An industrial burner is a heating device. It receives air to specifically combust a gas form of fuel. What type of burner your company may use will depend upon several aspects – including the material requiring melting. The manufacturer also has to address such issues as maximum capacity, firing mechanism and other significant aspects when selecting the perfect burner for the process.
Basic Parts of an Industrial Burner
It is possible to separate an industrial burner – or almost any burner for that fact, into different parts. In essence, a burner consists of:
1. The Head: This distributes the flame
2. The Body: This component passes the gases through to the head
3. The Valve Assembly: This controls the mixing together and amounts of specific proportions of gas and air
These parts comprise a whole burner. They work together to make sure it performs its role in the production process.
Basic Types of Industrial Burners
While burners may consist of the same parts, they do come in different types. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Some may be preferred to another type in the case of the production of specific items. Among the most commonly found industrial burners are:
1. Atmospheric burner: This type utilizes only gas as a fuel. A preference is often shown for liquefied petroleum gas (LP) over reticulated natural gas.
2. Nozzle mixing burner: This type of industrial burner also uses gas but does not combine gas with air until after these elements have left the burner port. The pressures created by this type of burner is much higher than that from an atmospheric type. It also virtually flashback free and more flexible in usage.
3. Surface mix burner: While similar to nozzle mixers, this type mixes the gas and air when ignition occurs. The result is considered a flame that is less noisy, safer and more efficient.
4. Premix burner: This kind employs a blower or compressor and uses a machine-mixing set to achieve its results. Variations on this type are open premix and sealed premix burners. Control is often much easier to exert for this type of industrial burner.
5. Radiant or infrared (IR) burners: The name is derived from the source – radiant heat (IR energy) coming from a searing, blistering surface.
6. Ribbon burners: Like their name, these industrial burners are stretched in shape. Common uses of this type are for shaping and curving glass tubing.
7. Vortex burners: These type of burners are excellent in performing the task of complete incineration of specific substances – mainly fuel and waste oil and gas without.
An industrial burner usually is one of the three following types: atmospheric, pre-mix or nozzle-mix. Manufacturers have to make sure the type they select is not simply acceptable. The burner must operate to its maximum potential in the plant if the best possible outcome is to be realized.
