Fuel burner assembly

• US 4,753,593 A
• Filed: 09/21/1987
• Issued: 06/28/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Engineered Air Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Engineered Air Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Mutchler, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dority, Jr., Carroll B.
• Application Number:
  US07/098,963
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: 431/265, 431/183, 431/352
• US Class Current: 431/265
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 11/406 Flame stabilising means, e.g. flame holders

Abstract

A fuel burner assembly for providing a stable, non-pulsating flame wall proximate to a burner duct outlet thereof including structure which causes a combustion air stream to flow radially outwardly and then inwardly across a fuel supply outlet and spaced igniter centrally positioned adjacent the duct outlet, the stream then being divided into three flow paths, one path being axial, another being centrally rotated and a third being annularly compacted to stabilize the produced flame wall proximate the duct outlet.

Claims

1. A fuel burner assembly for providing a stable, non-pulsating flame wall proximate the outlet of a burner duct comprising:

a burner duct having an upstream inlet end and a downstream outlet end, said inlet end being adapted to be connected to a source of combustion air and said outlet end being adapted to accommodate a burner flame wall proximate thereto;

a sleeve member supportively disposed within said burner duct to extend along the longitudinal axis thereof, said sleeve member having inlet and outlet ends with said inlet end of said sleeve member being adapted to communicate with said inlet end of said burner duct to receive combustion air therefrom and said outlet end of said sleeve member being adapted to communicate with the outlet end of said burner duct with the outer wall of said sleeve member and the inner wall of said burner duct in which said sleeve member is disposed defining an air flow diversion chamber of preselected volume therebetween;

a transverse baffle member extending across the inner wall of said sleeve member intermediate the inlet and outlet ends thereof to define upstream and downstream chambers within said sleeve member between said inlet and outlet ends thereof;

first air passage means in said sleeve member wall between said upstream chamber and said diversion chamber and second air passage means in said sleeve member wall between said diversion chamber and said downstream chamber whereby a sufficient volume of combustion air to support continuous combustion flows radially outward from said upstream chamber axially through said diversion chamber and radially inward into said downstream chamber; and

spaced fuel outlet and igniter means selectively positioned in said downstream chamber proximate the outlet end thereof to ignite with said radially inward directed combustion air to create a burner flame wall proximate the outlet end of said burner duct.

2. The fuel burner assembly of claim 1, said air flow diversion chamber increasing in cross-section from the upstream end toward the downstream end to vary the velocity and pressure of the air flowing therealong accordingly.

3. The fuel burner assembly of claim 1, said sleeve member being in the geometric form of a truncated cone with the base thereof defining said inlet of said sleeve member, said inlet end being scaled to said inner wall of said burner duct.

4. The fuel burner assembly of claim 1, said first and second air passage means comprising a plurality of spaced apertures through said sleeve wall to define a preselected open area through said side wall.

5. The fuel burner assembly of claim 1, said first and second air passage means comprising a plurality of spaced apertures through said sleeve wall to define an approximately twenty-nine (29) percent total open area through said side wall.

6. The fuel burner assembly of claim 1, said transverse baffle in said sleeve member having a plurality of spaced apertures therein;

and

a fuel supply tube and at least one igniter electrode passing snugly therethrough to be supported by said baffle and connected with said spaced fuel outlet and igniter means centrally positioned in said downstream chamber.

7. The fuel burner assembly of claim 1, and peripheral support means fastened to the inner wall of said burner duct and the outer wall of said sleeve to support said sleeve in spaced relation to said duct defining said air flow diversion chamber between said duct and said sleeve.

8. The fuel burner assembly of claim 1, and a slotted annular flamelock plate member positioned adjacent to said sleeve member outlet end in preselected position relative said spaced fuel outlet and igniter means to provide a first annular passage therearound, a second rotating passage therethrough and a third axial flow passage through the central opening thereof to enhance said burner flame wall and its location approximate the outlet end of said burner duct.

9. The fuel burner assembly of claim 1, including peripheral support means fastened to the inner wall of said burner duct and the outer wall of said sleeve adjacent said outlet ends thereof to support said sleeve in spaced relation to said duct defining said air flow diversion chamber between said duct and said sleeve;

and,

a slotted annular flamelock plate member disposed within said perhiperal support means and fastened thereto in spaced relation therefrom to define a compacting flow passage therebetween and tangentially through said slots, said annular slotted flamelock plate member being positioned adjacent to said sleeve member outlet end in preselected position relative said spaced fuel outlet and igniter means to provide a first annular passage therearound, a second rotating passage therethrough and a third axial passage through the central opening thereof to enhance the burner flame wall and its location proximate the outlet end of said burner duct.

10. The fuel burner assembly of claim 1, said transverse baffle in said sleeve member having a plurality of spaced apertures therein;

a fuel supply tube and at least one igniter electrode passing snugly therethrough to be supported by said baffle and connected with said spaced fuel outlet and igniter means centrally positioned in said downstream chamber;

a peripheral support means fastened to the inner wall of said burner duct at the upstream end thereof to surround said fuel supply tube and said igniter electrode passing therethrough; and

,

adjusting means between said support means and said fuel tube to adjust the alignment thereof.

11. The fuel burner assembly of claim 1, and an air flow stabilizer including a plurality of spaced vanes mounted at the inlet end of said burner duct to stabilize the combustion air passing therethrough.

12. A fuel burner assembly for providing a stable, non-pulsating flame wall proximate the outlet of a burner duct comprising:

a longitudinally extending cylindrical burner duct having an upstream inlet end and a downstream outlet end, said inlet end being adapted to be connected to a source of combustion air and said outlet end being adapted to accommodate a burner flame wall proximate thereto;

a pair of spaced peripheral annular support firewall rings fastened to the inner wall of said burner duct at said upstream inlet end and said downstream outlet end of said duct;

a truncated cone disposed within said burner duct to extend along the longitudinal axis thereof, said truncated cone having inlet and outlet ends with said inlet end forming the base of said cone being fastened to the inner wall of said duct to communicate with said inlet end of said duct to receive combustion air therefrom and said smaller outlet end nesting with and in supported relation with said support ring at the outlet end of said burner duct to communicate with said outlet end of said duct, the outer wall of said truncated cone forming an air flow dampening diversion chamber of preselected volume with the inner wall of said burner duct, which chamber increases in cross-section from the upstream end toward the downstream end to vary the velocity and pressure of air flowing therealong, said truncated cone having a plurality of spaced apertures through the surrounding wall thereof extending from the upstream end of said cone to the downstream end of said cone to define an approximately twenty-nine (29) percent total open area through said side wall of said cone to form first air outlet passages and second air inlet passages in communication with said air diversion chamber;

a transverse baffle member extending across the inner wall of said truncated cone intermediate said inlet and outlet ends thereof to define an upstream chamber in communication with said first air outlet passages and a downstream chamber in communication with said second air inlet passages whereby a sufficient volume of combustion air to support continous combustion flows radially outward from said upstream chamber of said cone through said diversion chamber and radially inward into said downstream chamber of said cone, said transverse baffle in said cone having a plurality of spaced apertures therein;

a fuel supply tube and at least one igniter electrode passing snugly through said baffle apertures to be supported by said baffle, said fuel supply tube and igniter electrode terminating in said downstream chamber of said truncated cone in a spaced fuel outlet and igniter centrally positioned in said downstream chamber proximate the outlet end thereof to ignite with said inwardly directed combustion air to create a burner flame wall proximate the outlet end of said burner duct;

adjustable support means extending between said upstream inlet peripheral annular support ring and said fuel supply tube to adjust the supported alignment thereof;

an air flow stabilizer having a plurality of spaced air twirling vanes mounted within said burner duct adjacent to and downstream of said inlet peripheral support ring to stabilize combustion air passing therethrough; and

,

a slotted, disc-like, annular flamelock plate member mounted within said outlet peripheral support ring in spaced relation therefrom to define a first compacting annular flow passage therebetween, a second rotating flow passage tangentially through said slots, and a third axial flow passage through a central opening, said slotted flamelock plate member being positioned along the longitudinal axis of said burner duct adjacent to said truncated cone outlet end in preselected position relative said spaced fuel outlet and igniter to impart rotation to the ignited mixture passing therethrough and to enhance the burner flame wall and its location proximate said burner duct outlet end.