Annular Pilot Flame for Complete Combustion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing burners face issues with incomplete combustion of noxious substances due to pilot flames being localized, leading to incomplete combustion and potential damage to the burner components, especially in radiant burners where a single high-energy flame can cool and damage the porous walls, and require multiple pilots for multiple inlets, increasing costs.

Innovation Solution

A burner design featuring a continuous annular pilot flame generated by an annular conduit with a circumferential aperture, allowing fuel gas to flow radially and ignite evenly around the circumference, ensuring complete combustion and reducing the risk of damage to the burner components, with a horizontal pilot configuration that thermally insulates the combustion zone and allows for efficient cleaning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a single localized pilot flame is used, then the burner structure is simple, but complete combustion of noxious substances cannot be achieved

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomplete combustionVSAvoidburner structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The single localized pilot flame is segmented into multiple pilot flames arranged around the combustion chamber. Each pilot flame is responsible for igniting a specific zone, ensuring complete combustion across the entire cross-section of the combustible fluid stream while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple pilot flames are combined to form a collective ignition system that surrounds the combustion chamber. This merging of multiple ignition sources ensures that all regions of the combustible fluid stream are effectively ignited, achieving complete combustion without requiring excessively complex individual pilot components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If multiple pilots are provided for multiple inlets, then complete combustion can be achieved, but cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomplete combustionVSAvoidnumber of pilots

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The multiple pilot flames are designed with a common fuel supply system and control mechanism, making the pilot system multi-functional. Each pilot flame serves the specific zone it illuminates, while the entire system operates as an integrated unit, reducing the need for separate control systems for each pilot and thereby reducing overall cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The multiple pilot flames are arranged symmetrically around the combustion chamber, creating equipotential ignition conditions across all zones. This symmetrical arrangement ensures that each pilot flame operates under similar conditions, allowing for standardized design and reducing the variety of components needed,从而 lowering cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #12Equipotentiality

3Reliability

If a narrow injection tube is used, then the pilot structure is simple, but the concentrated fuel jet disrupts the flame causing incomplete combustion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflame stabilityVSAvoidinjection tube design

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The single narrow injection tube is segmented into multiple injection tubes, each supplying fuel to a corresponding pilot flame. This segmentation distributes the fuel flow, preventing concentrated jets that disrupt flames, while each individual injection tube remains relatively simple in design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each injection tube is designed with local optimization for its specific position, allowing the fuel jet to be properly directed and diffused at the local level. This local quality approach ensures that each pilot flame receives appropriate fuel without disruption, maintaining flame stability without requiring overly complex overall injection system design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The annular pilot flame ensures complete combustion of noxious substances, reduces damage to the burner components, and allows for efficient in-situ cleaning, improving emissions and reducing maintenance downtime.

Implementation Method 1

a continuous annular pilot flame for igniting a combustible fluid stream

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Implementation Method 2

a horizontal pilot configuration that thermally insulates the combustion zone

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentEP2396597B1Burner comprising a pilot

Publication Date: 2020.03.18 EDWARDS LTD

Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3

AI summary

A pilot (10) is shown for igniting a combustible fluid stream. The pilot comprises an inlet (12), for receiving a fuel gas (14), including a fuel and air/oxygen mixture, into the pilot. Ignition means (16), for example a spark igniter or an ignition electrode, are provided for igniting the fuel gas (14). Agenerally annular conduit (18) is open along an annular extent forming a circumferential aperture (20). The conduit (18) conveys fuel gas from the inlet to the circumferential aperture. When the fuel gas flowing out of the circumferential aperture (20) is ignited a continuous annular pilot flame is generated radially of the conduit.