Furnace combustion system and method

A furnace system, comprising:

• a burner assembly configured to generate combustion products in a primary combustion zone;
• a vestibule panel;
• and
• one or more spacers, wherein the one or more spacers are disposed between a first surface of the vestibule panel and a second surface of the burner assembly, wherein the first surface faces the second surface, wherein the one or more spacers are configured to establish a secondary combustion air gap between the first surface and the second surface and the secondary combustion air gap facilitates a secondary combustion zone downstream of the primary combustion zone, and wherein the burner assembly comprises a venturi plate and at least one of the one or more spacers is configured to contact the venturi plate.

A method of manufacturing a furnace system, the method comprising:

• positioning a panel downstream of a burner assembly within the furnace system to establish a flow path of combustion products from a primary combustion zone in the burner assembly through one or more panel openings in the panel;
• defining a secondary combustion zone downstream of the primary combustion zone along the flow path by disposing one or more spacers between the burner assembly and the panel, wherein the one or more spacers enable a secondary combustion air gap between the burner assembly and the panel;
• and
• integrally forming at least one of the one or more spacers with the panel.

A furnace system, comprising:

• a burner assembly configured to generate combustion products within a primary combustion zone comprising one or more burners;
• a panel disposed downstream of the burner assembly along a flow path for the combustion products, wherein the panel comprises at least one panel opening;
• and
• a secondary combustion air gap defined by one or more spacers disposed between the burner assembly and the panel, such that a secondary combustion zone is established between the burner assembly and the panel and/or downstream of the panel, wherein the secondary combustion air gap is downstream from and external to the burner assembly, wherein at least one of the one or more spacers is integrally formed with the panel and coupled to the burner assembly via a coupling device.

A furnace system, comprising:

• a burner assembly configured to generate combustion products within a primary combustion zone comprising one or more burners;
• a panel disposed downstream of the burner assembly along a flow path for the combustion products, wherein the panel comprises at least one panel opening;
• and
• a secondary combustion air gap defined by one or more spacers disposed between the burner assembly and the panel, such that a secondary combustion zone is established between the burner assembly and the panel and/or downstream of the panel, wherein the secondary combustion air gap is downstream from and external to the burner assembly, wherein at least one of the one or more spacers is integrally formed with the burner assembly and coupled to the panel via a coupling device.

A furnace system, comprising:

• a burner assembly configured to generate combustion products within a primary combustion zone comprising one or more burners;
• a panel disposed downstream of the burner assembly along a flow path for the combustion products, wherein the panel comprises at least one panel opening;
• and
• a secondary combustion air gap defined by one or more spacers disposed between the burner assembly and the panel, such that a secondary combustion zone is established between the burner assembly and the panel and/or downstream of the panel, wherein the secondary combustion air gap is downstream from and external to the burner assembly, wherein at least one of the one or more spacers is a separate component from the burner assembly and the panel and the at least one of the one or more spacers is coupled to the burner assembly and the panel via a coupling device.

A furnace system, comprising:

• a burner assembly configured to generate combustion products in a primary combustion zone;
• a vestibule panel;
• and
• one or more spacers, wherein the one or more spacers are disposed between a first surface of the vestibule panel and a second surface of the burner assembly, wherein the first surface faces the second surface, wherein the one or more spacers are configured to establish a secondary combustion air gap between the first surface and the second surface and the secondary combustion air gap facilitates a secondary combustion zone downstream of the primary combustion zone, and wherein at least one of the one or more spacers is coupled to the first surface of the vestibule panel via a coupling device.

A method of manufacturing a furnace system, the method comprising:

• positioning a panel downstream of a burner assembly within the furnace system to establish a flow path of combustion products from a primary combustion zone in the burner assembly through one or more panel openings in the panel;
• defining a secondary combustion zone downstream of the primary combustion zone along the flow path by disposing one or more spacers between the burner assembly and the panel, wherein the one or more spacers enable a secondary combustion air gap between the burner assembly and the panel;
• and
• coupling at least one of the one or more spacers to the panel via a fastener.

A method of manufacturing a furnace system, the method comprising:

• positioning a panel downstream of a burner assembly within the furnace system to establish a flow path of combustion products from a primary combustion zone in the burner assembly through one or more panel openings in the panel;
• defining a secondary combustion zone downstream of the primary combustion zone along the flow path by disposing one or more spacers between the burner assembly and the panel, wherein the one or more spacers enable a secondary combustion air gap between the burner assembly and the panel;
• and
• separating the burner assembly from the panel such that the gap is at least one eighth inch in thickness.

A method of manufacturing a furnace system, the method comprising:

• positioning a panel downstream of a burner assembly within the furnace system to establish a flow path of combustion products from a primary combustion zone in the burner assembly through one or more panel openings in the panel;
• defining a secondary combustion zone downstream of the primary combustion zone along the flow path by disposing one or more spacers between the burner assembly and the panel, wherein the one or more spacers enable a secondary combustion air gap between the burner assembly and the panel;
• positioning a venturi plate on the burner assembly downstream of burners of the burner assembly, wherein the one or more spacers are configured to contact the venturi plate of the burner assembly;
• and
• aligning one or more openings of the venturi plate with one or more burners in the burner assembly, the one or more panel openings, and one or more tubes of a heat exchanger, wherein the one or more tubes of the heat exchanger are coupled to the panel.