A flameless thermal oxidizer includes a container in which a ceramic matrix is contained, and a diptube having a passageway extending therethrough, the diptube positioned in and in communication with the ceramic matrix and in which a plurality of gaseous streams are present for combustion at the ceramic matrix, the plurality of gaseous streams including a vent stream and an oxygen stream. A related method is also provided.

A flameless thermal oxidizer (FTO) includes at least one baffle constructed and arranged in a reaction chamber of the FTO to coact with a diptube of the FTO to radially expand a resulting “bubble” or reaction envelope from the diptube outward into a porous matrix of the FTO. A related method is also provided.

A flameless combustor usable with multiple fuels comprises a combustion chamber and fuel lines in communication with the chamber.

The present invention relates to a combustion heater (100) for providing controlled heat (H) to an endothermic reaction process. The combustion heater comprises an integrated burner (20) to yield a hot burner exhaust gas (35) flow from burning a first fuel. The burner exhaust gas mixed with oxidant flows to a flue gas outlet along a flue gas flow path (FGP). Provided to the combustion chamber at a position outside a direct reach of flames from the burner is a secondary fuel conduit (30) with a plurality of nozzles (31) from which a second fuel (32) is transferred into a flow along the said flue gas flow path (FGP). The resulting combustion of the second fuel can be used to provide controlled heat to the to endothermic reaction operated in a reaction conduit (40) that is in thermal heat exchange with the combustion chamber.

A furnace heating device is provided for the heating a furnace chamber, comprising:

at least one radiant tube, configured to heat the furnace chamber and which can be heated using a burner, which can be operated in a first operating mode with a flame and in a second operating mode with flameless combustion, a burner control device, configured to control on and off states and operating mode setting for the burner of the radiant tube, wherein said burner control device is configured to determine when a temperature (T) of the furnace chamber lies above a critical temperature (T.sub.k), which must at least be present in a combustion chamber for safe operation of flameless combustion, wherein there is a single safety monitor for monitoring the temperature within said furnace chamber and communicating said temperature to said burner control device and wherein said burner control device is configured to send a signal to not send a signal to start said flameless combustion when it is determined that said temperature (T) of the furnace chamber is above the critical temperature and a cooling process or a purging process or a control device switch on procedure has occurred.

A flameless thermal oxidizer apparatus for a gaseous stream containing hydrogen includes a vessel containing a ceramic matrix bed; and a dip tube extending into the ceramic matrix bed, the dip tube including a first flow path for a first stream having hydrogen therein, and a second flow path for a second stream having an oxidant therein to be mixed with the first stream for introduction into the ceramic matrix bed. A related method is also provided.

A process for operating a heater that can be operated with hydrocarbon fuel, especially for a vehicle includes providing a substoichiometric air/fuel mixture in a precombustion chamber (18) for a combustion operation and performing a cold flame combustion in the precombustion chamber (18). The precombustion products forming in the precombustion chamber (18) during the cold flame combustion are supplied to a catalyst arrangement (32) and a partial catalytic oxidation is performed for producing a gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The gas produced during the partial catalytic oxidation is supplied to a main combustion chamber (34) for producing a hydrogen/carbon monoxide/air mixture. The hydrogen/carbon monoxide/air mixture is burned in the main combustion chamber (34).

A burner for heating a heating space with a reduction of NOx emissions is provided. The burner includes a mixing and combustion chamber, a mixing and igniting device disposed in the mixing and combustion chamber, and a fuel feed connected to the mixing and igniting device and configured for feeding fuel to the mixing and igniting device. Further, an air feed is provided, which is configured for feeding at least one partial air flow to the mixing and combustion chamber. A combustion chamber opening opens the mixing and combustion chamber towards a heating space to be heated. Furthermore, control means are configured for controlling a fuel flow via the fuel feed and for controlling at least one partial air flow via the air feed.

Described herein are embodiments of systems and methods for oxidizing gases. In some embodiments, a reaction chamber is configured to receive a fuel gas and maintain the gas at a temperature within the reaction chamber that is above an autoignition temperature of the gas. The reaction chamber may also be configured to maintain a reaction temperature within the reaction chamber below a flameout temperature. In some embodiments, heat and product gases from the oxidation process can be used, for example, to drive a turbine, reciprocating engine, and injected back into the reaction chamber.

A method for heating a heating chamber to a temperature below the spontaneous ignition temperature of the fuel that is used, wherein fuel and air are reacted in flameless oxidation in a non-stoichiometric mixture ratio in a combustion chamber. The air ratio λ is at least lower than the stoichiometric ratio λ=1 such that the temperature in the combustion chamber does not exceed the temperature at which thermal nitrous oxide generation begins. Otherwise, λ is established such that the spontaneous ignition temperature of the fuel is exceeded. This results in two permissible air ratio ranges, between λ.sub.min and λ.sub.1 in sub-stoichiometric operation, and λ.sub.2 to λ.sub.max in superstoichiometric operation of the combustion chamber. The still-reactive gases released from the combustion chamber are made to react in the heating chamber, preferably by flameless oxidation. This avoids thermal nitrous oxide generation in the heating chamber.