Burner Tube with Angled Elevations for Gas Mixing

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Solution Overview

Problem

In metallurgical furnaces, particularly electric arc furnaces, there is a challenge in achieving thorough mixing of fuel and combustion gases immediately upon exit from the burner unit, leading to inefficient combustion and a cold zone with low combustion efficiency near the burner.

Innovation Solution

The burner tube design features elevations on both the inner and outer surfaces with angled ridge side surfaces that create channels directing the gas streams to exit at angles between 5°-45° to the longitudinal axis, ensuring that the fuel and combustion gas streams cross and mix effectively upon exit, with the inner and outer surface angles being of different signs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional burner tube design without elevations is used, then the structure is simple, but the fuel and combustion gas are not thoroughly mixed immediately upon exiting the burner

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidcombustion efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The burner tube surface is segmented into multiple elevations (at least three) arranged in the circumferential direction, each creating separate channels that direct gas flows in different directions. This segmentation allows fuel and combustion gas to be divided into multiple streams that cross and mix more effectively, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and combustion efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The elevations create localized regions with different flow characteristics - channels between elevations direct gas at specific angles (5°-45° to the longitudinal axis), while the elevation surfaces themselves create turbulence and mixing zones. This local variation in flow quality enables thorough mixing immediately upon exit without requiring complex overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional burner tube design without angled elevations is used, then the manufacturing is simple, but a cold zone with low combustion efficiency forms near the burner

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidcombustion temperature distribution
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The elevations are designed to pre-direct the gas streams at specific angles before they exit the burner tube. The angled ridge side surfaces (5°-45° to the longitudinal axis) create preliminary flow direction that ensures fuel and combustion gas cross immediately upon exit, preventing the formation of cold zones and ensuring uniform temperature distribution from the start.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If elevations with angled ridge side surfaces are added to the burner tube, then the mixing of fuel and combustion gas is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemixing efficiencyVSAvoidburner tube structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The elevations feature asymmetric ridge side surfaces with different angles relative to the longitudinal axis - one side has a positive angle while the other has a negative angle. This asymmetry creates crossing flow patterns that enhance mixing efficiency while maintaining a relatively simple geometric form that can be manufactured using conventional processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

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 design enhances the mixing of fuel and combustion gases, improving combustion efficiency by ensuring immediate and thorough mixing, thus reducing the formation of a cold zone with low combustion efficiency near the burner.

Implementation Method 1

the raised side surfaces have an angle of 5°-45° to the longitudinal axis. The ridge side surfaces or the ridges which are closest in the radial direction on the inner surface and the outer surface each have a different sign of the angle. Gas flows through the duct from the gas inlet side in the direction of the gas outlet side, and the orientation of the raised side surfaces channels the gas in such a way that it leaves the duct at a certain angle on the gas outlet side.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow direction control through geometric structure:

Implementation Method 2

between the elevations a channel is formed between the burner tube and the cooling tube in the circumferential direction. These elevation side surfaces of these two channels - each viewed in the direction of the same radial vector - have a different sign of the angle. The resulting channel has a directional vector that is not parallel to the longitudinal axis.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGeometric channeling of fluid flow:

Data Source

PatentEP3882548A1Burner tube, burner tube assembly and burner unit
Publication Date: 2021.09.22 PRIMETALS TECH GERMANY GMBH
  • EP3882548A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3882548A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3882548A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to the field of metallurgical plants, specifically a furnace – in particular an electric arc furnace. The object of the present invention is to provide a burner tube, a burner assembly, or a burner unit that directs the fuel gas and the fuel in such a way that thorough mixing of the fuel and burner gas occurs immediately upon exiting a burner unit (10). This object is achieved by a burner tube (1) or a burner tube assembly (9) for use in a burner unit (10) of a metallurgical plant. The burner tube (1) or the burner tube assembly is designed such that a fuel gas stream and a fuel stream cross at a gas outlet side (2).This is achieved by at least three elevations (4) on an inner surface (lb) and an outer surface (1) of the burner tube (1), wherein those in the radial direction on the inner surface (lb) and the outer surface (lc) at the elevations (4) nearest each have a different sign of the angle (α1, α2).