Oxygen/fuel firing of furnaces with massive, low velocity, turbulent flames
AssigneeSchuller International, Inc.
InventorsDonald E. Shamp, Thomas F. Stark, Harry E. Swisher, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An oxygen-fuel firing system for a furnace comprising separate, spread apart nozzles for introducing gaseous streams of oxygen and fuel into the furnace at spaced apart locations. The gaseous streams merge within the furnace away from the furnace walls and crown. Thus, the main combustion within the furnace takes place in the central portion of the furnace where a broad flame cloud is created. The broad flame cloud provides a more uniform temperature profile within the furnace for a more efficient processing of materials being melted in the furnace.
Claims14
In a process of heating a material in a furnace by combusting a gaseous fuel with an oxidant containing at least 90% oxygen and exhausting the products of combustion, the improvement comprising:
- introducing the oxidant and gaseous fuel into the furnace through separate nozzles spaced apart at least ten inches in a common wall from one another such that the oxidant stream does not contact the fuel stream in enough concentration to generate substantial combustion until a safe distance from the walls or roof, using at least three of said nozzles with the number of oxidant nozzles being at least equal to the number of fuel nozzles, and positioning said nozzles such that each oxidant nozzle is adjacent to at least one fuel nozzle and operating said nozzles to form a flame cloud covering at least 70% of said material in the portion of the furnace containing said nozzles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.