A TOTAL LOOK AT

OIL BURNER NOZZLES

ISO 9001 CERTIFIED
A Reference Guide for the
Burner Service Technician
The complete oil heating system begins at the tank and
ends at the chimney. At the heart of the system is a tiny,
yet important piece of hardware — the nozzle. It
performs the vital functions that keep the flame
generating warm, comfortable heat. In fact, it plays
such a significant role in the entire system that we feel
the technician should know all about the nozzle.
In this reference guide, we’ll explore how the nozzle
works with other components of the system and give
you some oil nozzle facts that can help you maintain a
clean, reliable and economical heating system.

Contents Page
Why Use Nozzles? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
What the Nozzle Does . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
How A Nozzle Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Nozzle Selection; Delavan Nozzles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Nozzle Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Burner Manufacturers’ Nozzle Recommendations;
Nozzle Interchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Flow Rate; Proper Flow Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Determination of Proper Firing Rate for a House . . . . . . . 8
Spray Angle; Spray Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Burner Air Patterns; Recommended Combustion
Chamber Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Effects of Excess Air on Nozzle Performance;
What Affects Droplet Size? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Effects of Pressure on Nozzle Performance . . . . . . . . . . 12
Effects of Pressure on Nozzle Flow Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Effects of Viscosity on Nozzle Performance . . . . . . . . . . 14
Examples of Proper Nozzle Selection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Fuel Saving Devices for the Consumer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Preheaters and Chemical Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Residential Oil Burner Adjustments for
Optimum Fuel Utilization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Good Filtration Is Important. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Clean Air Technology; ProTek™ Nozzle System . . . . . . . 20
Delavan Filtration Products; Nozzle Filters
and Strainers; Line Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Other Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Nozzle Care and Service Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
General Trouble Shooting Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Questions Asked by Oil Heating Service Technicians . . 30
Other Delavan Nozzles Available . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
 NOTE
The information in this pamphlet is based on
experience and is to be used as a general guide only.

WARNING
Improper modification to combustion units may create
a fire hazard resulting in possible injury. Contact the
original equipment manufacturer before modifying the
combustion unit.

Why Use Nozzles?

For a better understanding of how a nozzle fits into the
performance of an oil burner, let us first review the steps in the
process of efficient combustion.
Like all combustible matter, the oil must first be vaporized—
converted to a vapor or gas—before combustion can take
place. This is usually accomplished by the application of
heat.
The oil vapor must be mixed with air in order to have oxygen
present for combustion.
The temperature of this mixture must be increased above the
ignition point.
A continuous supply of air and fuel must be provided for
continuous combustion.
The products of combustion must be removed from the
combustion chamber.

The simplest way to burn fuel oil is the old vaporizing pot type
burner in which heat is applied to a puddle of oil, thus vaporizing
the fuel. These vapors are then burned after mixing with the
proper amount of air.
In most applications, this method of vaporizing is too slow for
high rates of combustion and cannot be controlled in the low rates,
which leads back to the original question of why nozzles are used.
One of the functions of a nozzle is to atomize the fuel, or break it
up into tiny droplets which can be vaporized in a much shorter
period of time when exposed to high temperatures. This booklet
will be concerned primarily with the high-pressure atomizing
nozzle since it is the most common in the Oil Heat Industry.

1
What the Nozzle Does
The atomizing nozzle performs three
vital functions for an oil burner:
1. Atomizing As just discussed, it
speeds up the vaporization process
by breaking up the oil into tiny
droplets…something like 55-billion
per gallon of oil at a pressure of 100-
psi (standard in the industry). The
exposed surface of a gallon of oil is
thereby expanded to approximately 690,000 square inches of
burning surface. Individual droplet sizes range from .0002
inch to .010 inch. The smaller droplets are necessary for fast
quiet ignition and to establish a flame front close to the
burner head. The larger droplets take longer to burn and
help fill the combustion chamber.
2. Metering A nozzle is so designed and dimensioned that it
will deliver a fixed amount of atomized fuel to the
combustion chamber…within approximately plus or minus
5% of rated capacity. This means that functional dimensions
must be controlled very closely. It also means that nozzles
must be available in many flow rates to satisfy a wide range
of industry needs. Under 5.00 GPH, for example, over 20
different flow rates and 6 different spray angles are
considered standard.
3. Patterning A nozzle is also expected to deliver the
atomized fuel to the combustion chamber in a uniform spray
pattern and spray angle best suited to the requirements of a
specific burner. More details on patterns and angles later.

2
How A Nozzle Works
Now that we know what a nozzle is supposed to do, let’s see how
it does it.
But before we do, let’s take a look at the cutaway showing the
functional parts of a typical Delavan nozzle (Fig. 1). The flow rate,
spray angle and pattern are directly related to the design of the
tangential slots, swirl chamber and orifice.

FIGURE 1 Cutaway view of a Delavan nozzle.

First, a source of energy is needed to break up the oil into small
droplets. Therefore pressure is supplied to the nozzle, usually
from a motor-driven pump at 100-150 psi (Fig. 2). But pressure
energy alone doesn’t do the job. It must first be converted to
velocity energy and this is accomplished by directing the
pressurized fuel through a set of slots which are cut in the
distributor at an angle, or tangentially, to create a high velocity
rotation within the swirl chamber. At this point, about half of the
pressure energy is converted to velocity energy.
As the oil swirls, centrifugal force is exerted against the sides of the
chamber, driving the oil against the orifice walls, leaving a void or
core of air in the center. The oil then moves forward out of the orifice
in the form of a hollow tube. The “tube” becomes a cone shaped
film of oil as it emerges from the orifice, ultimately stretching to a
point where it ruptures and throws off droplets of liquid.

How a Nozzle Works

FIGURE 2 How a nozzle works.

3
Nozzle Selection
To match a nozzle to a burner takes field-service experience, trial-
and-error, or a good foundation of understanding angles, rates
and patterns.

Nozzle Ratings and Testing

To insure consistent quality, every Delavan
nozzle is tested for flow rate and spray angle on
modern, high instrumented test stands. Spray
quality is observed during testing for
uniformity, balance and flutter.

Delavan Nozzles
Test oil is mixed to nominal no. 2 oil Nozzle Vial
specifications. The viscosity is Type Color
maintained within:1±.04 centistokes A Red
(.03 SSU), gravity to a total spread of Del-O-Flo A Black
B Royal Blue
11/2° APl and temperature at 80°F Del-O-Flo B Gold
±2° F. Test pressure is set at 100 psi. W Green
These conditions are continuously
monitored and instrument accuracy is maintained within ±.5% or
better. Nozzle testing is conducted in an air-conditioned, controlled
environment, with a temperature variation of 4° F maximum.

Nozzle Types

Type A
Hollow Cone
(Creates stable flame
at low flows)
Figure 3

Hollow Cone Nozzle (Type A)

Hollow cone nozzles can be used in burners with a hollow air
pattern and also for use in small burners (those firing 1.00 GPH
and under), regardless of air pattern. Hollow cone nozzles
generally have more stable spray angles and patterns under
adverse conditions than solid cone nozzles of the same flow rate.
This is an important advantage in fractional gallonage nozzles
where high viscosity fuel may cause a reduction in spray angle
and an increase in droplet size.
Type A nozzles produce a spray which delivers fine droplets
outside the periphery of the main spray cone. These fine droplets
greatly enhance ignition and create a stable flame for use with
flame retention burners.
For Type A Del-O-Flo® low flow nozzles (see page 5).

4
 Type B
Solid Cone
(For larger burners & where
air pattern is heavy in the
center or for long fires)
Figure 4

Solid Cone Nozzle (Type B)

Type B nozzles produce a spray which distributes
droplets fairly uniformly throughout the complete pattern.
This spray pattern becomes progressively more hollow at high
flow rates, particularly above 8.00 GPH. These nozzles may be
used in larger burners (those firing above 2.00 or 3.00 GPH) to
provide smoother ignition. They can also be used where the air
pattern of the burner is heavy in the center or where long fires are
required.
For Type B Del-O-Flo low flow nozzles see below.

Type W
(Can be used in place of
A or B types in reducing
specific problems)
Figure 5

Type W Nozzle
Type W nozzles produce a spray which is neither
truly hollow nor solid. These nozzles frequently can be
used in place of either solid or hollow cone nozzles between .40
GPH and 8.00 GPH, regardless of the burner’s air pattern. The
lower flow rates tend to be hollower. Higher flow rates tend to be
more solid.

Del-O-Flo® Nozzle
U.S. Patent #4,360,156; Belgian Patent #889,019; U.K. Patent #2,076,696
Del-O-Flo® nozzles are low-capacity nozzles
designed to minimize the usual Nozzle
plugging problems associated with low flow
rates. Del-O-Flo® nozzles are available in A
and B types.
Figure 6 Delavan performed a test in which a .50 gph
Standard Del-O-Flo® nozzle and a .50 gph standard
hollow-cone hollow cone nozzle were run continuously for
23 hours from a double adapter using the
same oil supply. Engineers contaminated
clean oil with a controlled amount of iron
oxide, rust and sand. The pictures to the left
show the nozzles after the test (these views are
looking inside the nozzle body from the filter
Figure 7 end). You can see the iron oxide contamination
Delavan Del-O-Flo build up in the standard nozzle (Fig. 6).
Fig. 7 shows the same view of the Del-O-Flo® nozzle. Although the
dark streaks show a discoloration from sand, there is no
contamination build up.

5
Burner Manufacturer’s Recommendations*
Manufacturer Model Delavan Nozzle
F-AFC 80° W, A or B
Aero HF-US 80° W, A or B
Burner HF-AFC 80° W, A or B
SV-SSV 70° or 80° B
AF/FG (F) 60°, 70° or 80° A or B (100-150 PSI)
R.W. AF/AFG (M) 60° or 70° A or B (100-150 PSI)
Beckett AFII (FB) 45°, 60° or 70° A, W or B (140-200 PSI)
AF II (HLX) 45°, 60° or 70° A, W or B (140-200 PSI)
99 FRD (Std.) .50-.75 GPH 60°A
.85-3.00 GPH 45°A, 60°A or B
100 CRD (Std.) .50-.75 GPH 60°A
The .85-2.25 GPH 45°A, 60°A or B
Carlin .75-1.10 GPH 60°
Elite EZ-1 .50-1.00 GPH 70°A
Co. .50-.85 GPH 60° SS
1.00-1.65 GPH 60° or 70°
Elite (EZ-2,3) All Flow Rates 60° A, B or SS
Mectron 3M 600 W, B, or Del-O-Flo A
5M (Up to to .85 GPH)
F3, F.5 .40-1.25 GPH 60° or 80° W or A
Riello F10 1.25-2.50 GPH 60° or W or B
Burners F15, F20 2.00-5.00 GPH 45° or 60° W or B
R35.3, R35.5 .50-1.25 GPH 60° or 80° W or B
Press 2.00-12.00 GPH 60° or 45° B or W
Series
MAC 1265 P/N 6601-181 or .55 GPH 90° W
or .579 MH
Intertherm MSH 066 .50 - 80°A
MSH 086 .65 - 80° A
P100 .50-1.00 GPH 60°, 70°, 80° A or B
EHASR .75-3.00 GPH 80°, 70°, 60° **
Wayne MSR .75-2.75 GPH 80°, 70°, 60° **
Home HS .50-2.50 GPH 80°, 70°, 60° **
Equipment HS .50-3.00 GPH 80°, 70°, 60° B
EG-1 .50-3.00 GPH 88°, 70°, 60° **
**Under 1.00 GPH use A; above 1.00 use B.
QB180 (150 PSI) .55-1.80 GPH 45°, 60°, 70°, 80° A or B
Weil-Mclain QB300 (140 PSI) 1.75-3.00 GPH 45°, 60°, 70°, 80° B
*Effective February 1997. Subject to updating by burner manufacturers. For models not listed, contact burner
manufacturer. Always follow the appliance manufacturer’s instructions for the correct nozzle specification.

Nozzle Interchange
Replacing a nozzle of one make with
Delavan Recommended another sometimes presents
Interchange
problems. This is partly due to
Nozzle Interchange Chart unique design differences among
Spray Angles 30° through 90° the various makes, plus the fact that
HAGO/SID HARVEY DELAVAN the nozzle manufacturers use
H A different methods for evaluating
SS (up to 2.0) SS spray angles, patterns and spray
SS (over 2.0) A or W quality.
ES/P B*
B B* *When interchanging a Delavan A,
MONARCH DELAVAN B or W with a Hago, it may be
NS/PL A necessary to try the next wider
R/AR (up to 2.0) R-D/AR-D spray angle.
R/AR (over 2.0) A/A or W
PLP B* **Del-O-Flo A and B nozzles will
DANFOSS DELAVAN interchange whenever standard A
AS W or B or B nozzles are called for.
AH A

6
Flow Rate
Atomizing nozzles are available in a wide range of flow rates, all
but eliminating the need for specially calibrated nozzles. Between
1.00 GPH and 2.00 GPH, for example, seven different flow rates
are available. Generally, with hot water and warm air heat, the
smallest firing rate that will adequately heat the house on the
coldest day is the proper size to use and the most economical.
Short on-cycles result in low efficiency. Another guideline is to
select the flow rate that provides a reasonable stack temperature
regardless of the connected load. (According to the New England
Fuel Institute, aim for a stack temperature of 400°F or lower on
matched packaged units or 500°F or lower on conversion burners.)
If the boiler or furnace is undersized for the load, it may be
necessary to fire for the load and ignore the efficiency.

Proper Flow Rates

The proper size nozzle for a given burner unit is sometimes
stamped on the nameplate of the unit.
The following guidelines may be used for determining the proper
flow rates:
If the unit rating is given in BTU per hour input, the nozzle size
may be determined by…

BTU Input
GPH =
140,000

If the unit rating is given in BTU output…

BTU Output
GPH =
(Efficiency %) x 140,000

On a steam job, if the total square feet of steam radiation,

including piping, is known…

Total Sq. Ft. of Steam x 240

GPH =
(Efficiency %) x 140,000

If the system is hot water operating at 180° and the total square
feet of radiation, including piping, is known…

Total Sq. Ft. of Hot Water x 165

GPH =
(Efficiency %) x 140,000

7
Determination of Proper Firing Rate for a
House
Two procedures for determining the optimum nozzle size have
been developed. One is the standard heat loss calculation method
and the other is the K-factor sizing formula.
1. Standard Heat Loss Calculations Method If the
amount of heat loss is known, the amount of replacement
heat (heat load) needed is also known. From this
information, the proper size of a boiler or furnace can be
determined, thus the correct nozzle size. This method can be
used for determining the proper nozzle size in new
construction, a new heating system in an existing house, or a
new oil burner installation. This method requires extensive
measurements of the house and other construction details.
For more information, refer to recommended resource
material listed below.
Recommended Resource Material:
“Cooling and Heating Load Calculation Manual,” American
Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Engineers, Inc. (ASHRAE).
“Heat Loss Calculation Guide,” The Hydronics Institute
(IBR), 35 Russo Place, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922.

2. The K-Factor Sizing Formula This is a sizing calculation

that meets oil dealer and heating contractor needs for a quick
procedure to determine the proper nozzle size for existing
heating systems. The K-factor calculation uses oil dealer
records of degree days (a measure of “coldness”) and oil
used, plus other information, but does not require any
measurements of the house. For more information, refer to
recommended resource material listed below.
Recommended Resource Material:
“Handbook and Product Directory — Fundamentals,”
American Society of Heating, Air Conditioning and
Refrigeration Engineers, Inc. (ASHRAE).
“The Professional Serviceman’s Guide to Oil Heat Savings,”
R.W. Beckett Corp., 38251 Center Ridge Road, PO. Box D,
Elyria, OH 44035.

8
Spray Angle
Spray angles are available from 30° through 90° in most nozzle
sizes to meet the requirements of a wide variety of burner air
patterns and combustion chambers.
Usually it is desirable to fit the spray angle to the air pattern of the
burner. In today’s flame retention burner, it is possible to fire more
than one spray angle with good results. Generally, round or square
combustion chambers should be fired with 70° to 90° nozzles.
Long, narrow chambers usually require 30° to 60° spray angles.

Figure 8
Spray angles 90° 80° 70° 60° 45° 30°
available

70° to 90° spray angles for round or square chambers

30° to 60° spray angles for long, narrow chambers

Figure 9
Spray Pattern
Spray pattern is another consideration in determining which
nozzle to use. There’s a great difference between the solid pattern
on the left and the hollow pattern on the right. (See Fig. 10) These
patterns were photographed as a laser light beam passed through
the spray. Lasers are used at the Delavan test laboratory to study
patterns and spray characteristics.

Figure 10 (Left) Solid cone pattern, (Right) Hollow cone pattern

9
Burner Air Patterns
Burner air patterns are much like nozzle spray patterns in that
they fall into the same general classifications, either hollow or
solid. As you would expect, a burner with a hollow air pattern
generally requires a hollow cone fuel nozzle. A burner with a solid
air pattern will give highest efficiency with a solid cone nozzle,
but the flame will probably be longer.

Recommended Combustion
Chamber Dimensions

Square or Rectangular
Combustion Chamber
Nozzle Size Spray C Round
or Rating Angle L W H Nozzle Chamber
(GPH) Length Width Height Height (Diameter
(In.) (In.) (In.) (In.) in Inches)
0.50 – 0.65 80° 8 8 11 4 9
0.75 – 0.85 60° 10 8 12 4 *
80° 9 9 13 5 10
45° 14 7 12 4 *
1.00 – 1.10 60° 11 9 13 5 *
80° 10 10 14 6 11
45° 15 8 11 5 *
1.25 – 1.35 60° 12 10 14 6 *
80° 11 11 15 7 12
45° 16 10 12 6 *
1.50 – 1.65 60° 13 11 14 7 *
80° 12 12 15 7 13
45° 18 11 14 6 *
1.75 – 2.00 60° 15 12 15 7 *
80° 14 13 16 8 15
45° 18 12 14 7 *
2.25 – 2.50 60° 17 13 15 8 *
80° 15 14 16 8 16
45° 20 13 15 7 *
3.0 60° 19 14 17 8 *
80° 18 16 18 9 17
*Recommend oblong chamber for narrow sprays.
NOTES: These dimensions are for average conversion burners.
Burners with special firing heads may require special
chambers.
Higher back wall, flame baffle or corbelled back wall
increase efficiency on many jobs.
Combustion chamber floor should be insulated on
conversion jobs.
For larger nozzle sizes, use the same approximate
proportions and 90-sq. in. of floor area per 1 gph.
10
Effects of Excess Air On Nozzle
Performance
Excess air in the system can be a trouble spot. Of course the burner
must have sufficient air to provide good mixing of air and fuel oil,
or you get incomplete combustion and smoke. Unfortunately, as
the amount of air is increased, the transfer of heat is reduced.
A delicate balance must be achieved between smoke problems
(caused by insufficient excess air) and reduced heat transfer
(caused by unnecessary excess air).
An air leak in the system also causes lost efficiency. It cools down
combustion gases, lowers temperature, and raises stack
temperature.

What Affects Droplet Size?

It is sometimes assumed that the smallest possible
droplet size is the most desirable for all
applications. While this may be true in some cases,
it doesn’t apply across the board. The safest
generalization that can be made is to find the
droplet size and distribution that produces the
quietest, most efficient combustion. Here are some
of the major factors affecting the droplet size.
• Higher Flow Rate Nozzles usually produce larger
droplets, assuming pressure, fuel properties and spray angle
remain the same. A 10.00 GPH nozzle, for instance, will
produce larger droplets than a 5.00 GPH nozzle.
• Wider Spray Angles produce smaller droplets
• High Viscosity fuel produces larger droplets in the spray
at the same pressure.
• Heating Fuel reduces its viscosity and produces smaller
droplets.
• Increasing Fuel Pressure reduces droplet size.

11
Effects of Pressure
On Nozzle Performance
Normally, 100 psi is considered satisfactory for the fixed pressure
supplied to the nozzle, and all manufacturers calibrate their
nozzles at that pressure.
It is interesting to observe the sprays of a nozzle at various
pressures. See Figures 11-13. At the low pressure, the cone-shaped
film is long and the droplets breaking off from it are large and
irregular. Then, as the pressure increases, the spray angle becomes
better defined. Once a stable pattern is formed, any increase in
pressure does not affect the basic spray angle, measured directly in
front of the orifice.
At higher pressure, however, you will note that beyond the area of
the basic spray angle, the movement of droplets does make a
slight change in direction—inward. That’s because at this point
the air pressure outside the spray cone is higher than that on the
inside, which deforms the spray inward.
Pressure has another predictable effect on nozzle performance. As
you would expect, an increase in pressure causes a corresponding
increase in the flow rate of a nozzle, assuming all other factors
remain equal. This relationship between pressure and flow rate is
best shown in the table on page 13.
Increasing pressure also reduces droplet size in the spray. For
example, an increase from 100 to 300 psi reduces the average
droplet diameter about 28%. One last word on the subject: if
pressure is too low, you may be under-firing the burner.
Efficiencies may also drop sharply because droplet size is larger
and the spray pattern changed. If pressure isn’t carefully checked,*
the marking on the nozzle becomes meaningless. Pressures of
more than 100 psi are sometime desirable, but rarely do burners
operate at anything less.

Figure 11 Spray at 10 psi pressure

* Pressure can be reduced between the pump and the chamber
by clogged filters in the line or the nozzle. Check pressure
whenever reduced, not just at the pump.

12
 Effects of Pressure
On Nozzle Flow Rate
Nozzle Nozzle Flow Rates In
Rating Gallons Per Hour (Approx.)
at 120 145 160 175 200 300
100 PSI PSI PSI PSI PSI PSI PSI
0.40 0.44 0.48 0.51 0.53 0.57 0.69
0.50 0.55 0.60 0.63 0.66 0.71 0.87
0.60 0.66 0.72 0.76 0.79 0.85 1.04
0.65 0.71 0.78 0.82 0.86 0.92 1.13
0.75 0.82 0.90 0.95 0.99 1.06 1.30
0.85 0.93 1.02 1.08 1.12 1.20 1.47
0.90 0.99 1.08 1.14 1.19 1.27 1.56
1.00 1.10 1.20 1.26 1.32 1.41 1.73
1.10 1.20 1.32 1.39 1.46 1.56 1.91
1.20 1.31 1.44 1.52 1.59 1.70 2.08
1.25 1.37 1.51 1.58 1.65 1.77 2.17
1.35 1.48 1.63 1.71 1.79 1.91 2.34
1.50 1.64 1.81 1.90 1.98 2.12 2.60
1.65 1.81 1.99 2.09 2.18 2.33 2.86
1.75 1.92 2.11 2.21 2.32 2.47 3.03
2.00 2.19 2.41 2.53 2.65 2.83 3.46
2.25 2.46 2.71 2.85 2.98 3.18 3.90
2.50 2.74 3.01 3.16 3.31 3.54 4.33
2.75 3.01 3.31 3.48 3.64 3.89 4.76
3.00 3.29 3.61 3.79 3.97 4.24 5.20
3.25 3.56 3.91 4.11 4.30 4.60 5.63
3.50 3.83 4.21 4.43 4.63 4.95 6.06
4.00 4.38 4.82 5.06 5.29 5.66 6.93
4.50 4.93 5.42 5.69 5.95 6.36 7.79
5.00 5.48 6.02 6.32 6.61 7.07 8.66
5.50 6.02 6.62 6.96 7.28 7.78 9.53
6.00 6.57 7.22 7.59 7.94 8.49 10.39
6.50 7.12 7.83 8.22 8.60 9.19 11.26
7.00 7.67 8.43 8.85 9.26 9.90 12.12
7.50 8.22 9.03 9.49 9.92 10.61 12.99
8.00 8.76 9.63 10.12 10.58 11.31 13.86
8.50 9.31 10.24 10.75 11.24 12.02 14.72
9.00 9.86 10.84 11.38 11.91 12.73 15.59
9.50 10.41 11.44 12.02 12.57 13.44 16.45
10.00 10.95 12.04 12.65 13.23 14.14 17.32
11.00 12.05 13.25 13.91 14.55 15.56 19.05
12.00 13.15 14.45 15.18 15.87 16.97 20.78
13.00 14.24 15.65 16.44 17.20 18.38 22.52
14.00 15.34 16.86 17.71 18.52 19.80 24.25
15.00 16.43 18.06 18.97 19.84 21.21 25.98
16.00 17.53 19.27 20.24 21.17 22.63 27.71
18.00 19.72 21.67 22.77 23.81 25.46 31.18
20.00 21.91 24.08 25.30 26.46 28.28 34.64
22.00 24.10 26.49 27.83 29.10 31.11 38.11
24.00 26.29 28.90 30.36 31.75 33.94 41.57
26.00 28.48 31.31 32.89 34.39 36.77 45.03
28.00 30.67 33.72 35.42 37.04 39.60 48.50
30.00 32.86 36.12 37.95 39.69 42.43 51.96
32.00 35.05 38.53 40.48 42.33 45.25 55.43
35.00 38.34 42.15 44.27 46.30 49.50 60.62
40.00 43.82 48.17 50.60 52.92 56.57 69.28
45.00 49.30 54.19 56.92 59.53 63.64 77.94
50.00 54.77 60.21 63.25 66.14 70.71 86.60

13
 Figure 12 Spray at 100-psi pressure

Figure 13 Spray at 300-psi pressure

Effects of Viscosity
On Nozzle Performance (Also see page 26)
One of the most important factors affecting nozzle performance is
viscosity, technically defined as a measure of resistance to flow
within a liquid. More commonly, viscosity is thought of in terms
of “thickness.” For example, a gallon of gasoline can be poured
through the spout of a can much faster than a gallon of tar. That’s
because the tar has a much higher viscosity than gasoline, or
greater resistance to flow.
Strangely enough, the opposite is true to nozzle applications. As
we will see in a minute, with an increase in viscosity, nozzle flow
rate also increases.
Temperature is the main factor in changing oil viscosities. It works
something like a scale (Fig. 14). As the temperature goes down, the
viscosity goes up. Take No. 2 fuel oil for example: at a temperature of
100°F, it has a viscosity of 35 SSU (Seconds Saybolt Universal). But
when the temperature drops to 20°F, the viscosity increases to 65 SSU.
An outside storage tank may contain cold oil, and cold oil can
cause problems. Here’s what happens: the thick oil passes into the
nozzle, through the slots, and into the swirl chamber. Since it is
more viscous, the rotational velocity is slowed down. This causes
a thickening of the walls in the cone of oil as it emerges from the
orifice, so the nozzle actually delivers more fuel and larger
droplets (see Figures 15 and 16). And as a result, the flame front
moves away from the burner head. In severe cases, atomization
may be so poor that the fuel cannot be ignited. Or if it is ignited, it
often produces a long, narrow and noisy fire that burns off the
back wall of the combustion burner.

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 s ity
Visco

e rature
Temp

Temperature F 100 80 30 20
Viscosity (SSU) 35 37 52 65

Figure 14 How temperature affects viscosity.

Although such situations are not widespread, it is good to know
how to diagnose the problem and find a solution for it. While
some success has been reported with special nozzles, most service
technicians have found that the surest solution is to increase the
energy input. This is done by increasing pump pressure from 100
psi to 120-125 psi. And since increased pressure means increased
flow rate, it may be desirable to use the next size smaller nozzle.
As the burner ignites, it acts as an oil pre-heater and the viscosity
problem will disappear in 10 to 15 minutes. The burner can be left
at this increased pressure without harm to the pump. In extreme
cases of high viscosity due to cold oil it may be necessary to pre-
heat the oil to get ignition.

Figure 15 Cold Oil

Figure 16 High viscosity spray

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Examples of Proper
Nozzle Selection
The following recommendations are solidly based on many years
of field experience and laboratory testing. But, like most
recommendations, they are subject to exceptional cases or
conditions.

Figure 17 Hollow Air Pattern

Burners with Hollow Air Pattern The burner air pattern

shown above produces a very definite hollow “air spray,” with no
measurable air velocity at the center of the pattern. The angle of
this particular air spray shows it will require a 70° to 80° hollow
cone nozzle for good matching. A solid cone nozzle, or one with a
narrow angle, would produce a poor match and probably create
smoke in the center of the flame, which couldn’t be cleaned up by
any adjustment of air.

Figure 18 Solid Air Pattern

Burners with Solid Air Patterns The burner air pattern

shown above produces a moderate form of solid “air spray.” In
actual tests this burner would show a slightly better CO2 reading
with a solid cone nozzle. This would become even more
pronounced in burners showing higher air velocities at the center
of the pattern.

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