Fuel Feedstream Combustion System

Abstract

A feedstream combustion device for combusting a fuel feedstream having one or more burners, where each burner comprises a mixer having a first mixer segment and a second mixer segment that mixes a first air intake of a first air feedstream and a fuel feedstream at a first mixer segment inlet end and mixes a second air intake of a second air feedstream with the first air feedstream and fuel feedstream in an annular space between the external surface of the first mixer segment and the internal surface of the second mixer segment.

1 . A burner for combustion of a fuel feedstream in the operation of a feedstream combustion device, comprising:
 a mixer which mixes said fuel feedstream with an air feedstream, said mixer including:
 a first mixer segment having length disposed between first mixer segment inlet end and a first mixer segment outlet end, said first mixer segment having an internal surface defining a first mixer segment passage between said first mixer segment inlet end and said first mixer outlet end, said first mixer segment passage narrowing approaching said first mixer outlet end; 
 a second mixer segment having length disposed between second mixer segment inlet end and a second mixer segment outlet end, said second mixer segment having internal surface defining a second mixer segment passage between said second mixer inlet end and said second mixer outlet end, said first mixer segment outlet end inserted inside of said second mixer inlet end defining an annular space between said external surface of said first mixer segment and said internal surface of said second mixer segment. 
   
     
     
         2 . The burner of  claim 1 , wherein said internal surface of said first mixer segment inwardly indented approaching said first mixer outlet end to narrow said first mixer segment passage at said first mixer outlet end. 
     
     
         3 . The burner of  claim 2 , wherein said internal surface of said first mixer segment inlet end comprises a generally square or rectangular cross section. 
     
     
         4 . The burner of  claim 3 , wherein said generally square or rectangular cross section above said first mixer segment inlet end includes a least one side inwardly indented approaching said first mixer outlet end to narrow said first mixer segment passage. 
     
     
         5 . The burner of  claim 4 , wherein said generally square or rectangular cross section above said first mixer segment inlet end includes a pair of sides oppositely inwardly indented approaching said first mixer outlet end to narrow said first mixer segment passage. 
     
     
         6 . The burner of  claim 5 , wherein each of said pair of sides inwardly angle toward a longitudinal midline of a corresponding one of said pair of sides. 
     
     
         7 . The burner of  claim 6 , wherein said first mixer segment has a first mixer outlet area at said first mixer outlet end as compared to said first mixer inlet area at said first mixer inlet end of about 50 percent to about 80 percent. 
     
     
         8 . The burner of  claim 7 , wherein said first mixer outlet area at said first mixer outlet end as compared to said first mixer inlet area at said first mixer inlet end is selected from the group consisting of: about 55 percent to about 65 percent, about 60 percent to about 70 percent, and about 65 percent to about 75 percent. 
     
     
         9 . The burner of  claim 8 , further comprising a flame front velocity stabilizer inserted in said second mixer segment proximate said second mixer segment outlet end defining an annular space between said external surface of said flame front velocity stabilizer and said second mixer segment proximate said second mixer segment outlet end, an internal surface of said flame front velocity stabilizer defining a stabilizer passage between opposed flame front velocity stabilizer ends. 
     
     
         10 . The burner of  claim 9 , where said mixer comprises a plurality of mixers disposed in spaced apart relation, said plurality of mixers having a corresponding spaced apart plurality of first mixer segment inlet ends. 
     
     
         11 . The burner of  claim 10 , further comprising a fuel rail having a fuel rail internal surface defining a fuel feedstream flow path between a fuel rail inlet and a plurality of fuel rail orifices disposed in spaced apart relation between opposed fuel rail ends, said fuel rail disposed below said plurality of mixers with said plurality of fuel rail orifices corresponding aligned with said plurality of first mixer segment inlet ends. 
     
     
         12 . The burner of  claim 11 , wherein said plurality of rail orifices comprise a plurality of slotted orifices. 
     
     
         13 . The burner of  claim 12 , wherein said plurality of slotted orifices have a slot length greater than a slot width defining an orifice open area, said orifice open area adjustable based on feedstream load. 
     
     
         14 . The burner of  claim 13 , wherein said wherein said slot width has fixed dimension and said slot length has an adjustable dimension based on feed stream load. 
     
     
         15 . The burner of  claim 14 , wherein said slot width has a fixed dimension of about 1 millimeter to about 2 millimeters. 
     
     
         16 . The burner of  claim 15 , wherein said slot width is selected from the group consisting of: about 1.1 millimeter to about 1.4 millimeter, about 1.3 millimeter to about 1.5 millimeter, 1.4 millimeter to about 1.6 millimeter, about 1.5 millimeter to about 1.7 millimeter, about 1.6 to about 1.8 millimeter, about 1.7 millimeter to about 1.9 millimeter. 
     
     
         17 . The burner of  claim 16 , wherein said slot width is about 1.5 millimeters. 
     
     
         18 . The burner of  claim 17 , wherein said fuel rail has a generally circular cross section. 
     
     
         19 . The burner of  claim 18 , wherein said feedstream load comprises about 1200 British thermal units to about 3000 British thermal units. 
     
     
         20 . The burner of  claim 19 , wherein said fuel feedstream load is selected from the group consisting of: about 1300 British thermal units to about 1500 British thermal units, about 1400 British thermal units to about 1600 British thermal units, about 1500 British thermal units to about 1700 British thermal units, about 1600 British thermal units to about 1800 British thermal units, about 1700 British thermal units to about 1900 British thermal units, about 1800 British thermal units to about 2000 British thermal units, about 1900 British thermal units to about 2100 British thermal units, about 2000 British thermal units to about 2200 British thermal units, about 2100 British thermal units to about 2300 British thermal units, about 2200 British thermal units to about 2400 British thermal units, about 2300 British thermal units to about 2500 British thermal units, about 2400 British thermal units to about 2600 British thermal units, about 2500 British thermal units to about 2700 British thermal units, about 2600 British thermal units to about 2800 British thermal units, and about 2700 British thermal units to about 2900 British thermal units. 
     
     
         21 . The burner of  claim 20 , wherein said feedstream has a feedstream pressure of less than 0.05 pounds per square inch to about 20 pounds per square inch. 
     
     
         22 . The burner of  claim 21 , wherein said fuel feedstream pressure is selected from the group consisting of: about 1.0 pounds per square inch to about 3.0 pounds per square inch, about 1.0 pounds per square inch to about 3.0 pounds per square inch, about 2.0 pounds per square inch to about 4.0 pounds per square inch, about 3.0 pounds per square inch to about 5.0 pounds per square inch, about 4.0 pounds per square inch to about 6.0 pounds per square inch, about 5.0 pounds per square inch to about 7.0 pounds per square inch, about 6.0 pounds per square inch to about 8.0 pounds per square inch, about 7.0 pounds per square inch to about 9.0 pounds per square inch, about 8.0 pounds per square inch to about 10.0 pounds per square inch, about 9.0 pounds per square inch to about 11.0 pounds per square inch, about 10.0 pounds per square inch to about 12.0 pounds per square inch, about 11.0 pounds per square inch to about 13.0 pounds per square inch, about 12.0 pounds per square inch to about 15.0 pounds per square inch, about 14.0 pounds per square inch to about 16.0 pounds per square inch, about 15.0 pounds per square inch to about 17.0 pounds per square inch, about 16.0 pounds per square inch to about 18.0 pounds per square inch, and about 17.0 pounds per square inch to about 19.0 pounds per square inch. 
     
     
         23 . The burner of  claim 22 , wherein said fuel feedstream has a feedstream flow rate of about near zero cubic feet per hour to about several million cubic feet per day. 
     
     
         24 . The burner of  claim 23 , further comprising a fuel rail manifold connected to said plurality of fuel rails, said fuel rail manifold divides said fuel feedstream flow path between said plurality of fuel rails. 
     
     
         25 . The burner of  claim 24 , further comprising a burner housing which supportingly encloses said plurality of fuel rails. 
     
     
         26 . The burner of  claim 25 , further comprising a feedstream combustion device coupled to said burner housing above said plurality of mixers. 
     
     
         27 . The burner of  claim 26 , wherein said first mixer inlet end defines a fuel feedstream intake and a first air intake, and wherein said annular space between said external surface of said first mixer segment and said internal surface of said second mixer segment defines a second air intake. 
     
     
         28 - 54 . (canceled)