Self stabilizing radiant tube burner

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF INITIATING AND STABILIZING THE COMBUSTION OF A GASEOUS FUEL STREAM WITHIN A HEATING TUBE HAVING AT ITS INLET END A COMBUSTION CUP COMPRISED OF A BACKPLATE AND A CYLINDRICAL WALL, SAID COMBUSTION CUP BEING IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH SAID HEATING TUBE; WHICH COMPRISES PASSING A FUEL STREAM AXIALLY THROUGH THE BACKPLATE AND INTO SAID COMBUSTION CUP AND DISCHARGING SAID FUEL STREAM WITHIN SAID COMBUSTION CUP AT A POINT INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF; PASSING A FIRST AIR STREAM, COMPRISING 3 TO 7% OF THE TOTAL AIR REQUIRED FOR STOICHIOMETRIC COMBUSTION OF THE FUEL STREAM, TANGENTIALLY INTO SAID COMBUSTION CUP AND DISCHARGING THE FIRST AIR STREAM WITHIN THE COMBUSTION CUP AT A POINT UPSTREAM OF THE POINT WHERE THE FUEL STREAM IS DISCHARGED TO CAUSE SAID FIRST AIR STREAM TO SWIRL ABOUT SAID FUEL STREAM TO CREATE A REGION OF REDUCED PRESSURE AT THE POINT WHERE THE FUEL STREAM IS DISCHARGED AND TO DIVERT A PORTION OF THE FUEL STREAM TOWARD SAID BACKPLATE BY VIRTUE OF THE REDUCED PRESSURE CREATED BY SAID FIRST AIR STREAM TO FORM A COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURE WITH A PORTION OF SAID FIRST AIR STREAM; IGNITING SAID MICTURE AT A POINT ADJACENT SAID BACKPLATE TO CREATE A STABLE FLAME FRONT WITHIN SAID COMBUSTION CUP AT A POINT VERY CLOSELY ADJACENT SAID BACKPLATE; AND PASSING AN ANNULAR SECOND AIR STREAM INTO SAID HEATING TUBE TO SUPPORT THE COMBUSTION OF THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE FUEL STREAM.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF INITIATING AND STABILIZING THE COMBUSTION OF A GASEOUS FUEL STREAM WITHIN A HEATING TUBE HAVING AT ITS INLET END A COMBUSTION CUP COMPRISED OF A BACKPLATE AND A CYLINDRICAL WALL, SAID COMBUSTION CUP BEING IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH SAID HEATING TUBE; WHICH COMPRISES PASSING A FUEL STREAM AXIALLY THROUGH THE BACKPLATE AND INTO SAID COMBUSTION CUP AND DISCHARGING SAID FUEL STREAM WITHIN SAID COMBUSTION CUP AT A POINT INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF; PASSING A FIRST AIR STREAM, COMPRISING 3 TO 7% OF THE TOTAL AIR REQUIRED FOR STOICHIOMETRIC COMBUSTION OF THE FUEL STREAM, TANGENTIALLY INTO SAID COMBUSTION CUP AND DISCHARGING THE FIRST AIR STREAM WITHIN THE COMBUSTION CUP AT A POINT UPSTREAM OF THE POINT WHERE THE FUEL STREAM IS DISCHARGED TO CAUSE SAID FIRST AIR STREAM TO SWIRL ABOUT SAID FUEL STREAM TO CREATE A REGION OF REDUCED PRESSURE AT THE POINT WHERE THE FUEL STREAM IS DISCHARGED AND TO DIVERT A PORTION OF THE FUEL STREAM TOWARD SAID BACKPLATE BY VIRTUE OF THE REDUCED PRESSURE CREATED BY SAID FIRST AIR STREAM TO FORM A COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURE WITH A PORTION OF SAID FIRST AIR STREAM; IGNITING SAID MICTURE AT A POINT ADJACENT SAID BACKPLATE TO CREATE A STABLE FLAME FRONT WITHIN SAID COMBUSTION CUP AT A POINT VERY CLOSELY ADJACENT SAID BACKPLATE; AND PASSING AN ANNULAR SECOND AIR STREAM INTO SAID HEATING TUBE TO SUPPORT THE COMBUSTION OF THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE FUEL STREAM.