Combustion system for atomizing fuel mixture in burner box

Abstract

A burner system, 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 system 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 system 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. Supplemental air is also supplied, via a variable speed supplemental airfan, to assist with complete combustion of the fuel mixture.

1 . A burner system for burning a fuel mixture, the burner system comprising:
 a pair of discharge nozzles each having a liquid fuel orifice and an air orifice located concentrically with the liquid fuel orifice;   a liquid fuel conduit being coupled to the pair of discharge nozzles for supplying a liquid fuel to each one of the liquid fuel orifices;   an air conduit being coupled to the pair of discharge nozzles for supplying a pressurized air to each one of the air orifices;   a pressurized air source being connected with the air conduit for supplying the pressurized air to the air conduit;   the liquid fuel being supplied to the pair of discharge nozzles completely separate from the pressurized air so that the liquid fuel only mixing with the pressurized air, to form the fuel mixture, once the liquid fuel and the pressurized air are discharged from the liquid fuel and the air orifices;   a supplemental air fan for supplying supplement air to the pair of discharge nozzles to facilitate substantially complete combustion of the fuel mixture; and   an igniter for igniting the fuel mixture following discharge from the pair of discharge nozzles.   
   
   
       2 . The burner system according to  claim 1 , wherein a blast tube surrounds the pair of discharge nozzles and an air deflector sleeve is accommodate within the blast tube, the air deflector is located concentric with the blast tube and separates the blast tube from at least the pair of discharge nozzles and the air deflector sleeve is arranged so as to divert some of supplemental air, from the supplemental air fan, to flow toward the pair of discharge nozzles while directing a remainder of the supplemental air to flow along the blast tube, between the air deflector and the blast tube, and be discharged directly into the burner box. 
   
   
       3 . The burner system according to  claim 2 , wherein a component support plate supports at least the liquid fuel conduit, the air conduit and the pair of discharge nozzles, the support plate redirects and channels a majority of the supplemental air, supplied by the supplemental air fan, away from the pair of discharge nozzles, and a first end of the air deflector sleeve is located closely adjacent to the component support plate so as to form a gap therebetween, which permits some of the supplemental air, supplied by the supplemental air fan, to flow therethrough and be supplied to the pair of discharge nozzles. 
   
   
       4 . The burner system according to  claim 3 , wherein blast tube has a flame retention head at an outlet end thereof, the air deflector sleeve has a diameter which is generally the same size as a diameter of the component support plate and the air deflector sleeve extends axially from adjacent the component support plate to the flame retention head so as to prevent a majority of the supplemental air from flowing toward the pair of discharge nozzles. 
   
   
       5 . The burner system according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid fuel orifice is centrally located within the pressurized air orifice and extends through the pressurized air orifice by a distance of at least 0.002 of an inch so that the liquid fuel only mixes with the pressurized air upon discharge from the respective liquid fuel and pressurized air orifices. 
   
   
       6 . The burner system according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid fuel conduit is connected to a liquid fuel storage tank which stores a supply of the liquid fuel, and the liquid fuel is supplied from the liquid fuel storage tank to the pair of discharge nozzles at a pressure of between about 0.5 psi and about 2 psi. 
   
   
       7 . The burner system according to  claim 6 , wherein at least one valve is provided along the liquid fuel supply conduit for interrupting a flow of the liquid fuel from the liquid fuel storage tank to the pair of discharge nozzles when the burner system is inactive, and a liquid fuel pump is provided for pumping the liquid fuel from the liquid fuel storage tank to the pair of discharge nozzles. 
   
   
       8 . The burner system according to  claim 1 , wherein the pressurized air source is an air compressor which supplies compressed air at a pressurize of between 2 and 30 psi. 
   
   
       9 . The burner system according to  claim 7 , wherein the liquid fuel pump pumps the liquid fuel from the liquid fuel storage tank along the liquid fuel conduit at a flow rate of between about 1 gallon per minute to about 4 gallons per minute and at a pressure of between about 70 psi to about 300 psi, and the liquid fuel conduit has a fuel restrictor which reduces a pressure of the supplied liquid fuel to a pressure of between 0.5 psi and 2 psi. 
   
   
       10 . The burner system according to  claim 8 , wherein the pressurized air conduit has an air restrictor therein for reducing the pressure of the pressurized air being supplied by the air compressor, and the air restrictor has an opening therein of between 0.0020 and 0.0040 of an inch so that the air restrictor reduces the pressure of the pressurized air to an air pressure of between about 3.5 psi and 7.0 psi. 
   
   
       11 . The burner system according to  claim 4 , wherein a second end of the air deflector sleeve is connected to the flame retention head so as to redirect, any supplemental air which passes through the gap, through a central aperture of the flame retention head. 
   
   
       12 . The burner system according to  claim 1 , wherein the igniter comprises a pair of electrodes, located adjacent and downstream of the pair of discharge nozzles, for igniting the fuel mixture following discharged from the pair of discharge nozzles. 
   
   
       13 . The burner system according to  claim 1 , wherein a flame detector is located adjacent the pair of nozzles for detecting a presence of a flame generated by combustion of the fuel mixture. 
   
   
       14 . The burner system according to  claim 12 , wherein the flame retention head has a plurality of radially inclined and inwardly extending deflectors and a plurality of spaced apart peripheral air outlets located radially about the radially inclined and inwardly extending deflectors, and the radially inclined and inwardly extending deflectors are arranged to swirl some of the supplemental air, supplied by the supplemental air fan, to assist with swirling the fuel mixture, following discharge from the pair of discharge nozzles. 
   
   
       15 . The burner system according to  claim 12 , wherein a second end of the air deflector sleeve is connected to the flame retention head, between the plurality of spaced apart peripheral air outlets and the radially inclined and inwardly extending deflectors, so as to redirect any supplemental air through a central aperture of the flame retention head. 
   
   
       16 . The burner system according to  claim 1 , wherein a pressurized air solenoid valve is located along the pressurized air supply conduit for interrupting a flow of the pressurized air to the pair of discharge nozzles when the burner system is inactive, and at least one liquid fuel solenoid valve is located along the liquid fuel supply conduit for interrupting a flow of the liquid fuel to the pair of discharge nozzles when the burner system is inactive. 
   
   
       17 . A burner system for burning a fuel mixture, the burner system comprising:
 a pair of discharge nozzles each having a liquid fuel orifice and an air orifice located concentrically with the liquid fuel orifice;   a liquid fuel conduit being coupled to the pair of discharge nozzles for supplying a liquid fuel to each of the liquid fuel orifices;   an air conduit being coupled to the pair of discharge nozzles for supplying a pressurized air to each of the air orifices;   a liquid fuel supply being coupled to the liquid fuel conduit for supplying the liquid fuel to liquid fuel conduit;   a pressurized air source being connected with the air conduit for supplying the pressurized air to the air conduit;   the liquid fuel being supplied to the pair of discharge nozzles completely separate from the pressurized air so that the liquid fuel only mixing with the pressurized air, to form the fuel mixture, once the liquid fuel and the pressurized air are discharged from the liquid fuel and pressurized air orifices;   a supplemental air fan for supplying supplement air to the pair of discharge nozzles to facilitate substantially complete combustion of the fuel mixture;   a blast tube surrounding the pair of discharge nozzles;   an air deflector sleeve being accommodate within the blast tube, the air deflector being located concentric with the blast tube and separating the blast tube from at least the pair of discharge nozzles, and the air deflector sleeve being located so as to divert some of supplemental air, from the supplemental air fan, to flow toward the pair of discharge nozzles while channeling a remainder of the supplemental air to flow along the blast tube, between the air deflector and the blast tube, and be discharged directly into the burner box;   a flame retention head being supported at an outlet end of the blast tube, a second end of the air deflector being connected to the flame retention head, and the air deflector sleeve prevents a majority of the supplemental air from flowing toward the pair of discharge nozzles;   an igniter for igniting the fuel mixture following discharge from the pair of discharge nozzles; and   a flame detector being located adjacent the pair of nozzles for detecting presence of a flame generated by combustion of the fuel mixture.   
   
   
       18 . A method of operating a burner system for burning a fuel mixture, the burner system comprising a pair of discharge nozzles each having a liquid fuel orifice and an air orifice located concentrically with the liquid fuel orifice; a liquid fuel conduit being coupled to the pair of discharge nozzles for supplying a liquid fuel to each one of the liquid fuel orifices; an air conduit being coupled to the pair of discharge nozzles for supplying a pressurized air to each one of the air orifices; a pressurized air source being connected with the air conduit for supplying the pressurized air to the air conduit; the method comprising the steps of:
 supplying the liquid fuel to the pair of discharge nozzles completely separate from the pressurized air so that the liquid fuel only mixing with the pressurized air, to form the fuel mixture, once the liquid fuel and the pressurized air are discharged from the liquid fuel and the air orifices;   supplying supplement air to the pair of discharge nozzles, via a supplemental air fan, to facilitate substantially complete combustion of the fuel mixture; and   following discharge of the fuel mixture from the pair of discharge nozzles, igniting the fuel mixture via an igniter;   allowing the burner system to continue operating upon a flame detector detecting a presence of a flame generated by combustion of the fuel mixture.