Radiant burner

A gas-fired burner unit for providing combustion and infrared radiation, the gas-fired burner unit comprising:

• a plenum for receiving a gas-air mixture;
• a downstream perforated metal plate mounted for receiving the gas-air mixture from the plenum and supplying the gas-air mixture to the combustion so that the combustion emanates outwardly from proximate a downstream side of the downstream perforated metal plate, wherein the downstream side of the downstream perforated metal plate is an exterior surface of the burner unit, the exterior surface of the burner unit is for emitting infrared radiation outwardly from the burner unit, and the downstream perforated metal plate is less than about 0.125 inches thick;
• an upstream perforated metal plate that is mounted in series with, and is positioned upstream from, the downstream perforated metal plate;
• a mounting plate, wherein
• the mounting plate is positioned between the downstream perforated metal plate and the upstream perforated metal plate so that the mounting plate is upstream of the downstream perforated metal plate,
• the mounting plate has a circumferential wall that at least partially extends around and defines a hole that extends through the mounting plate,
• the hole in the mounting plate is wider than perforations of the upstream and downstream perforated metal plates,
• the hole of the mounting plate at least partially defines a substantially discrete chamber between the downstream perforated metal plate and the upstream perforated metal plate,
• a downstream end of the chamber is obstructed by and defined by the downstream perforated metal plate,
• an upstream end of the chamber is obstructed by and defined by the upstream perforated metal plate, and
• the chamber is in fluid communication with both a plurality of the perforations of the upstream perforated metal plate and a plurality of the perforations of the downstream perforated metal plate, so that
• the plurality of perforations of the downstream perforated metal plate are for receiving the gas-air mixture from the plenum by way of the chamber, and
• the chamber is for receiving the gas-air mixture from the plenum by way of the plurality of perforations of the upstream perforated metal plate;
• and
• at least one venturi mounted for providing the gas and air to the plenum, wherein the burner unit is operative so that substantially all of the air required for completing the combustion is provided via the at least one venturi while the burner unit's firing rate exceeds about 350 BTUH/in2 of the burner unit's emitting surface.

A gas-fired burner unit for providing combustion and infrared radiation, the gas-fired burner unit comprising:

• a plenum for receiving a gas-air mixture;
• a downstream perforated metal plate mounted for receiving the gas-air mixture from the plenum and supplying the gas-air mixture to the combustion so that the combustion emanates outwardly from proximate a downstream side of the downstream perforated metal plate, wherein the downstream side of the downstream perforated metal plate is for emitting infrared radiation outwardly from the downstream perforated metal plate, and the downstream perforated metal plate is less than about 0.125 inches thick;
• an upstream perforated metal plate that is mounted in series with, and is positioned upstream from, the downstream perforated metal plate;
• a mounting plate, wherein
• the mounting plate is positioned between the downstream perforated metal plate and the upstream perforated metal plate so that the mounting plate is upstream of the downstream perforated metal plate,
• the mounting plate has a circumferential wall that at least partially extends around and defines a hole that extends through the mounting plate,
• the hole in the mounting plate is wider than perforations of the upstream and downstream perforated metal plates,
• the hole of the mounting plate at least partially defines a substantially discrete chamber between the downstream perforated metal plate and the upstream perforated metal plate,
• a downstream end of the chamber is obstructed by and defined by the downstream perforated metal plate,
• an upstream end of the chamber is obstructed by and defined by the upstream perforated metal plate, and
• the chamber is in fluid communication with both a plurality of the perforations of the upstream perforated metal plate and a plurality of the perforations of the downstream perforated metal plate, so that
• the plurality of perforations of the downstream perforated metal plate are for receiving the gas-air mixture from the plenum by way of the chamber, and
• the chamber is for receiving the gas-air mixture from the plenum by way of the plurality of perforations of the upstream perforated metal plate;
• at least one venturi mounted for providing the gas and air to the plenum, wherein the burner unit is operative so that substantially all of the air required for completing the combustion is provided via the at least one venturi while the burner unit's firing rate exceeds about 350 BTUH/in2 of the burner unit's emitting surface;
• and
• an infrared energy emitter having opposite inner and outer sides, wherein the infrared energy emitter is mounted adjacent to the downstream perforated metal plate so that the inner side of the infrared energy emitter is spaced apart from and in opposing face-to-face relation with the downstream side of the downstream perforated metal plate for absorbing infrared radiation emitted from the downstream side of the downstream perforated metal plate, and the outer side of the infrared energy emitter is for emitting infrared radiation outwardly from the burner unit in response to the inner side of the infrared energy emitter absorbing infrared radiation emitted from the downstream side of the downstream perforated metal plate.