Patents by Inventor Tomas Ekman

Tomas Ekman 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).

  • Publication number: 20130255341
    Abstract: A method for heating a metal slab being transported in a longitudinal direction (L) and having a cross-direction (T) through an industrial furnace in which the metal slab is heated and transported on a rail device from the industrial furnace for subsequent processing, includes impinging a flame from at least one direct flame impingement (DFI) burner to contact a first portion of a first surface of the metal slab in at least one location corresponding to a second position on an under side surface of the metal slab which during transporting of the metal slab through the industrial furnace constitutes a contact point between the under side surface of the metal slab and the rail device, and counteracting a temperature gradient in the metal slab arising from local cooling of the metal slab upon contact with the rail device by heating the first portion with the DFI burner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Inventors: Tomas EKMAN, Rudiger EICHLER
  • Patent number: 8382468
    Abstract: Method for combusting a solid phase fuel, where the fuel is caused, by the help of a non-pneumatic feeding element (11), to be fed to an inlet opening (11a) in a burner device (10) having a first inlet (13a) for the oxidant through which an oxidant is caused to flow via a first supply conduit (13). The first inlet (13a) for oxidant is caused to be arranged in the form of an opening surrounding the inlet opening (11a), in that the oxidant is caused to flow out through the opening (13a) with a velocity of at least 100 m/s, through a burner pipe (16) and out through a burner orifice (17) to a combustion space (18), so that the oxidant by ejector action causes the fuel to be conveyed through the burner pipe (16) and out through the burner orifice (17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: AGA AB
    Inventor: Tomas Ekman
  • Publication number: 20120322017
    Abstract: A method for heating a blast furnace stove includes combusting a fuel with a lower heating value (LHV) of 9 MJ/Nm3 or less in a combustion zone which is arranged in a combustion chamber in the stove, and causing the combustion gases to flow through and thereby heat refractory material in the stove. The fuel is combusted with an oxidant including at least 85% oxygen, and combustion gases are recirculated into the combustion zone for diluting the mixture of fuel and oxidant therein sufficiently for the combustion to be flameless.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2010
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: Andrew Cameron, Tomas Ekman, Mats Gartz
  • Publication number: 20120082946
    Abstract: A method for combustion in an industrial furnace having fuel and a first oxidizer to heat a material includes arranging at least one lance in a sidewall of the furnace; supplying a second oxidizer with an oxygen content of at least 85 percent by weight in the form of a jet traveling at at least sonic velocity to the interior of the furnace through the at least one lance; running the jet of the second oxidizer in the horizontal plane above the material between and essentially in parallel with two consecutive rows of the roof burners; balancing an amount of the second oxidizer supplied per time unit so that the oxygen content supplied via the second oxidizer constitutes at least 50 percent by weight of the total supplied oxygen per time unit in the furnace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Inventors: Anders LUGNET, Tomas Ekman
  • Patent number: 8075303
    Abstract: Method for homogenizing the heat distribution as well as decreasing the amount of NOx in combustion products when operating an industrial furnace with at least one conventional burner using air as an oxidant. An additional oxidant including at least 50% oxygen gas is caused to stream into the furnace through a lance. The total amount of oxygen supplied is balanced against the amount of fuel being supplied through the air burner. Firstly, the combination of at least 40% of the supplied oxygen is supplied through the additional oxidant, the lance is arranged at a distance from the air burner of at least 0.3 meters, and the additional oxidant streams into the furnace through the lance with at least sonic velocity, and secondly the additional oxidant is supplied only when the air burner is operated at a certain lowest power or at a higher power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: AGA AB
    Inventors: Tomas Ekman, Ola Ritzén, Anders Lugnet, Mats Gartz
  • Patent number: 8057222
    Abstract: A direct flame impingement burner including a metal block with a fuel inlet and an oxidant inlet and at least two outlet nozzles having a set of identical nozzle outlet openings. The oxidant inlet is connected with an oxidant chamber within the block that is connected with at least one oxidant outlet opening in the set of nozzle outlet openings by passageways of identical length and cross-sectional area. The fuel inlet is connected with a fuel chamber within the block that is connected with at least one fuel outlet opening in the set of nozzle outlet openings by passageways of identical length and cross-sectional area. The fuel gas pressure is equal over all corresponding fuel outlet openings in the set of openings in each nozzle, and the oxidant gas pressure is equal over all corresponding oxidant outlet openings in the set of openings in each nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: AGA AB
    Inventors: Lennart Rangmark, Tomas Ekman
  • Patent number: 8057221
    Abstract: A method and a burner for combustion in a heating furnace of a fuel with an oxidant in the form of oxygen gas, wherein fuel and oxidant are supplied to a burner head. Fuel and oxidant, respectively, are injected via the burner head through at least two pairs of nozzles, wherein one nozzle pair is defined by a separate fuel nozzle and a separate oxidant nozzle. The nozzles of the nozzle pairs are uniformly distributed over the furnace-interior-facing surface of the burner and within the circumference of the burner head. An oxidant nozzle is provided on each side of a fuel nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: AGA AB
    Inventors: Lennart Rangmark, Tomas Ekman
  • Publication number: 20110195366
    Abstract: Method for combustion of a fuel uses an existing air burner (1), including a first supply opening (5) for fuel and a second supply opening (7) for air, which supply openings (5, 7) open out into a combustion zone (3). The method is characterised in that a gaseous fuel with an LHV (Lower Heating Value) of less than 7.5 MJ/Nm3 is supplied through the second supply opening (7), in that an oxidant including at least 85 percent by weight oxygen is also supplied to the combustion zone (3) through a supply device for oxidant, and in that the gaseous fuel is caused to be combusted with the oxidant in the combustion zone (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: LINDE AG
    Inventors: Tomas EKMAN, Anders LUGNET, Ola RITZÉN
  • Publication number: 20110091823
    Abstract: Method and device for combusting a solid phase fuel, where the fuel is caused, by the help of a non-pneumatic feeding element (11), to be fed to an inlet opening (11a) in a burner device (10), where the burner device (10) includes a first inlet (13a) for the oxidant through which an oxidant is caused to flow via a first supply conduit (13). The first inlet (13a) for oxidant is arranged in the form of a first opening arranged by the inlet opening, through which the oxidant is caused to flow out, through a burner pipe (16) and out through a burner orifice (17) to a combustion space (18), so that the oxidant by ejector action causes the fuel to be conveyed through the burner pipe and out through the burner orifice (17), and water vapour is added to the oxidant before the oxidant reacts with the fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Tomas Ekman, Anders Lugnet
  • Publication number: 20100239989
    Abstract: Method for homogenizing the heat distribution as well as decreasing the amount of NOx in combustion products when operating an industrial furnace with at least one conventional burner using air as an oxidant. An additional oxidant including at least 50% oxygen gas is caused to stream into the furnace through a lance. The total amount of oxygen supplied is balanced against the amount of fuel being supplied through the air burner. Firstly, the combination of at least 40% of the supplied oxygen is supplied through the additional oxidant, the lance is arranged at a distance from the air burner of at least 0.3 meters, and the additional oxidant streams into the furnace through the lance with at least sonic velocity, and secondly the additional oxidant is supplied only when the air burner is operated at a certain lowest power or at a higher power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: AGA AB
    Inventors: Tomas EKMAN, Ola RITZÉN, Anders LUGNET, Mats GARTZ
  • Patent number: 7763117
    Abstract: A method for the manufacture of extended steel products. The steel product is initially contaminated by oils and by at least one of organic and inorganic particles that are suspended or dissolved in the oils. Following the shaping of the steel product by working but before the subsequent treatment of the steel product, burners emit exhaust gases that interact directly with the surface of the steel product. The burners are driven by an oxidant that contains at least 80% oxygen by weight, whereby oils that are present on the product are vaporized and combusted. The exhaust gases interact with the surface of the steel product with a speed that is sufficiently high to blow away organic and/or inorganic particles from the surface of the steel product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: AGA AB
    Inventors: Ola Ritzén, Tomas Ekman, Lennart Rangmark
  • Patent number: 7625455
    Abstract: A method of heat treating stainless steel in the form of blanks, piping, tubing, strip, or wire-like material, after rolling the material, and in a heat treatment furnace at a temperature higher than about 900° C. The material is subjected to a preheating stage and a final heating stage, wherein in the preheating stage flames from burners are directed toward the surface of the material to impinge on the surface. Burners situated in the preheating stage are supplied with a fuel that burns with the aid of an oxidizing gas that contains gaseous oxygen. The material is held in the preheating stage long enough to obtain at least some degree of oxidation on the surface of the material, and the material is heated further in a following, final heating stage by burners situated in a furnace and that are supplied with a fuel and an oxidizing gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Linde AG
    Inventors: Carl-Lennart Axelsson, Tomas Ekman, Ola Ritzén
  • Publication number: 20090263752
    Abstract: Method for combusting a solid phase fuel, where the fuel is caused, by the help of a non-pneumatic feeding element (11), to be fed to an inlet opening (11a) in a burner device (10) having a first inlet (13a) for the oxidant through which an oxidant is caused to flow via a first supply conduit (13). The first inlet (13a) for oxidant is caused to be arranged in the form of an opening surrounding the inlet opening (11a), in that the oxidant is caused to flow out through the opening (13a) with a velocity of at least 100 m/s, through a burner pipe (16) and out through a burner orifice (17) to a combustion space (18), so that the oxidant by ejector action causes the fuel to be conveyed through the burner pipe (16) and out through the burner orifice (17).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Applicant: AGA AB
    Inventor: Tomas EKMAN
  • Patent number: 7594811
    Abstract: A method and apparatus relating to the combustion of a fuel with an oxidant in a heating furnace, wherein the fuel and the oxidant are delivered to a burner head. In a first method step fuel and oxidant are emitted from the burner head in close proximity to each other, so that combustion essentially takes place close to and at a small distance outward of the burner head, and until a temperature is reached in the furnace space that exceeds the spontaneous combustion temperature of the fuel. In a second method step the fuel and the oxidant are instead emitted from the burner head at a mutual distance apart, so that combustion takes place at a distance from the burner head corresponding to at least the diameter of the burner head and outward of the burner head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: AGA AB
    Inventors: Anders Lugnet, Tomas Ekman
  • Publication number: 20090174125
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for heating extended steel products, such as pipes, tape, or wire products or rods following working such as rolling or extrusion, to a heat treatment temperature, normally to approximately 50 to 900 degrees Celsius. The heating takes place as a result of the product being fed through a burner that has a central through channel into which the product is fed. Fuel and oxidant are supplied through channels that are outside of the central channel and are supplied at such a rate that the combustion of the fuel takes place in front of an outlet opening of the burner head of the burner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2005
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: AGA AB
    Inventors: Tomas Ekman, Mats Gartz
  • Publication number: 20090148799
    Abstract: Burner device (2) for an industrial furnace (1) comprising a channel (3) for fuel, a channel (4) for a first oxidant, an outlet (9) for flue gases, a control device (10) and a heat buffer (7), where the first oxidant and the flue gases alternatingly are led through the heat buffer (7). The invention is characterised in that a separate lancing device (6) is arranged to supply a second oxidant to the burner device (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: AGA AB
    Inventors: Tomas EKMAN, Anders LUGNET
  • Publication number: 20080253430
    Abstract: Method for measuring the local temperature in an industrial furnace (1) equipped with a burner (3), where at least two temperature sensors (21, 22) are arranged at different locations in the furnace (1). A virtual temperature measuring point is created by the association of each temperature sensor (21, 22) with a certain weight factor, in that the measurement values from each temperature sensor (21, 22) are weighted together using these weight factors in order to thus achieve a virtual measurement value, in that the weight factors at every given point in time are individually controlled based upon the momentarily emitted power of the burner (3), and in that the virtual measurement value in turn constitutes control parameter for the control of the emitted power of the burner (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Applicant: AGA AB
    Inventors: Tomas EKMAN, Ola RITZEN
  • Publication number: 20070298356
    Abstract: A method and a burner for combustion in a heating furnace of a fuel with an oxidant in the form of oxygen gas, wherein fuel and oxidant are supplied to a burner head. Fuel and oxidant, respectively, are injected via the burner head through at least two pairs of nozzles, wherein one nozzle pair is defined by a separate fuel nozzle and a separate oxidant nozzle. The nozzles of the nozzle pairs are uniformly distributed over the furnace-interior-facing surface of the burner and within the circumference of the burner head. An oxidant nozzle is provided on each side of a fuel nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Applicant: AGA AB
    Inventors: Lennart Rangmark, Tomas Ekman
  • Publication number: 20070248923
    Abstract: A direct flame impingement burner including a metal block with a fuel inlet and an oxidant inlet and at least two outlet nozzles having a set of identical nozzle outlet openings. The oxidant inlet is connected with an oxidant chamber within the block that is connected with at least one oxidant outlet opening in the set of nozzle outlet openings by passageways of identical length and cross-sectional area. The fuel inlet is connected with a fuel chamber within the block that is connected with at least one fuel outlet opening in the set of nozzle outlet openings by passageways of identical length and cross-sectional area. The fuel gas pressure is equal over all corresponding fuel outlet openings in the set of openings in each nozzle, and the oxidant gas pressure is equal over all corresponding oxidant outlet openings in the set of openings in each nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2006
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Applicant: AGA AB
    Inventors: Lennart Rangmark, Tomas Ekman
  • Publication number: 20070181233
    Abstract: A method for the manufacture of extended steel products. The steel product is initially contaminated by oils and by at least one of organic and inorganic particles that are suspended or dissolved in the oils. Following the shaping of the steel product by working but before the subsequent treatment of the steel product, burners emit exhaust gases that interact directly with the surface of the steel product. The burners are driven by an oxidant that contains at least 80% oxygen by weight, whereby oils that are present on the product are vaporized and combusted. The exhaust gases interact with the surface of the steel product with a speed that is sufficiently high to blow away organic and/or inorganic particles from the surface of the steel product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Applicant: AGA AB
    Inventors: Ola Ritzen, Tomas Ekman, Lennart Rangmark