Air/fuel mixing and flame-stabilizing device for fluid fuel burners

Claim 1

In an apparatus for heating a gas stream by the combustion of fluid fuel wherein the gas stream supports the combustion process and flows past the burner construction at velocities of the order of 1,500 to 6,000 f.p.m., fluid fuel is emitted from the burner, mixes with the gas stream, is burned and thereby heats the gas stream, the improvement comprising: a. a hollow elongate burner body; b. a row of spaced fuel orifices extending along and penetrating the wall of said burner body on the downstream portion of said wall; c. at least one baffle strip located downstream of said burner body, mounted spaced therefrom and supported thereby having as opposite major surfaces thereof: 1. an upstream imperforate laterally extending major surface area facing and in register with each of said orifices for laterally spreading all fluid fuel flow impinging thereon into the adjacent high-velocity airflow for passage around said baffle strip; and 2. a downstream laterally extending major surface area facing downstream from said orifices for maintaining thereon a physically unconfined low-velocity flame-stabilizing region, said baffle strip extending substantial distances transversely to the direction in which fuel flow emanates from said burner body.