Selective Oxy-Fuel Burner and Method for a Rotary Furnace

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016348970-A1
Application number	US-201514721342-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 26, 2015
Priority date	May 26, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A selective oxy-fuel burner for mounting in a charge door of a rotary furnace, including at least two burner elements each oriented to fire into different portions of the furnace, each burner element including a selective distribution nozzle configured to flow a first reactant; and a proportional distribution nozzle configured to flow a second reactant; at least one sensor to detect one or more process parameters related to furnace operation; and a controller programmed to independently control the first reactant flow to each selective distribution nozzle based on the detected process parameters such that at least one burner element is active and at least one burner element is passive; wherein the second reactant is substantially proportionally distributed to the proportional distribution nozzles; and wherein the first reactant is one of a fuel and an oxidant and wherein the second reactant is the other of a fuel and an oxidant.

First claim

1 . A selective oxy-fuel burner for mounting in a charge door of a rotary furnace, the burner comprising:
at least two burner elements each oriented to fire into different portions of the furnace, each burner element comprising:
a selective distribution nozzle configured to flow a first reactant; and
a proportional distribution nozzle configured to flow a second reactant;
at least one sensor to detect one or more process parameters related to furnace operation; and a controller programmed to independently control the first reactant flow to each selective distribution nozzle based at least in part on the detected process parameters such that at least one burner element is active and at least one burner element is passive, wherein the first reactant flow in the selective distribution nozzle of an active burner element is greater than an average first reactant flow to the selective distribution nozzles and the first reactant flow in the selective distribution nozzle of a passive burner element is less than the average first reactant flow to the selective distribution nozzles; wherein the second reactant is substantially proportionally distributed to the proportional distribution nozzles; and wherein the first reactant is one of a fuel and an oxidant and wherein the second reactant is the other of a fuel and an oxidant.

2 . The burner of claim 1 , wherein one of the least two burner elements has a flame axis substantially perpendicular to the charge door and another of the at least two burner elements has a flame axis at a non-zero angle, a, from perpendicular with respect to the charge door; wherein the angle α is equal to or less than about 75°.

3 . The burner of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor includes an overheating sensor for detecting overheating of the charge door, wherein when overheating is detected, at least one currently active burner element is switched to passive while at least one burner element remains or is switched to active.

4 . The burner of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor includes exhaust property sensor for detecting changes in one or more exhaust properties, wherein when the exhaust property indicates incomplete combustion, at least one currently active burner element is switched to passive while at least one burner element remains or is switched from passive to active.

5 . The burner of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor includes an overheating sensor for detecting overheating of the charge door and an exhaust property sensor for detecting changes in one or more exhaust properties, wherein overheating is detected and the exhaust property indicates incomplete combustion, at least one currently active burner element is switched to passive while at least one burner element remains or is switched from passive to active.

6 . The burner of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor includes a non-contact sensor for detecting the presence of solid charge impeding flame development in the furnace, wherein solid charge is present in the furnace, at least one currently active burner element is switched to passive while at least one burner element remains or is switched from passive to active.

7 . The burner of claim 1 , wherein in each burner element the proportional distribution nozzle is annular and surrounds the selective distribution nozzle.

8 . The burner of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one staging nozzle spaced apart from each of the burner elements and configured to flow a secondary second reactant; wherein the controller is further programmed to control a staging ratio to be less than or equal to about 75%, wherein the staging ratio is the ratio of the second reactant contained in the secondary second reactant flow to the total flow of second reactant.

9 . A rotary furnace comprising:
a charge door and an exhaust port located at one end of the furnace; and an oxy-fuel burner mounted in the charge door, the burner comprising: at least two burner elements each oriented to fire into different portions of the furnace, each burner element comprising:
a selective distribution nozzle configured to flow a first reactant; and
an proportional distribution nozzle configured to flow an oxidant;
at least one sensor to detect one or more process parameters in the furnace; and a controller programmed to independently control the first reactant flow to each selective distribution nozzle based at least on part on the detected process parameters such that at least one burner element is active and at least one burner element is passive, wherein the first reactant flow in the selective distribution nozzle of an active burner element is greater than an average first reactant flow to the selective distribution nozzles and first reactant flow in the selective distribution nozzle of a passive burner element is less than the average first reactant flow to the selective distribution nozzles; wherein the second reactant is substantially proportionally distributed to the proportional distribution nozzles; and wherein the first reactant is one of a fuel and an oxidant and wherein the second reactant is the other of a fuel and an oxidant.

10 . A method of operating a rotary furnace having a charge door and an exhaust port located at one end of the furnace, and an oxy-fuel burner mounted in the charge door, the burner having at least two burner elements each oriented to fire into different portions of the furnace, each burner element comprising a selective distribution nozzle and a proportional distribution nozzle, the burner further having a controller programmed to independently control flow of a first reactant to the selective distribution nozzle of each burner element, wherein the flow of a second reactant to the proportional distribution nozzles is substantially proportionally distributed, the method comprising:
detecting one or more process parameters in the furnace; selecting, based at least in part on the detected process parameters, at least one of the burner elements to be active and at least one of the burner elements to be passive; flowing a first reactant at an active jet flow rate through the selective distribution nozzle of the at least one active burner element; flowing the first reactant at a passive jet flow rate through the selective distribution nozzle of the at least one passive burner element; and flowing a second reactant substantially proportionally through each of the proportional distribution nozzles; wherein the active jet flow rate is greater than an average flow rate through the selective distribution nozzles and the passive jet flow rate is less than the average flow rate through the selective distribution nozzles; and wherein the first reactant is one of a fuel and an oxidant and wherein the second reactant is the other of a fuel and an oxidant.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
detecting overheating of the charge door; and when overheating is detected, switching at least one currently active burner element to passive while maintaining as active or switching to active at least one other burner element.

12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
detecting at least one exhaust property; when the exhaust property indicates incomplete combustion, switching at least one currently active burner element to passive while maintaining as active or switching to active at least one other burner element.

13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
detecting when the at least one currently active burner element is discharging a flame that impinges solid charge in the furnace; and switching said at least one currently active burner element to passi

Assignees

• Air Prod & Chem

Inventors

• Gangoli Shailesh Pradeep
• Kenworthy J Bruce
• Hewertson Russell James
• Sane Anup Vasant
• Hendershot Reed Jacob
• He Xiaoyi

Classifications

• F23N5/08

  using light-sensitive elements · CPC title

• F23N5/24

  Preventing development of abnormal or undesired conditions, i.e. safety arrangements (F23N5/02 - F23N5/18 take precedence) · CPC title

• F23C2900/05081

  Disposition of burners relative to each other creating specific heat patterns · CPC title

• F23D14/32

  using a mixture of gaseous fuel and pure oxygen or oxygen-enriched air (F23D14/38 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F27D2019/0006

  Monitoring the characteristics (composition, quantities, temperature, pressure) of at least one of the gases of the kiln atmosphere and using it as a controlling value · CPC title