Burner with a perforated flame holder support structure

Abstract

A combustion system includes a fuel and oxidant source, a perforated flame holder, and a support structure that supports the perforated flame holder at a selected distance from the fuel and oxidant source. The fuel and oxidant source outputs fuel and oxidant onto the perforated flame holder. The perforated flame holder receives the fuel and oxidant and sustains a combustion reaction of the fuel and oxidant within the perforated flame holder.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A combustion system comprising:
 a furnace body defining an interior combustion volume;   a fuel and oxidant source configured to output fuel and oxidant into the interior combustion volume;   a perforated flame holder disposed within the interior combustion volume to receive the fuel and oxidant from the fuel and oxidant source and to support a combustion reaction of the fuel and oxidant within the perforated flame holder; and   a support structure disposed within the interior volume and fixed to the furnace body and configured to support the perforated flame holder at a selected distance from the fuel and oxidant source.   
     
     
         2 . The combustion system of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure is fixed to a floor of the furnace body. 
     
     
         3 . The combustion system of  claim 2 , wherein the support structure includes a first and a second support arm each mounted to the floor. 
     
     
         4 . The combustion system of  claim 3 , wherein the support structure includes an array of finger members extending between the first and second support arms and on which the perforated flame holder rests. 
     
     
         5 . The combustion system of  claim 4  including one or more brackets coupled to the support arms and the array of finger members. 
     
     
         6 . The combustion system of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure is fixed to a sidewall of the furnace body. 
     
     
         7 . The combustion system of  claim 6 , wherein the support structure suspends the perforated flame holder from the sidewall of the furnace body. 
     
     
         8 . The combustion system of  claim 6 , wherein the support structure includes a first and a second support structure portions fixed to respective sidewalls of the furnace body. 
     
     
         9 . The combustion system of  claim 6  wherein the support structure includes a plurality of rods extending between sidewalls of the furnace body and on which the perforated flame holder rests. 
     
     
         10 . The combustion system of  claim 9 , wherein the rods are arranged in an array including gaps between adjacent rods allowing the fuel and oxidant to pass to the perforated flame holder. 
     
     
         11 . The combustion system of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure is fixed to a ceiling of the furnace body. 
     
     
         12 . The combustion system of  claim 11 , wherein the support structure suspends the perforated flame holder from the ceiling of the furnace body. 
     
     
         13 . The combustion system of  claim 11 , wherein the support structure includes a first and a second support arms each mounted to the ceiling of the furnace body. 
     
     
         14 . The combustion system of  claim 13 , wherein the support structure includes an array of finger members extending between the first and second support arms and on which the perforated flame holder rests. 
     
     
         15 . The combustion system of  claim 14  including one or more brackets coupled to the support arms and the array of finger members. 
     
     
         16 . The combustion system of  claim 13 , wherein the support structure includes one or more brackets that attach the support arms to the ceiling of the furnace body. 
     
     
         17 . The combustion system of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure is fixed to a side of the perforated flame holder. 
     
     
         18 . The combustion system of  claim 1 , wherein the perforated flame holder rests on the support structure. 
     
     
         19 . The combustion system of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure is a cooled support structure having an interior channel configured to pass a fluid coolant therethrough to cool the support structure and/or the perforated flame folder. 
     
     
         20 . The combustion system of  claim 19 , comprising a coolant source configured to pass the fluid coolant through the cooled support structure. 
     
     
         21 . The combustion system of  claim 20 , wherein the support structure includes a plurality of tubes arranged in an array and on which the perforated flame holder rests, the tubes being coupled to the coolant source and configured to pass the fluid coolant therethrough. 
     
     
         22 . The combustion system of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure is fixed to the furnace body by one or more metal, superalloy, or ceramic screws, bolts, or pins. 
     
     
         23 . The combustion system of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure includes multiple finger members on which the perforated flame holder rests, the finger members being thin and configured to allow the fuel and oxidant to enter into the perforated flame holder. 
     
     
         24 . The combustion system of  claim 23 , wherein the perforated flame holder includes multiple perforated flame holder sections fixed together, each perforated flame holder section being positioned on at least one of the thin finger members. 
     
     
         25 . The combustion system of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure is covered by a thermal insulator. 
     
     
         26 . The combustion system of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure is operatively coupled to a cooling mechanism and covered by a thermal insulator. 
     
     
         27 . The combustion system of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure is coupled to the perforated flame holder by one or more of ceramic screws, bolts, pins, or clamps. 
     
     
         28 . The combustion system of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure is fixed to two or more of a wall, a floor, and/or a ceiling of the furnace body. 
     
     
         29 . The combustion system of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: a metal superalloy, a ceramic material, a refractory brick, a refractory material, and a fiber reinforced refractory material. 
     
     
         30 . The combustion system of  claim 1 , wherein the perforated flame holder includes:
 an input face proximal to the fuel and oxidant source;   an output face distal from the fuel and oxidant source;   a plurality of perforations extending between the input face and the output face and configured to hold a majority of the combustion reaction within the perforations.   
     
     
         31 . The combustion system of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel source includes a fuel nozzle configured to output the fuel onto the perforated flame holder. 
     
     
         32 . The combustion system of  claim 31 , wherein the support structure supports the perforated flame holder at the selected distance from the fuel nozzle. 
     
     
         33 . A method comprising:
 supporting, with a support structure fixed to a furnace body, a perforated flame holder at a selected distance from a fuel and oxidant source;   outputting fuel and oxidant from the fuel and oxidant source;   receiving the fuel and oxidant in the perforated flame holder positioned to receive the fuel and oxidant from the fuel and oxidant source; and   supporting a majority of a combustion reaction of the fuel and oxidant within the perforated flame holder.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the support structure is fixed to a sidewall of the furnace body. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the support structure is fixed to a floor of the furnace body. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the support structure is fixed to a ceiling of the furnace body. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the support structure includes an interior channel. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , comprising cooling the support structure by passing a fluid coolant through the interior channel of the support structure. 
     
     
         39 . A combustion system, comprising:
 an enclosure defining an interior volume   a fuel and oxidant source disposed within the enclosure and configured to output fuel and oxidant;   a perforated flame holder disposed to receive the fuel and oxidant from the fuel and oxidant source and to support a combustion reaction of the fuel and oxidant within the perforated flame holder; and   a first and a second support arms coupled between the enclosure and the perforated flame holder and configured to support the perforated flame holder within the enclosure at a selected distance from the fuel and oxidant source.   
     
     
         40 . The combustion system of  claim 39 , wherein the enclosure includes a wall, the first and second support arms being fixed to the wall. 
     
     
         41 . The combustion system of  claim 39 , wherein the enclosure includes a floor, the first and second support arms being fixed to the floor. 
     
     
         42 . The combustion system of  claim 39 , wherein the enclosure includes a ceiling, the first and second support arms being fixed to the ceiling.