IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,638,174
Granted Patent B2
US 12,638,174 · App. 17/954,580 · Granted May 26, 2026

Fuel-air mixing and flame stabilization device for a low emission burner with internal flue gas recirculation

Inventors: Umesh Chandra Bhayaraju (Carmel, IN); Curtis Lynn Taylor (Paradise Valley, AZ); Bradley Dean Patterson (Dunkirk, IN); Ross Halstead (Mooreland, IN)
Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
F23D14/64F23C9/006F23D14/84F23C2202/30F23D2203/101
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,638,174
App. No.
17/954,580
Granted
May 26, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A flame stabilization apparatus with fuel injection upstream of a torpedo, includes a flame stabilization plate that incorporates spokes that stabilize a flame over a range of operations of a burner. The spokes surround a fuel plenum with respect to the burner. A first group of fuel ports can be located in a fuel tube upstream of the torpedo and a second group of fuel ports can be located in the flame stabilization plate. A discharge cone includes a discharge zone for the burner, wherein the flame with respect to the flue gas is stabilized at an end of the burner in the discharge zone.

Claims (28)

1 . A flame stabilization apparatus with fuel injection upstream of a torpedo, comprising:

a flame stabilization plate that includes a plurality of spokes that stabilizes a flame over a range of operations of a burner, wherein the plurality of spokes surrounds a fuel plenum;

a first group of fuel ports located in a fuel tube upstream of the torpedo and a second group of fuel ports located in the flame stabilization plate; and

a discharge cone comprising a discharge zone for the burner, wherein the flame with respect to the flue gas is stabilized at an end of the burner in the discharge zone, wherein the torpedo comprises a diverging conical section that reduces an area of a mixing zone of the burner and allows the flue gas and the air to interact.

2 . The flame stabilization apparatus of claim 1 wherein the burner comprises a refractory block, the refractory block including a plurality of flue gas ports, wherein a flue gas is pulled into the burner from the plurality of flue gas ports.

3 . The flame stabilization apparatus of claim 1 wherein the burner includes a mixing zone, wherein the flue gas mixes with air in the mixing zone.

4 . The flame stabilization apparatus of claim 1 wherein the torpedo comprises a fuel supply pipe that connects to the discharge cone and to a fuel plenum tube, wherein the discharge cone surrounds the fuel supply pipe .

5 . The flame stabilization apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the discharge cone includes the diverging conical section.

6 . The flame stabilization apparatus of claim 1 wherein the torpedo achieves stability with respect to the flame with NOx levels of less than 25 ppm.

7 . The flame stabilization apparatus of claim 1 wherein the torpedo achieves stability with respect to the flame with a turn-down rate of 10:1 or higher.

8 . A method of operating a flame stabilization apparatus with fuel injection upstream of a torpedo, comprising:

injecting fuel into an air stream at an entrance to the torpedo from a fuel tube of a burner; and

stabilizing a flame with a flame stabilization plate that includes a plurality of spokes surrounding a fuel plenum, wherein a first group of fuel ports is located in the fuel tube upstream of the torpedo and a second group of fuel ports is located in the flame stabilization plate, and the flame with respect to the flue gas is stabilized at an end of the burner in a discharge zone of a discharge cone, wherein the torpedo comprises a diverging conical section that reduces an area of a mixing zone of the burner and allows the flue gas and the air to interact.

9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the burner comprises a refractory block, the refractory block including a plurality of flue gas ports, wherein a flue gas is pulled into the burner from the plurality of flue gas ports.

10 . The method of claim 8 wherein the burner includes a mixing zone, wherein the flue gas mixes with air in the mixing zone.

11 . The method of claim 8 wherein the torpedo comprises a fuel supply pipe that connects to the discharge cone and to a fuel plenum tube, wherein the discharge cone surrounds the fuel supply pipe.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the discharge cone includes the diverging conical section.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the torpedo achieves stability with respect to the flame with NOx levels of less than 25 ppm.

14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the torpedo achieves stability with respect to the flame with a turn-down rate of 10:1 or higher.

15 . A flame stabilization apparatus, comprising:

a flame stabilization plate that includes a plurality of spokes that stabilizes a flame over a range of operations of a burner; and

a discharge cone comprising a discharge zone for the burner, wherein a flame with respect to the flue gas is stabilized at an end of the burner in the discharge zone; and

a torpedo that includes a diverging conical section that reduces an area of a mixing zone of the burner and allows the flue gas and the air to interact, the discharge cone including the diverging conical section.

16 . The flame stabilization apparatus of claim 15 wherein the burner comprises a refractory block connected to the flame stabilization plate, the refractory block including a plurality of flue gas ports, wherein a flue gas is pulled into the burner from the plurality of flue gas ports.

17 . The flame stabilization apparatus of claim 15 wherein the burner includes a mixing zone, wherein the flue gas mixes with air in the mixing zone.

18 . The flame stabilization apparatus of claim 15 comprises a fuel supply pipe that connects to the discharge cone and to a fuel plenum tube, wherein the discharge cone surrounds the fuel supply pipe.

19 . The flame stabilization apparatus of claim 18 wherein the torpedo achieves stability with respect to the flame with NOx levels of less than 25 ppm.

20 . The flame stabilization apparatus of claim 18 wherein the torpedo achieves stability with respect to the flame with a turn-down rate of 10:1 or higher.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 28, 2022
From: BHAYARAJU, UMESH CHANDRA; TAYLOR, CURTIS LYNN; PATTERSON, BRADLEY DEAN; HALSTEAD, ROSS
To: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
Reel/Frame 061240/0290 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240102649A1 · Mar 28, 2024
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