Guest guest Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Anybody know if fuel oil particulate has similar characteristics to diesel particulate? With similar exposure concerns? I realize diesel is exhausted into outside air and fuel oil is (supposed to be) confined indoors to furnace combustion. However, if the combustion is not in a closed system or if there is a malfunction then fuel oil particulate could be released. I have a building that uses fuel oil and there is a film on interior surfaces characterized by a lab as “soot like.” Therefore, the question about the comparison to diesel. Carl GrimesHealthy Habitats LLC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Carl: From a hydrocarbon composition perspective, #2 fuel oil and diesel motor fuel are essentially the same. The exact composition will very from refinery to refinery; depending on the crude oil mix and the refinery processes. Diesel has a few additives. The combustion process has a lot to do with the by products; rich mixtures will produce more C and CO and probably more aldehydes. Don Schaezler Anybody know if fuel oil particulate has similar characteristics to diesel particulate? With similar exposure concerns? I realize diesel is exhausted into outside air and fuel oil is (supposed to be) confined indoors to furnace combustion. However, if the combustion is not in a closed system or if there is a malfunction then fuel oil particulate could be released. I have a building that uses fuel oil and there is a film on interior surfaces characterized by a lab as “soot like.” Therefore, the question about the comparison to diesel. Carl GrimesHealthy Habitats LLC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Carl, Fuel oil and #2 diesel are basically the same. In some colder regions an anti-gel is added. There would be very little difference in the soot generated from combustion. Both diesel engines and fuel oil furnaces operate at a relatively low temperature. If the furnace is operating properly the combustion products should be excluded from the interior. I have seen significant soot deposit indoors related to roadway pollution. You might want to use an ultra-fine particulate monitor to help you understand the source of the soot. Regards, A. G. Wassenaar, Inc. ph Gifford, CIH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Carl The scientist who has most studied combustion and its impacts, in appliances and in buildings, is Skip Hayden, now Director of RIES at canmetEnergy. His email address is skip.hayden@... and he should be your first point of contact and is the best source for your problem. I did some of the theoretical work on combustion gas spillage in buildings and also managed many studies in the field. Oil furnaces and heaters tend to spill some at each start-up and some spill for very long times if the building is depressurized. 100% spillage is possible if the building is a much better, powered chimney than what we call the chimney. The real world does not seem interested that we call one thing a chimney and the other a building; it goes with the best thing that acts like a chimney. Many buildings and houses are good chimneys; some are even power vented (exhaust only ventilation or exhaust-dominant ventilation). Jim H. White systemsc@... Fuel oil vs Diesel Anybody know if fuel oil particulate has similar characteristics to diesel particulate? With similar exposure concerns? I realize diesel is exhausted into outside air and fuel oil is (supposed to be) confined indoors to furnace combustion. However, if the combustion is not in a closed system or if there is a malfunction then fuel oil particulate could be released. I have a building that uses fuel oil and there is a film on interior surfaces characterized by a lab as “soot like.” Therefore, the question about the comparison to diesel. Carl Grimes Healthy Habitats LLC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Carl,Do you know if you are dealing with a condition the industry calls a " Puff-back " ?Also, have you considered measuring for " Total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) " E-Bob Anybody know if fuel oil particulate has similar characteristics to diesel particulate? With similar exposure concerns? I realize diesel is exhausted into outside air and fuel oil is (supposed to be) confined indoors to furnace combustion. However, if the combustion is not in a closed system or if there is a malfunction then fuel oil particulate could be released. I have a building that uses fuel oil and there is a film on interior surfaces characterized by a lab as “soot like.” Therefore, the question about the comparison to diesel. Carl GrimesHealthy Habitats LLC -- Respectfully submitted,Bob Hawley, CEICC, CIEC, CMC, CMCA, CSDS, CMRS, CETC, CSL (MA), ADI-II----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Environmental AirTechsIAQ Consulting/Investigations Dept. Southwick Massachusetts 01077email: Bob@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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