Burner for a furnace, tile for same, and method of improving a flame produced by a burner furnace

Abstract

A burner and a tile for producing a flame in a furnace. The burner includes a pre-mixer with a venturi that mixes fuel with a first portion of combustion air. The mixture of the fuel and combustion air is passed through the tile. The tile also passes additional portions of combustion air there through. The tile includes flow channels for passing the gases so that it is the tip of the burner. The tile may include a wall to form a staged air tile. Also a process for improving a flame produced by such a burner.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A burner for a furnace, the burner comprising:
 a wind box having a first end, a second end, and a body extending between the first end and second end, the body of the wind box forming a cavity;   a fuel line having an outlet, the fuel line passing through the body of the wind box into the cavity of the wind box;   a pre-mixer having an open first end, an open second end, and a body cavity there between with a portion having a venturi, the open first end of the pre-mixer being disposed near the outlet of the fuel line and being configured to receive combustion air from the cavity of the wind box to mix with fuel from the fuel line; and,   a tile having an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer surface of the tile being adjacent to the second end of the wind box and being adjacent to the open second end of the pre-mixer.   
     
     
         2 . The burner of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a plurality of flow channels in the tile configured to receive the mixture of fuel and combustion air from the pre-mixer. 
 
     
     
         3 . The burner of  claim 2  further comprising:
 the inner surface of the tile including a wall extending away therefrom. 
 
     
     
         4 . The burner of  claim 3  further comprising:
 each flow channel from the plurality of flow channels having an outlet disposed on the inner surface of the tile within the wall. 
 
     
     
         5 . The burner of  claim 4  further comprising:
 a second plurality of flow channels in the tile, the flow channels from the second plurality each configured to receive combustion air from the cavity of the wind box. 
 
     
     
         6 . The burner of  5  wherein at least one flow channel from the second plurality of flow channels includes an outlet disposed inside of the wall on the inner surface of the tile. 
     
     
         7 . The burner of  claim 6  wherein at least one flow channel from the second plurality of flow channels includes an outlet disposed outside of the wall on the inner surface of the tile. 
     
     
         8 . The burner of  claim 1  wherein the pre-mixer comprises a first material, and wherein the tile comprises the first material. 
     
     
         9 . The burner of  claim 7  wherein the pre-mixer is integral with the tile. 
     
     
         10 . The burner of  claim 1 , wherein the burner is a down-fired burner. 
     
     
         11 . A tile for a burner in a furnace, the tile comprising:
 an inner surface having a wall;   an outer surface;   a body;   a first plurality of flow channels extending through the body of the tile, and each flow channel from the first plurality including an outlet on the inner surface of the tile, the flow channels of the first plurality configured to receive and pass a mixture of fuel and combustion air through the body of the tile; and,   a second plurality of flow channels extending through the body of the tile, and each flow channel from the second plurality including an outlet on the inner surface of the tile, the flow channels of the second plurality configured to receive and pass combustion air through the body of the tile.   
     
     
         12 . The tile of  claim 11  wherein the outlets for the first plurality of flow channels are disposed within the wall on the inner surface of the tile. 
     
     
         13 . The tile of  claim 12  wherein an outlet for at least one of the flow channels from the second plurality of flow channels is disposed inside of the wall on the inner surface of the tile. 
     
     
         14 . The tile of  claim 13  wherein an outlet for at least one of the flow channels from the second plurality of flow channels is disposed outside of the wall on the inner surface of the tile. 
     
     
         15 . The tile of  claim 11  further comprising a pre-mixer disposed adjacent the outer surface of the tile, the pre-mixer comprising a body having a venturi and the pre-mixer configured to receive fuel and mix the fuel with combustion air. 
     
     
         16 . A process for improving a flame of a burner used in a furnace, the process comprising:
 passing fuel through a conduit to an outlet, wherein the outlet of the conduit is disposed at an inlet of a pre-mixer having a venturi;   mixing fuel with a first portion of combustion air in the pre-mixer;   passing the mixture of fuel and combustion air from the pre-mixer through a tile, wherein the tile comprises a body with an inner surface and the inner surface comprises a wall, and wherein the mixture of fuel and combustion air exits the tile within the wall;   passing a second portion of combustion air though the tile and wherein the second portion of combustion air exits the tile inside of the wall; and,   passing a third portion of combustion air though the tile and wherein the third portion of combustion air exits the tile outside of the wall.   
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 16  wherein the tile includes a plurality of flow channels for passing the mixture of fuel and combustion air though the tile. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 16  wherein the tile includes a plurality of flow channels for passing the combustion air through the tile. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 16  further comprising:
 mixing the second portion of combustion air with the mixture of fuel and combustion air within the wall of the tile. 
 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 19  further comprising:
 mixing the third portion of combustion air with the mixture of fuel and combustion air outside of the tile in the furnace.