Heating fuel oil

Note: The scope for this NOI (originally published on June 28, 2022) was updated by the responsible SDO on June 27, 2023.

This National Standard of Canada applies to four types of middle distillate fuel oils that are suitable for use in liquid fuel burning equipment without preheating [types 0, 1, 2 and 2(B6-B20)], and three types of fuel oils that contain residual fuel components that require preheating (types 4, 5 and 6).

The heating fuel oils covered by this standard are intended for use in oil burning equipment to generate heat for domestic and industrial purposes.

Users of fuel meeting this standard are advised to refer to the owner’s manual of their heating equipment, or to consult with their equipment’s manufacturer, regarding the suitability of the specific fuel blend prior to its use.

Types 0, 1, 2 and 2(B6-B20) fuel oils are primarily for use in domestic oil burning appliances. They may also be used for some industrial purposes.

a) Type 0 fuel oil is intended for use in domestic fuel oil burning appliances that have outside storage and where ambient temperatures as low as -48 °C could be encountered.

b) Type 1 fuel oil is intended primarily for use in sleeve-type and wick-feed burners, excluding space heaters (see 9.1), and in most vaporizing pot-type burner applications. It is also intended for atomizing burners in which type 2 fuel oil cannot be used satisfactorily. During periods of lower ambient temperature, type 1 fuel oil may be used in place of type 2 to minimize waxing problems.

c) Type 2 fuel oil is a heavier distillate than type 1 and is intended for use in most atomizing-type burner applications. This type of fuel oil is used in most domestic oil burning appliances and in some medium capacity commercial and industrial burners. Type 2 may contain up to 5% by volume biodiesel (see Annex C).

d) Type 2(B6-B20) fuel oil is intended for similar applications to type 2 fuel oil in equipment that is compatible with 6% by volume to 20% by volume biodiesel (see Annex C).

Note: There are CSA technical committees that are responsible for oil heat equipment and issue B139 and B140 standards. These standards contain requirements for the installation and certification of equipment that uses heating fuel oils.

Types 4, 5 and 6 fuel oils are primarily for use as industrial fuels, and can be suitable for use in the pulp and paper industry, metallurgical operations, heat or power generation, etc.

a) Type 4 is an industrial fuel oil intended primarily for burner installations equipped with limited preheating facilities or with no preheating.

b) Type 5 is a residual fuel oil for burner installations equipped with limited preheating facilities that require a fuel oil of lower viscosity than type 6.

c) Type 6 is a high-viscosity residual fuel oil for use in burners equipped with preheating facilities to handle such fuels.

See Annex B for regulations that apply to heating fuel oil.

The testing and evaluation of a product against this standard may require the use of materials and/or equipment that could be hazardous. This document does not purport to address all the safety aspects associated with its use. Anyone using this standard has the responsibility to consult the appropriate authorities and to establish appropriate health and safety practices in conjunction with any applicable regulatory requirements prior to its use.

Units of measurement – Quantities and dimensions in this standard are provided in metric units from the International System of Units (SI units). This standard expresses the industry standard nominal units of measurement in North America of “% by mass” and “% by volume”. The SI equivalent expressions for these units are % (m/m) and % (V/V) respectively.