Combustion – Four Steps

Jan 4, 2017 | Burner Tutorials, Tutorials

This quick tutorial will guide you through the steps on proper burner adjustments for flame retention burners. Click on each image to see larger.

Make sure the sample hole is in the right location.

Desirable location for 1/4″ flue pipe sampling hole for typical chimney connections

  1. Locate hole at least one flue pipe diameter on the furnace or boiler side of the draft control.
  2. Ideally, hole should be at least 2 flue pipe diameters from breeching or elbow.

Set the burner air congrols to obtain a trace of smoke at steady state operation.

At steady state, begin by pulling 10 strokes with the hand-held smoke pump tester.

Verify you have a true trace of smike and adjust the air accordingly if needed.

Measure the CO2 at a trace of smoke.

Now increase the air setting until the CO2 is reduced by 1 to 2 percentage points.

Retest and verify the CO2 was reduced by 1 or 2 percentage points.

Make a smoke test — it should be zero.

You have now built in a margin to accommodate variables that could be encountered during the heating season.

See tips for troubleshooting if a trace of smoke cannot be obtained.

Troubleshooting Tips

Here are some troubleshooting tips if a trace of smoke cannot be obtained.

Partially plugged nozzle

Not enough air provided to the burner

Too much air provided to the burner

Oil pressure too low

Plugged heat exchanger

Wrong nozzle for application

Vacuum too high (plugged filter or oil line restriction)

Cold oil (larger droplets)

Poor quality oil (water bacteria sludge)

Z dimension incorrect

Air in the oil supply line

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