Burners

By
Prof. M. M. Sorour
Burners
 Burners
• Burners may be designed for combustion
of oil, gas or a gas/oil mixture.
• Gas fired burners are simpler in
operation and design than oil fire
burners.
• Oil-fired burners are classified according
to the method of fuel atomization used.
 Requirements for the
Successful Burning
1
• The atomization of the oil must be
thorough
 Requirements for the
Successful Burning
2
• The oil must be brought into contact with a
sufficient amount of air for combustion in a
manner that assures a thorough mixture of
oil and air, and that at the same time the
amount of air so supplied should be kept at
a minimum.
 Requirements for the
Successful Burning
3
• The furnace must be designed in such a
manner as to maintain the temperatures
essential for high efficiency, and built of a
grade of materials that will withstand
high temperatures.
 Requirements for the
Successful Burning
• Oil is somewhat more difficult to burn
than natural gas because the burner
must prepare the fuel for combustion as
well as proportion it, mix it with air, and
burn it.
• This is particularly true when the unit is
fired with a residual fuel oil.
 Types of Atomizer
1. The mechanical (rotating cup) or
pressure atomizer usually known as the
pressure jet.
2. The steam atomized burner, which may
be internally mixed steam atomized or
externally mixed steam assisted.
3. The air atomize burner
 Atomizer
• Steam or air atomization is best suited for
variable load and can cover a wide range
of capacity without changing the tip or
gun assembly.
• Mechanical atomization is best suited for
steady loads and high capacities but has a
fairly limited capacity range.
 .Rotary Cup Atomizer
• The working principle of rotary cup
burners is based on atomizing by
centrifugal force.
• The oil is gently positioned at low pressure
into the spinning cup where gradually, and
forced by the centrifugal action of the cup,
it moves forward until it is thrown off the
cup rim as a very fine, uniform film.
 Rotary Cup Atomizer
• The high-velocity primary air discharged
around the cup strikes the oil film, breaks it
up and converts it into a mist of fine particles
which are introduced into the combustion
zone and burner.
• The secondary air required for complete
combustion is supplied by a forced draught
fan through the windbox and burner air
register.
 Rotary Cup Atomizer
• Normally, atomizing is effected at a
viscosity of approx. 45 cSt. which
ensures a particle size small enough to
burn quickly and completely.
 Rotary Cup Atomizer
• The rotary cup is driven at high speed
(3000 – 5000) RPM by an electric
motor via a heavy-duty belt drive.
• The rotary cup burner finds
considerable use on packaged shell
type boilers.
• Rotary cup burners typically have a
5:1 turn down ratio.
 Advantages of the rotary cup
• Good atomization
• The oil droplets produced are more
uniform in size
• Much less sensitive to changes in the
viscosity of the oil supply
• Less liable to clogging than other
types of mechanical burners
Rotary Cup Oil Burner
Rotary Cup Oil Burner
 KB-W Rotary Cup Burner
• KB-W is a typical waste oil-fired rotary cup
burner with an air-cooled pre-combustion
chamber with brickwork.
 Low Pressure Air Atomizer
• The principle is similar to that of the
rotary-cup-atomizing, but the fuel is
forced to rotate in a fixed cup by means
of a forcefully rotating primary airflow.
Low Pressure Air Atomizer
 Low Pressure Air Atomizer
• Their general construction makes
them suitable for firing into chambers
of hot brickwork, avoiding all the
hazards of back radiation to oil
burners of more delicate construction.
• Low pressure air atomizers imply air
up to 1000 mm WG. (40 ins. WG.).
Pressure Jet Atomizer
 Pressure Jet Atomizer
• The pressure jet atomizer utilizes the
supply pressure energy to atomize the
fuel into a spray of finely dispersed
droplets.
• Provided adequate fuel pressure is
used, extremely good combustion
results can be achieved.
 Pressure Jet Atomizer
• The fuel oil is fed into the swirl chamber by
means of the tangential ports in the main
atomizer body.
• An air core is set up due to the vortex formed
in the swirl chamber.
• This results in the fuel leaving the final orifice
as a thin annular film.
 Pressure Jet Atomizer
This film of fuel has angular as well as
axial velocity causing the fuel to develop
into a hollow cone as it discharges from
the orifice.

This type of atomizer has a poor turn

down ratio.
 Pressure Jet Atomizer
A small drop in atomizing pressure
will result in a dramatic reduction in
combustion performance.

Two or three nozzles are sometimes

fitted to achieve turn down, one in use
on low fire, two on medium fire and
three for full rate firing.
 Regulation in Pressure Jet
Atomizer
Regulation in burner output is carried out
either by varying the pressure or by using
the spill system.

In the first method of varying pressure the

amount of oil which can be varied through
the orifice plate is determined by the range
over which efficient atomization and,
therefore, efficient combustion can be
obtained.
 Varying pressure regulation

• In the first method of varying pressure the

amount of oil which can be varied through the
orifice plate is determined by the range over
which efficient atomization and, therefore,
efficient combustion can be obtained.
• This is limited in such an arrangement and
therefore maximum turn-down ratio can not
exceed 1.5 : 1.
 Spill method regulation
• The input pressure is usually kept constant at or
around the maximum value
.
• A central bleed flow from the swirl chamber
increases from zero (full load) to a maximum
flow ( maximum turn down).

• This control is effected by valves (spill valves)

which control the pressure in the spill system.
Spill pressure jet fuel oil
injector
 VISCOSITY
• The viscosity of the oil is the most important
property affecting atomization in
mechanical atomizers.
• As viscosity increases, larger viscous forces
must be overcome by the energy supplied to
the nozzle this resulting in coarser
atomization and possible adverse affects on
combustion efficiency.
 VISCOSITY
Thus, for proper atomization and
combustion, oil of grades higher than
No 2 must usually be heated to reduce
its viscosity.
 Steam and Air Atomized
The basic operation of the burner is as
follows:
1- Single, or multiple jets of steam at a
pressure of about 5-8 bar are directed
upon a stream of pre-heated fuel oil.
2- High velocity, high kinetic energy steam
collides with the fuel oil stream.
 Steam and Air Atomized
3- By imparting its kinetic energy to the
fuel oil stream, the fuel oil is
Disintegrated into droplets about
0.01mm or less in diameter.
4- The disintegrated fuel oil particles
are referred to as pulverized fuel oil.
 Steam and Air Atomized

There are three kinds of steam or air

atomizers for fuel oil burners.
– Low pressure atomizer
– Medium pressure atomizer
– High pressure atomizer
 A-Low pressure atomizer
• Using air around 1 bar as the atomizing
medium.
• A large proportion and sometimes the
entire combustion air is used as
atomizing fluid.
• The turndown ratio which is the ratio of
maximum to minimum load is 2:1 - 5:1
 B-Medium pressure atomizer
• Using air at 2.3 to 3 bar
• Less than 10% of the combustion air
is required to atomize the fuel.
• Turndown ratio 10:1
 C- High pressure atomizer
• Using air or steam at pressure
exceeding 3 bar steam requirement:
0.3-0.5 kg/kg of fuel oil.
• Coupled with modern control systems,
high pressure air/steam atomizers,
10:1 burner turn down ratios can be
achieved.
 High pressure atomizer
Typical steam air requirements for this type
of burner are as follows:
– 0.3 kg to 0.55 kg /steam per kg of fuel
– 10 kg to 14kg /air per kg of fuel
The difference between the amount of atomizing
steam and air is due to the higher energy
content of the atomizing steam.
 Atomized Burners

• The atomizing steam jet with its higher

thermal and kinetic energy penetrates and
disperses the fuel oil stream much better
than the air atomizing jet with its lower
energy content.
• Upon collision with the oil stream, the steam
imparts much more kinetic and thermal
energy to the oil, therefore efficiently
disintegrating and dispersing the oil stream.
 Atomized Burners

For a given quantity of fuel oil

pulverized, the steam requirement will
be less than the air requirement for
the same task.
External Mix Steam Atomizer
External Mix Steam Atomizer
External Mix Steam Atomizer
The steam-assisted pressure jet atomizer
is designed to make full use of pressure
jet atomization at high outputs and full
use of blast atomization.
 External Mix Steam Atomizer
• The two designs presented show that
either the oil or the steam can be in
the central or annular part.
• The steam-supply pressure remains
constant throughout the complete
turndown range of the burner.
External Mix Steam Atomizer
No mixing of fuel oil and steam occurs
within the burner-gun and hence oil
output is unaffected by slight
variations in the steam pressure.
Internal Mix Steam Atomizer
.Y-jet Steam Atomizer
A Traditional Internal-mixing Steam-assist
Oil Gun
(John Zink MEA Oil Gun)
Internal mix steam atomizer
 Internal mix steam atomizer
• The burner lance consists of two
concentric tubes, a one-piece nozzle and
a sealing nut.
• The media supplies are arranged so that
the steam is supplied down the center
tube and the fuel oil through the outer
tube, or the opposite.
 Internal mix steam atomizer
The steam atomizer consists of an
atomizer body that has a number of
discharge nozzles arranged on a pitch
circle in such a way that each oil bore
meets a corresponding steam bore in a
point of intersection.
 Internal mix steam atomizer
• Oil and steam (air) mix internally
forming an emulsion of oil and steam
at high pressure.
• The expansion of this mixture as it
issues from the final orifice produces a
spray of finely atomized oil.
 Internal mix steam atomizer

• Oil burners with steam atomizing are

tolerant to viscosity changes.
• The steam atomized oil burners have
better turn down, pump pressures,
and are economical in the use of
steam.
 Fuel-oil supply and distribution
systems

Any fuel-oil combustion system is

commonly composed of oil storage
tank, pumping and heating
equipment, an oil-supply header, the
burners, and an oil-return line.
 Fuel-oil supply and distribution
systems
• For ease of pumping and proper atomization,
the oil must be preheated prior to the burner,
and such heating should be done as close to
the burner as possible.
• The preheat temperature depends upon the
characteristics of the type of oil used, and can
vary from about 65OC with lighter better
grade oils, to about 87 OC for heavy oils.
 Internal mix steam atomizer
• If the oil is heated to a point where any
appreciable vaporization occurs, there will be
a tendency toward an uneven oil flow, and a
"sputtering" action of the flame.
• In addition, any moisture in the oil, or in the
steam used for atomization will also lead to a
"sputtering" flame
 Internal mix steam atomizer
• Atomization with superheated steam is
no better than that with dry saturated
steam, however the presence of
superheat assures absence of moisture
in the steam at the burner.
• Oil pressure at the burner is normally
between 3- 6 bar.
MV Atomizer
 MV Atomizer

The Coen MV Atomizer features a multiple-

venturi nozzle which provides superior
atomization at proven low atomizing steam
flow rates.
 MV Atomizer

It is an inside mix, steam or air, 8:1

turndown on large single burners with
simple differential pressure control of
atomizing steam (or air).
 MV Atomizer
• It consists of the burner guide pipe,
burner socket and the atomizer itself.
• The nozzle end of the atomizer
consists of a mixer within the mixer
sleeve, whirl plate, nozzle body and
nozzle cap.
 MA Low Pressure Inside Mix Atomizer

• Designed to provide an effective, low

cost method of atomizing where steam
is not available.
• It operates with air pressure 1 bar and
it does not require an air compressor to
supply atomizing air.
 MA Low Pressure Inside Mix Atomizer

Blower are adequate sources of air,

and in most cases, are furnished with
the burner package.
 Advantage of Steam or Air Atomizers

• Simplicity in burner design

• Easy operation of the burner
• Low preheating temperature up to 80C for
fuel oil.
• Steam atomization generally produce a
finer spray.
 Advantage of Steam or Air Atomizers

• The steam atomizer performs more

efficiently over a wider load range than other
types. It normally atomize fuel properly
down to 20 percent.

• Oil Pressure is much lower than for

mechanical atomizers maximum oil pressure
can be as much as 20 bar and maximum
steam pressure 10 bar
 Disadvantage of Steam Atomizers

• The atomizing steam must be dry

because moisture causes pulsations,
which can lead to loss of ignition.

• High consumption of steam.

 II- Gas Burners

• Gaseous fuels, including natural gas,

are the easiest fuels to burn.
• The gas needs little or no preparation
before combustion.
• It must be simply proportioned, mixed
with air, and ignited.
 Gas Burners
• There are two types
– Diffusion flame burners
– Premixed flame burners
Diffusion Flame Burners
Row Gas Burners
 Diffusion flame burners
• The nozzle receives fuel gas from the
gas manifold without any premixing
of combustion air.
• The gas is then burned at a tip
equipped with small ports.
 Diffusion flame burners
• Thus flames are produced when fuel gas and air flow
separately into the combustion chamber and undergo
intermixing as the burning proceeds.
• The rate of combustion in diffusion flames depends on
the fuel-gas / air ratio, and the degree of turbulence of
gas and air streams.
• These flames are very 1uminous in character which
contributes to a high degree of flame emissivity and
consequently a high degree of radiative heat transfer.
 Diffusion flame burners
Advantages
• They do not backfire as there is no air
within the burner to sustain
combustion.
• Particularly useful where very large
volumes of low calorific value gases
are to be burned.
 Diffusion flame burners
Advantages
• Very effective when both gas and air are
to be preheated, but not to be intermixed
because of the dangers of pre-ignition, to
produce a high flame temperature.
• Combustion is silent
 Diffusion flame burner
Advantages
• Quality and nature of fuel gas can be
varied without affecting burner or
operation.
• No necessity of accurate adjustment of the
gas and air ports.
• Gas supplied is at low pressure up to 1.1
bar and hence the system is less expensive.
 Premix Flame Burners
• The atmospheric gas burner is one of
the more common premix gas burners.
• In these systems, the momentum of the
incoming gas is used to draw the
primary air into the burner in a process
called aspiration.
Premix Flame Burners
 Premix Flame Burners
• The operation of these systems is normally
satisfactory with primary air-gas premix
from 30 to 70 percent. Secondary air is
drawn in around the burner to complete the
combustion process.
 Refractory Gas Burners
• Refractory gas burners are commonly
used in steam generators.
• The combustion air is drawn in around
a burner which has multiple gas jets that
discharge the gas into the air steam in
such a way that it produces good mixing.
 Refractory Gas Burners
• The gas-air mixture is then discharged
into a short mixing tube of refractory
material.
• The refractory tube protects the metal
burner from the high temperature.
Refractory gas burners
 Preheating Combustion Air
• Burners can be operated with
preheated combustion air.
• A considerable amount of energy can
be recovered from the hot flue gases
by using a heat exchanger in the flue
gas system to recover the heat.
• This technology results in an
improvement of efficiency of up to
8%.
Heat exchanger in industrial burner
Heat exchanger in industrial burner
 Heat Exchanger in
Industrial Burner
• Hot exhaust gas flows through the heat
accumulator in above figure, heating it
almost to boiler exit gas temperature,
and causing cold exhaust gas to be
discharged through the exhaust gas
discharge path
 Heat Exchanger in
Industrial Burner
• On reversal, ambient air is supplied to
the heat accumulator through the
rotating air supply path and is
preheated by heat from the heat
accumulator before burning with fuel.
• Continuous combustion and heat
exchange can be achieved by rotating
the air supply path.