Low NOx combustion process and burner therefor
AssigneeL'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
InventorsPatrick Recourt, Rémi Tsiava
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Method of combusting a fuel with an oxidizer and corresponding burner assembly, whereby a jet of fuel and a jet of primary oxidizer are injected into a combustion zone in contact with one another so as to generate a primary fuel-rich flame, a swirling first peripheral gas jet is injected through a first passage around the fuel jet and primary oxidizer jets and a swirling second peripheral gas jet is injected through a second passage around the first peripheral gas jet and whereby a jet of secondary oxidizer is injected through a passage into the combustion zone between the first and second peripheral gas jets.
Claims11
A burner assembly comprising:
- a fuel injection passage for injecting a jet of fuel into a combustion zone;
- a primary oxidizer injection passage for injecting a jet of primary oxidizer into the combustion zone in contact with the jet of fuel to generate a primary flame in the combustion zone;
- a first peripheral gas injection passage for injecting a first peripheral gas jet through a first peripheral injection cross section area into the combustion zone around the fuel jet and the primary oxidizer jet, the first peripheral gas injection passage surrounding the fuel injection passage and the primary oxidizer passage and being equipped with a first swirler for conferring to the first peripheral gas jet a first swirl with respect to the primary flame;
- a second peripheral gas injection passage for injecting a second peripheral gas jet through a second peripheral injection cross section area into the combustion zone around the first peripheral gas jet, the second peripheral gas injection passage surrounding the first peripheral gas injection passage and being equipped with a second swirler for conferring to the second peripheral gas jet a second swirl with respect to the primary flame;
- and
- a secondary oxidizer injection passage for injecting a jet of secondary oxidizer through a secondary oxidizer injection cross section area into the combustion zone, the secondary oxidizer injection passage being located between the first and second peripheral gas injection passages, wherein the secondary oxidizer injection cross section area is between one tenth and one thirtieth of a sum of the first and second peripheral injection cross section areas;
- wherein the first swirler is adapted and configured to confer a swirl to the first peripheral gas jet and the second swirler is adapted and configured to confer a swirl to the second peripheral gas jet different than that of the first peripheral gas jet, the difference between the swirls of the first and second swirlers selected from the group consisting of:
- a direction of rotation around the primary flame, a rapidity of the swirling, a swirl angle of vanes of the swirlers, and whether the swirl is convergent or divergent.
A method of combusting a fuel with an oxidizer in a combustion zone, comprising the steps of:
- injecting a jet of fuel into the combustion zone;
- injecting a jet of primary oxidizer into the combustion zone in contact with the jet of fuel to generate a primary fuel-rich flame;
- injecting a first peripheral gas jet through a first peripheral injection cross section area into the combustion zone around the fuel jet and the primary oxidizer jet, said first peripheral gas jet having a first swirl with respect to the primary flame;
- injecting a second peripheral gas jet through a second peripheral injection cross section area into the combustion zone around the first peripheral gas jet, said second peripheral gas jet having a second swirl with respect to the primary flame, wherein the jet of primary oxidizer injects an amount of oxygen corresponding to between 10% and 50% of an amount of oxygen required for stoichiometric combustion of the jet of fuel;
- and
- injecting a jet of secondary oxidizer through a secondary oxidizer injection cross section area into the combustion zone between the first and second peripheral gas jets, wherein the second oxidizer injection cross section area is between one tenth and one thirtieth of a sum of the first and the second peripheral injection cross section areas;
- wherein the first swirler is adapted and configured to confer a swirl to the first peripheral gas jet and the second swirler is adapted and configured to confer a swirl to the second peripheral gas jet different than that of the first peripheral gas jet, the difference between the swirls of the first and second swirlers selected from the group consisting of:
- a direction of rotation around the primary flame, a rapidity of the swirling, a swirl angle of vanes of the swirlers, and whether the swirl is convergent or divergent.
A method of generating steam in a boiler, comprising the steps of:
- injecting a jet of fuel into the combustion zone;
- injecting a jet of primary oxidizer into the combustion zone in contact with the jet of fuel to generate a primary fuel-rich flame;
- injecting a first peripheral gas jet through a first peripheral injection cross section area into the combustion zone around the fuel jet and the primary oxidizer jet, said first peripheral gas jet having a first swirl with respect to the primary flame;
- injecting a second peripheral gas jet through a second peripheral injection cross section area into the combustion zone around the first peripheral gas jet, said second peripheral gas jet having a second swirl with respect to the primary flame, wherein the jet of primary oxidizer injects an amount of oxygen corresponding to between 10% and 50% of an amount of oxygen required for stoichiometric combustion of the jet of fuel;
- injecting a jet of secondary oxidizer through a secondary oxidizer injection cross section area into the combustion zone between the first and second peripheral gas jets, wherein the second oxidizer injection cross section area is between one tenth and one thirtieth of a sum of the first and the second peripheral injection cross section areas;
- and
- using heat from combustion of the jet and oxidizers to generate steam;
- wherein the first swirler is adapted and configured to confer a swirl to the first peripheral gas jet and the second swirler is adapted and configured to confer a swirl to the second peripheral gas jet different than that of the first peripheral gas jet, the difference between the swirls of the first and second swirlers selected from the group consisting of:
- a direction of rotation around the primary flame, a rapidity of the swirling, a swirl angle of vanes of the swirlers, and whether the swirl is convergent or divergent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.