Self contained compact burner

A low pressure burner capable of generating a relatively long, narrow flame comprising:

• a generally rotationally symmetric chamber having an opening at its upstream end and an opening at its downstream end;
• a centrifugal fan adapted to force air through the chamber from its upstream end to its downstream end at a pressure no greater than about 0.3 pounds per square inch above ambient pressure;
• an atomizer located in said chamber downstream of the centrifugal fan and adapted to expel a mixture out through the downstream end of the chamber along the chamber axis, said atomizer including a swirl plate located within the atomizer in the path of the mixture and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, inclined blades adapted to impart rotational motion to the mixture about the axis of the chamber, and at least one aperture through the swirl plate parallel to the chamber axis and nonsymmetrically disposed relative to the chamber axis to provide a distribution of the mixture which is not rotationally symmetric;
• means for supplying atomizing air to the atomizer at a pressure no greater than about 4.5 pounds per square inch above ambient pressure;
• and
• a flame throat projecting from the downstream end of the chamber, said throat including at least two axially spaced steps to induce and control the location of eddy formation.

A low pressure burner capable of generating a relatively long, narrow flame comprising:

• a generally rotationally symmetric chamber having an opening at its upstream end and an opening at its downstream end;
• a centrifugal fan located within the chamber to force air through the chamber from its upstream end to its downstream end at a pressure no greater than about 0.3 pounds per square inch above ambient pressure;
• an atomizer located within said chamber downstream of the centrifugal fan and adapted to expel a mixture out through the downstream end of the chamber along the chamber axis, said atomizer including a swirl plate located within the atomizer in the path of the mixture and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, inclined blades adapted to impart rotational motion to the mixture about the axis of the chamber, and at least one aperture through the swirl plate parallel to the chamber axis of nonsymmetrically disposed relative to the chamber axis to provide a distribution of the mixture which is not rotationally symmetric, said atomizer further including means for injecting a circumferential cushion of air circumscribing the mixture at the outlet end of said atomizer, said injecting means including means for injecting the air at an oblique angle relative to the chamber axis to minimize the pressure drop of said injected air;
• means for supplying atomizing air to the atomizer at a pressure no greater than about 4.5 pounds per square inch above ambient pressure;
• and
• a flame throat projecting from the downstream end of the chamber, said throat including at least two axially spaced steps to induce and control the location of eddy formation.