🔍 Key Concepts

• Steam-assisted atomization and why steam pressure must be sufficient to shear/break up the fuel oil into fine droplets • How boiler load (minimum vs design/full load) affects fuel oil flow rate and required oil pressure • Effect of fuel viscosity (high vs low temperature, heavy vs light oil) on atomization and required assist pressure

💭 Think About

• At what operating condition does the oil flow (and therefore its pressure) tend to be lowest, while atomization quality is still critical? • When fuel is thick (high viscosity), do you usually need more or less assist pressure to break the oil into droplets? How does that compare with thin (low viscosity) fuel? • How does design (normal) boiler load compare to minimum load in terms of fuel pressure and need for assist steam dominance?

✅ Before You Answer

• Be clear on when oil pressure is relatively low but the burner still must maintain proper atomization • Consider which condition demands that steam must strongly dominate oil pressure to achieve fine spray • Verify how viscosity vs temperature changes the ease/difficulty of atomizing fuel oil in steam-atomizing burners