Burner system employing multiple perforated flame holders, and method of operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10066833-B2
Application number	US-201415023039-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2014
Priority date	Sep 23, 2013
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

A burner system includes a plurality of burners, each having a nozzle positioned to emit a stream of fuel into a combustion volume, and a perforated flame holder, including a plurality of apertures extending between first and second faces thereof, and positioned to receive a stream of fuel from the respective nozzle. In operation, the flame holders are configured to hold a flame substantially within the plurality of apertures.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A burner system, comprising:
a plurality of nozzles positioned and configured to emit respective streams of fuel into a combustion volume;
a plurality of flame holders, each including a plurality of apertures extending between first and second faces of the respective flame holder, and each positioned, in the combustion volume, to receive a stream of fuel from a respective one of the plurality of nozzles;
wherein each of the plurality of flame holders is configured to hold a flame substantially between its first and second faces during a heating operation of the respective one of the plurality of flame holders.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of flame holders includes a face lying substantially in a common plane.

3. The system of claim 1 , comprising a heat intake structure configured to receive thermal energy produced by each of the plurality of flame holders.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the heat intake structure comprises a plurality of heat exchange tubes extending through the combustion volume and configured to receive heat generated by flames held substantially within one or more of the plurality of flame holders.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein:
a longitudinal axis of each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes lies substantially parallel to a common axis; and
the first and second faces of each of the plurality of flame holders lie parallel to a common plane and normal to the common axis.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the combustion volume is defined by a cylindrically shaped combustion chamber, and wherein ones of the plurality of heat exchange tubes are positioned in a circular configuration, substantially concentric with the cylindrically shaped combustion chamber.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of flame holders is arranged substantially within a cylinder defined by the plurality of heat exchange tubes.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein ones of the plurality of heat exchange tubes are arranged between and around ones of the plurality of flame holders.

9. The system of claim 1 , comprising a master fuel valve coupled to the plurality of nozzles, configured to regulate a flow of fuel to each of the plurality of nozzles.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the master fuel valve is configured to regulate the flow of fuel to each of the plurality of nozzles independent of each other.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the master fuel valve includes a plurality of fuel valves, each coupled to a respective one of the plurality of nozzles and configured to regulate a flow of fuel to the respective one of the plurality of nozzles.

12. The system of claim 9 comprising a controller operatively coupled to, and configured to control operation of the master fuel valve.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein, in controlling operation of the master fuel valve, the controller is configured to independently control a flow of fuel to each of the plurality of nozzles.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to receive a sensor signal from a sensor positioned to monitor an operating parameter of the boiler system, and to control operation of each of the plurality of fuel valves responsive to a value of the sensor signal.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to receive a signal representative of a pressure within the boiler system, and to control operation of each of the plurality of fuel valves responsive to a value of the received signal.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to receive a signal representative of a fluid temperature of the boiler system, and to control operation of each of the plurality of fuel valves responsive to a value of the received signal.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to control operation of each of the plurality of fuel valves responsive to a volume of fluid transiting the boiler system.

18. The system of claim 17 , comprising a plurality of fluid return tubes extending between the fluid input chamber and the fluid output chamber and configured to transmit working fluid from the fluid output chamber to the fluid input chamber.

19. The system of claim 1 , comprising:
a fluid input chamber in fluid communication with a first end of each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes and configured to provide a flow of working fluid to each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes; and
a fluid output chamber in fluid communication with a second end of each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes and configured to receive a flow of working fluid from each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes.

20. A method of operating a burner system, comprising:
emitting a stream of fuel from ones of a plurality of fuel nozzles and toward respective ones of a plurality of flame holders positioned within a combustion volume; and
holding a flame substantially between first and second faces of each of the respective ones of the plurality of flame holders positioned within the combustion volume.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the holding a flame substantially between first and second faces of each of the respective ones of the plurality of flame holders comprises holding the flame substantially within a plurality of apertures extending between the first and second faces of each of the respective flame holders.

22. The method of claim 20 , comprising transmitting heat generated by the flames to a heat-receiving structure positioned proximate to the plurality of flame holders.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the transmitting heat generated by the flames to a heat-receiving structure includes transmitting the heat to a working fluid within a plurality of heat exchange tubes extending through the combustion volume.

24. The method of claim 20 , wherein the emitting a stream of fuel from ones of a plurality of fuel nozzles comprises controlling a flow of fuel to the plurality of fuel nozzles.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the controlling a flow of fuel to the plurality of fuel nozzles comprises selectively controlling a flow of fuel to each of the plurality of fuel nozzles.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the selectively controlling a flow of fuel to each of the plurality of fuel nozzles comprises selecting a number of the plurality of fuel nozzles from which to emit a flow of fuel according to a quantity of heat to be generated.

27. The method of claim 25 , wherein the selectively controlling a flow of fuel to each of the plurality of fuel nozzles comprises selecting a number of the plurality of fuel nozzles from which to emit a flow of fuel according to a detected parameter of the boiler.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the selecting a number of the plurality of fuel nozzles from which to emit a flow of fuel according to a detected parameter of the boiler comprises selecting the number of the plurality of fuel nozzles from which to emit a flow of fuel according to a detected pressure within the boiler.

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the selecting a number of the plurality of fuel nozzles from which to emit a flow of fuel according to a detected parameter of the boiler comprises selecting the number of the plurality of fuel nozzles from which to emit a flow of fuel according to a detected fluid temperature within the boiler.

Assignees

• Clearsign Comb Corp

Inventors

• Colannino Joseph
• Karkow Doug W
• Wiklof Christopher A

Classifications

• F23N2241/10

  Generating vapour · CPC title

• F23N2237/02

  two or more burners · CPC title

• F23N2225/19

  outlet temperature water heat-exchanger · CPC title

• F23C2203/20

  using heat absorbing device in flame (F23C2203/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F01K5/02

  used in regenerative installation · CPC title