Burner for a gas combustor and a method of operating the burner thereof

Abstract

A burner for a gas combustor and a method of operating the burner are disclosed. The burner includes a front surface area divided into a plurality of subareas and inlets arranged on the front surface area such that each subarea is encircled by at least four inlets and such that during operation of the burner, a gas recirculation in the combustor is facilitated corresponding to each subarea.

1 . A burner for a gas combustor, comprising:
 a front surface area divided into a plurality of subareas; and   inlets, arranged on the front surface area such that each subarea is encircled by at least four inlets and such that during operation of the burner, a gas recirculation in the combustor is facilitated corresponding to each subarea.   
     
     
         2 . The burner according to  claim 1 , further comprises a pilot inlet in at least one of the subareas. 
     
     
         3 . The burner according to  claim 1 , wherein the inlets encircling the subarea are spaced equally. 
     
     
         4 . The burner according to  claim 1 , wherein the front surface area comprises of two subareas. 
     
     
         5 . The burner according to  claim 1 , wherein the front surface area comprises of three subareas. 
     
     
         6 . The burner according to  claim 1 , wherein the shape of said burner is circular. 
     
     
         7 . The burner according to  claim 1 , wherein the shape of said burner is elliptical. 
     
     
         8 . The burner according to  claim 1 , wherein the subareas formed by the arrangement of the inlets on the front surface area has symmetrical configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The burner according to  claim 1 , wherein the subareas formed by the arrangement of the inlets on the front surface area has asymmetrical configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The burner according to  claim 1 , wherein adjacent subareas on the front surface area are adapted to use at least one inlet in common. 
     
     
         11 . The burner according to  claim 1 , wherein the inlets arranged on the front surface area are of at least two different diameters. 
     
     
         12 . The burner according to  claim 1 , wherein said burner operates on pre-mixed jet flames. 
     
     
         13 . A method of operating a burner with a plurality of inlets on a front surface area of the burner to provide combustible gas to a combustor, comprising:
 dividing the front surface area into a plurality of subareas;   for at least one subarea, selecting at least four inlets which are encircling the respective subarea; and   providing combustible gas only through the selected inlets such that a hot gas recirculation in the combustor is facilitated corresponding to each subarea.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the combustible gas is provided through at least one inlet during startup of the combustor. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the number of subareas operated during an operation of the combustor is based on the combustor load. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the combustible gas supplied through the inlets is staged based on the combustor load. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the subareas formed by the arrangement of the inlets on the front surface area has symmetrical configuration. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the subareas formed by the arrangement of the inlets on the front surface area has asymmetrical configuration. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein adjacent subareas on the front surface area of the burner are adapted to use at least one inlet in common.