Low NOx burner for ethylene cracking furnaces and other heating applications

A burner assembly for a furnace, comprising:

• at least one primary premix venturi and tip assembly associated with and extending outward from a burner tile;
• at least one staged fuel orifice spud associated with said burner tile;
• said burner tile including:
• a connective opening for communication with the at least one venturi and tip assembly;
• a discharge opening for said connective opening;
• multiple staged fuel inlets to receive staged fuel from the at least one staged fuel spud;
• multiple angled discharge outlets, wherein said discharge outlets are respectively connected to said staged fuel inlets by way of multiple venturi channels;
• and
• multiple combustion air inlets to receive combustion air from outside of said furnace, wherein said multiple combustion air inlets connect to said multiple venturi channels, respectively.

A method of ethylene production in a furnace with a burner assembly that includes at least one premix venturi and tip assembly, at least one primary fuel orifice spud, at least one staged fuel orifice spud, and a burner tile for combusting fuel in a furnace space, comprising:

• injecting primary fuel through the premix venturi and tip assembly by way of a primary fuel orifice spud;
• inducing approximately ninety percent (90%) of stoichiometric air required for combusting the primary fuel into said premix venturi and tip assembly;
• mixing the primary fuel with said stoichiometric air;
• discharging a uniform mixture of said primary fuel and said stoichiometric air through a primary mixer tip and into said furnace space;
• circulating combustion products from furnace through passageways of burner tile;
• discharging staged fuel into the burner tile through the at least one staged fuel orifice spud wherein the staged fuel leads into multiple venturi channels;
• conducting combustion air through multiple combustion air inlets cast within said burner tile;
• inducing combustion products from said furnace and into said multiple venturi channels;
• mixing of the combustion products and said staged fuel with combustion air within said burner tile and before exiting said burner tile;
• and
• injecting a mixture of the combustion products, the staged fuel, and combustion air at a slight angle towards the uniform, fuel rich mixture of primary fuel and combustion air.