Mechanical swirler for a low-NO.sub.x, weak-swirl burner

Patent · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999

OSTI ID:872178

Cheng, Robert K ^[1]; Yegian, Derek T ^[2]

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1. Kensington, CA
2. Berkeley, CA

Disclosed is a mechanical swirler for generating diverging flow in lean premixed fuel burners. The swirler of the present invention includes a central passage with an entrance for accepting a feed gas, a flow balancing insert that introduces additional pressure drop beyond that occurring in the central passage in the absence of the flow balancing insert, and an exit aligned to direct the feed gas into a combustor. The swirler also has an annular passage about the central passage and including one or more vanes oriented to impart angular momentum to feed gas exiting the annular passage. The diverging flow generated by the swirler stabilizes lean combustion thus allowing for lower production of pollutants, particularly oxides of nitrogen.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• Assignee: Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 5879148
• OSTI ID: 872178
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

mechanical
swirler
low-no
weak-swirl
burner
disclosed
generating
diverging
flow
lean
premixed
fuel
burners
central
passage
entrance
accepting
feed
gas
balancing
insert
introduces
additional
pressure
drop
occurring
absence
exit
aligned
direct
combustor
annular
including
vanes
oriented
impart
angular
momentum
exiting
generated
stabilizes
combustion
allowing
production
pollutants
particularly
oxides
nitrogen
central passage
lean combustion
annular passage
fuel burner
pressure drop
feed gas
lean premixed
gas exit
mechanical swirler
gas exiting
mixed fuel
swirl burner
premixed fuel
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