Hi guys,
Just received and installed the new Patria burner from A & H today; this is the same burner they supplied to Force 10 for their last 110 heater. This burner comes with a smooth internal bore in the bottom where the gas goes in, you will have to use a 1/8" pipe tap to cut threads to insert plumbing to feed fuel; the new Patria burner is copper as apposed to the Optimus burner which is brass. The design is significantly different from the Optimus burner where the valve shaft, pricker and jet are all in one solid brass body; the solid body has to much mass and cools quickly to atomize diesel, which explains our earlier and rather smokey experience - see photo of Mt. St.Helens.
The new Patria burner assembly, being made of copper, conducts heat more efficiently. Fuel enters the lower housing that looks like a large nut, exits upward into two copper tubes leading to the burner, looks like two bull horns, fuel then travles through the upper burner assembly and downward, offset 90 degrees through tubes to the burner jet and valve assembly. All tubes and burner jet/valve assembly get more than adiquate exposure to heat while priming and when in use, brings the burner assembly up to higher temperature which helps to atomize the diesel.
We reassembled the heater and ran some tests and so far the results are positive.
Using Red marine grade diesel, we pumped the pressure tank up to 22 PSI, we preheater the burner with a propane torch (yes we cheated) and lit the burner. We got a sustained beautiful blue flame and no smoke.
As stated on the burner instruction sheet, the burner is rated for alcohol and kerosene if the pressure tank is pumped up to 15 PSI this will work great. For diesel you will need to pump up to 22 PSI for proper operation and that beautiful blue flame.
We monitored the flame quality as the tank pressure dropped, quality dropped accordingly as the pressure dropped towards 15 PSI with diesel, at the lower end, the flame was not perfect but still acceptable.
Burner combustion emissions (smell) was tolerable. We have a 1" SS rail tubing flue pipe, goes up 2", 45 deg.right for a length of 1', 45 deg up with a length of 1.5 feet. We need 3 feet of straight vertical run for good draft, research suggest the 45 deg bends make it necessary to extend the flue pipe beyond the 3' criteria to achieve optimum draft.
We plan to modify the flue cap to a tube and flange at deck level, installing a closed cap when sailing to keep water out and make a flue cap and extension pipe which we will install at anchor. I believe the extension should increase the draft and reduce combustion smell to an absolute mininum.
Always tweaking the system.
Best wishes,
Marty Chin, BCC Shamrock
Do you Yahoo!?
All your favorites on one personal page – Try My Yahoo!