Burner with a perforated flame holder support structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016003471-A1
Application number	US-201514793726-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 7, 2015
Priority date	Jul 7, 2014
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A furnace has a fuel and oxidant source to create a flow of combustible fuel and oxidant mixture, a perforated flame holder on which the flow impinges, and a support structure to support the perforated flame holder in a position where it at least partially contains combustion of the fuel and oxidant mixture. The support structure mechanically engages with the interior of the furnace to support the perforated flame holder, which may be movable within the furnace via a mechanism to optimize combustion or reduce NOx. The support may contain fluid coolant. The perforated flame holder may be moved into and out of a combustion region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A furnace, comprising:
a fuel and oxidant source configured to output fuel and oxidant, a perforated flame holder configured to hold a combustion reaction supported by the fuel and oxidant source; and a support structure configured to hold the perforated flame holder in alignment with the fuel and oxidant output by the fuel and oxidant source; wherein the support structure comprises a mechanical coupling between the perforated flame holder and an attachment point of the furnace.

2 . The furnace of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical coupling comprises a cooling fluid channel configured to convey cooling fluid to at least a portion of the support structure, an actuator configured to cause a position change of at least a portion of the support structure, or a cooled actuator configured to cause a position change of at least a portion of the support structure.

3 . The furnace of claim 1 , wherein the perforated flame holder is configured by thermal and structural reaction parameters thereof to contain a flame therein at the location, when the fuel and oxidant has a predetermined mix ratio and a predetermined velocity, and the fuel has a predetermined heat value.

4 . The furnace of claim 1 , wherein the perforated flame holder has a substantially uniform thickness between a first flame holder surface and a second flame holder surface.

5 . The furnace of claim 1 , wherein the support structure further comprises a strut extending from an interior surface of the furnace to the perforated flame holder through an intervening space.

6 . The furnace of claim 5 , wherein the strut is canted in a direction opposite to a velocity of the fuel and oxidant from the fuel and oxidant source.

7 . The furnace of claim 1 , wherein the support structure further comprises a fastener attached to a wall of the furnace.

8 . The furnace of claim 7 , wherein the fastener further comprises a weld.

9 . The furnace of claim 7 , wherein the fastener further comprises a bolt or stud.

10 . The furnace of claim 2 , wherein the support structure further comprises a tension member.

11 . The furnace of claim 2 , wherein the support structure further comprises a compression member.

12 . The furnace of claim 1 , wherein the support structure further comprises a rail.

13 . The furnace of claim 2 , wherein the attachment point of the furnace further comprises at least one furnace tube with which the support structure is mechanically coupled.

14 . The furnace of claim 13 , wherein the furnace further comprises a fire-tube boiler and the furnace tube further comprises the attachment point.

15 . The furnace of claim 2 , wherein the support structure is attachable to and detachable from the furnace at the attachment point.

16 . The furnace of claim 1 , wherein the furnace further comprises a burner tile, and the support structure is configured to couple to the burner tile.

17 . The furnace of claim 1 , wherein an interior surface of the furnace further comprises an area that faces into, or is adjacent to an opening into or out of, an interior space of the furnace, and wherein the support structure engages with a plate to which the fuel and oxidant source is mounted, and the plate is configured to the opening.

18 . The furnace of claim 1 , wherein the support structure further comprises a coolant space therein, the coolant space being bounded by a fluid-containment barrier;
the coolant space being separated from combustion by the fluid-containment barrier.

19 . The furnace of claim 18 , further comprising coolant disposed in the coolant space.

20 . The furnace of claim 18 , wherein the support structure is metallic and the perforated flame holder is non-metallic.

21 . The furnace of claim 18 , wherein the fluid-containment barrier further comprises a fluid connection between the coolant space and a space outside of the perforated flame holder.

22 . The furnace of claim 21 , wherein the fluid connection further comprises a coolant conduit passing through a wall of the furnace.

23 . The furnace of claim 22 , wherein the support structure further comprises the coolant conduit.

24 . The furnace of claim 22 , wherein an attachment point of the furnace comprises the coolant conduit.

25 . The furnace of claim 24 , wherein the coolant conduit further comprises a hollow bolt passing through the wall of the furnace.

26 . The furnace of claim 21 , further comprising a heat radiator located in the space outside of the perforated flame holder and a space outside of the furnace, and wherein the radiator is fluid-coupled to the coolant space by the fluid connection.

27 . A method of removing heat from a furnace, the furnace comprising:
a fuel and oxidant source configured to output fuel and oxidant, a perforated flame holder configured to hold a combustion reaction supported by the fuel and oxidant source; and a support structure configured to hold the perforated flame holder in alignment with the fuel and oxidant output by the fuel and oxidant source, the support structure further comprising a coolant space therein, the coolant space being bounded by a fluid-containment barrier and separated from combustion by the fluid-containment barrier; the method comprising: supporting the perforated flame holder to receive a flow of fuel and oxidant with a flame holder support structure; holding a combustion reaction supported by the fuel and oxidant with the perforated flame holder; and cooling the perforated flame holder support structure by placing the flame holder support structure in contact with a fluid coolant having a coolant temperature lower than a combustion temperature.

28 . The method of removing heat from the perforated flame holder of claim 27 , further comprising moving the fluid coolant relative to the perforated flame holder support structure.

29 . The method of removing heat from the perforated flame holder of claim 27 , wherein the fluid coolant includes air.

30 . The method of removing heat from the perforated flame holder of claim 27 , wherein the fluid coolant includes a liquid.

31 . The method of removing heat from the perforated flame holder of claim 30 , further comprising boiling the liquid within the coolant space.

32 . The method of removing heat from the perforated flame holder of claim 27 , wherein the fluid coolant includes sodium.

33 . The method of removing heat from the perforated flame holder of claim 27 , further comprising moving the coolant to a heat radiator outside of the furnace.

34 . The furnace of claim 1 , wherein the support structure further comprises a mechanism configured to move the perforated flame holder relative to the furnace and/or the fuel and oxidant source.

35 . The furnace of claim 34 , wherein the mechanism is configured to move the perforated flame holder into and/or out of a cooling region wherein the perforated flame holder and/or the support structure is cooled.

36 . The furnace of claim 35 , wherein the mechanism moves the perforated flame holder continually or continuously over a path that passes through a fuel and oxidant-impingement region and the cooling region.

37 . The furnace

Assignees

• Clearsign Comb Corp

Inventors

• Karkow Douglas W
• Colannino Joseph
• Ruiz Roberto
• Bromer Nicholas S
• Wiklof Christopher A

Classifications

• F23D14/78

  Cooling burner parts · CPC title

• F23C5/06 Primary

  Provision for adjustment of burner position during operation · CPC title

• F23D14/68

  Treating the combustion air or gas, e.g. by filtering, or moistening · CPC title

• F23D14/145

  combustion being stabilised at a screen or a perforated plate · CPC title