Gas Burner Stability Chamber Divider for Flashback Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Atmospheric gas burners face instability due to airflow disturbances, leading to flame extinction, and existing solutions either exacerbate flashback tendencies or require larger chamber inlet ports, which can cause mis-assembly issues and increased costs.

Innovation Solution

A gas burner design featuring a stability chamber with a divider to reduce flashback susceptibility and improve cap positioning, utilizing a smaller stability chamber inlet that maintains sufficient gas flow and includes a simmer flame port for reignition, while ensuring proper cap alignment through central projections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a stability chamber is used to improve flame stability, then flame stability is improved, but flashback susceptibility increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflame stabilityVSAvoidflashback susceptibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The stability chamber is divided into multiple compartments by a baffle structure, segmenting the chamber volume. This segmentation creates multiple smaller flow paths that reduce flashback susceptibility while maintaining the overall stability enhancement function of the chamber.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The baffle structure acts as an intermediary element within the stability chamber, mediating between the incoming fuel-air mixture and the flame. It provides a physical barrier that prevents direct flashback while allowing the stability chamber to maintain its flame-stabilizing function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Quantity of substance

If larger chamber inlet ports are used to maintain sufficient gas flow at low flow rates, then gas flow is improved, but mis-assembly issues and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegas flowVSAvoidmis-assembly prevention and cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The burner cap features asymmetric positioning of protrusions that correspond to asymmetric features on the burner body. This asymmetric design provides inherent mis-assembly prevention, as the cap can only be installed in the correct orientation, eliminating mis-assembly issues while maintaining proper gas flow through appropriately sized inlet ports.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

3Productivity

If the fuel supply is rapidly adjusted from high to low input rate, then burner input rate control is improved, but flame extinction occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveburner input rate controlVSAvoidflame continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The stability chamber provides a preliminary stabilization zone where the fuel-air mixture can be pre-mixed and stabilized before reaching the flame ports. This preliminary action ensures that even when fuel supply is rapidly reduced, the stabilized mixture maintains adequate velocity and mixing to prevent flame extinction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The stability chamber acts as a cushioning volume that absorbs the transient effects of rapid fuel supply changes. By providing a larger volume for mixing and stabilization, it cushions against the adverse effects of rapid transitions, maintaining flame continuity during input rate adjustments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

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 design enhances flame stability, reduces flashback tendencies, and prevents mis-assembly of burner caps, maintaining efficient gas flow and flame size control across varying input rates.

Implementation Method 1

The disclosed gas burners have a plenum ahead of a number of main burner ports. An expansion chamber inlet is located in the plenum, adjacent the main flame ports.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVenturi effect: Venturi Effect

Implementation Method 2

a divider disposed in the stability chamber to reduce susceptibility to flashback

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFlow separation: Flow Separation

Implementation Method 3

the pressure energy is used to accelerate the fuel to the high injection velocity required for primary air entrainment

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAir entrainment: Air Entrainment

Data Source

PatentUS8863735B2Gas burner assembly

Publication Date: 2014.10.21 HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS INC

AI summary

A burner body for use in a gas burner assembly and/or a gas cooking appliance is disclosed. The burner body comprises a sidewall and a main gas conduit, the main gas conduit having an inlet and an outlet; a plurality of primary burner ports disposed within the sidewall so as to be in communication with the outlet of the main gas conduit; a simmer flame port disposed within the sidewall in a spaced relation with the primary burner ports for providing a reignition source therefore; a stability chamber disposed within the burner body for channeling fuel to the simmer flame port; and a divider disposed in the stability chamber to reduce susceptibility to flashback.