Premix burner with integral mixers and supplementary burner system

An apparatus for use with a furnace structure defining a reaction chamber with an entrance end, an exit end, and a choke configuration to direct recirculating combustion products from said exit end back toward said entrance end, said apparatus comprising:

• an anchor surface configured to face into the reaction chamber at the entrance end, said anchor surface having an inner opening on an axis, and radially outer openings in an array extending around said axis;
• a corresponding array of mixing structures, each of which comprises an oxidant supply line and a fuel supply line that together communicate with a respective one of said outer openings such that each of said mixing structures is configured to direct unignited premix into the reaction chamber through the respective outer opening;
• and
• an anchor burner with a mixing structure arranged to fire into the reaction chamber through said inner opening, whereby combustion products can spread radially outward from said inner opening in an anchor layer that overlays said anchor surface under the influence of the recirculating combustion products, and can thus overlay said outer openings to minimize the ignition distance for the premix to be ignited upon moving from said outer openings directly into the anchor layer without delay.

An apparatus for use with a furnace structure defining a reaction chamber with an entrance end, an exit end, and a choke configuration to direct recirculating combustion products from said exit end back toward said entrance end, said apparatus comprising:

• an anchor surface configured to face into the reaction chamber at the entrance end, said anchor surface having an inner opening on an axis, a conical surface portion that widens radially outward of said inner opening, and a planar surface portion that extends radially outward of said conical surface portion, said planar surface portion having a plurality of outer openings;
• a plurality of mixing structures, each of which comprises an oxidant supply line and a fuel supply line that together communicate with a respective one of said outer openings such that each of said mixing structures is configured to direct unignited premix into the reaction chamber through the respective outer opening;
• and
• an anchor burner arranged to fire into the reaction chamber through said inner opening, whereby combustion products can swirl from said inner opening in an anchor layer that overlays said conical and planar portions of said anchor surface under the influence of the recirculating combustion products, and can thus overlay said outer openings to minimize the ignition distance for said premix to be ignited upon moving from said outer openings directly into said anchor layer without delay.