Burner-boiler combination and an improved burner construction therefor

A boiler capable of generating steam or hot water in a matter of a few minutes from a cold start comprising a boiler shell having a pair of spaced apart end header walls and an end wall spaced from the respective header walls so as to define a plenum between each of said header wall and adjacent end wall,

• a fire tube interconnected between said header walls, and a burner means firing into said fire tube,
• said burner means including a burner nozzle disposed in fluid tight sealing relationship with said fire tube,
• said nozzle having an inlet and an outlet,
• a mixing chamber in communication with said inlet, means for introducing combustion air into said mixing chamber under pressure whereby the velocity of the air creates a zone of reduced pressure in said mixing chamber,
• said nozzle having a gas return port, a return tube interconnecting said return port to said mixing chamber, whereby the zone of reduced pressure in said mixing chamber induces a flow of hot combustion gases through said gas return port and connected return tube to said mixing chamber,
• means for introducing a liquid fuel into said return tube whereby the hot gases of combustion effect the gasification of said liquid fuel prior to mixing with the combustion air in the mixing chamber to form a combustible gaseous fuel-air mixture
• means disposed about the outlet of said burner nozzle for directing a stream of air about said outlet in a generally tangential direction relative to the axis of the burner nozzle whereby said stream of air effects the diffusion burning of the free hydrogen and carbon in the flame to generate an illuminous flame to transmit heat by both radiation and conduction to the fire tube so as to maximize heat transfer to the boiler water, and
• an ignition means for igniting the gaseous fuel-air mixture.

A compact burner-boiler combination having an improved heating cycle for effecting substantial fuel savings and capable of being fired alternately and/or simultaneously with a gaseous and/or liquid fuel comprising a boiler shell, a pair of spaced apart header walls connected to said boiler shell, and an end wall spaced from each of said header walls to define a plenum between each said end wall and its adjacent header wall,

• a fire tube interconnected between said header walls,
• a plurality of tubes interconnected between said header walls,
• one of said end walls having a burner opening;
• a combination gas and oil burner mounted in said burner opening, said burner having a nozzle disposed in fluid-tight sealing relationship with said fire tube, and said nozzle having an inlet end and an outlet end,
• said outlet end being disposed in said fire tube, a fuel air mixing chamber disposed in communication with said nozzle inlet, means for introducing air under pressure into said mixing chamber;
• a gas return port disposed adjacent to the nozzle outlet,
• a return tube interconnecting said gas return port to said mixing chamber, means for introducing a liquid fuel into said return tube whereby the hot gases of combustion effect a gasification of the liquid fuel prior to entering into said mixing chamber;
• means for introducing an alternate gaseous fuel into said mixing chamber;
• an igniting burner nozzle whereby said igniting burner is directed toward said gas return port whereby the products of combustion of said igniting burner effect the initial gasification of said liquid fuel, and
• a means for effecting a burner flame velocity and diffusion flame pattern for enhancing the transmission of heat energy to said fire tube both by radiation and conduction.