The invention relates to particular burners, and e.g. to a burner comprising a central main fuel lance, a pilot fuel conduit, a main oxidant conduit, an auxiliary oxidant conduit, and optionally a secondary fuel conduit, which are arranged in a particular and advantageous way to surround each other at least in their downstream sections. The invention further relates to furnaces including the burners and methods of operating the burners. Among others, the burners of the present invention allow a particularly advantageous way of including a pilot burner as an integral part of the main burner to ignite liquid fuel flame in a cold furnace. If required, the pilot flame can assist in extending the flammability limit or operating range of the liquid fuel burner.

An oxy-fuel boost burner for a regenerative furnace having a pair of regenerator ports configured to alternately fire into and exhaust from the furnace, including at least one burner element corresponding to each of the regenerator ports by being positioned to fire into a complimentary region of the furnace, each burner element including a selective distribution nozzle configured to flow a first reactant and a proportional distribution nozzle configured to flow a second reactant, and a controller programmed to identify which regenerator port is currently firing and which is currently exhausting and to independently control the first reactant flow to each selective distribution nozzle such that the at least one burner element corresponding to the currently firing regenerator port has a greater than average first reactant flow and the at least one burner element corresponding to the currently exhausting regenerator port as a less than average first reactant flow.

A method for generating combustion by means of a burner assembly and corresponding burner assembly are disclosed. The burner assembly comprises a refractory block, a fuel supply system and an oxidant supply system. The refractory block defines along one plane P1 at least one fuel passageway extending from a fuel inlet port to a fuel outlet port, and along a second plane P2 at least one oxidant passageway extending from an oxidant inlet port to an oxidant outlet port, said first and second planes intersecting along a line that is beyond said outlet ports, said oxidant supply system comprising a pair of oxidant supply means, an inlet of the inner oxidant supply means being connected to a source of a first oxidant having a first oxygen concentration and an inlet of the concentric outer oxidant supply means being connected to a source of a second oxidant having a second oxygen concentration, the method having improved flexibility in oxygen concentration in the oxidant.

Apparatus includes a first and second conduits configured to form an annulus between them. An adjustable structure includes a body having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a circumferential surface abutting a portion of the internal surface of the second conduit. The structure is adjustable axially in relation to and removably attached to the first conduit via a hub. The hub defines a central passage for fuel or oxidant. The body has one or more non-central through passages configured such that flow of an oxidant or fuel therethrough causes the fuel or oxidant to intersect flow of fuel or oxidant exiting from the central passage in a region above the upper surface of the body.

Apparatus includes a first and second conduits configured to form an annulus between them. An adjustable structure includes a body having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a circumferential surface abutting a portion of the internal surface of the second conduit. The structure is adjustable axially in relation to and removably attached to the first conduit via a hub. The hub defines a central passage for fuel or oxidant. The body has one or more non-central through passages configured such that flow of an oxidant or fuel therethrough causes the fuel or oxidant to intersect flow of fuel or oxidant exiting from the central passage in a region above the upper surface of the body.

A burner includes an oxidant feed passage, a fuel feed passage surrounding the oxidant feed passage, an air feed surrounding the fuel feed passage, a movable air flow diverter and, optionally, a flame nozzle. The movable air flow diverter and/or flame nozzle are independently configured to create one or a plurality of gas recirculation regions adjacent the downstream tip of the burner to improve the mixing and reaction of the fuel and oxidant, and overall combustion process efficiency. A related furnace and method for generating a stable flame with the burner are also provided.

A method of generating a flame from combustion of a fuel, includes moving an oxidant feed through an oxidant feed passage; moving a fuel feed through a fuel feed passage surrounding the oxidant feed passage; moving an air feed containing oxidant within an air feed region surrounding the fuel feed passage along the fuel feed passage; creating a gas recirculation region immediately downstream from the air feed and the fuel feed passage; diverting the air feed for proportioning the air feed around the fuel feed passage for controlling flame stabilization in the gas recirculation region; and igniting a resulting gas mixture.