Radiant Wall Burner Tip Uniform Flow Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current radiant wall burner tips experience flashback due to non-uniform fuel and air mixture flow, leading to thermal damage and reduced burning capacity, as existing designs create turbulence and varying velocities that can result in reverse flow and ignition within the burner tip.
Innovation Solution
The design features a burner tip with a concave discoidal upper and lower leaf forming a constant flow area from the mixing chamber to the exit, ensuring a uniform velocity of the fuel and air mixture, optionally with a secondary fuel tip and a screen of round openings to maintain uniform flow and minimize turbulence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If slotted discharge openings are used to increase burning capacity, then the area for fuel and air emission is increased, but the velocity of the mixture decreases and reverse flow occurs leading to flashback
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the discharge openings from narrow slots to circular openings with specific diameter ratios (0.5-2.0 times the mixing chamber diameter). This parameter change allows increasing the total discharge area for higher burning capacity while maintaining sufficient exit velocity to prevent flashback, as circular openings provide more uniform flow distribution compared to slots.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a multi-dimensional approach by using multiple circular discharge openings arranged in different planes and orientations around the mixing chamber. This spatial arrangement allows the mixture to exit in multiple directions simultaneously, increasing the effective burning area while maintaining velocity through the three-dimensional flow paths.
2Stability of the object's composition
If multiple discharge openings are used to distribute fuel and air radially, then uniform distribution is achieved, but turbulence is created causing non-uniform flow and varying velocities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designing each discharge opening with specific local characteristics (circular shape, specific diameter, specific orientation) that are optimized for its position. Each opening creates a localized laminar flow pattern that, when combined with other openings, produces an overall uniform flow distribution without excessive turbulence. The concave inner surface of the mixing chamber also provides local flow conditioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses curved surfaces throughout the design - the mixing chamber has a concave inner surface, and the discharge openings are circular rather than linear. These curved geometries promote smooth, laminar flow patterns and reduce flow separation and turbulence compared to sharp-edged or linear configurations. The spherical/circular geometry naturally guides flow in smooth arcs.
3Reliability
If the discharge velocity is increased to prevent flashback, then flame propagation is prevented, but the burning capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the single discharge function into multiple separate circular openings distributed around the mixing chamber. Each opening maintains sufficient velocity for flashback prevention, while the collective output of all segments achieves the required total burning capacity. This segmentation allows velocity to be maintained in each individual stream while increasing overall throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The mixing chamber design serves multiple functions simultaneously: it mixes fuel and air, conditions the flow, directs it through multiple discharge openings, and prevents flashback. The concave geometry and specific dimensional ratios allow the same structure to achieve both high velocity (for safety) and high flow capacity (for productivity) without requiring separate systems.
4Temperature
If thermal stress is applied to the burner tip during operation, then the burner operates at high temperature, but the tip cracks or separates from the mixer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the burner tip and mixing chamber with built-in thermal management features before thermal damage can occur. The specific dimensional ratios and flow patterns are designed to distribute thermal loads evenly, preventing hot spots that would cause thermal stress concentration. The geometry itself acts as a preventive measure against thermal damage.
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 configuration reduces the likelihood of flashback, maximizes the outward flow of fuel and air, and increases burning capacity by maintaining uniform velocity and thorough mixing, thereby preventing thermal damage and enhancing burner performance.
Implementation Method 1
an improved, aerodynamic burner tip which provides a uniform flow area from discharge from the mixing chamber up to the exit ports of the burner tip allowing for an outward flowing fuel gas and air velocity substantially uniform as the gas exits the burner tip
Implementation Method 2
The primary fuel gas and the combustion air combine in the mixing chamber
Implementation Method 3
The mixture flows in the direction from the upstream portion of the mixing chamber to the downstream portion of the mixing chamber along the axis
Implementation Method 4
Radiant wall, premix fuel gas burners used in furnaces provide high heat release
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A radiant wall burner apparatus. The apparatus includes an inlet and primary fuel tip for introduction of fuel gas and air mixing in a mixing chamber. The fuel and air mixture are subject to a substantially uniform flow area from the point of discharge from a downstream portion of the mixing chamber up to the exit gap of the burner tip. The fuel gas and combustion air mixture terminate through the burner tip at a substantially uniform velocity. The radiant wall burner apparatus and burner tip allow for the substantially uniform velocity of the fuel gas and air mixture, reducing the potential for flashback of the burner tip.