GB1271370A - Burner for use with fluid fuels - Google Patents

Abstract

1,271,370. Fluid fuel burners. BRITISH PETROLEUM CO. Ltd. 7 Oct., 1969 [6 Nov., 1968], No. 52543/68. Heading F4T. A burner for fluid fuels (gas or liquid) comprises a plurality of combustion air tubes 11 which pass through a fuel chamber divided into a fuel inlet zone 14 adapted to distribute fuel across the burner and a fuel outlet zone which is packed with a metal sponge 12 through which, in use, fuel flows into a combustion zone where it burns with air which flows into the combustion zone via the combustion air tubes 11. As shown in Fig. 4, the fuel inlet zone 14 is formed in the spaces between the combustion air tubes 11 in the lower half of the burner and the metal sponge 12, which has a pore size of 0À1-0À5 mm. average diameter, is contained in the spaces between the combustion air tubes 12 in the top half of the burner. In the alternative embodiment, Fig. 7, the fuel inlet zone is packed with a metal sponge 12b which has a pore size of 0À5-2 mm. average diameter and whose resistance to fluid flow is less than that of the metal sponge 12a in the fuel outlet zone. The walls of the fuel chamber and the walls of the combustion air tubes are sealed by impervious coatings 16, 17, 18, 15 applied to the appropriate walls of the two sponges 12a and 12b. The combustion air tubes are all cylindrical with parallel longitudinal axes and the bore of each has a cross-sectional area of 0À1-1À0 cm.<SP>2</SP> where it opens into the combustion zone; the bores account for at least 25%, and preferably at least 50%, of the surface area of the fuel outlet zone adjacent to the combustion zone. When the burner is used with gaseous fuel, the fuel passes through the inlet zone 14 which has a low resistance to gas flow into the metal sponge 12 which has a high resistance to flow which encourages even flow distribution into the combustion zone where the gas burnes with a blue flame with air issuing from the combustion air tubes 11. When the burner is used with liquid fuel, the inlet zone 14 is flooded and the fuel which must partially submerge the metal sponge 12 is drawn up the sponge by capillary action, is vaporized and burns with air from the combustion air tubes 11 in the combustion zone; the thermal conductivity of the metal sponge 12 assists in this vaporization. The rate of fuel flow may be adjusted by control mechanisms. The burner may include the provision of one or more pilot tubes. Further, any tendency for the burner to burn fuel rich at its outer periphery may be counted by the provision of a metal plate therearound or as illustrated in Fig. 5 (not shown) by the provision of extra combustion air tubes (21) in the vicinity of the outer periphery. Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specification 1,227,524.