Submerged Combustion Burner Panels with Noble Metal Tips

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Solution Overview

Problem

Submerged combustion burners face challenges in attaching non-noble metal portions to noble metal tips without compromising mechanical strength, coolant leak-proofing, and noble metal recovery, due to exposure to extreme environments in glass and molten material manufacturing.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates burner panels with fluid-cooled and non-fluid-cooled protective members, including concentric conduits and protective members made of noble metals, to reduce thermal fatigue and corrosion, while maintaining mechanical strength and coolant integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the entire burner is fabricated using noble metal alloys to resist thermal fatigue and corrosion, then thermal fatigue resistance and corrosion resistance are improved, but manufacturing cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal fatigue resistanceVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by fabricating only the burner tip (the portion exposed to extreme conditions) from noble metal alloys, while the remainder of the burner body uses conventional materials. This localized application of expensive materials to only the critical high-stress region maintains thermal fatigue and corrosion resistance where needed while significantly reducing overall manufacturing cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The burner is segmented into two distinct portions: a noble metal tip section exposed to extreme temperatures and corrosion, and a conventional material body section. This segmentation allows differential material selection optimized for each region's specific requirements, balancing performance and cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the entire burner is fabricated using noble metal alloys to resist corrosion and high temperature, then corrosion resistance is improved, but the complexity of attachment and joining increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecorrosion resistanceVSAvoidattachment complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

By applying noble metal alloys only to the tip portion requiring corrosion resistance rather than the entire burner, the patent simplifies attachment procedures. The conventional material body can use standard joining methods, reducing overall fabrication complexity while maintaining corrosion resistance at the critical interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional materials are used for the burner tip, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but thermal fatigue resistance and high temperature structural strength deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidhigh temperature structural strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent strategically places noble metal alloys only in the burner tip region where high temperature structural strength and thermal fatigue resistance are critical for survival. The conventional material body suffices for regions experiencing lower stresses, optimizing the balance between cost and high-temperature performance.

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

This approach extends the operational life of submerged combustion burners by reducing exposure to extreme temperatures and thermal cycling, enhancing thermal fatigue resistance and corrosion protection without the need for costly noble metal fabrication across the entire burner.

Implementation Method 1

a lower fluid-cooled portion of the panel body

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

coolant leak proofing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

high temperature corrosion/oxidation resistance

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOxidation resistance: Oxidation

Implementation Method 4

concentric at least one inner conduit and an outer conduit

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure gradient flow: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 5

combustion burner panel... melting glass batch

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Data Source

PatentUS10955132B2Burner panels including dry-tip burners, submerged combustion melters, and methods

Publication Date: 2021.03.23 JOHNS MANVILLE CORP

AI summary

Combustion burner panels, submerged combustion melters including one or more of the panels, and methods of using the same are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the burner panel includes a panel body having a first major surface defined by a lower fluid-cooled portion of the panel body, and a second major surface defined by an upper non-fluid cooled portion of the panel body. The panel body has at least one through passage extending from the first to the second major surface, the through passages accommodating a set of substantially concentric inner and outer conduits. The inner conduit forms a primary passage for fuel or oxidant, and the outer conduit forms a secondary passage between the outer conduit and the inner conduit for fuel or oxidant. A protective member is associated with each set. The burner panels promote burner life and melter campaign length.