Post-manufacturing processes for submerged combustion burner

• US 9,751,792 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2015
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johns Manville Corporation (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Johns Manville Corporation (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Madeni, Juan Carlos, Baker, John Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): HERRING, LISA L
• Application Number:
  US14/824,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20170044040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 2211/22 by direct combustion in the melt
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 2211/60 oxy-fuel burner construction
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 5/2356 Submerged heating, e.g. by using heat pipes, hot gas or submerged combustion burners bubblers C03B5/193
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 5/44 Cooling arrangements for furnace walls
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 1/74 Methods of treatment in inert gas, controlled atmosphere, vacuum or pulverulent material
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 9/0068 for particular articles not mentioned below
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 9/50 for welded joints
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 14/76 Protecting flame and burner parts
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 2213/00 Burner manufacture specifications
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 40/50 Glass production, e.g. reusing waste heat during processing or shaping
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 40/57 Improving the yield, e-g- reduction of reject rates

Abstract

A portion of a submerged combustion burner is disposed into a pressure vessel. The portion of the submerged combustion burner has a welded area that has a first microstructure defined by a first number of voids. The vessel is filled with an inert gas, pressurized, and heated. Pressurizing and heating operations are performed for a time and at a temperature and a pressure sufficient to produce a second microstructure in the welded area of the burner. The second microstructure is defined by a second number of voids less than the first number of voids.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

disposing at least a portion of a submerged combustion burner into a pressure vessel, wherein the portion of the submerged combustion burner has a first microstructure defined by a first number of voids;

filling the pressure vessel containing the portion of the submerged combustion burner with an inert gas;

pressurizing the pressure vessel containing the portion of the submerged combustion burner;

heating the pressure vessel containing the portion of the submerged combustion burner, wherein the pressurizing and heating operations are performed for a time and at a temperature and a pressure sufficient to produce a second microstructure in the burner, wherein the second microstructure is defined by a second number of voids less than the first number of voids; and

weld-repairing a defect in the portion of the submerged burner before disposing the portion of the submerged combustion burner in the pressure vessel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the submerged combustion burner comprises at least one of a burner body, a burner tip, and a burner base, and wherein the portion of the submerged combustion burner comprises a weld.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature is in a range from about 2200 degrees F. to about 3000 degrees F.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the temperature is in a range from about 2450 degrees F. to about 2750 degrees F.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the temperature is about 2600 degrees F.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the time is in a range from about 100 minutes to about 1000 minutes.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the time is in a range from about 200 minutes to about 600 minutes.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein in the time is about 365 minutes.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure is in a range of between about 20,000 psi and about 50,000 psi.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the pressure is in a range of between about 25,000 psi and about 40,000 psi.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the pressure is about 30,000 psi.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

removing the portion of the submerged burner from the pressure vessel;

non-destructively testing the portion of the submerged burner for a defect;

weld-repairing the defect; and

returning the portion of the submerged combustion burner to the pressure vessel.