ABSTRACT
In the course of the research, three different designs of oil burners were identified for adoption and the one considered the most viable among the three was carried through the stage of fabrication. Tests were then administered to Justify claims of reliability. The tests involved firing glazed bodies up to 1250�C in five trial runs of 11; hours each. Kerosine was used as the operating fuel in the first three firings and diesel was used for the subsequent firings. Visual inspection, pyrometric cones and the texture and colour of the. glazed bodies were used to assess the success of the experiment. The outcome of the firings could be considered a success as the temperature of stoneware (12500C) was attained in reasonable time (12 hours). However, it is an irony of nature that any solution deviced by man is bound to bring into focus new unexpected problems; thus the pre-heating coil introduced to aid the process of atomisation resulted in the premature decomposition of the fuel component as indicated by the deposition of carbon particles around the burner nozzle. The solution to this problem of carbon deposition will require further studies.