. The focus here is on the question of whether the operational reliability and service life of oil-fired heating systems can also be permanently guaranteed with more climate-friendly fuels as pure heating oil.
IWO is supported with the model project by the TEC4FUELS GmbH. TEC4FUELS procures the fuel and organizes its distribution in the quantity co-ordinated in each case to the owners of house. The subsequent chemical analysis of the tank contents is just as much a part of the scope of services as the organisation of an emergency service to ensure plant operation. If required, TEC4FUELS also searches for suitable model houses for the client and coordinates the requirements for project participation with the house owners.
The paraffinic fuel used by IWO in the model projects reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80 percent compared to conventional heating oil. The share of this “green” fuel oil in the individual demonstration plants is between 25 and 75 percent. In August 2017, the first plant was filled with such a fuel blend and has since been running just as reliably and unobtrusively as it did with classic low-sulphur heating oil. The maintenance and inspection of the plant, which was recently carried out after one year of operation, also showed a perfectly typical plant and maintenance picture. The manufacturer of the fuel – the company Neste – certifies its product as “drop-in”, i.e. this product can be mixed in any ratio with conventional mineral heating oil.
