Ultra-low NOx multi-port burner apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12480653-B2
Application number	US-202217677618-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2022
Priority date	Feb 22, 2022
Publication date	Nov 25, 2025
Grant date	Nov 25, 2025

Abstract

A burner apparatus and method of operating the burner apparatus include a burner housing, and a group of fuel and air swirlers maintained by the burner housing, with the group of fuel and air swirlers supplied by a common fuel and air source. The fuel and air can be directed to one or more of the fuel and air swirlers at a time. Each fuel and air swirler among the group of fuel and air swirlers can mix the fuel and the air, resulting in a combustible mixture of the fuel and the air downstream of the group of fuel and air swirlers. The burner apparatus be implemented as a low NOx multi-port burner apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A burner apparatus, comprising:
a burner housing; and a plurality of fuel and air swirlers maintained by the burner housing, wherein the plurality of fuel and air swirlers is supplied by a common fuel and air source, wherein fuel and air are directed to at least one of the plurality of fuel and air swirlers at a time, and wherein each fuel and air swirler among the plurality of fuel and air swirlers mixes the fuel and the air, resulting in a combustible mixture of the fuel and the air downstream of the plurality of fuel and air swirlers, wherein the burner housing comprises a plurality of fuel inlets wherein a first fuel inlet among the plurality of fuel inlets leads to a first fuel vessel and contains a first path to enter a center core of the plurality of fuel and air swirlers, and wherein a second fuel inlet among the plurality of fuel inlets leads to a second vessel and contains a second path to enter an outer ring of the plurality of fuel and air swirlers.

2 . The burner apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the combustible mixture of the fuel and the air exits the each fuel and air swirler and is ignited downstream of the each fuel and air swirler.

3 . The burner apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of fuel and air swirlers includes a plurality of swirler air sleeves.

4 . The burner apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a combustion air plenum, wherein the combustion air plenum is split into the plurality of swirler air sleeves.

5 . The burner apparatus of claim 3 wherein the the air in a flow path enters the burner housing and is split into the plurality of swirler air sleeves.

6 . The burner apparatus of claim 1 wherein the burner housing comprises a plurality of fuel inlets wherein:
a first fuel inlet among the plurality of fuel inlets leads to a first fuel vessel and contains a first path to enter a center core of the plurality of fuel and air swirlers; and
a second fuel inlet among the plurality of fuel inlets leads to a second vessel and contains a second path to enter an out ring of the plurality of fuel and air swirlers.

7 . The burner apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the combustible mixture of the fuel and the air exits the each fuel and air swirler and is ignited downstream of the each fuel and air swirler; the plurality of fuel and air swirlers includes a plurality of swirler air sleeves.

8 . A burner apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of fuel and air swirlers, wherein the plurality of fuel and air swirlers is supplied by a common fuel and air source, wherein fuel and air are directed to at least one of the plurality of fuel and air swirlers at a time, and wherein each fuel and air swirler among the plurality of fuel and air swirlers mixes the fuel and the air, thereby resulting in a combustible mixture of the fuel and the air downstream of the plurality of fuel and air swirlers; a plurality of fuel inlets wherein: a first fuel inlet among the plurality of fuel inlets leads to a first fuel vessel and contains a first path to enter a center core of the plurality of fuel and air swirlers; and a second fuel inlet among the plurality of fuel inlets leads to a second vessel and contains a second path to enter an outer ring of the plurality of fuel and air swirlers.

9 . The burner apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the combustible mixture of the fuel and the air exits each fuel and air swirler and is ignited downstream of the each fuel and air swirler.

10 . The burner apparatus of claim 8 wherein the plurality of fuel and air swirlers includes a plurality of swirler air sleeves.

11 . The burner apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a combustion air plenum, wherein the combustion air plenum is split into the plurality of swirler air sleeves.

12 . The burner apparatus of claim 11 wherein the air in a flow path enters and is split into the plurality of swirler air sleeves.

13 . A method of operating a burner apparatus, comprising:
supplying air to a plurality of fuel and air swirlers by a common air source through an air inlet, wherein the air inlet is split a plurality of flow paths, supplying a plurality of fuel and air swirlers by a common fuel source via a plurality of fuel inlets, wherein the plurality of fuel and air swirlers comprises a center core of the plurality of fuel and air swirlers and an outer ring of the plurality of fuel and air swirlers; wherein a first fuel inlet of the plurality of fuel inlets leads to a first fuel vessel and contains a first path to the center core of the plurality of fuel and air swirlers; and wherein a second fuel inlet of the plurality of fuel inlets leads to a second fuel vessel and contains a second path to the outer ring of the plurality of fuel and air swirlers, directing fuel and air to at least one of the plurality of fuel and air swirlers at a time, wherein each fuel and air swirler among the plurality of fuel and air swirlers mixes the fuel and the air to result in a combustible mixture of the fuel and the air downstream of the plurality of fuel and air swirlers.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the combustible mixture of the fuel and the air exits the each fuel and air swirler and is ignited downstream of the each fuel and air swirler.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of fuel and air swirlers includes a plurality of swirler air sleeves.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein a combustion air plenum is split into the plurality of swirler air sleeves.

17 . The method of claim 15 wherein the air in a flow path enters the burner housing and is split into the plurality of swirler air sleeves.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Weaver Joshua J
• Taylor Curtis
• Eldridge Christopher S

Classifications

• F23D2900/14021

  Premixing burners with swirling or vortices creating means for fuel or air · CPC title

• F23D14/62

  Mixing devices; Mixing tubes · CPC title

• F23C6/02

  in parallel arrangement · CPC title

• F23C2900/06043

  Burner staging, i.e. radially stratified flame core burners · CPC title

• F23D2900/14003

  with more than one nozzle · CPC title