An ironing apparatus (100) comprises a rotating cylinder (11) and a burner assembly (2) comprising a main body (20) in which a passage (21) for a mixture of air and gas is defined. The main body comprises an outlet surface (22) in which a plurality of holes (220) are defined, through which the mixture of air and gas exits from the passage, wherein the passage is elongate-shaped, extends in a longitudinal direction inside said rotating cylinder and has a decreasing cross section along the longitudinal direction (x).

A radiative recuperator preheats oxidant and/or fuel for combustion at one or more burners of a furnace. The recuperator includes a duct, at least portions of which comprise a material having a thermal conductivity of greater than 1 W/(m.Math.K), preferably greater than 3 W/(m.Math.K), that receives hot flue gas produced by the burner(s). The duct radiatively transfers heat to oxidant or fuel (for preheating) flowing through one or more metallic pipes disposed in between the duct and an insulating wall.

A radiative recuperator preheats oxidant and/or fuel for combustion at one or more burners of a furnace. The recuperator includes a duct, at least portions of which comprise a material having a thermal conductivity of greater than 1 W/(m.Math.K), preferably greater than 3 W/(m.Math.K), that receives hot flue gas produced by the burner(s). The duct radiatively transfers heat to oxidant or fuel (for preheating) flowing through one or more metallic pipes disposed in between the duct and an insulating wall.

Provided is an auxiliary burner for an electric furnace capable of increasing and homogenizing the heating effect of iron scrap by suitably and efficiently burning solid fuel along with gas fuel. This auxiliary burner 100 for an electric furnace comprises a solid fuel injection tube 1, a gas fuel injection tube 2, and a combustion-supporting gas injection tube 3 in the stated order from the center side, all arranged coaxially, and is characterized in that: a flow path 30 of the combustion-supporting gas injection tube 3 is provided with a plurality of swirl vanes 4 for swirling the combustion-supporting gas, and a flow path 20 of the gas fuel injection tube 2 is provided with a plurality of swirl vanes 5 for swirling the gas fuel; and the angle .sub.1 of the swirl vanes 4 and the .sub.2 of the swirl vanes 5 satisfy the relationship .sub.1<.sub.2.

The burner includes a first tube portion having a tube end including an ejection port and a second tube portion extending toward the ejection port in the first tube portion. The combustion gas generated by combusting air-fuel mixture is ejected from the ejection port. The second tube portion includes a heat exchanging portion that vaporizes liquid fuel with combustion heat of the combustion chamber and supplies the vaporized fuel to the premixing chamber. The outer surface of the second tube portion functions as a heat receiving surface of the heat exchanging portion. A fuel supply section of the burner is configured to vaporize liquid fuel and supply the vaporized fuel to the premixing chamber, and supply liquid fuel to the heat exchanging portion.

One embodiment relates to a burner, comprising a fuel pipe, a fuel nozzle, at least one ignition and/or heat source and a pipe which conducts an oxygen-containing gas and/or recirculated flue gas, wherein the at least one ignition and/or heat source is arranged in the burner interior and is in the form of or comprises an electric heating and/or ignition device via which, exclusively by conversion of electrical current into heat energy, the amount of heat energy required within the burner for the initiation and continuation of the initial pyrolysis and ignition is generated and/or provided in the burner interior. A stabilizing ring with toothed ring may be a constituent part of the electric heating and/or ignition device arranged in the mouth region of the fuel nozzle.

The invention is concerned with a method for combined production of nanomaterials and heat. The method comprises feeding at least one precursor material and a fuel into a combustion unit for the generation of heat and nanoparticles, whereby the precursor material is combusted to be decomposed and oxidized in a sufficient temperature. The heat generated in the combustion of the fuel and the precursor material is recovered by using at least one heat exchanger. The combusted fuel is cooled down and the nanoparticles generated in the form of oxides in the combustion are collected. The system of the invention for combined production of nanomaterials and heat comprises a combustion unit, means for feeding at least one precursor material, fuel and oxidizer into the combustion unit for combustion, a heat exchanger for recovering heat from the combustion unit, and for cooling the combusted fuel, and means for collecting nanomaterials in the form of oxides from the combustion of the precursor material(s).

The disclosure provides a system and method for production of activated carbon from a coal-originating particulate feed material. Feed material and activating gas are introduced into a reaction chamber, the activating gas being introduced at a velocity above the average terminal velocity of particles within the feed material. Feed material is then entrained in the activating gas such that a recirculating flow path for the feed material is established within the reaction chamber. Activated material may then be recovered from the chamber.

Embodiments of integrated burner assemblies, for use in classified hazardous areas, effectively utilize a designated general or non-classified area classification inside a burner housing to simplify wiring connections between various components of a managed burner system. A valve train which supplies fuel to the burner and a control unit which manages the burner assembly and the valve train are mounted external to the burner housing in a classified hazardous area. Mechanically protected wiring is used to connect the valve train and control unit to the non-classified area. The open wiring connections inside the non-classified area, connecting between the burner assembly and the mechanically protected wiring from the control unit and the mechanically protected wiring from the valve train are free of mechanically protection considerations.

A burner system, preferably including input plumbing, a combustion region, and an exhaust section. In some embodiments, the burner system can include, be attached to, be configured to couple with, and/or be otherwise associated with a thermionic energy converter (TEC). A method of burner system operation, preferably including operating the burner system in a combustion mode and optionally including operating a TEC.