Patents by Inventor Mark C. Hannum
Mark C. Hannum 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).
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Patent number: 10281140Abstract: A steam generator system employing a fired burner with a flue gas recirculation system with low NOx emission is disclosed. A method to retrofit fired burners for low NOx emission is also disclosed. In the system, the flue gas recirculation system is configured to include a pre-mixer, and the recirculated flue gas (RFG) is routed to the stage of the pre-mixer for mixing with a portion of the fuel stream, forming a secondary RFG fuel mixture. The secondary RFG fuel mixture is routed to the secondary stage of the burner via a plurality of injector ports. The injection of the second RFG fuel mixture results in a reduction of temperature for the NOx emission to be less than 5 ppm at 3% O2, dry basis.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2015Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Assignee: CHEVRON U.S.A. INC.Inventors: Thomas F. Robertson, John J. Nowakowski, Mark C. Hannum, Stein J. Storslett
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Patent number: 9909755Abstract: A low NOx combustion method includes steps of injecting reactants into a combustion chamber. A primary reactant stream, including fuel and combustion air premix, is injected from a premix burner port into the combustion chamber. A staged fuel stream is injected into the combustion chamber from a staged fuel injector port adjacent to the premix burner port. A stream of recirculated flue gas is injected into the combustion chamber from a flue gas injector port that is adjacent to the premix burner port and adjacent to the staged fuel injector port. In this manner, the stream of recirculated flue gas is injected into the combustion chamber unmixed with the primary reactant stream and unmixed with the staged fuel stream.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: Fives North American Combustion, Inc.Inventors: Thomas F. Robertson, Bruce E. Cain, John J. Nowakowski, Mark C. Hannum
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Publication number: 20160018102Abstract: A steam generator system employing a fired burner with a flue gas recirculation system with low NOx emission is disclosed. A method to retrofit fired burners for low NOx emission is also disclosed. In the system, the flue gas recirculation system is configured to include a pre-mixer, and the recirculated flue gas (RFG) is routed to the stage of the pre-mixer for mixing with a portion of the fuel stream, forming a secondary RFG fuel mixture. The secondary RFG fuel mixture is routed to the secondary stage of the burner via a plurality of injector ports. The injection of the second RFG fuel mixture results in a reduction of temperature for the NOx emission to be less than 5 ppm at 3% O2, dry basis.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2015Publication date: January 21, 2016Inventors: Thomas F. Robertson, John J. Nowakowski, Mark C. Hannum, Stein J. Storslett
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Publication number: 20140272736Abstract: A low NOx combustion method includes steps of injecting reactants into a combustion chamber. A primary reactant stream, including fuel and combustion air premix, is injected from a premix burner port into the combustion chamber. A staged fuel stream is injected into the combustion chamber from a staged fuel injector port adjacent to the premix burner port. A stream of recirculated flue gas is injected into the combustion chamber from a flue gas injector port that is adjacent to the premix burner port and adjacent to the staged fuel injector port. In this manner, the stream of recirculated flue gas is injected into the combustion chamber unmixed with the primary reactant stream and unmixed with the staged fuel stream.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2013Publication date: September 18, 2014Inventors: Thomas F. Robertson, Bruce E. Cain, John J. Nowakowski, Mark C. Hannum
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Publication number: 20140272737Abstract: A primary reactant stream is injected from a burner port into a combustion chamber along an axis. Staged reactant streams are injected into the combustion chamber adjacent to the primary reactant stream in differing configurations. The differences between the configurations of the staged reactant streams include differences in radial distance from the burner port, axial distance from the burner port, and direction relative to the axis. The reactant streams are shifted between differing modes, with differences between the modes including the presence or absence of a flame at the burner port, differences in fuel flow rates, and differences in combustion air flow rates. A heat release profile developed by combustion of the primary reactant stream, or the length of a flame developed by combustion of the primary reactant stream, can be controlled by shifting between the differing modes with reference to the heat release profile or the length of the flame.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2013Publication date: September 18, 2014Inventors: Thomas F. Robertson, Bruce E. Cain, John J. Nowakowski, Mark C. Hannum
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Publication number: 20130203003Abstract: A method delivers fuel gas to a furnace combustion chamber from a premix burner having a reaction zone with an outlet to the furnace combustion chamber. This includes the steps of injecting a premix of primary fuel gas and combustion air into the reaction zone, and combusting the premix to provide combustion products including vitiated combustion air in the reaction zone. Further steps include injecting staged fuel gas into the reaction zone separately from the premix, discharging the staged fuel gas and vitiated combustion air from the reaction zone through the outlet to the furnace combustion chamber, and combusting the staged fuel gas and vitiated combustion air in the furnace combustion chamber. This enables low NOx combustion in the furnace combustion chamber to be achieved as a result of interacting the staged fuel gas with the vitiated combustion air in the reaction zone.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2012Publication date: August 8, 2013Inventors: Bruce E. Cain, Thomas F. Robertson, Mark C. Hannum, Todd A. Miller, Joseph P. Brown
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Publication number: 20120135360Abstract: An apparatus includes a furnace structure defining a combustion zone, and a tube that discharges fuel-oxidant premix into the combustion zone through an outlet from the tube. A reactant supply system provides the tube with unmixed fuel and oxidant for forming the premix. A flashback control means inhibits or extinguishes flashback in the tube.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2011Publication date: May 31, 2012Applicant: Fives North American Combustion, Inc.Inventors: Mark C. Hannum, John J. Nowakowski, Thomas F. Robertson
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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
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Patent number: 8002541Abstract: A burner has a port facing into a combustion chamber along an axis. A secondary fuel injector structure has secondary fuel injection ports that face into the combustion chamber at locations spaced radially outward from the burner port. A tertiary fuel injector structure has tertiary fuel injection ports that face into the combustion chamber in directions perpendicular to the axis at locations spaced axially downstream from the secondary fuel injection ports.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2010Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: Fives North American Combustion, Inc.Inventors: Thomas B. Neville, John J. Nowakowski, Mark C. Hannum, Thomas F. Robertson
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Publication number: 20110027731Abstract: A burner has a port facing into a combustion chamber along an axis. A secondary fuel injector structure has secondary fuel injection ports that face into the combustion chamber at locations spaced radially outward from the burner port. A tertiary fuel injector structure has tertiary fuel injection ports that face into the combustion chamber in directions perpendicular to the axis at locations spaced axially downstream from the secondary fuel injection ports.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2010Publication date: February 3, 2011Applicant: Fives North American Combustion, Inc.Inventors: Thomas B. Neville, John J. Nowakowski, Mark C. Hannum, Thomas F. Robertson
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Patent number: 7837462Abstract: A burner has a port facing into a combustion chamber along an axis. A secondary fuel injector structure has secondary fuel injection ports that face into the combustion chamber at locations spaced radially outward from the burner port. A tertiary fuel injector structure has tertiary fuel injection ports that face into the combustion chamber in directions perpendicular to the axis at locations spaced axially downstream from the secondary fuel injection ports.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2008Date of Patent: November 23, 2010Assignee: Fives North American Combustion, Inc.Inventors: Thomas B Neville, John J Nowakowski, Mark C Hannum, Thomas F Robertson
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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
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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
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Publication number: 20080220383Abstract: A burner has a port facing into a combustion chamber along an axis. A secondary fuel injector structure has secondary fuel injection ports that face into the combustion chamber at locations spaced radially outward from the burner port. A tertiary fuel injector structure has tertiary fuel injection ports that face into the combustion chamber in directions perpendicular to the axis at locations spaced axially downstream from the secondary fuel injection ports.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2008Publication date: September 11, 2008Applicant: The North American Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Thomas B. Neville, John J. Nowakowski, Mark C. Hannum, Thomas F. Robertson
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Patent number: 7402038Abstract: A burner has a port facing into a combustion chamber along an axis. A secondary fuel injector structure has secondary fuel injection ports that face into the combustion chamber at locations spaced radially outward from the burner port. A tertiary fuel injector structure has tertiary fuel injection ports that face into the combustion chamber in directions perpendicular to the axis at locations spaced axially downstream from the secondary fuel injection ports.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2005Date of Patent: July 22, 2008Assignee: The North American Manufacturing Company, Ltd.Inventors: Thomas B. Neville, John J. Nowakowski, Mark C. Hannum, Thomas F. Robertson
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Publication number: 20080081301Abstract: A furnace has a process chamber and a burner that is operative to fire a flame into the process chamber with the influence of a flame stabilizer. A bypass apparatus is configured to inject an unignited stream of premix into the process chamber without the influence of a flame stabilizer.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2006Publication date: April 3, 2008Inventors: Mark C. Hannum, Thomas F. Robertson, Thomas B. Neville, John J. Nowakowski
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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