Abstract: Combustion apparatuses (e.g., burners) and methods, such as those configured to encourage mixing of fluid, flame stability, and synthesis of materials (e.g., nano-particles), among other things.

Abstract: A system and techniques for waste oil combustion are provided. The techniques include straining waste oil, separating contaminants from the strained waste oil to produce segregated layers of waste oil, selectively drawing a segregated layer of the waste oil, entraining the drawn waste oil to a burner for combustion, and regulating flow rate to produce a controllable amount of heat output. The system includes a container for straining waste oil, a storage drum for separating contaminants from the strained waste oil via gravity separation to produce segregated waste oil, an oil uptake channel for entraining the waste oil from the storage drum, a fuel regulator for controlling rate of flow of the waste oil from the storage drum to a burner head via the oil uptake channel, and a burner head control for repositioning a burner head under the input stream to produce a controllable amount of heat output.

Abstract: A temperature-controlled fuel valve, especially for a fuel-operated heating burner of a vehicle heating system has at least one valve member (40) that is adjustable as a function of a temperature in the area of a heating burner (30).

Abstract: Apparatus for supplying natural gas fuel to heat the boilers of an ocean-going tanker for the transport of liquefied natural gas (LNG) comprises a compressor having an inlet communicating with the ullage space of at least one LNG storage tank and an outlet communicating with a conduit leading from the compressor to fuel burners associated with the boilers, and a forced LNG vaporiser having an inlet communicating with a liquid storage region of the said tank and an outlet communicating with the same or a different conduit leading to fuel burners associated with the boilers.

Abstract: A gas flare is described which includes a vent stack for combustion air having a first end and a second end. A gaseous fuel cyclone chamber surrounds the vent stack. The cyclone chamber has an interior wall conterminous with the vent stack and an exterior wall spaced from the vent stack. The cyclone chamber has a narrowing defining an access opening adjacent the first end of the vent stack. A gaseous fuel injection ring surrounds the first end of the vent stack with fuel nozzles extending into the access opening of the cyclone chamber. Gaseous fuel is fed into the cyclone chamber for thorough mixing prior to combustion. An igniter is positioned above the first end of the vent stack. Gaseous fuel flowing under pressure from the cyclone chamber creates a venturi effect drawing air up the vent stack to form a mixture of air and gaseous fuel which is ignited by the igniter. A combustion air passage communicates with the second end of the vent stack.

Abstract: From a fuel storage tank (13), a filter (1) is installed to prevent any obstruction, followed by a vacuum gauge (2) and a motor-driven pump (3) to deliver the fuel to the burner (12): immediately prior to said burner, there is a pressure relief valve (11). Said vacuum gauge (2) controls the suction of the motor-driven pump (3) and the level of dirt in the filter (1). A retention valve (4) is installed following said motor-driven pump (3), with a pressure gauge (5) and a pressurestat (6) fitted with two contacts, one for maximum and minimum or service contact, and the other for safety, to prevent fuel spillage in case of a pipe breakage, shutting off the motor-driven pump (3) to which the pressurestat (6) is connected by an electrical control (7). A safety valve opens if pressure is excessive and returns the fuel to the storage tank (13) while an expansion tank (8) keeps continuous pressure in the circuits even though the motor-driven pump (3) is operating intermittently.

Abstract: Provided is an atomizer-equipped combustion apparatus including an atomizing device for atomizing a fuel, a spray chamber for mixing the fuel atomized by the atomizing device with air to form a mixture, and for moving the mixture downwardly toward an opening at a distal end portion of the spray chamber, and a wind box provided so as to surround a lower portion of the spray chamber for forming a combustion space between itself and the spray chamber, the wind box being provided with a plurality of air supply holes facing a lower portion of the spray chamber. A mixture of external air and a fine spray of fuel produced by the atomizer can be ignited instantaneously by means of a comparatively simple structure, odors produced at igition and extinguishment can be greatly suppressed and a high turn-down ratio can be obtained.

Abstract: A spray burn floating combustible material burner apparatus is disclosed herein used to remove a floating layer of combustible material, such as oil, from a body of water. The apparatus includes a support frame attached to a buoyancy system, an air nozzle, an air nozzle adjustment means, drop-catching means, a deflection plate, a stabilization plate, and an ignition source. The air nozzle is attached to the air nozzle adjustment means, which adjusts the vertical position of the air nozzle with respect to the surface of the floating layer, and to an adjustible supply of compressed air which, during operation, vertically lifts and atomized the floating layer into droplets in the apparatus' combustion region. The ignition source located in the combustion region destroys the atomized droplets by combustion. The drop-catching means is positioned above the combustible material and prevents any ignited droplets from falling into the surrounding layer of combustible material.

Abstract: An air control assembly for a fuel burner having a combustion chamber and a nozzle includes a control device which controls the amount of air that flows into the burner and an assembly dependent on fuel pressure which actuates the control device. A fuel inlet path is provided for communicating fuel to the nozzle and a fuel return path is provided for communicating excess fuel away from the nozzle. The assembly dependent on fuel pressure includes a piston and rod device adapted for reciprocation in a piston chamber. A nozzle block is provided in which the piston chamber is defined and the nozzle is supported.

Abstract: An air control assembly for a fuel burner having a combustion chamber and a nozzle includes a control device which controls the amount of air that flows into the burner and an assembly dependent on fuel pressure which actuates the control device. A fuel inlet path is provided for communicating fuel to the nozzle and a fuel return path is provided for communicating excess fuel away from the nozzle. The assembly dependent on fuel pressure includes a piston and rod device adapted for reciprocation in a piston chamber. A nozzle block is provided in which the piston chamber is defined and the nozzle is supported.

Abstract: A fuel supply system for a fuel spray combustor nozzle of a portable heater including a pump connected to the fuel spray combustor nozzle on the high pressure side thereof and alternatively connectable on the low pressure side to an on-board fuel chamber storage means or to an off-board storage supply through an actuable valve and solenoid system connected by fluid piping, valves and fittings extending between the on-board nozzle, pump, and storage chambers and toward off-board supply.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for delivering liquid are disclosed for use in fuel burners or atomizers of the type which comprise a hollow atomizer bulb having a convex exterior surface which tapers toward a small aperture through which high pressure gas if forced to atomize liquid as it flows in a thin film over the bulb. To provide thinner films when lower atomization rates are desired and thicker films when higher atomization rates are desired, a feed tube is positioned above the atomizer bulb with its discharge opening oriented so that the vertical distance from its front edge to the surface of the bulb is from 1.5 to 2.0 times the vertical distance of its rear edge to the surface of the bulb. In another embodiment the discharge opening of the feed tube is elongated and has a major axis oriented transversely to the axis of the spray leaving the aperture.

Abstract: A safety system for eliminating the risk of liquids, rather than gases, being carried to a torch nose-piece or to a vent hole, during burning or dispersion of the gases associated with the production or treatment of hydrocarbons, particularly on off-shore installations. The gas flow line is connected to a storage volume or capacity, such as a torch foot tank. An overflow column is also connected to the gas flow line, and discharges below a liquid level, such as for example the sea, at a distance from the connection to the overflow column.

Abstract: An improved apparatus is disclosed for controlling the flow of liquid fuel through a feed tube onto the convex exterior surface of an atomizer bulb of the Babbington type. Liquid fuel is directed into a deaeration chamber (50) having a suitable baffle for separating entrained air and dissipating dynamic flow effects. The inlet (64) of the feed tube for the atomizer bulb is positioned at the lower end (54) of the deaeration chamber so that as the chamber fills with liquid fuel, any air in the feed tube is quickly flushed. The upper end of the deaeration chamber is closed and provided with an inlet (56, 104) to a conduit (58). An adjustment (62; 72-88; 90-126) is provided to permit variation of the flow through the suction conduit and, hence, variation of the flow over the atomization bulb.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for burning liquid fuel or atomizing liquid are disclosed for use in fuel burners or atomizers of the type which comprise a hollow atomizer bulb (20) having a smooth, preferably convex exterior surface (22) which tapers toward a small aperture (14) through which high pressure air or other gas is forced to atomize liquid as it flows in a thin film over the exterior surface of the bulb. Such atomizer bulbs are located within an atomizing chamber (12) through which a flow of air or other gas is directed toward a discharge opening (16,16') aligned with the aperture (24) of the atomizer bulb. To protect the thin film of liquid flowing over the exterior surface of the bulb, the bulb is enclosed within a shield (54-64) which also permits the atomizer bulb to be located closer to the discharge opening (16,16') so that the flame front (F) is positioned in the flame tube (48) rather than in the discharge opening.

Abstract: An improved apparatus is disclosed for controlling the flow of liquid fuel through a feed tube onto the convex exterior surface of an atomizer bulb of the Babington type. Liquid fuel is directed through an inlet conduit (44, 46) into a deaeration chamber (50) having a suitable baffle for separating entrained air and dissipating dynamic flow effects. The inlet (64) of the feed tube for the atomizer bulb is positioned at the lower end (54) of the deaeration chamber so that as the chamber fills with liquid fuel, any air in the feed tube is quickly flushed. Between the inlet conduit (44,46) and the inlet (64) to the feed tube, a filter plug (71) dampens flow pulsations in the liquid passing into the inlet (64). The upper end of the deaeration chamber is closed and provided with an inlet (56, 104) to a suction conduit (58). An adjustment (62,72-881; 90-126) is provided to permit variation of the flow through the suction conduit and, hence, variation of the flow over the atomization bulb.

Abstract: A portable space heater features a tubular heat shield of generally uniform cross sectional configuration about and in longitudinally offset, concentric, closely spaced relation to a tubular shell defining its combustion chamber to project beyond a nose cone at its outlet end. The projection of the shield beyond the cone is limited to produce, upon a high velocity pressurized flow of air around the inner surface of and the length of the shield, distinctive flow of air within the projected end of the shield and about the nose cone the pattern of which produces an effective heat exchange with the products of combustion at the cone which substantially moderates the cone temperature.

Abstract: An improved fuel burner particularly adapted for domestic use and capable of burning fuels such as fuel oil and the like with extremely high efficiency and low pollutant output is comprised of a pair of identical spray heads, each including a spherical plenum onto which the fuel is flowed for atomization, the spray heads being disposed at the end of a flame tube which in turn is located within a blast tube, said spray heads further being disposed symmetrically with respect to the axis of both the flame tube and the blast tube and angularly disposed relative to each other whereby the spray output from the spray heads creates a turbulence within the flame tube such that the propagation of the flame front within the tube can be readily controlled and whereby the fuel may be readily ignited by a spark type of ignitor which is disposed centrally between the spray heads.

Abstract: Apparatus for incinerating grease-laden aqueous mixtures includes a burner assembly or having a swirl chamber whereinto the liquid is tangentially fed and swirled. From a nozzle connected to the chamber, a minor fraction of the feed mixture is emitted as a rotating, atomized spray for subsequent ignition. A major fraction of the feed is continuously recycled thereby maintaining a high liquid flow rate through the burner assembly. A system is described for conditioning feed mixtures, and particularly sewage water skimmings of the type derived from a primary sewage treatment operation prior to delivering them to the burner assembly; the system includes means for grinding, heating and settling the materials before incinerating them.

Abstract: The present invention refers to an improved system for fuel burning, whose combination of the means which make it up permit a combustion lacking a high percentage of contaminants, a circumstance which is attained as the consequence of a preheating and overheatng process to which the fuel is subjected before it is burned, gaining this through the combination of a system of air rationing, a heating reactor, a burner provided with a double receptive entry and a drainage system for discharge fuel which is combined with a secondary fuel conducting pipe which taking advantage of the heat transmitted by the discharge fuel along the drainage walls, subsequently joins the main pipe through which it communicates with the heating chamber.