Opposed vortex combustion chamber

Claim 2

In a fuel burner apparatus including one or more primary fuel atomizing means, an ignition means and a tubular housing extending from said atomizing means and forming an elongated combustion chamber, the improvement which comprises; one or more longitudinal baffle means partially extending circumferentially around and spaced from the inner periphery of the housing, means adjacent said baffle means for injecting air between said baffle means and the interior periphery of said housing, and means to direct said air along the curved wall of said inner periphery of said housing inwardly into said combustion chamber in at least two oppositely directed streams from one of said partially extending baffle means, thereby forming at least a pair of impinging longitudinally extending, counterrotating vortices adjacent the axis of injection of atomized fuel from said primary fuel atomizing means into said combustion chamber.

Claim 3

The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tubular housing contains a plurality of said baffle means each of which is convex in shape and are axially aligned about the inner periphery of said housing, the exterior edges of each of said baffles defining, with said periphery, axially aligned slots between the baffle and the housing so as to direct said air through said slots along the curved wall of said inner periphery inwardly of said combustion chamber forming a plurality of counterrotating vortices.

Claim 4

The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said baffle means includes means forming a radially oriented extended slot therein adjacent the end of said baffle means opposite said atomizing means, said slot directing a portion of said air radially across the end of said combustion chamber forming a pneumatic restriction partially confining combustion products within said combustion chamber to insure more uniform combustion.

Claim 5

The invention as set forth in claim 1 in which the baffle means comprises a concave baffle plate spaced from the interior wall of said housing thereby forming at least a pair of axially aligned slots adjacent the edges of said plate to direct said air along the curved wall of said inner periphery outwardly of said slots in opposite directions forming at least a pair of counterrotating vortices.

Claim 6

The invention as set forth in claim 4 wherein the concave wall forming the baffle plate converges with the wall of said housing to form a narrowed slot to accelerate the exiting air therefrom.

Claim 7

A fuel burner apparatus including one or more primary fuel atomizing means, an injection means and a tubular housing extending from said atomizing means forming an elongated combustion chamber comprising; a plurality of longitudinal baffle means convex in shape partially extending circumferentially around and spaced from the inner periphery of the housing, and means adjacent said baffle means for injecting air between said baffle means and the inner periphery of said housing, the exterior edges of each of said convex baffles defining with said inner periphery axially aligned slots between the baffle and the housing, said air being directed through said slots along the curved wall of said inner periphery inwardly of said combustion chamber in at least two oppositely directed streams from one of said convex baffles, forming a plurality of counterrotating vortices which impinge adjacent the axis of injection of atomized fuel from said primary fuel atomizing means into said combustion chamber.

Claim 8

A fuel burner apparatus including one or more primary fuel atomizing means, an injection means and a tubular housing extending from said atomizing means forming an elongated combustion chamber comprising; a plurality of longitudinal baffle means convex in shape partially extending circumferentially around and spaced from the inner periphery of the housing, and means adjacent said baffle means for injecting air between said baffle means and the inner periphery of said housing, the exterior edges of each of said convex baffles defining with said inner periphery axially aligned slots between the baffle and the housing, said air being directed through said slots along the curved wall of said inner periphery inwardly of said combustion chamber in at least two oppositely directed streams from one of said convex baffles, forming a plurality of counterrotating vortices which impinge adjacent the axis of injection of atomized fuel from said primary fuel atomizing means into said combustion chamber.