Oxy/oil swirl burner

A burner for combusting oxygen and a liquid fuel, the burner having an outer jacket comprising a first inlet end, a second outlet end for combustion flame discharge and defining a combustion chamber and a longitudinal axis X;

• fuel supply means for introducing a stream of atomized liquid fuel into the inlet end and directing it towards the outlet end, and oxygen supply means for introducing oxygen into the inlet end and for directing it towards the outlet end, the oxygen supply means comprising a plurality of oxygen outlets circumferentially spaced around the fuel supply means and angled radially inwards towards the outlet end and skewed relative to axis X thereby to produce a swirling converging cone of oxygen which intersects the liquid fuel stream in a first upstream zone thereof, the fuel supply means comprising a substantially central outlet having a diverging conical inner surface over which the liquid fuel is passed as it issues therefrom, wherein the divergent inner surface comprises a first divergent conical surface adjacent the central outlet and contiguous to, and at a greater divergent angle from axis X than, a second divergent conical surface so that a portion of the liquid fuel detaches from the first divergent conical surface at the intersection between said first and second divergent conical surfaces thereby to produce a liquid fuel stream having a substantially laminar flow.