Burner and method for combusting fuels

A burner for combusting a fuel, comprising:

• a fuel conduit having a plurality of fuel sections, each fuel section being in fluid communication with each other fuel section and adapted to transmit a stream of the fuel, including
• a fuel inlet section having a first fuel inlet and a first fuel outlet spaced apart from the first fuel inlet, the fuel inlet section having a first cross sectional flow area and being adapted to transmit the stream of the fuel entering the first fuel inlet and exiting the first fuel outlet,
• a fuel transitional section having a fuel intake and a fuel outtake spaced apart from the fuel intake, the fuel transitional section adapted to transmit at least a portion of the stream of the fuel entering the fuel intake and exiting the fuel outtake, and having a second cross sectional flow area, the second cross sectional flow area varying from an initial cross sectional flow area at the fuel intake to a different cross sectional flow area at the fuel outtake, and
• a fuel outlet section having a second fuel inlet and a second fuel outlet spaced apart from the second fuel inlet, the fuel outlet section being adapted to transmit at least a portion of the stream of the fuel entering the second fuel inlet and exiting the second fuel outlet, and having a third cross sectional flow area, the third cross sectional flow area being substantially uniform throughout the fuel outlet section;
• a first oxidant conduit having a plurality of oxidant sections, each oxidant section being in fluid communication with each other oxidant section and adapted to transmit a stream of an oxidant, including
• an oxidant inlet plenum being adapted to transmit a stream of the oxidant, and having a fourth cross sectional flow area, at least a portion of the oxidant inlet. plenum being spaced around substantially all of at least a portion of at least one of the fuel inlet section, the fuel transitional section, and the fuel outlet section, and
• an oxidant outlet section the oxidant outlet section being adapted to transmit at least a portion of the stream of the oxidant and having a fifth cross sectional flow area, said fifth cross sectional flow area being less man or equal to the fourth cross sectional flow area and being substantially uniform throughout the oxidant outlet section, at least a portion of the oxidant outlet section being spaced around substantially all of at least a portion of the fuel outlet section;
• and
• a second oxidant conduit adjacent the first oxidant conduit, the second oxidant conduit adapted to transmit another stream of the oxidant or a stream of another oxidant,
• wherein the another stream of the oxidant or the stream of the another oxidant exiting the second oxidant conduit is at a location below a flame formed by combustion of the at least a portion of the stream of the fuel exiting the second fuel outlet of the fuel outlet section and the at least a portion of the stream of the oxidant exiting the oxidant outlet section, and further comprising at least one guide vane disposed in the fuel transitional section, wherein the initial cross sectional flow are at the fuel intake of the fuel transitional section is smaller than the different cross sectional flow area at the fuel outtake of the fuel transitional section.

A method for combusting a fuel with an oxidant, comprising the steps of:

• providing a source of the fuel;
• providing a source of at least one oxidant;
• providing a burner, comprising
• a fuel conduit having a plurality of fuel sections, each fuel section being in fluid communication with each other fuel section and adapted to transmit a stream of the fuel, including
• a fuel inlet section having a first fuel inlet and a first fuel outlet spaced apart from the first fuel inlet, the fuel inlet section having a first cross sectional flow area and being adapted to transmit the stream of the fuel entering the first fuel inlet and exiting the first fuel outlet,
• a fuel transitional section having a fuel intake and a fuel outtake spaced apart from the fuel intake, the fuel transitional section adapted to transmit at least a portion of the stream of the fuel entering the fuel intake and exiting the fuel outtake, and having a second cross sectional flow area, the second cross sectional flow area varying from an initial cross sectional flow area at the fuel intake to a different cross sectional flow area at the fuel outtake, and
• a fuel outlet section having a second fuel inlet and a second fuel outlet spaced apart from the second fuel inlet, the fuel outlet section being adapted to transmit at least a portion of the stream of the fuel entering the second fuel inlet and exiting the second fuel outlet, and having a third cross sectional flow area, the third cross sectional flow area being substantially uniform throughout the fuel outlet section;
• and
• a first oxidant conduit having a plurality of oxidant sections, each oxidant section being in fluid communication with each other oxidant section and adapted to transmit a stream of the oxidant, including
• an oxidant inlet plenum being adapted to transmit a stream of the oxidant, and having a fourth cross sectional flow area, at least a portion of the oxidant inlet plenum being spaced around substantially all of at least a portion of at least one of the fuel inlet section, the fuel transitional section, and the fuel outlet section, and
• an oxidant outlet section being adapted to transmit at least a portion of the stream of the oxidant, and having a fifth cross sectional flow area, said fifth cross sectional flow area being less than or equal to the fourth cross sectional flow area and being substantially uniform throughout the oxidant outlet section, at least a portion of the oxidant outlet section being spaced around substantially all of at least a portion of the fuel outlet section;
• transmitting the stream of the fuel to the first fuel inlet, whereby at least a portion of the stream of the fuel is transmitted from the first fuel inlet to the second fuel outlet;
• transmitting the stream of the oxidant to the oxidant plenum, whereby at least a portion of the stream of the oxidant is transmitted from the oxidant plenum to the oxidant outlet section;
• and
• combusting at least a portion of the fuel exiting the second fuel outlet with at least a portion of the oxidant exiting the oxidant outlet section.

A method for combusting a fuel with an oxidant, comprising the steps of:

• providing a source of the fuel;
• providing a source of at least one oxidant;
• providing a burner, comprising
• a fuel conduit having a plurality of fuel sections, each fuel section being in fluid communication with each other fuel section and adapted to transmit a stream of the fuel, including
• a fuel inlet section having a first fuel inlet and a first fuel outlet spaced apart from the first fuel inlet, the fuel inlet section having a first cross sectional flow area and being adapted to transmit the stream of the fuel entering the first fuel inlet and exiting the first fuel outlet,
• a fuel transitional section having a fuel intake and a fuel outtake spaced apart from the fuel intake, the fuel transitional section adapted to transmit at least a portion of the stream of the fuel entering the fuel intake and exiting the fuel outtake, and having a second cross sectional flow area, the second cross sectional flow area varying from an initial cross sectional flow area at the fuel intake to a different cross sectional flow area at the fuel outtake, said fuel transitional section comprising at least one guide vane, and
• a fuel outlet section having a second fuel inlet and a second fuel outlet spaced apart from the second fuel inlet, the fuel outlet section being adapted to transmit at least a portion of the stream of the fuel entering the second fuel inlet and exiting the second fuel outlet, and having a third cross sectional flow area, the third cross sectional flow area being substantially uniform throughout the fuel outlet section;
• and
• a first oxidant conduit having a plurality of oxidant sections, each oxidant section being in fluid communication with each other oxidant section and adapted to transmit a stream of the oxidant, including
• an oxidant inlet plenum being adapted to transmit a stream of the oxidant and having a fourth cross sectional flow area, at least a portion of the oxidant inlet plenum being spaced around substantially all of at least a portion of at least one of the fuel inlet section, the fuel transitional section, and the fuel outlet section, and
• an oxidant outlet section being adapted to transmit at least a portion of the stream of the oxidant, and having a fifth cross sectional flow area, said fifth cross sectional flow area being less than or equal to the fourth cross sectional flow area and being substantially uniform throughout the oxidant outlet section, at least a portion of the oxidant outlet section being spaced around substantially all of at least a portion of the fuel outlet section;
• transmitting the stream of the fuel to the first fuel inlet, whereby at least a portion of the stream of the fuel is transmitted from the first fuel inlet to the second fuel outlet;
• transmitting the stream of the oxidant to the oxidant plenum, whereby at least a portion of the stream of the oxidant is transmitted from the oxidant plenum to the oxidant outlet section;
• combusting at least a portion of the fuel exiting the second fuel outlet with at least a portion of the oxidant exiting the oxidant outlet section;
• providing a second oxidant conduit adjacent the first oxidant conduit, the second oxidant conduit adapted to transmit another stream of the oxidant or a stream of another oxidant entering the second oxidant conduit;
• transmitting the another stream of the oxidant or the stream of the another oxidant to the second oxidant conduit, whereby at least a portion of the another stream of the oxidant or at least a portion of the another oxidant is transmitted from the second oxidant;
• and
• combusting at least another portion of the fuel exiting the second fuel outlet with at least a portion of the another stream of the oxidant or at least a portion of the another oxidant exiting the second oxidant conduit,
• wherein the another stream of the oxidant or the stream of the another oxidant exiting the second oxidant conduit is at a location below a flame formed by combustion of the at least a portion of the stream of the fuel exiting the second fuel outlet of the fuel outlet section and the at least a portion of the stream of the oxidant exiting the oxidant outlet section.