INFLUENCE OF DIMETHOXYMETHANE (DMM) ADDITION IN LIGHT FUEL OIL ON THE FLAME EMISSION IN A DOMESTIC HOT WATER BOILER

In order to investigate the soot reduction potentialities of DMM (called also methylal)
addition in an overall lean diffusion flame, tests have been carried out on our experimental
fuel oil boiler fitted with a burner equipped with a spill-return atomiser. The tests have been
performed in steady-state regime without and with DMM addition (4% on mass basis). The
two firing rates (low and high firing rates) of the burner have been adjusted successively. The
flame emission was recorded by means of a photodiode, sensible in the visible region of the
wavelength spectrum. The axial profiles of the flame emission obtained show clearly that an
addition of DMM in the fuel oil leads to a decrease in the flame emission and thus a soot
reduction. The NOx and CO emissions (measured at the chimney) and the thermal efficiency
of the boiler were not significantly affected.