Glycerin burning system

Abstract

A glycerin burning system having a specialized atomizing burner capable of combusting a continuous feed of crude or pure glycerin. The burner includes a two-fluid mixing nozzle. The nozzle has an internal distributor which mixes two fluid feed streams as the fluids are expelled through an orifice. The distributor has channels which cause the air to swirl before mixing with the glycerin. An impingement pin is provided outside the orifice to diffuse the mixture and reduce combustion air speed. To improve performance, the burner's air feed line is subjected to combustion chamber to preheat the air passing through the feed line before the air is mixed with the glycerin.

1 . A fuel burning system, comprising:
 a. a burner, including
 i. a fuel feed line, configured to supply a fuel to said burner; 
 ii. an air supply line, configured to supply air to said burner; 
 iii. a nozzle configured to atomize said fuel by mixing said fuel with said air from said air supply line, said nozzle having an exterior and an interior, said nozzle further having
 1. a distributor in said interior of said nozzle, said distributor fluidly connected with said fuel feed line and said air supply line; 
 2. an orifice in said exterior fluidly connected with said distributor; 
 3. an impingement pin attached to said exterior of said nozzle, said impingement pin having a target surface positioned coaxially with said orifice and facing said orifice, said target surface being configured to diffuse an atomized fuel stream expelled through said orifice. 
 
   
   
   
       2 . The fuel burning system of  claim 1 , wherein said nozzle is configured to spray said atomized fuel stream into a combustion chamber where said atomized fuel stream is combusted. 
   
   
       3 . The fuel burning system of  claim 1 , wherein said fuel comprises glycerin. 
   
   
       4 . The fuel burning system of  claim 1 , wherein said nozzle is configured to spray said atomized fuel stream into a combustion zone where said atomized fuel stream is combusted; said glycerin burning system further comprising a heat exchanger positioned in said combustion zone, said heat exchanger configured to preheat said air supplied through said air supply line with heat produced from the combustion of said atomized fuel stream before said air is mixed with said fuel. 
   
   
       5 . The fuel burning system of  claim 1 , further comprising a starter fuel supply line, said starter fuel supply line configured to supply a starter fuel to said fuel feed line so that said starter fuel mixes with said fuel. 
   
   
       6 . The fuel burning system of  claim 5 , wherein said starter fuel comprises an alcohol. 
   
   
       7 . The fuel burning system of  claim 1 , said distributor configured to impart vorticity to said air feed. 
   
   
       8 . The fuel burning system of  claim 1 , said distributor having a fuel conduit fluidly connected to said fuel supply line, a plurality of air channels fluidly connected with said air supply line and a convergence region fluidly joining said plurality of air channels and said fuel conduit upstream of said orifice, said plurality of air channels configured to impart rotation to said air feed before said air feed passes through said orifice. 
   
   
       9 . A method of combusting glycerin, comprising:
 a. providing a burner, said burner including:
 i. a fuel supply line, configured to supply said a glycerin feed to said burner; 
 ii. a nozzle, configured to atomize said glycerin feed to produce an atomized glycerin stream, said nozzle having an exterior and interior, said nozzle further having:
 1. an orifice fluidly connected with said fuel supply line and adapted to expel said glycerin feed from said nozzle; 
 2. an impingement pin attached to said exterior of said nozzle, said impingement pin having a target surface positioned coaxially with said orifice and facing said orifice, said target surface being configured to diffuse said glycerin feed expelled through said orifice; 
 
 iii. wherein said nozzle is configured to spray said atomized glycerin stream into a combustion chamber where said atomized glycerin stream is combusted; 
   b. supplying said glycerin feed to said fuel supply line; and   c. combusting said atomized glycerin stream in said combustion chamber.   
   
   
       10 . The method of combusting glycerin of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a. providing an air supply line configured to supply an air feed to said burner; and   b. providing a heat exchanger configured to preheat said air feed with heat produced from the combustion of said atomized glycerin stream before expelling said air feed from said burner.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of supplying a mixture of a starter fuel and glycerin to said nozzle for a period of time. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said starter fuel comprises an alcohol. 
   
   
       13 . The method of combusting glycerin of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a. providing an air supply line configured to supply an air feed to said burner; and   b. providing a distributor in said interior of said nozzle, said distributor fluidly connected with said fuel feed line and said air supply line.   
   
   
       14 . The glycerin burning system of  claim 13 , said distributor configured to impart rotation to said air feed. 
   
   
       15 . The glycerin burning system of  claim 13 , said distributor having a fuel conduit fluidly connected to said fuel supply line, a plurality of air channels fluidly connected with said air supply line and a convergence region fluidly joining said plurality of air channels and said fuel conduit upstream of said orifice, said plurality of air channels configured to impart rotation to said air feed before said air feed passes through said orifice. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a. providing a water supply line configured to supply a water feed to said nozzle;   b. purging said nozzle with water after combusting said atomized glycerin stream.