Selective oxy-fuel burner and method for a rotary furnace

A rotary furnace comprising:

• a charge door and an exhaust port located at one end of the furnace;
• and an oxy-fuel burner mounted in the charge door, the burner comprising:
• at least two burner elements each oriented to fire into different portions of the furnace, each burner element comprising:
• a selective distribution nozzle configured to flow a first reactant;
• and
• an proportional distribution nozzle configured to flow an oxidant;
• at least one sensor to detect one or more process parameters in the furnace;
• and
• a controller programmed to independently control the first reactant flow to each selective distribution nozzle based at least on part on the detected process parameters such that at least one burner element is active and at least one burner element is passive, wherein the first reactant flow in the selective distribution nozzle of an active burner element is greater than an average first reactant flow to the selective distribution nozzles and first reactant flow in the selective distribution nozzle of a passive burner element is less than the average first reactant flow to the selective distribution nozzles;
• wherein the second reactant is substantially proportionally distributed to the proportional distribution nozzles;
• and
• wherein the first reactant is one of a fuel and an oxidant and wherein the second reactant is the other of a fuel and an oxidant.