Tunnel burner including a perforated flame holder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016238318-A1
Application number	US-201615044953-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 16, 2016
Priority date	Feb 17, 2015
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A process oven includes a housing structure with a conveyor system configured to carry product through a housing structure from a first opening to a second opening. A perforated flame holder is positioned within the housing structure and configured to apply, to the product, thermal energy released by a combustion reaction held by the perforated flame holder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A heater system, comprising:
a tunnel structure having an input end and an output end; a conveyor system configured to carry a product through the tunnel structure from the input end to the output end; and a perforated flame holder positioned inside the tunnel structure and configured to apply, to the product, thermal energy released by a combustion reaction held by the perforated flame holder, the perforated flame holder including:
a first face,
a second face parallel to the first face, and
a plurality of apertures extending through the perforated flame holder from the first face to the second face.

2 . The heater system of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor system includes product carts.

3 . The heater system of claim 2 , wherein the product carts include wheels positioned and configured to engage the tracks and enable movement of the product carts through the tunnel structure.

4 . The heater system of claim 1 wherein the conveyor system includes a conveyor belt.

5 . The heater system of claim 4 , wherein the conveyor belt extends through the tunnel structure.

6 . The heater system of claim 5 , wherein first and second ends of the conveyor belt are defined by a drive roller and a follower roller, respectively, and wherein the first end of the conveyor belt extends a first distance beyond the input end of the tunnel structure, and the second end of the conveyor belt extends a second distance beyond the output end of the tunnel structure.

7 . The heater system of claim 1 , comprising a fuel nozzle configured to emit a fuel stream toward the first face of the perforated flame holder.

8 . The heater system of claim 1 , wherein the perforated flame holder is one of a plurality of perforated flame holders positioned inside the tunnel structure and configured to collectively apply, to the product, thermal energy released by combustion reactions held by the respective ones of the plurality of perforated flame holders.

9 . The heater system of claim 8 , wherein each one of the plurality of perforated flame holders is positioned with the first face lying in a common plane that is substantially parallel to a plane defined by a surface of the conveyor system.

10 . The heater system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of perforated flame holders is arranged in a row extending parallel to a direction of movement of the product through the tunnel structure.

11 . The heater system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of perforated flame holders is arranged in a row extending perpendicular to a direction of movement of the product through the tunnel structure.

12 . The heater system of claim 8 , wherein a first one of the plurality of perforated flame holders is positioned with a corresponding first face lying in a first plane that is substantially perpendicular to a plane defined by a surface of the conveyor system, and a second one of the plurality of perforated flame holders is positioned with a corresponding first face lying in a second plane that is substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the surface of the conveyor system and substantially parallel to the first plane.

13 . The heater system of claim 12 , wherein a third one of the plurality of perforated flame holders is positioned with a corresponding first face lying in the first plane, and a fourth one of the plurality of perforated flame holders is positioned with a corresponding first face lying in the second plane.

14 . The heater system of claim 1 , wherein the perforated flame holder is configured to apply thermal energy to the product by irradiating the product with thermal energy released by the combustion reaction.

15 . The heater system of claim 1 , comprising a convection system configured to apply thermal energy to the product by applying the thermal energy released by the combustion reaction to convection air, and by circulating the convection air around the product within the tunnel structure.

16 . The heater system of claim 15 , wherein the convection system comprises a heat sink thermally coupled to the perforated flame holder and configured to draw thermal energy from the perforated flame holder.

17 . The heater system of claim 1 , comprising a fuel nozzle positioned at an oblique angle relative to the faces of the perforated flame holder, and configured to emit a an asymmetrical fuel stream toward the face of the perforated flame holder.

18 . The heater system of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of fuel nozzles positioned opposite the first face of the perforated flame holder, each being configured to emit a fuel stream toward a respective portion of the face of the perforated flame holder.

19 . The heater system of claim 1 , wherein the perforated flame holder is a first perforated flame holder, and further comprising a second perforated flame holder and a thermally conductive bridge, the thermally conductive bridge being thermally coupled, at a first end, to the first perforated flame holder, and, at a second end, to the second perforated flame holder, the thermally conductive bridge being configured to draw thermal energy from the first and second perforated flame holders and to radiate a portion of the drawn thermal energy toward the product.

20 . The heater system of claim 19 , wherein the thermally conductive bridge includes a thermally conductive insert received in a cavity formed in a radiating element.

21 . The heater system of claim 20 , wherein the radiating element is integral with the first and second perforated flame holders.

22 . A device, comprising:
a housing structure having first and second openings; a conveyor system configured to carry a product through the housing structure between the first and second openings; and a perforated flame holder positioned within the housing structure, and having a first face, a second face lying opposite the first face, and a plurality of apertures extending through the perforated flame holder between the first and second faces, the perforated flame holder being configured to hold a combustion reaction substantially within the plurality of apertures.

23 . The device of claim 22 , wherein the perforated flame holder is configured to radiate thermal energy produced by the combustion reaction.

24 . The device of claim 22 , wherein the perforated flame holder is configured to emit thermal energy produced by the combustion reaction, wherein a substantial portion of thermal energy is emitted in the form of thermal radiation.

25 . The device of claim 24 , wherein the perforated flame holder is positioned such that the product carried by the conveyor system is irradiated by thermal energy emitted by the combustion reaction.

26 . The device of claim 22 , wherein the perforated flame holder is positioned with the first face lying in a plane that is substantially parallel to a plane defined by a transport surface of the conveyor system.

27 . The device of claim 22 , wherein the perforated flame holder is positioned with the first face lying in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to a plane defined by a transport surface of the conveyor system.

28 . The device of claim 22 , wherein the perforated flame holder is one of a plurality of perforated flame holders positioned within the housing structure, each of the plurality of perforated flame holders having a first fac

Assignees

• Clearsign Comb Corp

Inventors

• Colannino Joseph
• Karkow Douglas W
• Wiklof Christopher A

Classifications

• F23N2227/02

  Starting or ignition cycles · CPC title

• F23N2229/00

  Flame sensors · CPC title

• F27D3/123

  Furnace cars · CPC title

• F23D14/84

  Flame spreading or otherwise shaping (F23D14/70 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F23D14/70

  Baffles or like flow-disturbing devices · CPC title