Variable feed enclosed combustor system and method for its use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023349551-A1
Application number	US-202318342087-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 27, 2023
Priority date	Jan 4, 2018
Publication date	Nov 2, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems, apparatuses, and methods for using a sensed combustion zone temperature to continuously control combustion of a first (main) gas within an enclosed combustor. The combustor is in fluid communication with a first gas line carrying the first gas, a second gas line independent of the first gas line carrying a second (assist) gas having a higher heating value than the first gas, and air dampers providing draft or assist air. The first gas may be vapors from a production source or tank. A computer control system monitors the combustion zone temperature of the enclosed combustor as sensed by a sensor in electronic communication with the computer control system and controls the combustion zone temperature by changing a condition of a first gas line valve of the first gas line, a second gas line valve of the second gas line, and the air dampers.

First claim

1 . A method for controlling continuous combustion of a first gas within an enclosed combustor, the method comprising:
providing the enclosed combustor with a plurality of combustor burners, each combustor burner comprising a burner tip delivering a fuel-rich burner jet; monitoring at least one combustion zone temperature T using a sensor in electronic communication with a computer control system, the computer control system configured to receive signals from the sensor and send and receive signals to and from a first gas line valve, a second gas line valve, and an air damper; controlling a flow of at least one of a first gas, a second gas, and air in response to the at least one combustion zone temperature T by adjusting at least one of the first gas line valve, the second gas line valve, and the air damper, thereby aiding combustion of the first gas; swirling the first gas, the second gas, or a mixture of the first and second gases within the enclosed combustor with gas swirling vanes arranged about a central longitudinal axis of each burner tip of the plurality of combustor burners in the enclosed combustor, wherein the gas swirling vanes are plates; and swirling the air within the enclosed combustor with a plurality of air swirling vanes located on or adjacent to sidewalls of the enclosed combustor above the air damper and below an uppermost end of each burner tip of the plurality of combustor burners, wherein the plurality of air swirling vanes are inclined wall vanes; wherein the first gas has a varying combustibility and the second gas has a higher heating value than the first gas; wherein the computer control system is further configured to shut the first gas line valve and the second gas line valve when the at least one combustion zone temperature T surpasses a safety limit.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
adjusting the second gas line valve to permit the second gas to flow to the enclosed combustor when T<T 1 ; adjusting the first gas line valve to permit the first gas to flow to the enclosed combustor when T=T 1 ; and adjusting the second gas line valve to reduce the flow of the second gas to the enclosed combustor when T=T 2 ; wherein:
T 1 is a first combustion zone temperature limit; and
T 2 is a second different combustion zone temperature limit, T 2 >T 1.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
adjusting the air damper to permit air to flow to the enclosed combustor when T>T 2 ; and adjusting the air damper to reduce the flow of air to the enclosed combustor when T≤T 2 ; wherein:
T 1 is a first combustion zone temperature limit; and
T 2 is a second different combustion zone temperature limit, T 2 >T 1 .

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
adjusting the second gas line valve to increase the flow of the second gas to the enclosed combustor when T 1 ≤T≤T 2 and when the first gas line valve is open; wherein:
T 1 is a first combustion zone temperature limit; and
T 2 is a second different combustion zone temperature limit, T 2 >T 1 .

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein adjusting the second gas line to increase the flow of the second gas occurs when a flow sensor does not detect the flow of a first gas while the first gas line valve is open.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
closing the first gas line valve, the second gas line valve, or the first and second gas line valves when T>T 3 ; wherein:
T 1 is a first combustion zone temperature limit;
T 2 is a second different combustion zone temperature limit, T 2 >T 1 ; and
T 3 is a third different elevated combustion zone temperature limit, T 3 >T 2 .

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of air swirling vanes are inclined at an oblique angle.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each burner tip has an inverted frusto-conical shape.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the gas swirling vanes are spaced equidistant from one another.

10 . A system for controlling continuous combustion using at least one combustion zone temperature, the system comprising:
a first gas line valve connected to a first gas line arranged to transport a first gas to an enclosed combustor; a second gas line valve connected to a second gas line arranged to carry a second gas to the enclosed combustor, the second gas having a higher heating value than the first gas; an air damper regulator connected to an air damper arranged to control air flow into the enclosed combustor; a sensor arranged to monitor at least one combustion zone temperature of the enclosed combustor; a computer control system configured to monitor the at least one combustion zone temperature of the enclosed combustor as sensed by the sensor and control the at least one combustion zone temperature by adjusting the first gas line valve, the second gas line valve, and the air damper; a plurality of combustor burners located in the enclosed combustor, each combustor burner comprising a burner tip delivering a fuel-rich burner jet; gas swirling vanes arranged about a central longitudinal axis of each burner tip of the plurality of combustor burners in the enclosed combustor to swirl the first gas, the second gas, or a mixture of the first and second gases within the enclosed combustor, wherein the gas swirling vanes are plates; and air swirling vanes disposed in the enclosed combustor between the plurality of combustor burners and at least one sidewall of the enclosed combustor, wherein the air swirling vanes are disposed above the air damper and below an uppermost end of each burner tip to swirl the air within the enclosed combustor, wherein the air swirling vanes are inclined wall vanes; wherein the computer control system is further configured to shut down the first gas line valve and the second gas line valve when the at least one combustion zone temperature T surpasses a safety limit.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the gas swirling vanes include oblique oriented vanes.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the air swirling vanes include oblique oriented vanes spaced apart from one another along the at least one sidewall of the enclosed combustor.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein each burner tip has an inverted frusto-conical shape.

14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the gas swirling vanes are spaced equidistant from one another.

15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the air swirling vanes are flat plates.

16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the air swirling vanes are baffles.

17 . A system for controlling combustion, the system comprising:
a first gas line valve connected to a first gas line arranged to transport a first gas to an enclosed combustor; a second gas line valve connected to a second gas line arranged to carry a second gas to the enclosed combustor; an air damper regulator connected to an air damper arranged to control air flow into the enclosed combustor; a plurality of combustor burners located in the enclosed combustor, each combustor burner comprising a burner tip delivering a fuel-rich burner jet; gas swirling vanes arranged about a central longitudinal axis of each burner tip of the plurality of combustor burners in the enclosed combustor to swirl the first gas, the second gas, or a mixture of the first and second gases within the enclosed combustor; and air swirling vanes disposed in the enclosed combustor around the plurality of combustor burners, wherein the air swirling vanes are disposed above the air damper and below an uppermost end of each burner tip to swirl

Assignees

• Cameron Int Corp

Inventors

• Khan Rafiqul
• Hatfield Ii Herman C
• Jariwala Ankur D
• Sams Gary W

Classifications

• F23G7/08 Primary

  using flares, e.g. in stacks · CPC title

• F23G7/065

  using gaseous or liquid fuel · CPC title

• F05D2240/12

  Fluid guiding means, e.g. vanes · CPC title

• F23G2207/101

  for temperature · CPC title

• F23G2209/14

  Gaseous waste or fumes · CPC title