The invention relates to a burner for premixed gas-phase combustion having a flame stabilization surface comprising an elongated flexible element and a frame consisting of structural elements across which the elongated flexible element is braided, intertwined or interwoven such that segments of the element form openings on the burner surface in the form of curved and inclined flow channels of a variable cross section.
Premixed combustion (typically, fuel lean) is a widely known approach for a clean/low-NOx gas-phase burning in various appliances. Fuel-rich premixed combustion is a method of fuel reforming and can be used as the 1st combustion stage/zone. Incineration of ventilation gases is also routinely performed in the premixed flame regime.
The ultimate function of a burner for premixed combustion is to anchor and hold combustion in a dedicated zone. A premixed flame can be anchored via either 1) aerodynamic stabilization in reverse, stagnation or divergent flows; 2) surface stabilization by heat transfer, mass transfer and flame stretch; 3) submersion of the reaction layer into some porous matrix. The present invention is related to the second type of flame stabilization/attachment/holding method.
Several types of surface burners are known:
Other knitted or woven burners are known, such as in US20090011270. Such burners use textile articles. Elements of the textile article cross each other, as the article is pre-fabricated and then tailored to the burner hardware. Elements of the textile article, therefore, do not cross hardware elements of the burner.
Various combinations of the burners described above are also known: Bekaert (CA2117605A1) or Alzeta (WO2010120628A1—a burner deck made from metal wool felt locally perforated by holes and/or slits). Alzeta burners were tested for gas turbine application (trade name “NanoSTAR”) wherein combustion takes place at an elevated inlet temperature and high pressure.
Surface stabilized combustion has been also employed in devices that combine both a burner and a heat exchanger. Such devices can be distinguished by the presence of heat-exchange (or cooling) elements in their structures. Other parts can be used between the burner surface and the heat exchange elements as to maximize the transfer of heat released in combustion to the cooling medium. These parts can be implemented in the form of fillers, such as steel wool, foam, etc. A typical example of such a combined burner heat exchanger is a device according to EP-A-0 896 190. It consists of an elongated flexible element in the form of a yarn or thread, cooling elements and, optionally, steel wool.
Combined burner heat exchangers are excluded from further consideration in this patent, as they belong to a different scope, namely:
The following criteria are important for the performance evaluation of surface burners:
A synthesis of the criteria given above lead to the invention of a burner presented in this patent.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a surface burner that very effectively meets the criteria set for surface burners in the section above. To this end, the burner according to the invention is characterized in having an elongated flexible element, which is a trimming made of multiple strands of yarn twisted together such that segments of the element form curved and inclined flow channels of a variable cross section and openings between these segments on the burner surface, which is a flame stabilization surface.
The key idea of the innovation is as follows: The burner surface is fabricated by intertwining or interweaving the elongated flexible element of multiple strands of yarn twisted together across structural elements of the frame. Segments of this flexible element (trimming) form curved and inclined flow channels of a variable cross section and openings between these segments on the burner surface. This fabrication method can be best referred to as braiding, but also plaiting, lacing or another comparable method. This method does not imply any surface pre-fabrication in the form of a cloth, textile article or any other form, as common in knitted or woven burners known from the prior art.
Also, the burner according to the invention does not need to use any inserts (such as knitted wool, as known for the known prior-art burners).
The trimming into which the multiple strands of yarn are twisted can be referred to as a sleeve or by any other professional term. The elongated flexible element can be of metal, ceramic or other materials such as glass fiber, basalt, etc.
The frame can be (nearly) flat, 2-dimensional (an assembly of rods and closed shapes, such as circles, squares, etc.), as well as in various 3-dimensional shapes (in the form of a dome, concave, convex, an assembly of crossing and non crossing arches, etc.). The frame material can be metal, ceramic, quartz, basalt, etc.
The braided burner surface can be (nearly) flat, concave and convex, 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional. It can form a surface of rotation (e.g. cylinder, sphere, etc.). It can be composed of combination of various surface types and shapes (e.g. cylinder with a flat end surface, cylinder with a half-spherical end surface, etc.).
A comparison between braiding and tailoring/shaping of burner surfaces from a pre-fabricated cloth, felt or mat gives the following advantages:
A combustible fuel-air mixture is supplied to the burner surface. The mixture flows through the space between the braids and exits in the form of intricately inclined jets. The jets produce conical flames of variable turbulence intensity (the flows can vary between laminar and turbulent) and degree of stretching stabilized on the edges of the channel exits on the surface.
A part of the mixture can also filter through the braiding material. It then burns on the burner surface. This surface combustion assists the stabilization of the conical flames.
Flame stabilization is also improved by the tortuosity of the inter-braid channels, inherent variation of the channel flow diameter with a commonly present throat like in a convergent-divergent nozzle and mutual inclination of jets and the flame cones.
The braided burner according to the invention is very advantages for the following applications:
An embodiment of the burner according to the present invention is characterized in that the structural elements of the frame are thinner than the elongated flexible element woven across these structural elements, and the flow channels between the elongated flexible element segments and openings on the flame stabilization surface are formed as to issue intricately inclined jets that produce flames when the combustible mixture flows through them. The combustible mixture is supplied towards the surface and the cord is made of the material through which a part of the mixture can filter in order to burn on the surface in the surface combustion mode.
A further embodiment of the burner according to the present invention is characterized in that the structural elements of the frame are no hollow cooling. As cooling elements are part of the known prior-art burners, heat is always transferred to the cooling medium in these cooling elements. Combustion is affected by heat rejection to the cooling medium via: a) Reduced burning temperature; b) Reduced burning velocity; c) Changed flame stabilization mechanisms; d) Changed characteristics of flashback and blow-off; and e) Changed combustion dynamics and noise. This heat rejection is prohibited (fundamentally impossible) in application that require heat retention in the products of combustion, such as in gas turbines. In a further embodiment of the burner according to the present invention the burner has the shape of a basket.
In yet another embodiment of the burner according to the present invention, the surface of the burner is formed by intertwining or interweaving an elongated flexible element (trimming) across the elements of a frame, which is supported by a holder, and these elements are an even number of full-U arches and one half-U arch.
Preferably, at least of number of U-arches comprise a bridging section and two leg sections essentially parallel to each other.
The burner may have a frame wherein the structural elements do not cross each other. It may also have a frame wherein the frame elements cross each other and form a cupola centre point.
The invention will be further elucidated below on the basis of one particular embodiment illustrated in drawings, as well as plots containing measurement results, namely:
This embodiment of the invention is a burner fabricated and tested by the inventors. The burner in the invention is not limited to this embodiment.
In
The braiding cord 9 in
The burner presented in
Working Principle
The burner in
Typical Burner Performance
Some experimentally measured performance figures for the burner in
As can be seen from
Combustion completeness was evaluated for the burner in
If one would adopt the limits of NOx <40 ppm and IU<100 ppm (at zero O2), then in the range of adiabatic flame temperatures between ˜1450 C and ˜1650 C both IU and NOx can be maintained below these limits. The right adiabatic temperature can be ensured by a proper adjustment of the mixture equivalence ratio as a function of the mixture inlet temperature. Between solid lines in the middle of
Application at Elevated Inlet Temperatures and Pressures
Among other appliances, elevated pressures and inlet temperatures are encountered in burners for gas turbine combustion, as a result of flow compressor. The inlet temperature can be further increased in a gas-turbine recuperator, which recuperates exhaust heat into the compressed flow. Recuperators are used on various gas turbines and commonly used on micro turbines.
Premixed gas turbine burners are susceptible to flashback. Compared to other premixed burners, the flashback problem is more acute in gas turbines due to a broad range of operating conditions with varying pressures, inlet temperatures, flow rates and equivalence ratios. It is very difficult to ensure that conditions for a flashback will not occur within such a variation of operating conditions. Combinations of burners and recuperators, as well as other heat exchanges, are also encountered in other applications, including high-efficiency furnaces, boilers, etc.
High inlet temperatures further promote flashback. As the inlet flow is hot and lacks the cooling capacity, any upstream flame propagation typically leads to a very rapid burner failure.
The burner according to the invention has a superior flashback resistance, as any upstream flame propagation is counteracted by flow streams accelerated though the intricately inclined flow channels between the cord braids that terminate into openings on the burner surface. Additionally, the suitability of high-temperature materials (such as ceramics, high-temperature alloys, quartz and glass fibers, etc.) for the burner cord greatly extends possibilities for operation at very high inlet temperatures with reduced risks of burner failure. These statements are proven by the flashback-free operation and retention of structural integrity of the tested burners (
Therefore, the burner in this patent is proven to be ideally suitable—but not limited to—applications at high inlet temperatures, such as in recuperated appliances, including gas turbines and micro gas turbines. The latter also feature elevated pressures.
Although the present invention is elucidated above on the basis of the given drawings, it should be noted that this invention is not limited whatsoever to the embodiments shown in the drawings. The invention also extends to all embodiments deviating from the embodiments shown in the drawings within the context defined by the description and the claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2007429 | Sep 2011 | NL | national |
2007646 | Oct 2011 | NL | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/NL2012/050655 | 9/17/2012 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2013/039402 | 3/21/2013 | WO | A |
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0896190 | Jul 1998 | EP |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20150147708 A1 | May 2015 | US |