Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

Roger Dudill

Philip J Young

Eric Keith Riley

David Millington

Michael F Kingston

A method for oxy-fuel combustion, the method comprising the steps of: introducing a liquid fuel into an emulsion chamber through a liquid fuel conduit having an effective diameter, the emulsion chamber having a length that is 2 times or less than 2 times of said effective diameter of said liquid fuel conduit; introducing an atomizing gas into the emulsion chamber through at least one atomizing gas conduit; mixing the liquid fuel and the atomizing gas in said emulsion chamber to create an emulsion mixture that has a mean residence time in said emulsion chamber of from 500 to 800 &#x3bc;s, the emulsion mixture having an emulsion mixture velocity less than or equal to 12 m/s; and discharging said emulsion mixture through a generally rectangular-shaped orifice into an oxygen-enriched oxidizer stream. A nozzle and burner for oxy-fuel combustion are also disclosed.

Emulsion atomizer nozzle, and burner, and method for oxy-fuel burner applications

Molten metal in an electric arc furnace is stirred by introducing a gas into the melt through tuyeres mounted in the hearth. Each tuyere has an inlet portion having a passage of relatively large diameter and an outlet portion having a passage of relatively small diameter. The tuyere is mounted in the bottom of the electric arc furnace with the inlet portion extending through the furnace shell and part of the refractory brickwork. With this design of tuyere gas at conveniently available pressure (16 bar A) can be fed to the tuyere and leaves the outlet portion at least at sonic velocity thus forming a relatively stable jet which inhibits molten metal entering the tuyere. The outlet portion may have a first portion with a slightly larger internal diameter than a second portion downstream of the first portion. When the second portion is fully eroded the flow of gas increases and triggers an alarm. However, the internal diameter of the first portion is still at least sonic to inhibit the ingress of molten metal into the tuyere.

Tuyere for installation in hearth of electric arc furnace

Oxygen is introduced through oxygen supply line (5) into an annular gallery (6) which it leaves at high velocity through annular channel (7). The outlet of the annular channel (7) is shaped so that, by virtue of the Coanda effect, the oxygen travels towards the downstream end of the burner (1) substantially parallel to the wall of the tubular body (2). Combustion gas from combustion chamber (13) is induced between support bars (4) into the tubular body (2) by the flow of oxygen and mixes with the oxygen and subsequently with natural gas introduced through fuel supply line (8). The mixture burns at the outlet (9) of the fuel supply line (8). The maximum temperature reached by the gas leaving the burner (1) is substantially lower than that which would be obtained by a conventional oxy-fuel flame. The burner may be used in radiant tubes.

Growing community of inventors

West Midlands, United Kingdom

Roger Dudill