대표
청구항
▼
1. A burner apparatus for a fired heating system comprising: a longitudinally extending burner wall, said burner wall having a forward end, a longitudinally extending exterior, a longitudinally extending air passageway which extends longitudinally through and is surrounded by said burner wall, and a discharge opening of said longitudinally extending air passageway at said forward end of said burner wall;an exterior notch which is provided in and extends around said longitudinally extending exterior of said burner wall, wherein said exterior notch lateral...
1. A burner apparatus for a fired heating system comprising: a longitudinally extending burner wall, said burner wall having a forward end, a longitudinally extending exterior, a longitudinally extending air passageway which extends longitudinally through and is surrounded by said burner wall, and a discharge opening of said longitudinally extending air passageway at said forward end of said burner wall;an exterior notch which is provided in and extends around said longitudinally extending exterior of said burner wall, wherein said exterior notch laterally surrounds said longitudinally extending air passageway, said exterior notch is positioned longitudinally rearward of said forward end of said burner wall, and said exterior notch comprises (i) an interior wall which surrounds said longitudinally extending air passageway and separates said exterior notch from said longitudinally extending air passageway and (ii) an open outer face which surrounds said longitudinally extending air passageway;a plurality of primary air delivery channels, different from said longitudinally extending air passageway, which are formed in said burner wall and extend to said exterior notch, said primary air delivery channels having outlet openings formed in a longitudinally rearward portion of said interior wall of said exterior notch;a plurality of fuel ejection structures positioned outside of said open outer face of said exterior notch, wherein said fuel ejection structures have fuel ejection ports and at least some of said fuel ejection ports are oriented for delivering a gas fuel into said exterior notch through said open outer face thereof for combustion in a primary combustion zone, which is at least partially defined within said exterior notch and is isolated from said longitudinally extending air passageway, to produce a primary combustion product gas; anda plurality of primary combustion product gas discharge channels extending longitudinally in said burner wall for discharging at least a portion of said primary combustion product gas which is produce in said exterior notch, wherein said primary combustion product gas discharge channels are different from and isolated from said longitudinally extending air passageway, said primary combustion product gas discharge channels having inlet openings formed in a longitudinally forward portion of said interior wall of said exterior notch, said primary combustion product gas discharge channels extend to outlet openings which are formed in said forward end of said burner wall, and said outlet opening of said primary combustion product gas discharge channels surround and are spaced radially outward from said discharge opening of said longitudinally extending air passageway so that none of said gas fuel ejected from said fuel ejection structures into said exterior notch and none of said primary combustion product gas produced in said primary combustion zone are permitted to flow into said longitudinally extending air passageway. 2. The burner apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said fuel ejection ports of a first set of said fuel ejection structures are oriented for ejecting said gas fuel outside of said burner wall at a first angle such that at least a portion of said gas fuel ejected therefrom will be delivered into said exterior notch andsaid fuel ejection ports of a second set of said fuel ejection structures are oriented for ejecting said gas fuel outside of said burner wall at a second angle which is different from said first angle such that said gas fuel ejected therefrom will be delivered to a location which is longitudinally forward of said exterior notch. 3. The burner apparatus of claim 1 wherein said inlet openings of said primary combustion product gas discharge channels in said longitudinally forward portion of said interior wall of said exterior notch are at least partially offset radially inward with respect to said discharge openings of said primary air delivery channels formed in said longitudinally rearward portion of said interior wall of said exterior notch. 4. The burner apparatus of claim 1 wherein said exterior notch is substantially circular and has a substantially rectangular longitudinal cross-sectional shape. 5. The burner apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said fuel ejection structures form a series of primary fuel ejection structures which substantially surround said burner wall andsaid burner apparatus further comprises a series of secondary fuel ejection structures which substantially surround said burner wall, said series of said secondary fuel ejection structures being spaced radially outward from said series of said primary fuel ejector structures, each of said secondary fuel ejection structures having a fuel ejection port, and said fuel ejection ports of said secondary fuel ejection structures being positioned longitudinally rearward of and laterally outward from said forward end of said burner wall. 6. A method of operating a burner comprising the steps of: (a) ejecting a gas fuel from a plurality of ejection structures positioned outside of a longitudinally extending burner wall such that a first portion of said gas fuel is received in an exterior notch which is provided in and extends around a longitudinally extending exterior of said burner wall, said exterior notch being positioned longitudinally rearward of a forward end of said burner wall, said burner wall having a longitudinally extending air passageway which extends longitudinally through and is surrounded by said burner wall, said longitudinally extending air passageway having a discharge opening at said forward end of said burner wall, said exterior notch laterally surrounds said longitudinally extending air passageway, said exterior notch comprises (i) an interior wall which surrounds said longitudinally extending air passageway and separates said exterior notch from said longitudinally extending air passageway, and (ii) an open outer face which surrounds said longitudinally extending air passageway, said ejection structures are positioned outside of said open outer face of said exterior notch, and said ejection structures eject said first portion of said gas fuel into said exterior notch through said open outer face thereof;(b) delivering a first amount of air into said exterior notch through a plurality of primary air delivery channels, different from said longitudinally extending air passageway, which are formed in said burner wall, said primary air delivery channels having outlet openings formed in a longitudinally rearward portion of said interior wall of said exterior notch;(c) combusting at least some of said first portion of said gas fuel in said exterior notch to produce a primary combustion product gas;(d) delivering at least a portion of said primary combustion product gas to said forward end of said burner wall via a plurality of primary combustion product discharge channels which extend longitudinally in said burner wall from said exterior notch to said forward end of said burner wall, wherein said primary combustion product gas discharge channels are different from and isolated from said longitudinally extending air passageway, said primary combustion product gas discharge channels having inlet openings formed in a longitudinally forward portion of said interior wall of said exterior notch, said primary combustion product gas discharge channels extend to outlet openings which are formed in said forward end of said burner wall, and said outlet openings of said primary combustion product gas discharge channels surround and are spaced radially outward from said discharge opening of said longitudinally extending air passageway so that none said first portion of said gas fuel ejected from said ejection structures into said exterior notch and none of said primary combustion product gas are permitted to flow into said longitudinally extending air passageway; and(e) combusting a second portion of said gas fuel forwardly of said exterior notch with air delivered through said longitudinally extending air passageway. 7. The method of claim 6 wherein: said first portion of said gas fuel is ejected from a first set of said fuel ejection structures having fuel ejection ports which are oriented for ejecting said first portion of said gas fuel outside of said burner wall at a first angle such that said first portion of said gas fuel is delivered into said exterior notch andsaid second portion of said gas fuel is ejected from a second set of said fuel ejection structures having fuel ejection ports which are oriented for ejecting said second portion of said gas fuel outside of said burner wall at a second angle which is different from said first angle such that said second portion of said gas fuel is combusted forwardly of said exterior notch. 8. The method of claim 6 wherein: said fuel ejection structures form a series of primary fuel ejection structures which substantially surround said burner wall andsaid method further comprises the steps of (i) monitoring at least one parameter effective for indicating a reduction in a Wobbe number value of said gas fuel and (ii) beginning ejection of an additional amount of gas fuel from a series of secondary fuel ejection structures substantially surrounding said burner wall when said parameter reaches a predetermined value, said series of said secondary fuel ejection structures being spaced radially outward from said series of said primary fuel ejector structures, said secondary fuel ejection structures having fuel ejection ports, and said fuel ejection ports of said secondary fuel ejection structures being positioned longitudinally rearward of and laterally outward from said forward end of said burner wall. 9. A burner apparatus for a fired heating system comprising: a longitudinally extending burner wall, said burner wall having a forward end, a longitudinally extending exterior, a longitudinally extending air passageway which extends through and is substantially surrounded by said burner wall, and a discharge opening of said air passageway at said forward end of said burner wall;an exterior notch which is provided in and extends substantially around said longitudinally extending exterior of said burner wall, wherein said exterior notch is positioned rearwardly of said forward end of said burner wall;a plurality of primary air delivery channels which are formed in said burner wall and extend to said exterior notch;a plurality of primary combustion product gas discharge channels which extend in said burner wall from said exterior notch to said forward end of said burner wall;a plurality of fuel ejection structures positioned outside of said burner wall wherein said fuel ejection structures have fuel ejection ports and at least some of said fuel ejection ports are oriented for delivering at least a portion of a gas fuel into said exterior notch;said fuel ejection ports of a first set of said fuel ejection structures are oriented for ejecting said gas fuel outside of said burner wall at a first angle such that at least a portion of said gas fuel ejected therefrom will be delivered into said exterior notch;said fuel ejection ports of a second set of said fuel ejection structures are oriented for ejecting said gas fuel outside of said burner wall at a second angle which is different from said first angle such that said gas fuel ejected therefrom will be delivered to a location which is longitudinally forward of said exterior notch; andsaid fuel ejection structures of said first set are positioned in an alternating relationship with said fuel ejection structures of said second set in series around said burner wall. 10. A burner apparatus for a fired heating system comprising: a longitudinally extending burner wall, said burner wall having a forward end, a longitudinally extending exterior, a longitudinally extending air passageway which extends through and is substantially surrounded by said burner wall, and a discharge opening of said air passageway at said forward end of said burner wall;an exterior notch which is provided in and extends substantially around said longitudinally extending exterior of said burner wall, wherein said exterior notch is positioned rearwardly of said forward end of said burner wall;a plurality of primary air delivery channels which are formed in said burner wall and extend to said exterior notch;a plurality of primary combustion product gas discharge channels which extend in said burner wall from said exterior notch to said forward end of said burner wall;a plurality of fuel ejection structures positioned outside of said burner wall wherein said fuel ejection structures have fuel ejection ports and at least some of said fuel ejection ports are oriented for delivering at least a portion of a gas fuel into said exterior notch; andeach of said fuel ejection structures has only one fuel ejection port. 11. A burner apparatus for a fired heating system comprising: a longitudinally extending burner wall, said burner wall having a forward end, a longitudinally extending exterior, a longitudinally extending air passageway which extends through and is substantially surrounded by said burner wall, and a discharge opening of said air passageway at said forward end of said burner wall;an exterior notch which is provided in and extends substantially around said longitudinally extending exterior of said burner wall, wherein said exterior notch is positioned rearwardly of said forward end of said burner wall;a plurality of primary air delivery channels which are formed in said burner wall and extend to said exterior notch;a plurality of primary combustion product gas discharge channels which extend in said burner wall from said exterior notch to said forward end of said burner wall;a plurality of fuel ejection structures positioned outside of said burner wall wherein said fuel ejection structures have fuel ejection ports and at least some of said fuel ejection ports are oriented for delivering at least a portion of a gas fuel into said exterior notch;said primary air delivery channels have discharge openings which are positioned in a series in said exterior notch;said primary combustion product gas discharge channels have inlet openings which are positioned in a series in said exterior notch;said series of said inlet openings of said primary combustion product gas discharge channels is positioned longitudinally forward of and radially inward from said series of said discharge openings of said primary air delivery channels;said burner wall comprises a first longitudinally extending tile piece having a distal end;said burner wall further comprises a forward tile piece which is attached to said distal end of said first tile piece and which defines said forward end of said burner wall;said primary air delivery channels extend longitudinally through said first tile piece to said exterior notch; andsaid primary combustion product gas discharge channels extend through said forward tile piece from said exterior notch to said forward end of said burner wall. 12. A burner apparatus for a fired heating system comprising: a longitudinally extending burner wall, said burner wall having a forward end, a longitudinally extending exterior, a longitudinally extending air passageway which extends through and is substantially surrounded by said burner wall, and a discharge opening of said air passageway at said forward end of said burner wall;an exterior notch which is provided in and extends substantially around said longitudinally extending exterior of said burner wall, wherein said exterior notch is positioned rearwardly of said forward end of said burner wall;a plurality of primary air delivery channels which are formed in said burner wall and extend to said exterior notch;a plurality of primary combustion product gas discharge channels which extend in said burner wall from said exterior notch to said forward end of said burner wall;a plurality of fuel ejection structures positioned outside of said burner wall wherein said fuel ejection structures have fuel ejection ports and at least some of said fuel ejection ports are oriented for delivering at least a portion of a gas fuel into said exterior notch;said primary air delivery channels have discharge openings which are positioned in a series in said exterior notch;said primary combustion product gas discharge channels have inlet openings which are positioned in a series in said exterior notch;said series of said inlet openings of said primary combustion product gas discharge channels is positioned longitudinally forward of and radially inward from said series of said discharge openings of said primary air delivery channels; andsaid burner wall has a substantially circular cross-sectional shape. 13. A burner apparatus for a fired heating system comprising: a longitudinally extending burner wall, said burner wall having a forward end, a longitudinally extending exterior, a longitudinally extending air passageway which extends through and is substantially surrounded by said burner wall, and a discharge opening of said air passageway at said forward end of said burner wall;an exterior notch which is provided in and extends substantially around said longitudinally extending exterior of said burner wall, wherein said exterior notch is positioned rearwardly of said forward end of said burner wall;a plurality of primary air delivery channels which are formed in said burner wall and extend to said exterior notch;a plurality of primary combustion product gas discharge channels which extend in said burner wall from said exterior notch to said forward end of said burner wall;a plurality of fuel ejection structures positioned outside of said burner wall wherein said fuel ejection structures have fuel ejection ports and at least some of said fuel ejection ports are oriented for delivering at least a portion of a gas fuel into said exterior notch;said fuel ejection structures form a series of primary fuel ejection structures which substantially surround said burner wall;said burner apparatus further comprises a series of secondary fuel ejection structures which substantially surround said burner wall, said series of said secondary fuel ejection structures being spaced radially outward from said series of said primary fuel ejector structures, each of said secondary fuel ejection structures having a fuel ejection port, and said fuel ejection ports of said secondary fuel ejection structures being positioned longitudinally rearward of and laterally outward from said forward end of said burner wall; andsaid secondary fuel ejection structures have fuel ejection ports which are oriented for ejecting said gas fuel such that at least most of said gas fuel ejected therefrom is delivered to a location which is at least as far longitudinally forward as an outer edge of said forward end of said burner wall. 14. A burner apparatus for a fired heating system comprising: a longitudinally extending burner wall, said burner wall having a forward end, a longitudinally extending exterior, a longitudinally extending air passageway which extends through and is substantially surrounded by said burner wall, and a discharge opening of said air passageway at said forward end of said burner wall;an exterior notch which is provided in and extends substantially around said longitudinally extending exterior of said burner wall, wherein said exterior notch is positioned rearwardly of said forward end of said burner wall;a plurality of primary air delivery channels which are formed in said burner wall and extend to said exterior notch;a plurality of primary combustion product gas discharge channels which extend in said burner wall from said exterior notch to said forward end of said burner wall;a plurality of fuel ejection structures positioned outside of said burner wall wherein said fuel ejection structures have fuel ejection ports and at least some of said fuel ejection ports are oriented for delivering at least a portion of a gas fuel into said exterior notch;said fuel ejection structures form a series of primary fuel ejection structures which substantially surround said burner wall;said burner apparatus further comprises a series of secondary fuel ejection structures which substantially surround said burner wall, said series of said secondary fuel ejection structures being spaced radially outward from said series of said primary fuel ejector structures, each of said secondary fuel ejection structures having a fuel ejection port, and said fuel ejection ports of said secondary fuel ejection structures being positioned longitudinally rearward of and laterally outward from said forward end of said burner wall; andsaid burner apparatus further comprises a third series of fuel ejection structures which substantially surround said burner wall, said third series of fuel ejection structures being spaced radially outward from said series of said secondary fuel ejector structures, and said third series of fuel ejection structures having fuel ejection ports which are positioned longitudinally rearward of and laterally outward from said forward end of said burner wall. 15. A method of operating a burner comprising the steps of: (a) ejecting a gas fuel from a plurality of ejection structures positioned outside of a longitudinally extending burner wall such that a first portion of said gas fuel is received in an exterior notch which is provided in and extends around a longitudinally extending exterior of said burner wall, said exterior notch being positioned rearwardly of a forward end of said burner wall;(b) delivering a first amount of air into said exterior notch and combusting at least some of said first portion of said gas fuel in said exterior notch to produce a primary combustion product gas;(c) delivering at least a portion of said primary combustion product gas to said forward end of said burner wall via a plurality of primary combustion product discharge channels which extend in said burner wall from said exterior notch to said forward end of said burner wall; and(d) combusting a second portion of said gas fuel forwardly of said exterior notch with air delivered through an air passageway which extends longitudinally through and is surrounded by said burner wall,said first amount of air being delivered to said exterior notch via a plurality of primary air delivery channels which extend longitudinally in said burner wall to said exterior notch;said primary air delivery channels having discharge openings which are positioned in a series in said exterior notch;said primary combustion product gas discharge channels having inlet openings which are positioned in a series in said exterior notch; andsaid series of said inlet openings of said primary combustion product gas discharge channels being positioned longitudinally forward of and radially inward from said series of said discharge openings of said primary air delivery channels. 16. A method of operating a burner comprising the steps of: (a) ejecting a gas fuel from a plurality of ejection structures positioned outside of a longitudinally extending burner wall such that a first portion of said gas fuel is received in an exterior notch which is provided in and extends around a longitudinally extending exterior of said burner wall, said exterior notch being positioned rearwardly of a forward end of said burner wall;(b) delivering a first amount of air into said exterior notch and combusting at least some of said first portion of said gas fuel in said exterior notch to produce a primary combustion product gas;(c) delivering at least a portion of said primary combustion product gas to said forward end of said burner wall via a plurality of primary combustion product discharge channels which extend in said burner wall from said exterior notch to said forward end of said burner wall; and(d) combusting a second portion of said gas fuel forwardly of said exterior notch with air delivered through an air passageway which extends longitudinally through and is surrounded by said burner wall,said first portion of said gas fuel being ejected from a first set of said fuel ejection structures having fuel ejection ports which are oriented for ejecting said first portion of said gas fuel outside of said burner wall at a first angle such that said first portion of said gas fuel is delivered into said exterior notch,said second portion of said gas fuel being ejected from a second set of said fuel ejection structures having fuel ejection ports which are oriented for ejecting said second portion of said gas fuel outside of said burner wall at a second angle which is different from said first angle such that said second portion of said gas fuel is combusted forwardly of said exterior notch, andsaid fuel ejection structures of said first set being positioned in an alternating relationship with said fuel ejection structures of said second set in a series around said burner wall. 17. A method of operating a burner comprising the steps of: (a) ejecting a gas fuel from a plurality of ejection structures positioned outside of a longitudinally extending burner wall such that a first portion of said gas fuel is received in an exterior notch which is provided in and extends around a longitudinally extending exterior of said burner wall, said exterior notch being positioned rearwardly of a forward end of said burner wall;(b) delivering a first amount of air into said exterior notch and combusting at least some of said first portion of said gas fuel in said exterior notch to produce a primary combustion product gas;(c) delivering at least a portion of said primary combustion product gas to said forward end of said burner wall via a plurality of primary combustion product discharge channels which extend in said burner wall from said exterior notch to said forward end of said burner wall; and(d) combusting a second portion of said gas fuel forwardly of said exterior notch with air delivered through an air passageway which extends longitudinally through and is surrounded by said burner wall,said fuel ejection structures forming a series of primary fuel ejection structures which substantially surround said burner wall,said method further comprises the steps of (i) monitoring at least one parameter effective for indicating a reduction in a Wobbe number value of said gas fuel and (ii) beginning ejection of an additional amount of gas fuel from a series of secondary fuel ejection structures substantially surrounding said burner wall when said parameter reaches a predetermined value, said series of said secondary fuel ejection structures being spaced radially outward from said series of said primary fuel ejector structures, said secondary fuel ejection structures having fuel ejection ports, and said fuel ejection ports of said secondary fuel ejection structures being positioned longitudinally rearward of and laterally outward from said forward end of said burner wall, andsaid fuel ejection ports of said secondary fuel ejection structures being oriented such that said additional amount of gas fuel is delivered and combusted at a location which is at least as far longitudinally forward as an outer edge of said forward end of said burner wall. 18. The method of claim 17 wherein said method further comprises the step, when said secondary fuel ejection structures are ejecting said additional amount of gas fuel in accordance with step (ii), of beginning ejection of a further amount of gas fuel from a third series of fuel ejection structures substantially surrounding said burner wall when said parameter reaches a predetermined value, said third series of fuel ejection structures being spaced radially outward from said series of said secondary fuel ejector structures, and said third series of fuel ejection structures having fuel ejection ports which are positioned longitudinally rearward of and laterally outward from said forward end of said burner wall. 19. A method of operating a burner comprising the steps of: (a) ejecting a gas fuel from a plurality of ejection structures positioned outside of a longitudinally extending burner wall such that a first portion of said gas fuel is received in an exterior notch which is provided in and extends around a longitudinally extending exterior of said burner wall, said exterior notch being positioned rearwardly of a forward end of said burner wall;(b) delivering a first amount of air into said exterior notch and combusting at least some of said first portion of said gas fuel in said exterior notch to produce a primary combustion product gas;(c) delivering at least a portion of said primary combustion product gas to said forward end of said burner wall via a plurality of primary combustion product discharge channels which extend in said burner wall from said exterior notch to said forward end of said burner wall; and(d) combusting a second portion of said gas fuel forwardly of said exterior notch with air delivered through an air passageway which extends longitudinally through and is surrounded by said burner wall,said fuel ejection structures forming a series of primary fuel ejection structures which substantially surround said burner wall,said method further comprises the steps of (i) monitoring at least one parameter effective for indicating a reduction in a Wobbe number value of said gas fuel and (ii) beginning ejection of an additional amount of gas fuel from a series of secondary fuel ejection structures substantially surrounding said burner wall when said parameter reaches a predetermined value, said series of said secondary fuel ejection structures being spaced radially outward from said series of said primary fuel ejector structures, said secondary fuel ejection structures having fuel ejection ports, and said fuel ejection ports of said secondary fuel ejection structures being positioned longitudinally rearward of and laterally outward from said forward end of said burner wall, andsaid parameter is a pressure of said gas fuel.
