Flame radiator structure

Claim 1

A combustion flame tempering device for a gas-fired furnace for inhibiting formation of oxides of nitrogen by a combustion system of the gas-fired furnace, the combustion system having at least one monoport inshot burner supplied with a gaseous fuel which is burned to produce the combustion flame which is projected through an inlet opening into an air heat exchanger for the gas-fired furnace, the combustion flame having a peripheral area of relatively high peak temperatures conductive to the formation of oxides of nitrogen, said combustion flame tempering device comprising: a perforated tubular main body section having open ends and sidewalls, having top and bottom edges, said sidewalls having longitudinal flanges at the top and bottom edges thereof, said flanges keeping said tubular main body section rigid and stable, a plurality of ribs disposed on said sidewalls and being oriented generally perpendicular to the longitudinal flanges of said main body section, said ribs stiffening said sidewalls to prevent said main body section from bending relative to the combustion flame, a plurality of oblong openings disposed on said sidewalls in alternating fashion with said ribs and substantially paralleling said ribs, said oblong openings allowing said main body section to expand and contract during thermal cycling, said main body section being positioned generally at the peripheral area of the combustion flame where relatively high peak temperatures promote the formation of oxides of nitrogen, and being made of a temperature reducing material that absorbs heat energy from the peripheral area of the combustion flame to reduce the temperature of the flame below the high peak temperatures, thereby inhibiting the formation of oxides of nitrogen.