Cylindrical burner apparatus and method

A cylindrical burner apparatus comprising:

• a straight initial tube pass having a longitudinal axis, an interior, and a rearward end;
• a fuel ejection structure or assembly, or an array of ejector elements, comprising a plurality of primary fuel jet discharge ports positioned in the interior of the straight initial tube pass forwardly of the rearward end, the primary fuel jet discharge ports discharging a gas fuel and at least some of the primary fuel jet discharge ports discharging jets of the gas fuel in the interior of the straight initial tube pass which provide an amount of induction which draws an induced flow of combustion air from outside of the cylindrical burner apparatus into the interior of the straight initial tube pass through the rearward end, the gas fuel discharged by the primary fuel jet discharge ports being combusted with the induced flow of combustion air in the interior of the straight initial tube pass, the amount of induction being sufficient to draw the induced flow of combustion air into the interior of the straight initial tube pass with no natural draft, and wherein the cylindrical burner apparatus does not include a blower which blows or draws air into the cylindrical burner apparatus;
• a subsequent tube pass downstream of the straight initial tube pass;
• the straight initial tube pass having a downstream end through which a flue gas which is produced in the interior of the straight initial tube pass flows;
• the subsequent tube pass having an upstream end, downstream of the downstream end of the straight initial tube pass, through which the flue gas is received so that the flue gas flows through the interior of the subsequent tube pass and at least a portion of the flue gas flows out of a downstream end of the subsequent tube pass;
• an exhaust, at or downstream of the downstream end of the subsequent tube pass, which receives the flue gas which flows out of the downstream end of the subsequent tube pass and discharges the flue gas which flows out of the downstream end of the subsequent tube pass from a discharge of the exhaust which is located at an elevation which is not more than eight feet above an air inlet at the rearward end of the straight initial tube pass;
• and
• the jets of the gas fuel discharged by the at least some of the primary fuel jet discharge ports also producing sufficient force to deliver the flue gas out of the straight initial tube pass and through the subsequent tube pass, and deliver the flue gas which flows out of the downstream end of the subsequent tube pass out of the discharge of the exhaust, without assistance from natural draft and without the use of a blower.

A cylindrical burner apparatus comprising:

• an initial tube pass having a longitudinal axis, an interior, and a rearward end;
• a first fuel ejection structure or assembly, or an array of ejector elements, comprising a plurality of primary fuel jet discharge ports positioned in the interior of the initial tube pass forwardly of the rearward end, the primary fuel jet discharge ports discharging a gas fuel and at least some of the primary fuel jet discharge ports discharging jets of the gas fuel in the interior of the initial tube pass which provide an amount of induction which draws an induced flow of combustion air from outside of the cylindrical burner apparatus into the interior of the initial tube pass through the rearward end, the amount of induction being sufficient to draw the induced flow of combustion air into the interior of the initial tube pass without assistance from natural draft, and wherein the cylindrical burner apparatus does not include a blower;
• a subsequent tube pass downstream of the initial tube pass;
• a flue gas recirculation duct having an inlet in fluid communication with an interior of the subsequent tube pass and a discharge in fluid communication with the interior of the initial tube pass;
• a second fuel ejection structure or assembly, or an array of ejector elements, comprising one or more secondary fuel jet discharge ports, each of the one or more secondary fuel jet discharge ports discharging a jet of the gas fuel which induces a flow of a recycled flue gas through the flue gas recirculation duct from the interior of the subsequent tube pass to the interior of the initial tube pass;
• the primary fuel jet discharge ports comprising one or more first primary fuel jet discharge ports in the interior of the initial tube pass, one or more second primary fuel jet discharge ports in the interior of the initial tube pass, and one or more third primary fuel jet discharge ports in the interior of the initial tube pass;
• each of the one or more first primary fuel jet discharge ports being oriented to discharge a jet of the gas fuel in the interior of the initial tube pass at a first forward angle in a range of from 45° to 90° with respect to a plane extending through the first primary fuel jet discharge port which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
• each of the one or more second primary fuel jet discharge ports being oriented to discharge a jet of the gas fuel in the interior of the initial tube pass at a second forward angle, less than the first forward angle, in a range of from 30° to 70° with respect to a plane extending through the second primary fuel jet discharge port which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
• and
• each of the one or more third primary fuel jet discharge ports being oriented to discharge a jet of the gas fuel in the interior of the initial tube pass at a third forward angle, less than the second forward angle, in a range of from 3° to 45° with respect to a plane extending through the third primary fuel jet discharge port which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

A cylindrical burner apparatus comprising:

• an initial tube pass having a longitudinal axis, an interior, and a rearward end;
• a first fuel ejection structure or assembly, or an array of ejector elements, comprising a plurality of primary fuel jet discharge ports positioned in the interior of the initial tube pass forwardly of the rearward end, the primary fuel jet discharge ports discharging a gas fuel and at least some of the primary fuel jet discharge ports discharging jets of the gas fuel in the interior of the initial tube pass which provide an amount of induction which draws an induced flow of combustion air from outside of the cylindrical burner apparatus into the interior of the initial tube pass through the rearward end, the amount of induction being sufficient to draw the induced flow of combustion air into the interior of the initial tube pass without assistance from natural draft, and wherein the cylindrical burner apparatus does not include a blower;
• a subsequent tube pass downstream of the initial tube pass;
• a flue gas recirculation duct having an inlet in fluid communication with an interior of the subsequent tube pass and a discharge in fluid communication with the interior of the initial tube pass;
• a second fuel ejection structure or assembly, or an array of ejector elements, comprising one or more secondary fuel jet discharge ports, each of the one or more secondary fuel jet discharge ports discharging a jet of the gas fuel which induces a flow of a recycled flue gas through the flue gas recirculation duct from the interior of the subsequent tube pass to the interior of the initial tube pass;
• the primary fuel jet discharge ports comprising two or more first primary fuel jet discharge ports in the interior of the initial tube pass and two or more second primary fuel jet discharge ports in the interior of the initial tube pass;
• each of the first primary fuel jet discharge ports being oriented to discharge a jet of the gas fuel in the interior of the initial tube pass at a first forward angle in a range of from 40° to 90° with respect to a plane extending through the first primary fuel jet discharge port which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
• and
• each of the second primary fuel jet discharge ports being oriented to discharge a jet of the gas fuel in the interior of the initial tube pass at a second forward angle, less than the first forward angle, in a range of from 0° to 45° with respect to a plane extending through the second primary fuel jet discharge port which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

A cylindrical burner apparatus comprising:

• an initial tube pass having a longitudinal axis, an interior, and a rearward end;
• a first fuel ejection structure or assembly, or an array of ejector elements, comprising a plurality of primary fuel jet discharge ports positioned in the interior of the initial tube pass forwardly of the rearward end, the primary fuel jet discharge ports discharging a gas fuel and at least some of the primary fuel jet discharge ports discharging jets of the gas fuel in the interior of the initial tube pass which provide an amount of induction which draws an induced flow of combustion air from outside of the cylindrical burner apparatus into the interior of the initial tube pass through the rearward end, the amount of induction being sufficient to draw the induced flow of combustion air into the interior of the initial tube pass without assistance from natural draft, and wherein the cylindrical burner apparatus does not include a blower;
• a subsequent tube pass downstream of the initial tube pass;
• a flue gas recirculation duct having an inlet in fluid communication with an interior of the subsequent tube pass and a discharge in fluid communication with the interior of the initial tube pass;
• a second fuel ejection structure or assembly, or an array of ejector elements, comprising one or more secondary fuel jet discharge ports, each of the one or more secondary fuel jet discharge ports discharging a jet of the gas fuel which induces a flow of a recycled flue gas through the flue gas recirculation duct from the interior of the subsequent tube pass to the interior of the initial tube pass;
• the primary fuel jet discharge ports comprising two or more first primary fuel jet discharge ports in the interior of the initial tube pass and two or more second primary fuel jet discharge ports in the interior of the initial tube pass;
• each of the first primary fuel jet discharge ports being oriented to discharge a jet of the gas fuel in the interior of the initial tube pass at a first forward angle in a range of from 60° to 90° with respect to a plane extending through the first primary fuel jet discharge port which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
• and
• each of the second primary fuel jet discharge ports being oriented to discharge a jet of the gas fuel in the interior of the initial tube pass at a second forward angle in a range of from 0° to 30° with respect to a plane extending through the second primary fuel jet discharge port which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

A cylindrical burner apparatus comprising:

• a straight initial tube pass having a longitudinal axis, an interior, and a rearward end;
• a fuel ejection structure or assembly, or an array of ejector elements, comprising a plurality of primary fuel jet discharge ports positioned in the interior of the straight initial tube pass forwardly of the rearward end, the primary fuel jet discharge ports discharging a gas fuel and at least some of the primary fuel jet discharge ports discharging jets of the gas fuel in the interior of the straight initial tube pass which provide an amount of induction which draws an induced flow of combustion air from outside of the cylindrical burner apparatus into the interior of the straight initial tube pass through the rearward end, the gas fuel discharged by the primary fuel jet discharge ports being combusted with the induced flow of combustion air in the interior of the straight initial tube pass, the amount of induction being sufficient to draw the induced flow of combustion air into the interior of the straight initial tube pass with no natural draft, and wherein the cylindrical burner apparatus does not include a blower which blows or draws air into the cylindrical burner apparatus;
• a subsequent tube pass downstream of the straight initial tube pass;
• the straight initial tube pass having a downstream end through which a flue gas which is produced in the interior of the straight initial tube pass flows;
• the subsequent tube pass having an upstream end, downstream of the downstream end of the initial tube pass, through which the flue gas is received so that the flue gas flows through the interior of the subsequent tube pass and at least a portion of the flue gas flows out of a downstream end of the subsequent tube pass;
• an exhaust, at or downstream of the downstream end of the subsequent tube pass, which receives the flue gas which flows out of the downstream end of the subsequent tube pass and discharges the flue gas which flows out of the downstream end of the subsequent tube pass;
• and
• the jets of the gas fuel discharged by the at least some of the primary fuel jet discharge ports also producing sufficient force to deliver the flue gas out of the straight initial tube pass and through the subsequent tube pass, and discharge the flue gas which flows out of the downstream end of the subsequent tube pass out of the exhaust, with no natural draft and without the use of a blower.