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A superatmospheric combustion apparatus and a method of operating such an apparatus include providing a superatmospheric combustion device having a lean gas chamber, a combustor, a heat recovery section, and an exhaust, feeding lean gas to the lean gas chamber, providing a heat sink/pressure equaliz

A superatmospheric combustion apparatus and a method of operating such an apparatus include providing a superatmospheric combustion device having a lean gas chamber, a combustor, a heat recovery section, and an exhaust, feeding lean gas to the lean gas chamber, providing a heat sink/pressure equalization chamber and a preheated air chamber within the combustion device, feeding pressurized ambient air to the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber, feeding preheated air to the preheated air chamber, exchanging heat from the lean gas chamber, the preheated air chamber, and the combustor to the pressurized ambient air in the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber, feeding the lean gas from the lean gas chamber to the combustor, feeding the preheated air from the preheated air chamber to the combustor, and combusting the lean gas and the preheated air in the combustor at superatmospheric pressure.

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1. A method of operating a superatmospheric combustion device, the method comprising:providing a superatmospheric combustion device, which includes a lean gas chamber, a combustor, a heat recovery section, and an exhaust;feeding lean gas to the lean gas chamber;providing a heat sink/pressure equaliz

1. A method of operating a superatmospheric combustion device, the method comprising:providing a superatmospheric combustion device, which includes a lean gas chamber, a combustor, a heat recovery section, and an exhaust;feeding lean gas to the lean gas chamber;providing a heat sink/pressure equalization chamber and a preheated air chamber within the combustion device;feeding pressurized ambient air to the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber;feeding preheated air, which is higher in temperature than the ambient air, to the preheated air chamber;exchanging heat from the lean gas chamber, the preheated air chamber, and the combustor to the pressurized ambient air in the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber;feeding the lean gas from the lean gas chamber to the combustor;feeding the preheated air from the preheated air chamber to the combustor; andcombusting the lean gas and the preheated air in the combustor at superatmospheric pressure. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the preheated air chamber is nested within the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber. 3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising pressurizing the ambient air to a pressure of about 0.1 psig to about 10.0 psi. 4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the ambient air is pressurized to a pressure of about 0.1 psig to about 5.0 psig. 5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising preheating the preheated air to a temperature of about 200° F. to about 1000° F. 6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the preheated air is preheated to a temperature of about 200° F. to about 600° F. 7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanging step comprises increasing the temperature of the pressurized ambient air exiting the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber to a temperature of not more than about 500° F. 8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanging step comprises increasing the temperature of the pressurized ambient air exiting the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber to a temperature of not more than about 300° F. 9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising preheating the preheated air using a heat exchanger in the heat recovery section of the combustion device. 10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising discharging the pressurized ambient air from the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber and feeding the discharged air to the heat exchanger. 11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising preheating the preheated air using a heat source external to the combustor device. 12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising discharging the pressurized ambient air from the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber and feeding the discharged air to the external heat source. 13. A superatmospheric combustion apparatus, comprising:a superatmospheric combustion device including a lean gas chamber, a combustor, a heat recovery section, and an exhaust;a lean gas feed for feeding lean gas to the lean gas chamber;a heat sink/pressure equalization chamber and a preheated air chamber within the combustion device;a pressurized ambient air feed for feeding ambient air to the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber;a preheated air feed for feeding preheated air, which is higher in temperature than the ambient air, to the preheated air chamber;a lean gas port for feeding the lean gas from the lean gas chamber to the combustor; anda preheated air port for feeding the preheated air from the preheated air chamber to the combustor,wherein the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber exchanges heat from the lean gas chamber, the preheated air chamber, and the combustor to the pressurized ambient air in the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber and the lean gas, and the preheated air are combusted in the combustor at superatmospheric pressure. 14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the preheated air chamber is nested within the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber. 15. An apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising an air pump for pressurizing the ambient air to a pressure of about 0.1 psig to about 10.0 psig. 16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the ambient air is pressurized to a pressure of about 0.1 psig to about 5.0 psig. 17. An apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a preheater for preheating the preheated air to a temperature of about 200° F. to about 1000° F. 18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the preheated air is preheated to a temperature of about 200° F. to about 1000° F. 19. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber increases the temperature of the pressurized ambient air exiting the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber to a temperature of not more than about 500° F. 20. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber increases the temperature of the pressurized ambient air exiting the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber to a temperature of not more than about 300° F. 21. An apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a heat exchanger in the heat recovery section of the combustion device for preheating the preheated air. 22. An apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising a discharge for discharging the pressurized ambient air from the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber and a feed for feeding the discharged air to the heat exchanger. 23. An apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a heat source external to the combustion device for preheating the preheated air. 24. An apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a discharge for discharging the pressurized ambient air from the heat/sink pressure equalization chamber and a feed for feeding the discharged air to the extreme heat source. 25. A method of operating a superatmospheric combustion device, the method comprising:providing a superatmospheric combustion device, which includes a lean gas chamber, a combustor, a heat recovery section, and an exhaust;feeding lean gas to the lean gas chamber;providing a heat sink/pressure equalization chamber and a preheated air chamber within the combustion device, the preheated air chamber being located within and cooled by the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber;feeding pressurized ambient air to the heat sink/pressure equalization;feeding preheated air to the preheated air chamber;exchanging heat from each of the lean gas chamber, the preheated air chamber, and the combustor to the pressurized ambient air in the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber,feeding the lean gas from the lean gas chamber to the combustor;feeding the preheated air from the preheated air chamber to the combustor; andcombusting the lean gas and the preheated air in the combustor at superatmospheric pressure. 26. A superatmospheric combustion apparatus, comprising:a superatmospheric combustion device including a lean gas chamber, a combustor, a heat recovery section, and an exhaust;a lean gas feed for feeding lean gas to the lean gas chamber;a heat sink/pressure equalization chamber and a preheated air chamber within the combustion device, the preheated air chamber being located within and cooled by the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber;a pressurized ambient air feed for feeding pressurized ambient air to the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber;a preheated air feed for feeding preheated air to the preheated air chamber;a lean gas port for feeding the lean gas from the lean gas chamber to the combustor; anda preheated air port for feeding the preheated air from the preheated air chamber to the combustor,wherein the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber exchanges heat from each of the lean gas chamber, the preheated air chamber, and the combustor to the pressurized ambient air in the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber, and the lean gas and the preheated air are combusted in the combusto r at superatmospheric pressure. 27. A method of operating a superatmospheric combustion device, the method comprising:providing a superatmospheric combustion device, which includes a lean gas chamber, a combustor, a heat recovery section, and an exhaust;feeding lean gas to the lean gas chamber;providing a heat sink/pressure equalization chamber and a preheated air chamber within the combustion device;feeding pressurized ambient air to the heat sink/pressure equalization;feeding preheated air to the preheated air chamber;exchanging heat from the lean gas chamber, the preheated air chamber, and the combustor to the pressurized ambient air in the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber;feeding the lean gas from the lean gas chamber to the combustor;feeding the preheated air from the preheated air chamber to the combustor; andcombusting the lean gas and the preheated air in the combustor at superatmospheric pressure,wherein the combustion device is cooled free from supplying ambient air to the combustor. 28. A superatmospheric combustion apparatus, comprising:a superatmospheric combustion device including a lean gas chamber, a combustor, a heat recovery section, and an exhaust;a lean gas feed for feeding lean gas to the lean gas chamber;a heat sink/pressure equalization chamber and a preheated air chamber within the combustion device;a pressurized ambient air feed for feeding pressurized ambient air to the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber;a preheated air feed for feeding preheated air to the preheated air chamber;a lean gas port for feeding the lean gas from the lean gas chamber to the combustor; anda preheated air port for feeding the preheated air from the preheated air chamber to the combustor,wherein the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber exchanges heat from the lean gas chamber, the preheated air chamber, and the combustor to the pressurized ambient air in the heat sink/pressure equalization chamber, and the lean gas and the preheated air are combusted in the combustor at superatmospheric pressure,wherein the combustion device is cooled free from supplying ambient air to the combustor.