A combustion system such as a furnace or boiler includes a perforated reaction holder configured to hold a combustion reaction that produces very low oxides of nitrogen (NOx).

A burner system includes a perforated flame holder configured to hold a combustion reaction and a plurality of fuel nozzles aligned to deliver respective fuel streams to the perforated flame holder.

A finely distributed combustion system for a gas turbine engine is provided. A combustor body may extend along a longitudinal axis. A premixer space may be formed within the combustor body to premix air and fuel. The premixer space is in communication with an array of finely distributed perforations arranged in a wall of the combustor body to eject an array of premixed main flamelets throughout a contour of the combustor body between the upstream base of the combustor body and the downstream base of the combustor body. The array of finely distributed perforations—potentially comprising thousands or even hundreds of thousands of perforations spatially distributed on a miniaturized scale—for ejecting the premixed main flamelets is technically advantageous compared to conventional distributed combustion systems, where injection of relatively longer main flames occurs just at a few discrete axial locations.

According to an embodiment, a burner system includes a pilot burner disposed in a furnace at a distal position along a main fuel and combustion air flow axis, and one or more main fuel nozzles disposed at a proximal position along the main fuel and combustion air flow axis. The pilot burner is configured to support a pilot flame and the one or more main fuel nozzles are configured to support a main flame in contact with the pilot flame. The pilot burner is disposed to cause the main fuel and combustion air to be ignited by the pilot flame. The pilot burner may support a diffusion pilot flame or may include a premixing apparatus to support a pre-mixed flame.

A combustion system includes a fuel and oxidant source that outputs fuel and oxidant, a first perforated flame holder, and a second perforated flame holder separated from the first perforated flame holder by a gap. The first and second perforated flame holders sustain a combustion reaction of the fuel and oxidant within the first and second perforated flame holders.

A flame holder system includes a support structure configured to support a plurality of burner tiles within a furnace volume. The support structure includes a frame supporting a support lattice. A number of burner tiles are arranged in an array on the support lattice. The support structure is configured to be assemblable without tools inside the furnace volume, using components that are sized to fit through an access port in a wall of the furnace.

A combustion system includes a fuel and oxidant source that outputs fuel and oxidant, a first perforated flame holder, and a second perforated flame holder separated from the first perforated flame holder by a gap. The first and second perforated flame holders sustain a combustion reaction of the fuel and oxidant within the first and second perforated flame holders.

A combustion system includes a fuel and oxidant source and a flame holder. The flame holder includes a plurality of discrete slats arranged in parallel defining combustion channels between adjacent slats. The fuel and oxidant source outputs fuel and oxidant into the combustion channels. The flame holder holds a combustion reaction of the fuel and oxidant in the combustion channels.

A combustion system such as a furnace or boiler includes a perforated reaction holder configured to hold a combustion reaction that produces very low oxides of nitrogen (NOx).

A furnace includes a perforated flame holder formed from an array of tiles. The perforated flame holder is stabilized by a support member extending between at least adjacent tiles. Elongated support members may be positioned to extend through each of the tiles in a respective column of the array of tiles.