Burner assembly for delivery of specified heat flux profiles in two dimensions

Abstract

A burner is provided which includes a plurality of burner subunits that each share a single air supply, a single fuel supply and a single control system. Each burner subunit has a plurality of air orifices and a plurality of fuel orifices of sufficient quantity and of a cross-sectional area to control a transverse heat flux profile of the burner. The burner subunits are spaced with respect to one another to control a longitudinal heat flux profile of the burner. The single air supply and said single fuel are adapted to provide an air-fuel mix that ensures the transverse and the longitudinal heat flux profiles are maintained at different fuel and air input rates. A burner of similar design using premixed air and fuel is also disclosed.

1 . A burner comprising a plurality of burner subunits, said burner subunits sharing a single air supply, a single fuel supply and a single control system, each burner subunit having a plurality of air orifices and a plurality of fuel orifices, said plurality of air orifices and said plurality of fuel orifices being of sufficient quantity and each said air orifice and each said fuel orifice being of a cross-sectional area to control a transverse heat flux profile of said burner, said burner subunits being spaced with respect to one another to control a longitudinal heat flux profile of said burner, said single air supply and said single fuel supply adapted to provide an air-fuel mix that ensures the transverse heat flux profile and the longitudinal heat flux profile are maintained at different fuel and air input rates.  
     
     
         2 . The burner of  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of burner subunits is spaced at variable spacing with respect to one another to control said longitudinal heat flux profile.  
     
     
         3 . The burner of  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of burner subunits is spaced at a constant distance with respect to one another to control said longitudinal heat flux profile.  
     
     
         4 . The burner of  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of burner subunits is spaced at either variable spacing or constant spacing with respect to one another to control said longitudinal heat flux profile.  
     
     
         5 . The burner of  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of burner subunits has a plurality of air orifices of a desired cross-sectional area, each air orifice adapted to create a flamelet to control said transverse heat flux profile of said burner.  
     
     
         6 . A burner comprising a plurality of burner subunits, said burner subunits sharing a single air/fuel supply and a single control system, each burner subunit having a plurality of air/fuel orifices, said plurality of air/fuel orifices being of sufficient quantity and each air/fuel orifice being of a cross-sectional area to control a transverse heat flux profile of said burner, said burner subunits being spaced with respect to one another to control a longitudinal heat flux profile of said burner, said air/fuel supply adapted to provide an air-fuel mix that ensures the transverse heat flux profile and the longitudinal heat flux profile are maintained at different fuel and air input rates.  
     
     
         7 . The burner of  claim 6 , wherein each of said plurality of burner subunits is spaced at variable spacing with respect to one another to control said longitudinal heat flux profile.  
     
     
         8 . The burner of  claim 6 , wherein each of said plurality of burner subunits is spaced at a constant distance with respect to one another to control said longitudinal heat flux profile.  
     
     
         9 . The burner of  claim 6 , wherein each of said plurality of burner subunits is spaced at either variable spacing or constant spacing with respect to one another to control said longitudinal heat flux profile.  
     
     
         10 . The burner of  claim 6 , wherein each of said plurality of burner subunits has a plurality of air/fuel orifices of a desired cross-sectional area, each air/fuel orifice adapted to create a flamelet to control said transverse heat flux profile of said burner.