Post-combustion lance with internal support

1. An internal support assembly for supporting a body of a post-combustion lance extending between an upstream end in an upper portion and a downstream end in a lower portion, the lance being adapted to direct a gas at least partially therethrough, the lance comprising a primary tip at the downstream end from which a first part of the gas exits and a post-combustion distributor mounted between the upper and lower portions comprising a plurality of ports from which a second part of the gas exits, an upper inner tube positioned inside the body and at least partially upstream from the distributor, and a lower inner tube positioned inside the body and at least partially downstream from the distributor, the internal support assembly comprising:

an internal tube positionable inside the body and at least partially upstream relative to the lower inner tube;

the internal tube being engageable with the lower inner tube;

at least one collar securable to the internal tube and positionable between the upper inner tube and the internal tube, to maintain the internal tube in a predetermined position coaxial with the body such that the internal tube resists deflection of the body;

said at least one collar being securable to an outer wall of the internal tube and attachable to an inner wall of the upper inner tube, to position the internal tube substantially coaxially with the upper and lower inner tubes; and

said at least one collar comprising at least one aperture therein to permit said second part of the gas to flow therethrough.

2. A post-combustion lance for directing a gas at least partially therethrough, the post-combustion lance comprising:

a body extending between an upstream end and a downstream end of the lance, the upstream end being adapted to receive the gas, and the downstream end comprising a primary tip through which a first part of the gas exits the lance;

the body comprising upper and lower portions and a post-combustion distributor mounted therebetween at a predetermined distance from the primary tip, the distributor comprising a plurality of ports through which a second part of the gas exits the lance;

an upper inner tube positioned at least partially upstream from the distributor and attached to the upper portion;

a lower inner tube positioned at least partially downstream from the distributor and attached to the lower portion;

an internal support assembly for supporting the body, the internal support assembly comprising:

an internal tube positioned inside the body and at least partially upstream relative to the lower inner tube;

the internal tube being engaged with the lower inner tube;

a plurality of collars positioned between the upper inner tube and the internal tube, to support the internal tube in a predetermined position coaxial with the body such that the internal tube resists deflection of the body; and

each said collar being secured to an outer wall of the internal tube and at least one of said collars being attached to an inner wall of the upper inner tube, to position the internal tube substantially coaxially with the body.

3. A post-combustion lance for directing a gas at least partially therethrough, the post-combustion lance comprising:

a body extending between an upstream end and a downstream end of the lance, the upstream end being adapted to receive the gas, and the downstream end comprising a primary tip through which a first part of the gas exits the lance;

the body comprising upper and lower portions and a post-combustion distributor mounted therebetween at a predetermined distance from the primary tip, the distributor comprising a plurality of ports through which a second part of the gas exits the lance;

an upper inner tube positioned at least partially upstream from the distributor and attached to the upper portion;

a lower inner tube positioned at least partially downstream from the distributor and attached to the lower portion;

an internal support assembly for supporting the body, the internal support assembly comprising:

an internal tube positioned inside the body and at least partially upstream relative to the lower inner tube;

the internal tube being engaged with the lower inner tube;

a plurality of collars positioned between the upper inner tube and the internal tube, to support the internal tube in a predetermined position coaxial with the body such that the internal tube resists deflection of the body;

the upper inner tube comprising:

an upstream portion proximal to the upstream end, the upstream portion being substantially cylindrical and having outer and inner diameters;

a downstream portion proximal to the distributor, the downstream portion having an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the upstream portion and an inner diameter larger than the inner diameter of the upstream portion;

a connecting portion connecting the upstream and downstream portions;

the internal tube comprising an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the downstream portion such that an annulus is defined between the internal tube and the downstream portion;

the annulus being in fluid communication with said ports; and

said at least one collar comprising at least one aperture therein to permit said second part of the gas to flow therethrough.

4. The post-combustion lance according to claim 3 in which the internal tube additionally comprises an upstream portion engaged with the upstream portion of the upper inner tube, for supporting the body.

5. The post-combustion lance according to claim 4 in which the internal tube additionally comprises at least one aperture positioned at least partially upstream relative to the distributor to permit the second part of the gas to flow to the annulus from the upstream portion of the upper inner tube.

6. The post-combustion lance according to claim 3 in which the internal tube comprises an upstream portion engaged with the upstream portion of the upper inner tube, for resisting deflection of the body of the lance.

7. A post-combustion lance for directing a gas at least partially therethrough, the post-combustion lance comprising:

a body extending between an upstream end and a downstream end of the lance, the upstream end being adapted to receive the gas, and the downstream end comprising a primary tip through which a first part of the gas exits the lance;

the body comprising upper and lower portions and a post-combustion distributor mounted therebetween at a predetermined distance from the primary tip, the distributor comprising a plurality of ports through which a second part of the gas exits the lance;

an upper inner tube positioned at least partially upstream from the distributor and attached to the upper portion, the upper inner tube comprising:

an upstream portion proximal to the upstream end, the upstream portion being substantially cylindrical and having outer and inner diameters;

a downstream portion proximal to the distributor, the downstream portion having an outer diameter substantially larger than the outer diameter of the upstream portion and an inner diameter substantially larger than the inner diameter of the upstream portion;

a connecting portion connecting the upstream and downstream portions;

a lower inner tube positioned at least partially downstream from the distributor and attached to the lower portion;

an internal support assembly for supporting the body, the internal support assembly comprising:

an internal tube positioned inside the body and at least partially upstream relative to the lower inner tube;

the internal tube being engaged with the lower inner tube;

the internal tube comprising an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the downstream portion such that an annulus is defined between the internal tube and the downstream portion;

the annulus being in fluid communication with said ports;

the internal tube comprising an upstream portion engaged with the upstream portion of the upper inner tube, for supporting the body; and

the internal tube comprising at least one aperture positioned at least partially upstream relative to the distributor to permit the second part of the gas to flow to the annulus from the upstream portion of the upper inner tube.

8. A post-combustion lance for directing a gas therethrough, the post-combustion lance comprising:

a body extending between an upstream end and a downstream end of the lance, the upstream end being adapted to receive the gas under pressure, and the downstream end comprising a primary tip through which a first part of the gas exits the lance;

the body comprising upper and lower portions and a post-combustion distributor mounted therebetween at a predetermined distance from the primary tip, the distributor comprising a plurality of ports through which a second part of the gas exits the lance;

an upper inner tube positioned at least partially upstream from the distributor and attached to the upper portion;

an internal support assembly for supporting the body, the internal support assembly comprising:

an internal tube extending between a downstream end thereof positioned proximal to the downstream end of the lance, and an upstream end of the internal tube positioned at least partially upstream relative to the ports of the distributor;

the internal tube comprising an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the downstream portion such that an annulus is defined between the internal tube and the downstream portion;

the annulus being in fluid communication with said ports;

the internal tube comprising an upstream portion engaged with the upstream portion of the upper inner tube, for supporting the body; and

the internal tube comprising at least one aperture positioned at least partially upstream relative to the distributor to permit the second part of the gas to flow to the annulus from the upstream portion of the upper inner tube.

9. An internal support assembly for supporting a body of a post-combustion lance extending between an upstream end in an upper portion and a downstream end in a lower portion, the lance being adapted to direct a gas at least partially therethrough, the lance comprising a primary tip at the downstream end from which a first part of the gas exits and a post-combustion distributor mounted between the upper and lower portions comprising a plurality of ports from which a second part of the gas exits, an upper inner tube positioned inside the body and at least partially upstream from the distributor, and a lower inner tube positioned inside the body and at least partially downstream from the distributor, the internal support assembly comprising:

an internal tube positionable inside the body and at least partially upstream relative to the lower inner tube;

the internal tube being engageable with the lower inner tube;

at least one collar securable to the internal tube and positionable between the upper inner tube and the internal tube, to maintain the internal tube in a predetermined position coaxial with the body such that the internal tube resists deflection of the body; and

said at least one collar comprising at least one aperture therein to permit said second part of the gas to flow therethrough.

10. A post-combustion lance for directing a gas therethrough, the post-combustion lance comprising:

a body extending between an upstream end and a downstream end of the lance, the upstream end being adapted to receive the gas under pressure, and the downstream end comprising a primary tip through which a first part of the gas exits the lance;

the body comprising upper and lower portions and a post-combustion distributor mounted therebetween at a predetermined distance from the primary tip, the distributor comprising a plurality of ports through which a second part of the gas exits the lance;

an upper inner tube positioned at least partially upstream from the distributor and attached to the upper portion;

an internal support assembly for supporting the body, the internal support assembly comprising:

an internal tube extending between a downstream end thereof positioned proximal to the downstream end of the lance, and an upstream end of the internal tube positioned at least partially upstream relative to the ports of the distributor; and

at least one collar secured to the internal tube and positioned between the upper inner tube and the internal tube, to support the internal tube in a predetermined position substantially coaxial with the upper inner tube such that the internal tube resists deflection of the body, in which the at least one collar comprises at least one aperture therein to permit said second part of the gas to flow therethrough.

11. The post-combustion lance according to claim 10 in which the internal tube comprises an upstream portion engaged with an upstream portion of the upper inner tube, for resisting deflection of the body of the lance.