Infrared emitting gas burner

Abstract

A gas burner for an infrared oven provides fast and controllable infrared energy, the emitted spectrum of which varies continuously over a wide spectrum. The burner is assembled from an elongated fuel distribution chamber having an open top and into which a gaseous fuel and combustion air is introduced. As the fuel mixture is delivered into the fuel distribution chamber, it eventually fills the chamber and thereafter flow through a double-layer wire mesh burner plate set over the fuel distribution chamber. The fuel combusts above the wire mesh burner plates to heat a screen wire above the burner plates. The screen wire is heated to a temperature at which the screen wire emits IR. The emitted IR wavelength can be controlled by controlling the gas supply to turn the combustion on and off according to the amount of IR heated needed.

1 . A gas burner for an oven comprising:
 an elongated fuel distribution chamber (distribution chamber) having an open top;   a fuel inlet pipe that extends through the distribution chamber by a first distance, said fuel inlet pipe having a first open end outside the distribution chamber into which gas fuel is introduced, said fuel inlet pipe having a second open end opposite the first open end from which fuel enters the distribution chamber;   at least one wire mesh burner plate, which extends over the open top of the distribution chamber;   a burner plate screen, spaced above and extending over at least part of the at least one wire mesh burner plate;   wherein a fuel/air mixture combusts substantially above the at least one wire mesh burner plate in order to heat the burner plate screen to emit infrared heat.   
     
     
         2 . The gas burner of  claim 1 , further comprising a gas flow deflector within the distribution chambers said fuel being directed toward the gas flow deflector, the gas flow director redirecting at least some of the fuel and air within the distribution chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The gas burner for an oven of  claim 1 , wherein the burner plate screen is spaced above the at least one wire mesh burner plate by a first distance that defines a space wherein the fuel/air mixture combusts. 
     
     
         4 . The gas burner of  claim 1 , further comprised of a gasket around the at least one wire mesh burner plate. 
     
     
         5 . The gas burner of  claim 3 , wherein the first distance is between about three-fifths of an inch and about one inch. 
     
     
         6 . The gas burner of  claim 3 , wherein the first distance is approximately one-half inch. 
     
     
         7 . The gas burner of  claim 1 , wherein the burner plate screen is comprised of a nichrome wire. 
     
     
         8 . The gas burner of  claim 1 , wherein the burner plate screen is comprises of a ceramic-coated metal. 
     
     
         9 . The gas burner of  claim 1 , wherein the burner plate screen is comprised of ceramic. 
     
     
         10 . The gas burner of  claim 1 , wherein the combustion chamber is comprised of stainless steel. 
     
     
         11 . A gas burner for an oven comprising:
 an elongated fuel distribution chamber (distribution chamber) having a bottom, four sides and an open top, the fuel distribution chamber having a length, width and depth;   a fuel inlet pipe having that extends through a first side of the distribution chamber and through the distribution chamber by a first distance that is less than the distribution chamber length, said fuel inlet pipe having a first open end located outside the distribution chamber and into which gas fuel and combustion air is introduced, said fuel inlet pipe having a second open end opposite the first open end and from which fuel and combustion air enters the distribution chamber, said fuel inlet pipe also having an inside diameter and a discontinuity in said inside diameter;   at least one wire mesh burner plate, which extends over the open top of the distribution chamber;   a burner plate screen, spaced above and extending over the at least one wire mesh burner plate;   wherein a fuel/air mixture combusts above the at least one wire mesh burner plate after the fuel/air mixture passes through the at least one wire mesh burner plate and the distribution chamber.   
     
     
         12 . The gas burner of  claim 11 , further comprising a gas flow deflector spaced away from the second open end of the fuel inlet pipe and located within the distribution chamber, said gas flow director directing at least some of the fuel exiting the second open end of the fuel distribution pipe to travel through the distribution chamber toward the first end of the distribution chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The gas burner for an oven of  claim 11 , wherein the burner plate screen is spaced above the at least one wire mesh burner plate by a first distance, the first distance defining a space between the at least one wire mesh burner plate and the burner plate screen wherein the fuel/air mixture combusts. 
     
     
         14 . The gas burner of  claim 11 , further comprised of a gasket around the at least one wire mesh burner plate. 
     
     
         15 . The gas burner of  claim 13 , wherein the first distance is between about three-fifths of an inch and about one inch. 
     
     
         16 . The gas burner of  claim 13 , wherein the first distance is approximately one-half inch. 
     
     
         17 . The gas burner of  claim 11 , wherein the burner plate screen is comprised of a nichrome wire. 
     
     
         18 . The gas burner of  claim 11 , wherein the burner plate screen is comprises of a ceramic-coated metal. 
     
     
         19 . The gas burner of  claim 11 , wherein the burner plate screen is comprised of ceramic. 
     
     
         20 . The gas burner of  claim 11 , wherein the combustion chamber is comprised of stainless steel.