1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to an apparatus for canceling resonance created in a burner. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for canceling resonance in burner created when the burner demand changes rapidly from a medium or high demand to a low demand or when the burner demand is set at an even lower level.
2. Background Art
When a burner demand is altered rapidly from a medium or high demand to a low demand, e.g., in a burner with high turndown, the now lowered fuel/air mixture flowrate can cause a resonance in the burner hardware, e.g., the burner tube, which is audible. Further, this also causes poor combustion at the burner, resulting in high carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxide (NOX) contents in the exhaust of the burner.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,312 to Smelcer et al. (hereinafter Smelcer) discloses a burner apparatus including a foraminous burner surface having a multitude of openings through which flames can extend. The burner surface is irregularly shaped so that flames extending from the openings are directed in an irregular pattern whereby eddy currents are generated and effectively disrupt oscillation of the flames to result in reduced noise generation from flame oscillation. Smelcer's means for eliminating burner resonance involves making the surface of a burner irregular. Such practice requires significant changes to conventional burners to result in the irregularly shaped burner surfaces. It may be impractical to modify an existing burner to result in Smelcer's burner. In addition, the modification involves adding or using a component which comes in direct contact with flames during combustion and therefore the burner surface material must be made from a substance which can withstand such use. Further, if Smelcer's concept were to be applied to an existing burner to result in a rigid burner having an irregular surface, the amount of modification and/or level of effort required are even greater.
Thus, there is a need for a burner capable of mitigating the effects of burner resonance or an apparatus capable of being adapted to a burner to mitigate the effects of burner resonance and in at least one version, doing it without requiring a complete change-out of existing burners or significant additions to the existing burners.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a burner resonance canceling apparatus adapted to cancel a resonance caused in a burner tube. The burner tube includes a side wall, a plurality of apertures disposed on the side wall, a first longitudinal end configured for receiving a fuel mixture flow, a closed second longitudinal end, a central axis extending through the first longitudinal end and the second longitudinal end. The burner resonance canceling apparatus includes a member having an enlarged end, a reduced end and a central axis extending through the enlarged end of the member and the reduced end of the member. The enlarged end of the member is configured to be positioned at the closed second longitudinal end. The central axis of the member is disposed substantially coaxially with the central axis of the burner tube and the reduced end of the member is configured to face the fuel mixture flow brought through the first longitudinal end into the burner tube. The burner tube and the member cooperate to define a chamber the fuel mixture flow is configured to traverse from the reduced end of the member to the enlarged end of the member before exiting the apertures of tahe burner tube, whereby either a flowrate-induced burner resonance or a flowrate change-induced burner resonance can be mitigated.
In one embodiment, the flowrate-induced burner resonance is a condition wherein the flowrate threshold is under about 36 kbtu/hr or about 0.6 CFM.
In one embodiment, the flowrate change-induced burner resonance is a condition wherein the flowrate of the fuel mixture flow decreases from over about 100 kbtu/hr or about 1.67 CFM to under about 40 kbtu/hr or about 0.67 CFM.
In one embodiment, the member is a cone.
In one embodiment, the member is a frusto-cone.
In one embodiment, the member is configured to taper inwardly from the enlarged end of the member to the reduced end of the member.
In one embodiment, the chamber is configured such that the fuel mixture flowrate is maintained from the reduced end of the member to the enlarged end of the member.
Also disclosed herein is an embodiment of a burner including a burner tube having a side wall, a plurality of apertures disposed on the side wall, a first longitudinal end configured for receiving a fuel mixture flow, a closed second longitudinal end, wherein the cross-sectional area of the burner tube is larger at the first longitudinal end than the cross-sectional area of the burner tube at the second longitudinal end, whereby one of a flowrate-induced burner resonance and a flowrate change-induced burner resonance is mitigated.
Also disclosed herein is another embodiment of a burner resonance canceling apparatus adapted to cancel the resonance caused in a burner tube. The burner tube includes a side wall, a plurality of apertures disposed on the side wall, a first longitudinal end configured for receiving a fuel mixture flow, a closed second longitudinal end, a chamber defined by the interior space of the burner tube. The burner resonance canceling apparatus includes a plate disposed on the first longitudinal end of the burner tube, isolating the chamber from a space upstream of the chamber. The plate further includes a plurality of openings and a plurality of baffles, each baffle coupled to one of the plurality of openings of the plate. The plurality of baffles are configured to direct portions of the fuel mixture flow through the plurality of openings from the space upstream of the chamber into the chamber, which together, form a confluent flow in a spiral format in the chamber and subsequently through the plurality of apertures of the burner tube, whereby either a flowrate-induced burner resonance or a flowrate change-induced burner resonance can be mitigated.
An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which when installed in a burner, eliminates resonance and its byproduct, noise, experienced in a burner.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for eliminating resonance and its byproduct, noise, experienced in an existing burner that can be retrofitted in the existing burner.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for eliminating resonance and its byproduct, noise, experienced in an existing burner that can be retrofitted in the existing burner without requiring significant changes to the existing burner.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a burner having an apparatus for preventing resonance from occurring due to flowrate reductions and low flowrates of its fuel mixture.
Whereas there may be many embodiments of the present invention, each embodiment may meet one or more of the foregoing recited objects in any combination. It is not intended that each embodiment will necessarily meet each objective. Thus, having broadly outlined the more important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated, there are, of course, additional features of the present invention that will be described herein and will form a part of the subject matter of this specification.
In order that the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and objects of the invention are obtained, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
By inserting a cone into a burner tube, the velocity of a fuel mixture flow is increased as the flow travels from a fuel mixture flow receiving end of the burner tube to a longitudinal end opposite that of the receiving end. As the fuel mixture flowrate is decreased, the flame that was previously lifted from a mesh settles towards the burner. As the fuel mixture flowrate is low, it becomes even more difficult to have the fuel mixture flow mixed well. Without an insert and at low fuel mixture flowrate, the flame tends to oscillate about the mesh or on the outer surface of the burner tube, generating undesired resonance in the mixture flow and hence the burner which can cause noise and vibration. With an insert, such resonance is mitigated as the flame is lifted appropriately from the outer surface of the burner tube or the mesh.
In one embodiment, a plate having “cheese grate” type apertures disposed in a spiral pattern is interposed between a top casting and a burner to promote mixing of the fuel mixture flow and to prevent burner chamber pressure pulses to feed back onto the gas valve that is disposed upstream of the chamber, thereby reducing the resonance that can potentially be caused without such apparatus.
The term “about” is used herein to mean approximately, roughly, around, or in the region of. When the term “about” is used in conjunction with a numerical range, it modifies that range by extending the boundaries above and below the numerical values set forth. In general, the term “about” is used herein to modify a numerical value above and below the stated value by a variance of 20 percent up or down (higher or lower).
In one preferred embodiment, the burner tube 3 is cylindrically shaped. In one embodiment, the member 4 is configured to taper inwardly from the enlarged end (base of member) to the reduced end (tip of member). In one embodiment, the member 4 is a cone, i.e., with the tip of the member being a sharp point, as shown in dashed outlines in
In one embodiment, the height 18 of the burner tube 3 is about 168 mm, the height of the insert 4 is about 155 mm, the diameter 16 of the burner tube 3 is about 60 mm and the diameter 14 of the base of the insert is about 58 mm. It shall be noted that as the fuel mixture flow 8 proceeds in the burner 2 when forced into the chamber with a blower, its velocity increases since the cross-sectional area of the fuel mixture flow decreases. In one embodiment, the diameter 10 of the reduced end of the insert 4 is about 21 mm. In one embodiment, the height 12 of the insert 4 is about 137 mm.
The detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings that show, by way of illustration, specific aspects and embodiments in which the present disclosed embodiments may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice aspects of the present invention. Other embodiments may be utilized, and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosed embodiments. The various embodiments can be combined with one or more other embodiments to form new embodiments. The detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims, with the full scope of equivalents to which they may be entitled. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement that is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of embodiments of the present invention. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive, and that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Combinations of the above embodiments and other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon studying the above description. The scope of the present disclosed embodiments includes any other applications in which embodiments of the above structures and fabrication methods are used. The scope of the embodiments should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
This non-provisional application claims the benefit of priority from provisional application U.S. Ser. No. 62/171,238 filed Jun. 5, 2015. Said application is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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2787318 | Wolfersperger | Apr 1957 | A |
3236460 | Wood | Feb 1966 | A |
5760348 | Heuser | Jun 1998 | A |
6106276 | Sams | Aug 2000 | A |
6139312 | Lasagni | Oct 2000 | A |
6428312 | Smelcer et al. | Aug 2002 | B1 |
20010025739 | Woods | Oct 2001 | A1 |
20090241942 | Schwank | Oct 2009 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20160356492 A1 | Dec 2016 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62171238 | Jun 2015 | US |