Gas-fired radiant burner

A radiant burner comprising

• means for receiving a combustible air and fuel mixture,
• a combustor unit formed to include an open-space combustion chamber having a top opening and means for communicating the combustible air and fuel mixture from the receiving means to the open-space combustion chamber,
• means for igniting the combustible air and fuel mixture extant in the open-space combustion chamber to produce a flame, and
• means for covering the top opening of the open-space combustion chamber to define a flame retention region therein so that the flame is stabilized in the open-space combustion chamber, the covering means including a radiant member having a heat-receiving surface communicating with the underlying flame produced in the open-space combustion chamber and a heat-radiating surface emitting thermal radiation to heat a product positioned above the radiant member, the radiant member being a single layer web of ceramic fibers coated with silicon carbide.

A radiant burner comprising

• means for receiving a combustible air and fuel mixture,
• a combustor unit formed to include an open-space combustion chamber having a top opening and means for communicating the combustible air and fuel mixture from the receiving means to the open-space combustion chamber,
• means for igniting the combustible air and fuel mixture extant in the open-space combustion chamber to produce a flame, and
• means for covering the top opening of the open-space combustion chamber to define a flame retention region therein so that the flame is stabilized in the open-space combustion chamber, the covering means including a radiant member having a heat-receiving surface communicating with the underlying flame produced in the open-space combustion chamber and a heat-radiating surface emitting thermal radiation to heat a product positioned above the radiant member, the radiant member being a rigid sheet of ceramic material.

A radiant burner comprising

• means for receiving a combustible air and fuel mixture,
• a combustor unit formed to include an open-space combustion chamber having a top opening and means for communicating the combustible air and fuel mixture from the receiving means to the open-space combustion chamber, the combustor unit being a block of insulation material formed to include a cavity defining the open-space combustion chamber and a plurality of apertures defining the communicating means, the combustor unit including a side section having an endless top edge border around an outer perimeter of the open-space combustion chamber,
• means for igniting the combustible air and fuel mixture extant in the open-space combustion chamber to produce a flame, and
• means for covering the top opening of the open-space combustion chamber to define a flame retention region therein so that the flame is stabilized in and contained wholly within the open-space combustion chamber, the covering means including a radiant member having a heat-receiving surface communicating with the underlying flame produced in the open-space combustion chamber and blocking passage of the flame through the radiant member and a heat-radiating surface emitting flameless thermal radiation to heat a product positioned above the radiant member, the covering means further including means for clamping the radiant member to the endless top edge border of the side section so that the radiant member covers the top opening of the open-space combustion chamber.

A radiant burner comprising

• means for receiving a combustible air and fuel mixture,
• a combustor unit formed to include an open-space combustion chamber having a top opening and means for communicating the combustible air and fuel mixture from the receiving means to the open-space combustion chamber, the combustor unit being including a side section having an endless top edge border around an outer perimeter of the open-space combustion chamber,
• means for igniting the combustible air and fuel mixture extant in the open-space combustion chamber to produce a flame, and
• means for covering the top opening of the open-space combustion chamber to define a flame retention region therein so that the flame is stabilized in the open-space combustion chamber, the covering means including a radiant member having a heat-receiving surface communicating with the underlying flame produced in the open-space combustion chamber and a heat-radiating surface emitting thermal radiation to heat a product positioned above the radiant member, the covering means further including means for clamping the radiant member to the endless top edge border of the side section so that the radiant member covers the top opening of the open-space combustion chamber, the radiant member including a rigid flat sheet of ceramic material and a silicon carbide coating on the rigid flat sheet of ceramic material.

A radiant burner comprising

• means for receiving a combustible air and fuel mixture,
• a combustor unit formed to include an open-space combustion chamber having a top opening and means for communicating the combustible air and fuel mixture from the receiving means to the open-space combustion chamber, the combustor unit being including a side section having an endless top edge border around an outer perimeter of the open-space combustion chamber,
• means for igniting the combustible air and fuel mixture extant in the open-space combustion chamber to produce a flame, and
• means for covering the top opening of the open-space combustion chamber to define a flame retention region therein so that the flame is stabilized in the open-space combustion chamber, the covering means including a radiant member having a heat-receiving surface communicating with the underlying flame produced in the open-space combustion chamber and a heat-radiating surface emitting thermal radiation to heat a product positioned above the radiant member, the covering means further including means for clamping the radiant member to the endless top edge border of the side section so that the radiant member covers the top opening of the open-space combustion chamber, the radiant member having a maximum thickness of 0.0625 inch (0.16 cm) and a porosity of less than twelve percent open area.

A radiant burner comprising

• a hollow housing including a lower shell and an upper shell coupled to the lower shell and formed to include a heat-discharging outlet,
• a unified block of insulation material mounted in the upper shell and formed to include an open-space combustion chamber having a top opening facing the heat-discharging outlet in the upper shell, the unified block of insulation material being formed to include aperture means for communicating a combustible air and fuel mixture from an interior region in the lower shell to the open-space combustion chamber,
• means for supplying a combustible air and fuel mixture into the interior region of the lower shell so that said mixture flows into the open-space combustion chamber through the aperture means formed in the unified block of insulation material,
• means for igniting the combustible air and fuel mixture extant in the open-space combustion chamber to produce a flame, and
• a porous radiant member arranged to cover the top opening of the open-space combustion chamber and configured to provide means for defining a flame retention region therein sot ha the flame is stabilized in and contained wholly within the open-space combustion chamber, the porous radiant member being trapped in place between the unified block of insulation material and the upper shell to retain the porous radiant member in its top-opening covering position and in contact with the flame produced in the open-space combustion chamber.

A radiant burner comprising

• a hollow housing including a lower shell and an upper shell coupled to the lower shell and formed to include a heat-discharging outlet,
• a unified block of insulation material mounted in the upper shell and formed to include an open-space combustion chamber having a top opening facing the heat-discharging outlet in the upper shell, the unified block of insulation material being formed to include aperture means for communicating a combustible air and fuel mixture from an interior region in the lower shell to the open-space combustion chamber,
• means for supplying a combustible air and fuel mixture into the interior region of the lower shell so that said mixture flows into the open-space combustion chamber through the aperture means formed in the unified block of insulation material,
• means for igniting the combustible air and fuel mixture extant in the open-space combustion chamber to produce a flame, and
• a porous radiant member arranged to cover the top opening of the open-space combustion chamber and trapped in place between the unified block of insulation material and the upper shell to retain the porous radiant member in its top-opening covering position and in contact with the flame produced in the open-space combustion chamber, the radiant member being a rigid sheet of porous ceramic material.