Gas burner with secondary and tertiary air supplies

A gas burner and air supply system, comprising:

• at least one elongate gas burner element configured for lateral placement across a gas broiler cooking chamber top, said gas burner in fluid communication with both a fuel supply and a primary air supply, and first and second generally linear arrays of fuel/air outlets disposed on opposing sides of said gas burner element through which combined fuel and air are output for combustion and to form a flame for cooking;
• and
• at least one air plenum in fluid communication with a pressurized air supply, said at least one air plenum having an underside with an inverted V-shaped trough disposed immediately above each gas burner in said system, and further including first and second pressurized inboard air outlet arrays, one each disposed above and along each side of said gas burner element, at a distance from the gas burner element corresponding to a flame region formed during combustion, to provide a secondary air supply to the combustion process in addition to said primary air to enhance gas combustion and shape the flame, wherein said pressurized air is introduced in a controlled manner into said flame region, to make it more efficient in a combustion chamber of the broiler cooking chamber, and at least one outboard array of pressurized air outlets disposed above and to an outboard side of each of said gas burners to create a tertiary air supply which in operation creates a downward curtain of pressurized air that guides and directs heat from the flames downwardly, wherein said secondary air supply and said tertiary air supply are functionally distinct such that the secondary air supply enhances combustion and the tertiary air supply guides heat;
• wherein said first and second pressurized inboard air outlet arrays are substantially linear;
• wherein said first and second pressurized inboard air outlet arrays are generally parallel to one another and on opposing sides of said gas burner element;
• wherein said gas burner element is cylindrical and has a diameter;
• wherein said first and second pressurized inboard air outlet arrays are spaced apart a distance substantially the same as the diameter of said gas burner element, such that said air outlet arrays are positioned relative to a flame region formed during combustion;
• wherein said first and second pressurized inboard air outlet arrays are spaced apart from said gas burner element at a distance proportional to the diameter of said gas burner element, such that said air outlet arrays are positioned within a flame region during operation;
• and
• wherein said first and second pressurized inboard air outlet arrays are spaced apart from said gas burner element at a distance proportional to the pressure under which fuel is expelled from said gas burner element, such that air is introduced into said flame region to enhance combustion.