Claims
- 1. A gas mixing device for use with a burner assembly, the burner assembly including an elongate housing, an oxidizing gas supply line in fluid communication with the housing, and a fuel gas supply line in fluid communication with the housing, the gas mixing device comprising:
an elongate gas expansion nozzle adapted to be positioned within the housing, said nozzle having a first end and a spaced second end; a gas expansion chamber defined within the gas expansion nozzle and extending from the first end of the gas expansion nozzle to the second end thereof; an inlet port at the first end of the gas expansion nozzle in communication with the gas expansion chamber, and an outlet port at the second end of the gas expansion nozzle in communication with the gas expansion chamber; at least one oxidizing gas passageway formed separately of the gas expansion chamber and extending from the first end to the second end of the gas expansion nozzle, with at least one oxidizing gas outlet at the second end of the gas expansion nozzle; and at least one fuel gas passageway formed separately of the gas expansion chamber and extending from the first end to the second end of the gas expansion nozzle, with at least one fuel gas outlet at the second end of the gas expansion nozzle.
- 2. The gas mixing device of claim 1, further comprising an elongate gas inlet nozzle spaced from the first end of the gas expansion nozzle, the gas inlet nozzle having a first end and a spaced second end.
- 3. The gas mixing device of claim 2, said gas inlet nozzle defining a gas flow passageway therein extending from the first end to the second end thereof, a gas inlet port at the first end of the gas inlet nozzle in communication with the gas flow passageway, and a gas outlet port at the second end of the gas inlet nozzle in communication with the gas flow passageway.
- 4. The gas mixing device of claim 3, wherein the gas inlet port of the gas inlet nozzle is formed to be larger than the gas outlet port thereof.
- 5. The gas mixing device of claim 2, further comprising a corresponding at least one oxidizing gas passageway formed within the gas inlet nozzle and extending from the first end to the second end thereof.
- 6. The gas mixing device of claim 5, further comprising an elongate tube positioned within the at least one oxidizing gas passageway of the gas inlet nozzle and extending into the at least one oxidizing gas passageway of the gas expansion nozzle.
- 7. The gas mixing device of claim 2, wherein the gas inlet nozzle is adapted to be sealed to the housing upstream of the gas expansion nozzle.
- 8. The gas mixing device of claim 2, wherein the gas inlet nozzle directs at least a portion of the oxidizing gas into the inlet port of the gas expansion nozzle.
- 9. The gas mixing device of claim 2, wherein the gas inlet nozzle directs at least a portion of the oxidizing gas into the at least one oxidizing gas passageway of the gas expansion nozzle.
- 10. The gas mixing device of claim 2, wherein the gas inlet nozzle is constructed and arranged to increase the velocity of the oxidizing gas as it flows therethrough.
- 11. The gas mixing device of claim 1, further comprising at least a pair of oxidizing gas passageways spaced radially from one another about the housing axis.
- 12. The gas mixing device of claim 1, the gas expansion chamber being formed as a conical expansion chamber opening toward the outlet port of the gas expansion nozzle.
- 13. The gas mixing device of claim 1, further comprising an elongate gas inlet nozzle spaced from the first end of the gas expansion nozzle, the gas inlet nozzle having a first end, a spaced second end, a gas flow passageway defined therein and extending from the first end to the second end thereof, a gas inlet port at the first end of the gas inlet nozzle in communication with the gas flow passageway, and a gas outlet port at the second end of the gas inlet nozzle in communication with the gas flow passageway.
- 14. The gas mixing device of claim 13, wherein the gas outlet port at the second end of the gas inlet nozzle is sized smaller than the inlet port at the first end of the gas expansion nozzle.
- 15. The gas mixing device of claim 1, further comprising a gas manifold extending at least partially about the gas expansion nozzle.
- 16. The gas mixing device of claim 15, the gas manifold being constructed and arranged to direct the fuel gas circumferentially about the gas expansion nozzle.
- 17. The gas mixing device of claim 1, wherein the gas expansion chamber is circular in cross section about the housing axis.
- 18. The gas mixing device of claim 1, further comprising a gas sampling device spaced from the second end of the gas expansion nozzle and positioned with respect to the outlet port of the gas expansion chamber.
- 19. The gas mixing device of claim 1, further comprising a test burner spaced from the second end of the gas expansion nozzle, said test burner being constructed and arranged to measure the composition of the mixed gases passed from the gas expansion nozzle, the at least one oxidizing gas passageway, and the at least one fuel gas passageway, respectively.
- 20. The gas mixing device of claim 1, wherein a first oxidizing gas stream and a first fuel gas stream, respectively, are passed into the gas expansion chamber and mixed with one another into a premixed combustion gas stream, a second oxidizing gas stream is passed through the at least one oxidizing gas passageway and a second fuel gas stream is passed through the at least one fuel gas passageway, respectively, and the premixed combustion gas stream, the second oxidizing gas stream, and the second fuel gas stream are mixed with one another externally of the gas expansion nozzle.
- 21. A gas mixing device for use with a burner assembly, the burner assembly including an elongate housing, a first gas supply line in fluid communication with the housing, and a second gas supply line in fluid communication with the housing, the gas mixing device comprising:
an elongate gas expansion nozzle adapted to be positioned within the housing, said nozzle having a first end and a spaced second end; a gas expansion chamber defined within the gas expansion nozzle and extending from the first end to the second end thereof; and an inlet port at the first end of the gas expansion nozzle in communication with the gas expansion chamber, and an outlet port at the second end of the gas expansion nozzle in communication with the gas expansion chamber.
- 22. The gas mixing device of claim 21, further comprising at least one first gas passageway formed separately of the gas expansion chamber and extending from the first end of the gas expansion nozzle to at least one first gas outlet port at the second end thereof.
- 23. The gas mixing device of claim 22, further comprising an elongate gas inlet nozzle spaced from the first end of the gas expansion nozzle, the gas inlet nozzle having a first end, a spaced second end, a gas flow passageway defined therein and extending from the first end to the second end thereof, a gas inlet port at the first end of the gas inlet nozzle in communication with the gas flow passageway, and a gas outlet port at the second end of the gas inlet nozzle in communication with the gas flow passageway.
- 24. The gas mixing device of claim 23, further comprising a corresponding at least one first gas passageway defined within the gas inlet nozzle and extending from the first end to the second end thereof.
- 25. The gas mixing device of claim 24, further comprising an elongate tube positioned within the at least one first gas passageway of the gas inlet nozzle and extending into the at least one first gas passageway of the gas expansion nozzle.
- 26. The gas mixing device of claim 22, further comprising at least one second gas passageway formed separately of the gas expansion chamber and extending from the first end of the gas expansion nozzle to at least one second gas outlet port at the second end thereof.
- 27. The gas mixing device of claim 21, further comprising an elongate gas inlet nozzle spaced from the first end of the gas expansion nozzle, the gas inlet nozzle having a first end, a spaced second end, a gas flow passageway defined therein and extending from the first end to the second end thereof, a gas inlet port at the first end of the gas inlet nozzle in communication with the gas flow passageway, and a gas outlet port at the second end of the gas inlet nozzle in communication with the gas flow passageway.
- 28. The gas mixing device of claim 27, wherein the gas outlet port of the gas inlet nozzle is formed to be smaller than the inlet port of the gas expansion nozzle.
- 29. The gas mixing device of claim 21, wherein the inlet port of the gas expansion nozzle is formed to be smaller than the outlet port thereof such that the gas expansion chamber opens toward the outlet port of the gas expansion nozzle.
- 30. The gas mixing device of claim 21, further comprising a fuel gas manifold extending at least partially about the gas expansion nozzle.
- 31. The gas mixing device of claim 30, the fuel gas manifold being constructed and arranged to direct the fuel gas about the gas expansion nozzle.
- 32. A gas mixing device for use with a burner assembly, the burner assembly including an elongate housing, a first gas supply line in fluid communication with the housing, and a second gas supply line in fluid communication with the housing, the gas mixing device comprising:
an elongate gas expansion nozzle adapted to be positioned within the housing and having a first end, a spaced second end, a gas expansion chamber defined therein and extending from the first end to the second end thereof, an inlet port at the first end thereof in communication with the gas expansion chamber, and an outlet port at the second end thereof in communication with the gas expansion chamber; and an elongate gas inlet nozzle spaced from first end of the gas expansion nozzle, the gas inlet nozzle having a first end, a spaced second end, a gas flow passageway defined therein and extending from the first end to the second end thereof, a gas inlet port at the first end thereof in communication with the gas flow passageway, and a gas outlet port at the second end thereof in communication with the gas flow passageway.
- 33. The gas mixing device of claim 32, the gas inlet port of the gas inlet nozzle being formed larger than the gas outlet port thereof, the inlet port of the gas expansion nozzle being formed smaller than the outlet port thereof, and the gas outlet port of the gas inlet valve being formed smaller than the inlet port of the gas expansion nozzle.
- 34. A method of mixing combustion gases within a burner assembly, the burner assembly including an elongate housing, an oxidizing gas supply line in fluid communication with the housing, and a fuel gas supply line in fluid communication with the housing, said method comprising the steps of:
passing at least a portion of the fuel gas as a first fuel gas stream into an inlet of a gas expansion chamber positioned within the housing; passing at least a portion of the oxidizing gas as a first oxidizing gas stream into the inlet of the gas expansion chamber; combining the first fuel gas stream and the first oxidizing gas stream, respectively, into a premixed combustion gas stream within the gas expansion chamber; passing the premixed combustion gas stream from the gas expansion chamber; passing at least a portion of the oxidizing gas as a second oxidizing gas stream outside of the gas expansion chamber; passing at least a portion of the fuel gas as a second fuel gas stream outside of the gas expansion chamber; and combining the second fuel gas stream and the second oxidizing gas stream, respectively, with the premixed combustion gas stream externally of the gas expansion chamber.
- 35. The method of claim 34, including the step of sampling the premixed combustion gas stream downstream of the gas expansion chamber.
- 36. The method of claim 34, including the step of selectively adjusting any one or combination of the first oxidizing gas stream, the first fuel gas stream, the second oxidizing gas stream, and the second fuel gas stream, respectively.
- 37. The method of claim 34, including the step of matching the oxidizing gas to fuel gas proportions of the unmixed second oxidizing gas and fuel gas streams, respectively, to the oxidizing gas to fuel gas proportions of the first oxidizing gas and fuel gas streams, respectively, forming the premixed combustion gas stream.
- 38. The method of claim 34, including the steps of combusting the premixed combustion gas stream for forming a first flame, and then combusting the respective second oxidizing gas and fuel gas streams for forming a second flame that is combined with and jackets the first flame.
- 39. The method of claim 34, including the step of distributing the first fuel gas stream at least partially about an elongate gas expansion nozzle in which the gas expansion chamber is defined.
- 40. The method of claim 34, including the step of passing a pulverized solid within a selected one of the respective gas streams.
- 41. A method of controlling a combustion burner assembly, the burner assembly including an elongate housing, an oxidizing gas supply line in fluid communication with the housing, and a fuel gas supply line in fluid communication with the housing, said method comprising the steps of:
combining a first stream of the oxidizing gas and a first stream of the fuel gas, respectively, into a premixed combustion gas stream; obtaining a sample of the premixed combustion gas stream through a sampling device extended into said gas stream; performing a composition analysis of the sampled premixed gas stream; calculating an ideal oxidizing gas to fuel gas ratio under the then current combustion burner operating conditions; comparing the calculated ideal ratio to an actual oxidizing gas to fuel gas ratio as determined by the composition analysis of the premixed combustion gas stream; and regulating the oxidizing gas to fuel gas ratio by adjusting the pressure of the oxidizing gas passed into the gas expansion chamber.
- 42. The method of claim 41, the step of performing a composition analysis of the sampled premixed gas stream comprising the step of burning the premixed gas stream sample and then analyzing the products of combustion.
- 43. The method of claim 41, the step of performing a composition analysis of the sampled premixed gas stream comprising the step of directly analyzing the oxidizing gas and the fuel gas proportions in the unburned premixed gas stream sample.
- 44. The method of claim 41, the step of performing a composition analysis of the sampled premixed gas stream comprising the steps of burning the premixed gas stream sample and analyzing the products of combustion, and then analyzing the oxidizing gas and the fuel gas proportions in the unburned premixed gas stream sample.
- 45. The method of claim 41, the step of calculating an ideal oxidizing gas to fuel gas ratio comprising the step of using predetermined data to calculate the ideal ratio.
- 46. The method of claim 41, the step of calculating an ideal oxidizing gas to fuel gas ratio comprising the step of using chemical calculations to calculate the ideal ratio.
- 47. The method of claim 41, the step of calculating an ideal oxidizing gas to fuel gas ratio comprising the step of using predetermined data and chemical calculations to calculate the ideal ratio.
- 48. The method of claim 41, further comprising the step of repeating the process during the operation of the combustion burner for maintaining the ideal ratio.
- 49. The method of claim 41, further comprising the step of combusting the premixed combustion gas stream in stages.
- 50. The method of claim 41, further comprising the step of combusting the premixed combustion gas stream at the center of a combustion flame exiting from an expansion chamber formed as a part of the combustion burner.
- 51. The method of claim 50, further comprising the step of passing a second oxidizing gas stream and a second fuel gas stream into a mixing head, mixing the separate oxidizing gas stream and the separate fuel gas stream together, combusting the oxidizing gas and the fuel gas of said second gas steams, and forming the combusted second gases as an outer jacket about the combustion flame.
- 52. The method of claim 51, comprising the step of delaying the combustion of the respective second oxidizing and fuel gas streams with respect to the combustion of the premixed combustion gas stream.
- 53. The method of claim 51, comprising the step of using the sampled premixed combustion gas stream to indicate the overall combustion chemistry of the combustion flame produced by the combustion of all of the oxidizing gases and fuel gases comprising the combustion flame.
- 54. The method of claim 51, further comprising the step of adjusting the proportions of the second oxidizing gas stream to the second fuel gas stream entering the mixing head so that the second oxidizing gas stream to the second fuel gas stream proportions are equal to the proportions of the oxidizing gas to the fuel gas within the premixed combustion gas stream.
- 55. The method of claim 51, further comprising the step of regulating the pressure of the oxidizing gas relative to the pressure of the fuel gas such that the overall ratios of the oxidizing gas to the fuel gas of the premixed combustion gas stream and of the second gas streams, respectively, are at the desired proportions for combustion.
- 56. The method of claim 51, further comprising the steps of checking the overall burner combustion ratio by measuring the composition of the combusted and non-combusted gases at a test burner positioned downstream of the mixing head, and then comparing the results thereof to the composition of the premixed combustion gas stream measured at an outlet of the expansion chamber.
- 57. The method of claim 51, further comprising the step of introducing the oxidizing gas and the fuel gas into the mixing head at substantially the same pressure for each such gas.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application claims priority to U.S. provisional Patent Application Number 60/216,753 filed on Jul. 7, 2000, in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and to U.S. provisional Patent Application Number 60/222,450 filed on Aug. 8, 2000, in the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Provisional Applications (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60216753 |
Jul 2000 |
US |
|
60222450 |
Aug 2000 |
US |