The claims define a submerged combustion melter comprising a submerged combustion burner (1) comprising three concentric tubes, all being closed at one end and open at the same opposite end, the internal tube (3) being connected to a source of oxygen containing gas (7), the middle tube (9) surrounding the internal tube (3) being connected to a source of fuel gas (11), and the outer tube (15) being connected to a source (19) of oxygen containing gas. The claims are also directed to a method of introducing a flame and/or combustion products into a melt from a submerged combustion burner and also directed to the use of the burner as a submerged combustion burner in a melter.

A submerged combustion melter 10 is arranged with a vertical melting chamber 11, which may be cylindrical, and at least five submerged combustion burners 21-26 in the bottom base 13, the burners so spaced apart from each other and from the walls and angled from the vertical that in use a toroidal flow pattern can be achieved, providing intensive mixing. The claims also pertain to a method of melting a vitrifiable material from solid batch by submerged combustion melting.

Methods of maximizing mixing and melting in a submerged combustion melter (SCM) are described. One method includes melting an inorganic feedstock in an SCM using an arrangement of two or more submerged combustion (SC) burners, the SCM having a length (L) and a width (W), a centerline (C), a north side (N) and a south side (S), and operating the arrangement of SC burners such that a progressively higher percentage of a total combustion flow from the SC burners occurs from SC burners at progressively downstream positions in the SCM. Other methods include operating the N and S SC burners with more combustion flow than the central burners. Other methods include strategic placement of fuel lean SC burners and fuel rich SC burners.

A system includes a tank containing a fluid to be heated; a U-shaped pipe disposed proximate a bottom of the tank, a majority of the extent of the U-shaped pipe being disposed within an interior of the tank; a catalyst unit embedded within the U-shaped pipe, the catalyst unit comprising a catalyst wrapped, natural gas filled, perforated pipe that is configured to enable a catalytic reaction on its exterior; a vent pipe attached to the U-bend pipe which allows air to circulate; and mechanical controls disposed proximate the U-shaped pipe configured to vary temperature output.

The invention relates to a device for producing methane gas including a chamber, means for conveying the product in the chamber which comprise a screw mounted to turn in the chamber along a geometric axis of rotation, Joule-effect heating means of the screw, a removal unit for removing impurities present in the gas coming from the thermal treatment of the product, said unit being connected to a high outlet of the chamber, and a purification system for purifying the gas at the outlet of the removal unit.

The invention relates to a cracking furnace containing a tubular vertical chamber which comprises an inlet for introducing a gas to be treated and an outlet for removing said gas from the chamber, means for heating said gas which include a heating tube extending vertically inside the chamber and coaxial with the chamber, the heating tube being shaped in such a way as to have a closed lower end and being arranged in such a way that the lower end thereof is arranged in the chamber and such that the upper end thereof is connected to a burner of the heating means arranged outside the chamber. The invention also relates to an assembly comprising such a cracking furnace and a device for thermal treatment of biomass and/or waste, an outlet of which is connected to the inlet of said cracking furnace.

A combustion burner employed in a submerged combustion vessel used to melt high index glass includes an arch positioned on a burner in the submerged combustion vessel. An amount of combustible gas flows through a first port disposed in a first haunch of the arch and through a second port disposed in a second haunch of the arch. Fuel is supplied through an end port in a fuel supply line. The end port is disposed under the arch. An amount of glass is fed into the submerged combustion vessel and is melted inside the submerged combustion vessel by igniting the burner. Some of the melted glass at least partially solidifies against a wall of the submerged combustion vessel such that the melted glass is contained in a vessel of itself.

A submerged combustion melter 10 is arranged with a vertical melting chamber 11, which may be cylindrical, and at least five submerged combustion burners 21-26 in the bottom base 13, the burners so spaced apart from each other and from the walls and angled from the vertical that in use a toroidal flow pattern can be achieved, providing intensive mixing. The claims also pertain to a method of melting a vitrifiable material from solid batch by submerged combustion melting.

A combustion apparatus includes a housing and injection members. The housing has a bottom wall and side walls which enclose a combustion chamber having an opening at the top. The injection members are arranged on two side walls opposite each other and include at least one first injector and at least one second injector. The first injector supplies to the combustion chamber a mixture having a first-part oxidant and a combustible gas, with the volume percentage of the combustible gas in the mixture being greater than an upper combustion limit of the combustible gas. The second injector supplies a second-part oxidant to the combustion chamber. The total amount of the first-part oxidant and the second-part oxidant supplied to the combustion chamber reach stoichiometric balance with the amount of the combustible gas supplied to the combustion chamber. The combustion apparatus can produce short flames with high safety and good stability.

A modulating burner apparatus includes a burner and a blower placed upstream of the burner. A venturi is placed upstream of the blower. A damper valve is placed upstream of the venturi. The damper valve has an open position and a restricted position. A smaller gas valve and a larger gas valve are communicated with the venturi. A controller is operably associated with the system to select a position of the damper valve and to select the appropriate one of the gas valves so as to provide a low output operation mode and a high output operation mode, which in combination provide an overall turndown ratio of at least 25:1.