Burner plate and burner assembly

Abstract

In one aspect, the invention provides a burner plate comprising a self-supporting substrate having perforations extending through the substrate, the substrate comprising ceramic fibers and an inorganic oxide coating comprising inorganic oxide platelets on the substrate. In another aspect, the invention provides a burner assembly which comprises such a burner plate.

1 . A burner plate comprising 
 a self-supporting substrate having perforations extending through the substrate, the substrate comprising ceramic fibers and an inorganic oxide coating comprising inorganic oxide platelets selected from the group consisting of vermiculite platelets, mica platelets, talc platelets, and combinations thereof, on the substrate.    
   
   
       2 . The burner plate according to  claim 1  wherein the perforations comprise at least one of slits or circular holes.  
   
   
       3 . The burner plate according to  claim 1  wherein the burner plate is substantially planar.  
   
   
       4 . The burner plate according to  claim 1  wherein the perforations comprise less than 60% of the area of a top surface of the burner plate.  
   
   
       5 . The burner plate according to  claim 1  wherein the burner plate is non-planar.  
   
   
       6 . The burner plate according to  claim 1  further comprising a water repellant coating, a wash coat comprising a metal oxide or a metal non-oxide, catalytic materials, or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       7 . The burner plate according to  claim 1  wherein the vermiculite platelets are exfoliated vermiculite platelets.  
   
   
       8 . The burner plate according to  claim 1  wherein the ceramic fibers have an average length in a range of from 3 millimeters to 50 millimeters.  
   
   
       9 . The burner plate according to  claim 1  having a top surface and a bottom surface wherein the perforations have larger openings near the top surface than the openings near the bottom surface.  
   
   
       10 . The burner plate according to  claim 1  wherein the burner plate comprises at least about 75 percent by weight ceramic oxide fibers, based on the total fiber weight of the burner plate.  
   
   
       11 . The burner plate according to  claim 6  wherein the water repellant coating comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.  
   
   
       12 . The burner plate according to  claim 6  wherein the metal oxide or non-metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, silicon carbide, silicon oxide, titanium dioxide, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       13 . The burner plate according to  claim 6  wherein the catalytic materials comprise materials selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, rhodium, iron, nickel, silver, ruthenium, copper, gold, iron oxide, copper oxide, alkaline earth oxides, and alkaline earth aluminates, rare earth oxides, rare earth aluminates, cerium oxide, vanadium oxide, manganese oxide, cobalt oxide, oxides having perovskite and perovskite-related crystal structures, metal phosphates and phosphate-oxide mixtures, rhodium supported on alumina, ceria, or alumina-ceria, and combinations thereof  
   
   
       14 . A burner assembly comprising 
 a housing having a plenum chamber;    a gas inlet port connected to the housing; and    a burner plate covering the plenum chamber, wherein the burner plate comprises a self-supporting substrate having perforations extending through the substrate, the substrate comprising ceramic fibers and an inorganic oxide coating comprising inorganic oxide platelets selected from the group consisting of vermiculite platelets, mica platelets, talc platelets, and combinations thereof, on the substrate.    
   
   
       15 . A burner assembly according to  claim 14  wherein the burner plate is planar.  
   
   
       16 . A burner assembly according to  claim 14  wherein the burner plate has a shape selected from the group consisting of a cone, a sheet, a cylinder, and a thimble.  
   
   
       17 . A burner assembly according to  claim 14  wherein the burner assembly is a radiant burner assembly.  
   
   
       18 . A burner assembly according to  claim 14  wherein the burner assembly is a blue flame burner assembly.  
   
   
       19 . A burner assembly according to  claim 14  wherein the perforations in the burner plate comprise at least one of slits or circular holes.  
   
   
       20 . A burner assembly according to  claim 14  wherein the burner plate further comprises a water repellant coating, a wash coat comprising a metal oxide or a metal non-oxide, catalytic materials, or combinations thereof.