Oxygen aspirator burner for firing a furnace

Burner apparatus for firing a furnace intended for use with oxygen gas or oxygen-enriched air as the oxidant, comprising in combination:

• (a) means for providing the major portion of the oxidant for combustion directly into the furnace, comprising at least one oxidant gas nozzle of diameter D for injecting a jet of oxidant gas into said furnace, said diameter D being less than 0.75 inch, said nozzle(s) being connected by conduit means to a source of pure oxygen or oxygen-enriched air;
• (b) means for providing a jet of fuel directly into the furnace, comprising a fuel nozzle, said oxidant and fuel nozzles terminating at their points of injection into the furnace in substantially the same plane, said plane being substantially perpendicular to the direction of at least one of said jets, said fuel nozzle being spaced from the oxidant nozzle most proximate to it by a distance X, where X is measured from the edge of said fuel nozzle in said plane to the edge of said oxidant nozzle, and where X has a value at least equal to that given by the formula X=4D to a value of about 20D, said oxidant gas nozzle not angled in a direction toward the fuel jet axis;
• and
• (c) means comprising an annulus around said fuel nozzle for directing 5 to 10 percent of the oxidant adjacent said fuel jet, thereby providing means for creating a flame front and stabilizing the flame.