Re: xkcd: Neighbor-Source Heat Pump

On 6/9/2025 10:30 AM, Scott Dorsey wrote:

Thomas Koenig  <tkoenig@netcologne.de> wrote:

Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> schrieb:
>

Oil for heating is the worst thing ever.  Expensive and dirty.

>
What qualities of oil are used in the US for heating?
>
Here in Germany, it is a light fuel oil, pretty much identical to
Diesel (they add dye to it to make sure it isn't used in vehicles
because the two are taxed differentiy).  It is also low on sulphur,
if that is what you were referring to.  Plus, emission limits are
pretty strict and checked anually.

 Yes, we have #2 Fuel Oil, which is like a poor quality diesel.  It's not
filtered very well and it has a lot more varnish-making stuff in it.  But
overall composition is similar but it's not as well-refined.
 It burns way cleaner than maritime HFO, but it's still very dirty compared
with burning natural gas or propane.
 Some people will use #1 Fuel Oil which is thicker and burns less cleanly,
especially in rural areas.  It has more sulfur in it than diesel or #2.
 Occasionally you will see apartment buildings and other places with big
boilers that burn #6 fuel oil which is the cheapest and stinkiest alternative.
It's thick enough that they don't use it in really cold climates though.
And it's still less nasty than HFO.
--scott

Basically, you have to heat #6 fuel oil to 120 F (50 C) in order to pump it to an oil boiler.  Below 40 F, #6 fuel oil is jello.  Otherwise, you need too much horsepower for the pump and the atomization in the boiler will not be good.
Lynn