Fixed-Vane Swirl Burner for Low-Pressure-Loss Fuel Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing combustion burners with fixed vanes face inefficiencies in fuel consumption and NOx emissions, lacking flexibility and stability in combustion processes.
Innovation Solution
A combustion burner design featuring a tubular body with a swirl generator insert, annular fuel gas manifold, mixing chamber, and combustion chamber, which creates a swirl pattern with minimal pressure loss, allowing for efficient fuel/air mixing and ignition, and includes a sensor for monitoring combustion processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a standard draft combustion burner is used, then the structure is simple, but fuel efficiency is poor and NOx emissions are high
Solution Approach 1:
The burner is divided into distinct functional segments: a swirl generator section with vanes that creates rotational flow, a separate mixing chamber where fuel and air combine, and a combustion section. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, improving overall fuel efficiency while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
A swirl generator insert acts as an intermediary component between the air inlet and the mixing chamber. This insert imparts a swirl pattern to the air flow, enhancing mixing efficiency without requiring complex internal structures in the main burner body, thus improving fuel efficiency while keeping the overall design simple.
2Ease of manufacture
If a standard draft combustion burner is used, then the structure is simple, but NOx emissions are high
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the mixing function from the combustion function through distinct chambers, the burner achieves more complete and controlled combustion. This reduces incomplete combustion products and lowers NOx formation by ensuring proper fuel-air mixing before combustion occurs, all while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The swirl generator insert serves as an intermediary that pre-conditionsthe air flow by creating rotational movement. This enhances the mixing process and promotes more uniform combustion, thereby reducing NOx emissions without adding significant structural complexity to the burner design.
3Stability of the object's composition
If fixed vanes are used to create swirl pattern, then mixing is improved, but pressure loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The swirl generator insert is positioned locally at the air inlet region, concentrating the swirl-inducing function in a specific zone rather than requiring fixed vanes throughout the entire combustion chamber. This localized approach achieves effective mixing while minimizing pressure loss in other critical flow regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The swirl generator insert acts as a dedicated intermediary component that performs the swirl function separately from the main combustion chamber. This allows the main chamber to maintain a simpler geometry with fewer pressure-loss-inducing features, while the insert handles the mixing enhancement task.
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 achieves reduced NOx emissions, improved fuel efficiency, and stable combustion across varying conditions, with the ability to burn multiple fuels without hardware changes, while maintaining high heat transfer and combustion efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The swirl generator insert has vanes which impart a swirl pattern, with minimal pressure loss, to an axial flow of forced air passing from the air inlet end though the swirl generator
Implementation Method 2
A mixing chamber is positioned downstream of the gas manifold to mix fuel gas from the gas jets with the air exiting the swirl generator insert to create a fuel/air mixture
Implementation Method 3
An igniter passage extends through the burner body to position an igniter downstream of the mixing chamber to ignite the fuel/air mixture entering the combustion chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A combustion burner includes a burner body with a central bore. A swirl generator insert is provided having vanes which impart a swirl pattern, with minimal pressure loss, to an axial flow of forced air passing from an air inlet end though the swirl generator. An annular fuel gas manifold has a plurality of gas jets positioned adjacent to the sidewall at spaced intervals 360 degrees around the gas manifold. A mixing chamber is positioned downstream of the gas manifold to mix fuel gas from the gas jets with the air exiting the swirl generator insert to create a fuel/air mixture. A combustion chamber is positioned downstream of the mixing chamber. An igniter passage extends through the burner body to position an igniter downstream of the mixing chamber to ignite the fuel/air mixture entering the combustion chamber.