Patents by Inventor Thomas F. Robertson
Thomas F. Robertson 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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Publication number: 20100244337Abstract: Techniques for suppressing NOx in an indurating furnace include the use of a premix burner, the use of a staged fuel injector structure to enhance fuel lean conditions in the downdraft, and the use of a Venturi mixture structure in the downcomer.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2009Publication date: September 30, 2010Inventors: Bruce E. Cain, Thomas F. Robertson, John J. Nowakowski
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Publication number: 20100244336Abstract: An indurating furnace has a heating station and an air passage leading to the heating station. A draft of preheated recirculation air is driven through the passage toward the heating station, and is mixed with fuel gas to form a combustible mixture of preheated recirculation air and fuel gas that ignites in the passage. This is accomplished by injecting the fuel gas into the passage in a stream that does not form a combustible mixture with the preheated recirculation air before entering the passage.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2010Publication date: September 30, 2010Inventors: Bruce E. Cain, Thomas F. Robertson, John J. Nowakowski
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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
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Patent number: 7637739Abstract: Hot products of combustion are provided beside an outer surface of a load to be heated, and are given a non-uniform temperature profile in a control direction extending across the outer surface of the load. The non-uniform temperature profile of the hot products of combustion is varied within a range that is predetermined relative to the distance that the outer surface of the load extends in the control direction, whereby the load can be given a predetermined temperature profile in the control direction.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2005Date of Patent: December 29, 2009Assignee: Fives North American Combustion, Inc.Inventors: John J. Nowakowski, Julius J. Lukacs, Todd A. Miller, Thomas F. Robertson
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Publication number: 20090311640Abstract: Hot products of combustion are provided beside an outer surface of a load to be heated, and are given a non-uniform temperature profile in a control direction extending across the outer surface of the load. The non-uniform temperature profile of the hot products of combustion is varied within a range that is predetermined relative to the distance that the outer surface of the load extends in the control direction, whereby the load can be given a predetermined temperature profile in the control direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2009Publication date: December 17, 2009Inventors: John J. Nowakowski, J.J. Lukacs, Todd A. Miller, Thomas F. Robertson
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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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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
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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: 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
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Patent number: 7264466Abstract: A method and apparatus provide combustion in a radiant tube in first, second and third stages, with flue gas recirculation that begins at the second stage.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2004Date of Patent: September 4, 2007Assignee: North American Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Todd A. Miller, Dennis E. Quinn, Thomas F. Robertson
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Patent number: 6672862Abstract: An apparatus is provided including a furnace structure defining a reaction chamber in which oxidant and fuel are reacted to form combustion products and having an anchor surface having an opening through which the oxidant and fuel are introduced into the reaction chamber. The reaction chamber is configured to recirculate the combustion products back toward the anchor surface. The apparatus also includes an anchor outlet configured to create a layer of combustion products directed along the anchor surface under the influence of the recirculated combustion products. The apparatus further includes a primary outlet configured to direct primary fuel to flow into the reaction chamber through the opening and the layer of combustion products so as to ignite the primary fuel.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2001Date of Patent: January 6, 2004Assignee: North American Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Thomas B. Neville, Thomas F. Robertson, Brian J. Schmotzer
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Patent number: 6638061Abstract: Primary fuel and preheated oxidant are injected into a combustion zone to produce a flame with a predetermined adiabatic flame temperature. The preheated oxidant is injected at a target rate of oxidant injection. The primary fuel is injected at a first reduced rate which is less than a corresponding target rate of fuel injection. Secondary fuel is simultaneously injected into the combustion zone separately from the flame at a second reduced rate which is equal to the difference between the first reduced rate and the target rate of fuel injection. In this manner, combustion of the fuel with the preheated oxidant provides the amount of heat expected from the target rates of injection, while maintaining an adiabatic flame temperature that is lower than it might otherwise be if the target rate of fuel injection were provided entirely at the flame. The lower adiabatic flame temperature provides a correspondingly lower rate of NOx production.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2002Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: North American Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Bruce E. Cain, Thomas F. Robertson, John N. Newby
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Patent number: 6431859Abstract: An apparatus including a housing defining a heating process chamber. The housing has an opening communicating the process chamber to the ambient atmosphere. A burner is included that fires into a combustion chamber to heat gas. Also included is a collector structure located outside the opening. The collector structure is configured to collect air and exfiltrated gas from an outside area adjacent to the opening. The apparatus also includes a duct structure communicating the collector structure with the burner so as to supply the collected air and exfiltrated gas to the burner and thereby to supply combustion oxidant to the burner.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2001Date of Patent: August 13, 2002Assignee: North American Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Thomas B. Neville, Bruce E. Cain, Brian J. Schmotzer, Thomas F. Robertson