Burner heads and burners

Abstract

A burner head has a fuel inlet and a firing portion through which fuel flows to be burnt. The firing portion comprises a plurality of spaced apart elongate elements with elongate fuel flow passages therebetween. The plurality of spaced apart elongate elements may be formed of wire and preferably the wire is wedge wire having a generally triangular cross section oriented such that the fuel flow passages broaden out as the fuel flows through them to be burnt.

1 . A burner head having a fuel inlet and a firing portion through which fuel flows to be burnt, wherein the firing portion comprises a plurality of spaced apart elongate elements with elongate fuel flow passages therebetween.  
     
     
         2 . A burner head according to  claim 1  wherein the plurality of spaced apart elongated elements are formed of wire.  
     
     
         3 . A burner head according to  claim 2  wherein the wire is wedge wire having a generally triangular cross section oriented such that the fuel flow passages broaden out as the fuel flows through them to be burnt.  
     
     
         4 . A burner head according to  claim 2  wherein the wire is wedge wire having a generally triangular cross section oriented such that the fuel flow passages narrow inwardly as the fuel flows through them to be burnt.  
     
     
         5 . A burner head according to  claim 1  wherein the firing portion is generally tubular and formed of spirally wound wire secured to support members running axially of the tube.  
     
     
         6 . A burner head according to  claim 1  wherein the firing portion is generally tubular and formed of rings of wire secured to support members running axially of the tube.  
     
     
         7 . A burner head according to  claim 1  wherein the firing portion is generally tubular and formed of straight pieces of wire aligned axially and secured to generally circular support members running around the tube.  
     
     
         8 . A burner head according to  claim 5  wherein the support members are located within the tube.  
     
     
         9 . A burner head according to  claim 6  wherein the support members are located on the outside of the tube.  
     
     
         10 . A burner head according to  claim 5  wherein the tube is substantially parallel sided.  
     
     
         11 . A burner head according to  claim 6  wherein the tube tapers along part or all of its length.  
     
     
         12 . A burner head according to  claim 1  wherein the firing portion is generally planar and formed of straight pieces of wire aligned in a first direction and secured to generally straight support members aligned in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.  
     
     
         13 . A burner head according to  claim 1  wherein the firing portion is reduced in area by masking selected fuel passages or selected lengths of the fuel passages.  
     
     
         14 . A burner head according to  claim 13  wherein the masking is undertaken using a ceramic material.  
     
     
         15 . A burner head according to  claim 1  wherein it includes a plurality of firing portions.  
     
     
         16 . A burner including a burner head according to  claim 1.