In July this year, we received a request from a client to explore the possibility of using an alternative fuel to Oil and Gas. Our team conducted research on the sustainable fuels available on the market that our existing suppliers provided. The fuel we proposed to the client was Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).
This was the first time that HVO had been considered and proposed for an existing client. And to our knowledge, Ideal Heat Solutions is the first boiler hire company in the UK to use HVO on a commissioned boiler.
But prior to using HVO fuel for the client’s existing commissioned boiler, our engineers were required to carry out a series of tests over a 3 day period. In this blog post, we share the performance of HVO compared to Oil.
But before we jump straight to the results, let’s explore what HVO is and why you should choose this alternative to Oil fuel.
What Is HVO?
HVO, which stands for Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil is a renewable diesel. The process for making HVO is different to that of biodiesels. As you can probably guess by the name, HVO uses hydrogen as the catalyst, which is primarily what distinguishes HVO from biodiesel. Methanol is the catalyst used by Biodiesel.
The hydrogenation process for HVO removes all oxygen from the vegetable oils, whilst esterification does not. It’s the other important key differentiator between HVO and Biodiesel.
Why Choose HVO over Oil?
- Renewable Energy Source
- Energy Efficient
- Sustainable
- Better Performance (Click here for test results)
How Does HVO Compare to Oil?
Prior to using HVO fuel on a commissioned boiler, The engineers at Ideal Heat Solutions conducted their own tests and analysis.
The testing conditions were as follows:
- Overall test period was 3 days. The boiler was tested for 2 hours each day.
- An existing 1200kW (1.2MW) boiler was used for the test. This particular boiler had been used previously for both gas and oil.
- The existing oil tank and hoses were thoroughly cleaned to remove any trace of oil, preventing any contamination with the HVO fuel.
- Brand new nozzles were also attached.
- A 10 metre fuel line was used.
- The flow and return was connected to an air handler provide the boiler load.
- Tested under hot and cold conditions.
- 100 litres of HVO fuel was used for testing.
Our engineers tested for the following:
- Part Per Million (PPM) – 350 part million is the limit.
- CO2 – Between 11 and 11.5 is considered a good output.
- CO/CO2 – Up-to 5 is considered a good reading.
- Efficiency Rating – Ideal Heat’s boilers on oil achieve a 92% fuel efficiency rating.
- Smoke Test.
Part Per Million (PPM) Test Results
On day one of the test, HVO achieved 55PPM. Day two was 28PPM but it was day three that HVO achieved a PPM of just 12.
CO2 Test Results
Similar to the PPM results, the test we carried out CO2 were trending downwards. Day 1, a CO2 reading of 11.4 was recorded, day two 11.3 and day three, an impressive 11.1 was recorded.
CO/CO2 Test Results
Efficiency Rating Test Results
Smoke Test Results
After analysing the results, our engineers were very impressed with the performance of HVO compared to Oil. On every test, HVO fuel was the clear winner. Coupled with the fact that HVO is renewable, sustainable and more energy efficient than oil, we believe more customers of Ideal Heat Solutions will be turning to HVO as their preferred, go to fuel for temporary boilers.
Want To Know If HVO Is Right For You?
Get In touch and a member of our team can guide you through your temporary boiler requirements and answer any questions that you have regarding HVO, Oil or Gas.
Interested in HVO Fuel? Get in Touch Today
