Vapor fuel combustion system

Abstract

A burner, for burning a liquid fuel/compressed air fuel mixture, comprising a discharge nozzle having a mixing chamber for mixing a liquid fuel with compressed air and discharging the fuel mixture via a discharge orifice. The burner is coupled to a liquid fuel storage source for storing and supplying the liquid fuel, at a sight positive pressure, to the mixing chamber and the burner also coupled to a source of compressed air which is supplied to the mixing chamber. An igniter is provided for igniting the fuel mixture, discharged from the discharge orifice in a substantially atomized form, for rapid and through combustion of the fuel mixture. Additional ambient air is also supplied, via a variable speed fan, to assist with complete combustion of the fuel mixture.

1 . A burner for burning a fuel mixture, the burner comprising: 
 a discharge nozzle having a mixing chamber;    a liquid fuel reservoir for supplying liquid fuel to the mixing chamber, with the liquid fuel being feed, at a slight positive pressure, from the reservoir to mixing chamber;    a source for supplying compressed air to the mixing chamber which, during operation of the burner, mixes with the liquid fuel to form a fuel mixture therefrom for discharge by the discharge nozzle; and    an igniter for igniting the fuel mixture discharged by the discharge nozzle.    
   
   
       2 . The burner according to  claim 1 , wherein a fan supplies ambient air to the discharge nozzle to facilitate substantially complete combustion of the fuel mixture discharge from the discharge nozzle.  
   
   
       3 . The burner according to  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir contains a desired quantity of the liquid fuel and supplies the liquid fuel to the mixing chamber, via a liquid fuel supply conduit, at a positive pressure of less than 35 inches of water and, following discharge of the liquid fuel from the discharge nozzle, the liquid fuel has a particle size of between 5 and 15 microns.  
   
   
       4 . The burner according to  claim 3 , wherein a valve is provided, along the liquid fuel supply conduit, for interrupting a flow of the liquid fuel from the reservoir to the mixing chamber.  
   
   
       5 . The burner according to  claim 3 , wherein a liquid fuel supply storage tank is connected with the reservoir, via the liquid fuel supply conduit, and a liquid fuel pump is provided for pumping the liquid fuel from the liquid fuel supply storage tank to the reservoir.  
   
   
       6 . The burner according to  claim 5 , wherein one of the liquid fuel conduit and the reservoir is provided with a hydronic air vent to facilitate addition of air to the reservoir as liquid fuel is removed therefrom during operation of the burner.  
   
   
       7 . The burner according to  claim 5 , wherein the reservoir includes a float valve and the float valve controls operation of the liquid fuel pump which pumps of the liquid fuel from the liquid fuel storage tank to the reservoir.  
   
   
       8 . The burner according to  claim 3 , wherein the source for supplying compressed air is an air compressor which is coupled to the mixing chamber for supplying compressed air thereto, and the air compressor supplies compressed air at a pressurize of between 10 and 30 psi.  
   
   
       9 . The burner according to  claim 8 , wherein the air supply conduit includes a pressure gauge for detecting and displaying a pressure of the compressed air being supplied by the air compressor to the discharge nozzle.  
   
   
       10 . The burner according to  claim 2 , wherein the discharge nozzle is located within a housing and the fan is located adjacent an inlet end of the housing, upstream of the discharge nozzle, for supplying additional combustion air to the fuel mixture discharged from the discharge nozzle.  
   
   
       11 . The burner according to  claim 10 , wherein the fan supplies between 10 and 120 cubic feet per minute of additional combustion air to the discharged fuel mixture.  
   
   
       12 . The burner according to  claim 3 , wherein the discharge nozzle comprises concentric first and second nozzles and the liquid fuel is supplied to and discharged by the first nozzle into the mixing chamber and the compressed air mixes with the liquid fuel, within the mixing chamber, and the fuel mixture of the liquid fuel and the compressed air mixture is discharged by the second nozzle.  
   
   
       13 . The burner according to  claim 12 , wherein the first nozzle has a first needle valve which facilitates adjustment of a flow of the liquid fuel through the first nozzle, and a second valve includes a second needle valve which facilitates adjustment of a flow of the compressed air which is allowed to flow through the second valve into the mixing chamber and mix with the liquid fuel and form the fuel mixture to be discharged from the discharge nozzle.  
   
   
       14 . The burner according to  claim 12 , wherein the discharge orifice of the discharge nozzle has an opening which is between 0.01 and 0.8 millimeters in diameter.  
   
   
       15 . The burner according to  claim 13 , wherein the igniter comprises a pair of electrode, located adjacent and downstream of the discharge orifice of the discharge nozzle, for igniting the fuel mixture discharged from the discharge nozzle.  
   
   
       16 . The burner according to  claim 3 , wherein a flame detector is located to detect a presence of a flame generated by combustion of the fuel mixture discharged by the discharge nozzle.  
   
   
       17 . The burner according to  claim 13 , wherein as the compressed air flows through the discharge valve, past the first nozzle, the compressed air evacuates the liquid fuel through the first nozzle for mixing within the mixing chamber.  
   
   
       18 . A burner for burning a fuel mixture, the burner comprising: 
 a discharge nozzle having an mixing chamber;    a liquid fuel reservoir for supplying liquid fuel to the mixing chamber, with the liquid fuel being feed from the reservoir to mixing chamber at a positive pressure of less than 35 inches of water;    a source for supplying compressed air to the mixing chamber at a pressurize of between 10 and 30 psi which, during operation of the burner, mixes with the liquid fuel to form a fuel mixture therefrom for discharge by the discharge nozzle;    the discharge nozzle comprising spaced apart first and second nozzles and the liquid fuel is supplied to and discharged by the first nozzle into the mixing chamber and the compressed air mixes with the liquid fuel, within the mixing chamber, and the fuel mixture being discharged by the second nozzle such that the liquid fuel mixture is atomized substantially immediately upon being discharged therefrom; and    an igniter for igniting the fuel mixture discharged by the discharge nozzle and generating heat within a furnace.    
   
   
       19 . The burner according to  claim 18 , wherein a fan supplies ambient air to the discharge nozzle to facilitate substantially complete combustion of the fuel mixture discharge from the discharge nozzle.  
   
   
       20 . A method of providing heat, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a discharge nozzle with a mixing chamber;    supplying a liquid fuel, from a liquid fuel reservoir, to the mixing chamber, with the liquid fuel being supplied at a positive pressure of less than 35 inches of water;    supplying pressurized air, at a pressurize of between 10 and 30 psi, to the mixing chamber for mixing with the liquid fuel and forming a fuel mixture therefrom for discharge by the discharge nozzle;    forming the discharge nozzle as first and second nozzles with the liquid fuel being supplied to and discharged by the first nozzle into the mixing chamber and the compressed air mixing with the liquid fuel, within the mixing chamber, and the fuel mixture being discharged by the second nozzle; and the fuel mixture being discharged by the second nozzle such that the liquid fuel mixture is substantially atomized immediately upon being discharged therefrom; and    igniting the fuel mixture, discharged by the discharge nozzle, and generating heat within a furnace.