Patents by Inventor John N. Newby
John N. Newby has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 10145557Abstract: A method supplies reactants, including fuel gas, to burners that discharge the reactants into a furnace process chamber. In a stable flame mode of operation, stable flames are projected from the burners into the furnace process chamber. At a time when the furnace process chamber has a temperature at or above an autoignition temperature of the fuel gas, a diffuse combustion mode is initiated by supplying a selected burner with additional reactants, including reactants diverted from another burner, to blow off the stable flame at the selected burner.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2016Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: Fives North American Combustion, Inc.Inventors: John N. Newby, Thomas F. Robertson, Bruce E. Cain
-
Patent number: 9476589Abstract: A method supplies reactants, including fuel gas, to burners that discharge the reactants into a furnace process chamber. In a stable flame mode of operation, stable flames are projected from the burners into the furnace process chamber. At a time when the furnace process chamber has a temperature at or above an autoignition temperature of the fuel gas, a diffuse combustion mode is initiated by supplying a selected burner with additional reactants, including reactants diverted from another burner, to blow off the stable flame at the selected burner.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2013Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: Fives North American Combustion, Inc.Inventor: John N. Newby
-
Publication number: 20160305661Abstract: A method supplies reactants, including fuel gas, to burners that discharge the reactants into a furnace process chamber. In a stable flame mode of operation, stable flames are projected from the burners into the furnace process chamber. At a time when the furnace process chamber has a temperature at or above an autoignition temperature of the fuel gas, a diffuse combustion mode is initiated by supplying a selected burner with additional reactants, including reactants diverted from another burner, to blow off the stable flame at the selected burner.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2016Publication date: October 20, 2016Applicant: Fives North American Combustion, Inc.Inventors: John N. Newby, Thomas F. Robertson, Bruce E. Cain
-
Patent number: 8961169Abstract: A method includes the steps of operating a regenerative burner in cycles, including a firing cycle in which fuel and combustion air are discharged from the burner into a process chamber, and a nonfiring cycle in which a quantity of gas is withdrawn from the process chamber through a regenerative bed associated with the burner. The method further includes steps of detecting and responding to a temperature that differs from a predetermined temperature at a location in the process chamber. In a first step of responding to the detected temperature, a flue damper system is operated to vary a flow of gas within the process chamber relative to the location of the detected temperature. A second step of responding to the detected temperature reduces the quantity of gas to be withdrawn from the process chamber through the regenerative bed in a subsequent nonfiring cycle.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2012Date of Patent: February 24, 2015Assignee: Fives North American Combustion, Inc.Inventors: John N. Newby, Thomas F. Robertson, Justin R. Dzik, William E. Tracey
-
Publication number: 20140272735Abstract: A method supplies reactants, including fuel gas, to burners that discharge the reactants into a furnace process chamber. In a stable flame mode of operation, stable flames are projected from the burners into the furnace process chamber. At a time when the furnace process chamber has a temperature at or above an autoignition temperature of the fuel gas, a diffuse combustion mode is initiated by supplying a selected burner with additional reactants, including reactants diverted from another burner, to blow off the stable flame at the selected burner.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2013Publication date: September 18, 2014Inventor: John N. Newby
-
Publication number: 20130196277Abstract: A flow of air is provided from a hot air main into a combustion chamber at a time when a burner is firing into the combustion chamber to heat a bed of regenerative media. The flow of air into the combustion chamber helps to keep products of combustion from flowing into the hot air main. In preferred embodiments, sensors sense pressure in the combustion chamber and the hot air main. A controller shifts a valve back and forth within a range of open conditions to regulate the flow of air in response to the sensed pressures.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2012Publication date: August 1, 2013Inventors: John N. Newby, Todd A. Miller, Thomas F. Robertson, Bruce E. Cain
-
Publication number: 20120251960Abstract: A method includes the steps of operating a regenerative burner in cycles, including a firing cycle in which fuel and combustion air are discharged from the burner into a process chamber, and a nonfiring cycle in which a quantity of gas is withdrawn from the process chamber through a regenerative bed associated with the burner. The method further includes steps of detecting and responding to a temperature that differs from a predetermined temperature at a location in the process chamber. In a first step of responding to the detected temperature, a flue damper system is operated to vary a flow of gas within the process chamber relative to the location of the detected temperature. A second step of responding to the detected temperature reduces the quantity of gas to be withdrawn from the process chamber through the regenerative bed in a subsequent nonfiring cycle.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2012Publication date: October 4, 2012Applicant: FIVES NORTH AMERICAN COMBUSTION, INC.Inventors: John N. Newby, Thomas F. Robertson, Justin R. Dzik, William E. Tracey
-
Patent number: 8083517Abstract: A method of firing a burner into a furnace process chamber supplies the burner with fuel and combustion air at a ratio that provides a level of excess air. The method includes the steps of reducing the flow rate of combustion air, and maintaining the level of excess air when the flow rate of combustion air is being reduced. Other steps include withdrawing exhaust gas from the process chamber, and supplying the burner with the exhaust gas at an increasing flow rate when the flow rate of combustion air is being reduced.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2008Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: Fives North American Combustion, Inc.Inventors: John N. Newby, Thomas F. Robertson, John J. Nowakowski
-
Patent number: 8033254Abstract: A submerged combustion vaporizer may include a premix burner with multiple integral mixers for forming premix and discharging the premix into the duct system that communicates the burner with the sparger tubes. The SCV may further include a NOx suppression system that injects a staged fuel stream into the exhaust in the duct system, and/or a NOx suppression system that mixes water with the premix.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2008Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Fives North American Combustion, Inc.Inventors: Mark C. Hannum, Thomas F. Robertson, John N. Newby, John J. Nowakowski
-
Patent number: 7832365Abstract: A submerged combustion vaporizer may include a premix burner with multiple integral mixers for forming premix and discharging the premix into the duct system that communicates the burner with the sparger tubes. The SCV may further include a NOx suppression system that injects a staged fuel stream into the exhaust in the duct system, and/or a NOx suppression system that mixes water with the premix.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2006Date of Patent: November 16, 2010Assignee: Fives North American Combustion, Inc.Inventors: Mark C. Hannum, Thomas F. Robertson, John N. Newby, John J. Nowakowski
-
Patent number: 7666345Abstract: An apparatus for melting a metal load includes a furnace having a melting chamber with a hearth and a molten metal outlet. The apparatus further includes non-regenerative burners that are operative to fire into the melting chamber, and regenerative burners that also are operative to fire into the melting chamber. The method includes the steps of firing non-regenerative burners into the chamber to provide heat for melting the load, and also firing regenerative burners into the chamber to provide heat for melting the load.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2008Date of Patent: February 23, 2010Assignee: Fives North American Combustion, Inc.Inventors: Thomas F. Robertson, John N. Newby
-
Publication number: 20090246719Abstract: A method of firing a burner into a furnace process chamber supplies the burner with fuel and combustion air at a ratio that provides a level of excess air. The method includes the steps of reducing the flow rate of combustion air, and maintaining the level of excess air when the flow rate of combustion air is being reduced. Other steps include withdrawing exhaust gas from the process chamber, and supplying the burner with the exhaust gas at an increasing flow rate when the flow rate of combustion air is being reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2008Publication date: October 1, 2009Inventors: John N. Newby, Thomas F. Robertson, John J. Nowakowski
-
Patent number: 7578962Abstract: An apparatus for melting a metal load includes a furnace having a melting chamber with a hearth and a molten metal outlet. The apparatus further includes non-regenerative burners that are operative to fire into the melting chamber, and regenerative burners that also are operative to fire into the melting chamber. The method includes the steps of firing non-regenerative burners into the chamber to provide heat for melting the load, and also firing regenerative burners into the chamber to provide heat for melting the load.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2008Date of Patent: August 25, 2009Assignee: Fives North American Combustion, Inc.Inventors: Thomas F. Robertson, John N. Newby
-
Publication number: 20090020051Abstract: An apparatus for melting a metal load includes a furnace having a melting chamber with a hearth and a molten metal outlet. The apparatus further includes non-regenerative burners that are operative to fire into the melting chamber, and regenerative burners that also are operative to fire into the melting chamber. The method includes the steps of firing non-regenerative burners into the chamber to provide heat for melting the load, and also firing regenerative burners into the chamber to provide heat for melting the load.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2008Publication date: January 22, 2009Inventors: Thomas F. Robertson, John N. Newby
-
Patent number: 7473297Abstract: A vertical shaft melting furnace is operated in a method that includes firing a plurality of burners to generate combustion products, and directing jets of the combustion products into the shaft in a bottom region of the shaft. The method further includes directing a jet of hot gas into the shaft in an upper region of the shaft in a non-radial direction, whereby the jet of hot gas can induce a swirl to disperse a concentrated channel of combustion products rising from the bottom region to the upper region through a void in unmelted portions of a load of metal pieces in the shaft. The jet of hot gas directed into the upper region of the shaft can include recirculated flue gas, a mixture of air and recirculated flue gas, or combustion products that are generated by a burner. If the jet of hot gas includes combustion products that are generated by a burner, the burner is a secondary burner that preferably is fired into the shaft with a relatively low heat input.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2007Date of Patent: January 6, 2009Assignee: Fives North American Combustion, Inc.Inventors: John R. Hugens, Jr., Thomas F. Robertson, John N. Newby
-
Patent number: 7452400Abstract: An apparatus for melting a metal load includes a furnace having a melting chamber with a hearth and a molten metal outlet. The apparatus further includes non-regenerative burners that are operative to fire into the melting chamber, and regenerative burners that also are operative to fire into the melting chamber. The method includes the steps of firing non-regenerative burners into the chamber to provide heat for melting the load, and also firing regenerative burners into the chamber to provide heat for melting the load.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2005Date of Patent: November 18, 2008Assignee: The North American Manufacturing Company, Ltd.Inventors: Thomas F. Robertson, John N. Newby
-
Publication number: 20080251036Abstract: A submerged combustion vaporizer may include a premix burner with multiple integral mixers for forming premix and discharging the premix into the duct system that communicates the burner with the sparger tubes. The SCV may further include a NOx suppression system that injects a staged fuel stream into the exhaust in the duct system, and/or a NOx suppression system that mixes water with the premix.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2008Publication date: October 16, 2008Inventors: Mark C. Hannum, Thomas F. Robertson, John N. Newby, John J. Nowakowski
-
Publication number: 20080191396Abstract: An apparatus for melting a metal load includes a furnace having a melting chamber with a hearth and a molten metal outlet. The apparatus further includes non-regenerative burners that are operative to fire into the melting chamber, and regenerative burners that also are operative to fire into the melting chamber. The method includes the steps of firing non-regenerative burners into the chamber to provide heat for melting the load, and also firing regenerative burners into the chamber to provide heat for melting the load.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2008Publication date: August 14, 2008Inventors: Thomas F. Robertson, John N. Newby
-
Patent number: 7282172Abstract: A vertical shaft melting furnace is operated in a method that includes firing a plurality of burners to generate combustion products, and directing jets of the combustion products into the shaft in a bottom region of the shaft. The method further includes directing a jet of hot gas into the shaft in an upper region of the shaft in a non-radial direction, whereby the jet of hot gas can induce a swirl to disperse a concentrated channel of combustion products rising from the bottom region to the upper region through a void in unmelted portions of a load of metal pieces in the shaft. The jet of hot gas directed into the upper region of the shaft can include recirculated flue gas, a mixture of air and recirculated flue gas, or combustion products that are generated by a burner. If the jet of hot gas includes combustion products that are generated by a burner, the burner is a secondary burner that preferably is fired into the shaft with a relatively low heat input.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2004Date of Patent: October 16, 2007Assignee: North American Manufacturing CompanyInventors: John R. Hugens, Jr., Thomas F. Robertson, John N. Newby
-
Patent number: 6929469Abstract: An apparatus includes a furnace structure defining a reaction zone. A burner structure communicates with the reaction zone through a burner port. The burner port is centered on a burner axis and has a radius. A fuel inlet structure communicates with the reaction zone through a fuel port. The fuel port is centered on a fuel port axis that is spaced radially from the burner axis a distance within a range from about twice the radius to about six times the radius. The fuel port axis is skewed relative to the burner axis to direct the fuel emerging from the fuel port to flow into the reaction zone along a spiral flow path.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2003Date of Patent: August 16, 2005Assignee: North American Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Bruce E. Cain, Thomas F. Robertston, Thomas B. Neville, Mark C. Hannum, John N. Newby