Removable light-off port plug for use in burners
An improved burner and a method for combusting fuel used in furnaces such as those found in steam cracking. The burner includes a burner tube having a downstream end and an upstream end, a burner tip adjacent a first opening in the furnace, so that combustion of the fuel takes place at the burner tip, a lighting chamber adjacent to the first opening in the furnace, and a removable lighting chamber plug having a shape effective to substantially fill the lighting chamber when positioned within the lighting chamber.
1. A pre-mix burner having a primary air chamber and a secondary air chamber for the staged combustion of fuel and air, said burner comprising:
(a) a burner tube having a downstream end and an upstream end, said burner tube for mixing air from the primary air chamber with fuel at said upstream end;
(b) a burner tip surrounded by a peripheral burner tile adjacent the downstream end of said burner tube, so that combustion of the fuel takes place downstream of said burner tip;
(c) a lighting chamber, said lighting chamber formed within said peripheral burner tile and adjacent the downstream end of said burner tube;
(d) a removable lighting chamber plug positioned within said lighting chamber to substantially fill and plug-off said lighting chamber and eliminate a zone of high oxygen concentration; and
(e) a plurality of air ports for receiving air from the secondary air chamber to provide staged combustion;
wherein said removable lighting chamber plug reduces NO x emissions during combustion over the burner without said removable lighting chamber plug.
2. The burner according to claim 1 , further comprising a sight and lighting port located in an interior wall of said burner and aligned with said lighting chamber.
3. The burner according to claim 2 , wherein said lighting chamber plug assembly is inserted through said sight and light-off port into said lighting chamber.
4. The burner according to claim 1 , wherein said upstream end of said burner tube receives fuel and air, flue gas or mixtures thereof.
5. The burner according to claim 1 , wherein said lighting chamber is located at a distance from said burner tip and is effective for burner light-off.
6. The burner according to claim 1 , wherein said burner tip is mounted on said downstream end of said burner tube.
7. The burner according to claim 1 , wherein said removable lighting chamber plug includes a face for exposure to the burner tip which is profiled for flush mounting with said burner tile.
8. The burner according to claim 7 , wherein said face is constructed of a ceramic or high temperature refractory material.
9. The burner according to claim 1 , wherein said removable lighting chamber plug is formed from a ceramic fiber blanket material.
10. The burner according to claim 9 , wherein said lighting chamber plug assembly is inserted through a sight and light-off port into said lighting chamber.
11. The burner according to claim 1 , wherein the fuel comprises fuel gas.
12. The burner according to claim 1 , further comprising a fuel spud located adjacent the upstream end of said burner tube, for introducing fuel into said burner tube.
13. The burner according to claim 1 , wherein said burner is a flat-flame burner.